Culinary Daring

One measure of your culinary confidence is your willingness to attempt the unusual while knowing your table is decorated with holiday guests. Holiday guests tend to have higher expectations than your average dinner guests but that doesn't always lend them the sense of adventure you might expect. 

If you choose to announce, for instance, that "We're having an arugula and beet salad with a homemade chunky bleu cheese dressing" or "I thought we'd start with baby onions and brussel sprouts in a horseradish cream sauce," you've got to expect a few blank stares. The silent graciousness of your guests doesn't belie the fact they're now wishing they'd accepted their "other" invitation.

Before you think me brimming with foolish bravado, let me share with you the key to this sort of daring.

You mustn't lead with your exotic menu offerings. I've been collecting extensive data on this for years so you can trust me when I tell you: You can serve whatever culinary delight strikes your fancy as long as you lead with a must have stand by - green bean casserole.

I don't know how this came to be, but green bean casserole is now as enmeshed in holiday tradition as pumpkin pie and Christmas cookies. A scoop of the stuff on their plates gives your guests the pleasant sensation that tradition is not lost. Nor has the world gone topsy turvy with madness and zealous foodies.

It gives them the courage to consider beets and brussel sprouts - even if it's just the smallest spoonful of consideration.

There are limits of course. I doubt even green bean casserole could overcome your guests' trepidation should they discover rare, still undulating rattle snake on your holiday table.

Yet, what if it were braised just beyond undulation and served with a chipolte mayonnaise and topped with a dollop of sweet chili sauce?

Wait, come back! I was only thinking out loud!