Last fall, I was invited to a party at the home of a couple I did not know after a really long cook and style photo shoot. It was one of those friend of a friend affairs that was ambiguous as to whether it was a Chex Mix and Cheez Itz, stumbling home, starving and anticipating the BIG hangover kind of night or a dinner party. I just didn’t know. I was tired, hungry and hoping to be fed.
I arrived at a spacious and beautifully decorated loft on Bond Street starving and desperately scanning the room for acceptable edibles. I was relieved that there wasn’t a tortilla, potato or corn chip in sight but lovely cheeses, olives, crackers and spicy jellies, good wine and chocolate were all within reach. At the very least I’d earn my hangover drinking too much expensive wine and under filling my belly on gourmet snacks.
When I found my way to the kitchen, the counter was covered with bowls of chopped veggies, cheeses, meats and breads. On the stove were heavy cast iron grill pans, a big cup of olive oil and basting brush…I was at a panini party. I had heard about these but had never attended one and thought…great…someone will custom cook me a sandwich…just what I need.
Of course, my friends had innocently told our hosts all about what I did for a living. I was the only “food professional” there so I was expected to take a turn at the stove and the expectations were high…so after I shot a few gee thanks glances at my crowd, I took my no-longer anonymous skills to the grill. So much for partying after a long day at work. I wondered if accountants ended up at parties where people crunch numbers for fun.
Everyone who had gone to the stove to that point had done well with the available ingredients, but I decided I needed an edge. Feeling the pressure to be creative, I raided the fridge before it was my turn in order to come up with something worthy of the hyperbolic praise my friends had given my culinary skills. I grabbed an apple, a banana, a bar of dark chocolate, some Gruyère, prosciutto and a fresh baguette and surprisingly, I was starting to have a little fun. My first panini was a transition from savory to sweet as I pressed the prosciutto with Gruyère and thinly sliced Fuji apples. This wasn’t so miserable and felt nothing at all like work. I was enjoying the kitchen camaraderie and the foodie dialogue. It felt like a party. My first panini was met with rave reviews and I proceeded to make a dessert panini with freshly sliced bananas and dark chocolate. The banana paninis disappeared so fast I was lucky to get a taste before they were gobbled up. I wiped my brow, took a bow and slipped off my apron…smiling and gratified that cooking could still be fun even after a long day at the stove.
The panini theme was a great way to break the ice with new people and keep a group laughing and having a ball. I spent a good portion of the night lingering in the kitchen tasting other people’s creations, offering tips, getting pointers from some really good cooks and just connecting to newly found friends. The beauty of the panini is that you can put just about anything on good bread, toasted with olive oil and it will be delectable. And, the best part is that you don’t need to be a pro to make a notable panini or an amateur to have a great time doing it.
