NOVEMBER 2025

ISSUE 018

A Guide to Your January Dinner Party

Your dispatch from Mount Desert Island, Maine.
Let’s get into it. Your guide to hosting a fabulous dinner party this January.

Vibe Check

Gather a group of 6-12 people you know and love (or like a lot) for a cozy, intimate and glamorous dinner party.

Turn off all overhead lights (no exceptions). Light lots of candles. Candlelight or lamp light only. The perfect light bulb for a cozy, “well lit” space is 2700 Kelvin, 400 lumen LED bulb.

Have music playing medium to loud when people arrive.

Guests should arrive around 5:30/6 for 6:30/7PM dinner.

Drinks and light hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert, tea.

Family style service.

Effortless, easy glamour, a little rowdy.

Outfit

We need an effortless, comfortable outfit. Something chic that makes you feel confident, something comfortable so you can move easily, and something that is low effort because you’ve got a dinner party to host.

I love this sweater by SoldOut.NYC, it drapes beautifully. I don’t get hot in it. I like it over a simple white tee and paired with these drapey, elastic waist silk pants by DONNI (I have two pairs and wear them all the time. They’re so flattering and I think they’re a great investment piece). Pair it with some delicate, drippy drop earrings, a big cocktail ring (this one is on my wishlist!), and go barefoot.

Music

Music during a party is so important. This playlist is smooth and jazzy and will give you cool credits with music enthusiasts at your party with artists like Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and June Christy.

Nibbles & Cocktails

Keep hors d’oeuvres light and cocktails simple. Instead of a full bar which will keep you running back and forth fixing different drinks, I recommend something so much chicer— one drink. Since it’s winter I recommend a simple dirty martini with blue cheese olives or tequila, fresh citrus juice, and pomegranate seeds.

I want my guests to be hungry for dinner! Keeping your hosting duties low effort, stick with big silver bowls of well buttered and salted popcorn, and small dishes of castelvetrano olives scattered around. The saltiness of these will get them ready for dinner.

A Very Excellent Dirty Martini (makes 6 cocktails)

18 ounces (2 1/4 cup) quality vodka (I like Belvedere)
1 1/4 cup olive juice (GREEN OLIVES ONLY), I love these
Olives for garnish (string 3 on a toothpick)
I love these vintage rocks glasses

Combine vodka and olive juice in a martini shaker. Stir with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with olives.

Creamy, Buttery Polenta
(serves 4)
2 cups of water or vegetable/chicken broth
2 cups of milk
1 cup polenta
1/2 stick of butter
Sea Salt
1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan (optional)

1. Bring your water and milk mixture to a boil
2. Add in your polenta and whisk to avoid any lumps
3. Turn the heat down to medium low and continue stirring until the water has evaporated and the mixture is thick and creamy. I like my polenta well salted, approximately 3 tbs of sea salt.
4. When its reached the consistency of cake batter, take it off the heat and put the butter in and let it melt.
5. Top with grated parmesan or let your guests add it themselves.
6. Transfer to a nice big bowl and place it in the center of the table with your chicken.
7. Serve warm.

In keeping with my mantra of excellent, beautiful and simple dishes, I propose skillet roasted, skin on, bone in chicken thighs, with sides of buttery polenta and vibrant, herby green salad with a bitter Dijon vinaigrette.

I recommend serving the chicken in the dishes they’re cooked in. This keeps things simple and rustic. Prepare two chicken thighs per person, and put down a skillet per every 4 people. For example: 8 chicken thighs in a skillet for every four people. If you have 8 people, use two skillets, 12 people, 3 skillets, etc. I suggest doing the same with the polenta and the salads. This allows people to eat family style which is festive and rustic, and creates much less work for you.

Dinner

Roasted Chicken Thighs
Skin on, bone in chicken thighs (2 per person)
4 onions
Olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper

  1. Heat the oven to 500

  2. In a cast iron skillet (I love and use this one regularly) add your chicken thighs, 2 onions cut into quarters, and generously cover all the ingredients in olive oil, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper. If you have rosemary on hand, toss that in too.

  3. Roast at 500 for 30 minutes, or until the skin is crackling and a dark golden brown.

  4. Turn the temp down to 350 and continue roasting for 20 minutes.

  5. If you’re making this in advance of your guests arrival, pull the finished chicken thighs out of the oven until the oven cools completely. Then turn it to “warming” and keep your skillet in the oven until you’re ready to serve.

  6. Make sure to put down a trivet or a pot holder before putting the hot skillet down on a table.

  7. Place your skillet in the middle of the table and let guests serve themselves!

Dijon Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup wine vinegar

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 3 tbs dijon mustard

  • 2 tbs of sea salt

  • 1 minced shallot

  • 2 tbs of freshly ground pepper

Dessert & Tea

Chocolate mousse with sea salt and olive oil, and big bowls of tangerines, accompanied by cups of chamomile tea (this one is my favorite).

I would make the chocolate mousse the night before, have it set in the fridge over night in pretty bowls, and sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil right before serving. Instead of individual bowls for each person (more dishes, more clean up, NOT the vibe), do it like the chicken and make a bowl of mousse per every 4 people. Pass around spoons and just let everyone enjoy! It will be far enough into the evening where everyone has had a drink or two, and everyone will feel familial and friendly enough to share something chocolate. Serve with a bowl of in season tangerines.

Chocolate Mousse with Sea Salt & Olive Oil

3 eggs
5 oz dark bittersweet cooking chocolate
10g butter
1/2 cup cream
3 tbsp sugar

  • Separate eggs and yolks. Place whites and yolks in separate bowls.

  • Whisk yolks together.

  • Melt chocolate and butter: Break chocolate into small pieces and place in a saucepan the butter. Melt over low heat until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly while you proceed with other steps.

  • Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks.

  • Fold egg yolks into cream using a rubber spatula.

  • The chocolate should still be runny but warm, if its not, return it to the stove until warm and runny.

  • Pour chocolate into cream yolk mixture.

  • Add 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold through until incorporated.

  • Pour this chocolate mixture into the rest of the egg whites. Fold through until incorporated.

  • Distribute into large to medium bowls and let set overnight until its firm.

  • Before serving, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.

Remember— this is supposed to be FUN! Enjoy yourself. Nothing should be perfect, because there is no such thing. I hope this guide helps you eat beautifully, feel beautiful, and enjoy the beautiful people you’ve gathered.

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