Diane Morgan - Delicious Dips

By Diane Morgan
Photographs by Joyce Oudkerk Pool

Text copyright 2004 by Diane Morgan.

Photographs copyright 2004 by Joyce Oudkerk Pool

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-4521-2511-4

Design and Typesetting by Efrat Rafaeli

Prop styling by Carol Hacker and Tabletop Prop

Food styling by Pouk

Photography Assistants: Shana Lopes and Anne-Mette Thunem Herre

Chronicle Books LLC

680 Second Street

San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

Cherry Garcia ice cream is a registered trademark of Ben and Jerrys Homemade Holdings, Inc.; Lawrys seasoned salt is a registered trademark of Lawrys Foods, Inc.; Pillsbury Chocolate Chunk Thickn Fudgy Deluxe Brownie mix is a registered trademark of The Pillsbury Co.; Scharffen Berger chocolate is a registered trademark of SVS Chocolate LLC; Skippy Super Chunk peanut butter is a registered trademark of CPC/Best Foods; Valrhona chocolate is a registered trademark of Valrhona S.A.

Dedication

To Greg, Eric, and Mollyalways ready for dips and chips.

From munchies to crunchies and all the delectable dippers worthy of a dunk, Delicious Dips has been another terrific cookbook project. For me, there is nothing more fun than experimenting and playing in the kitchen. For instance, deciding that I wanted to create an Asian-style shrimp dip meant scanning my pantry shelves, surveying the contents of my refrigerator, and shopping at the market to develop and think about interesting pairings and textures. Sometimes, when Im creating recipes, I have a solid idea, perhaps trying to duplicate a fabulous entre I ate in a restaurant. Other times, reading a magazine or seeing food artfully photographed might be the inspiration for a dish. What I can say is that food is always on my mind. I have friends, workout partners, and aspiring cooks say to me, I cant believe you get to do this for a living. I do feel blessed and, perhaps, lucky that Ive been able to turn a lifelong passion into my vocation. I have many to thank for the opportunities Ive had.

My editor and dear friend Bill LeBlond is clearly at the top of my list, for giving me such skilled professional guidance, support, and time. The cycle of developing ideas, testing recipes repeatedly, and then writing always has its joys, dramas, and challenges. It is a delight to have an editor who always smooths the way.

To Amy Treadwell, Holly Burrows, Leslie Jonath, Michele Fuller, Michael Weisberg, Kendra Kallan, and the others at Chronicle Books who have inspired, supported, publicized, and otherwise kept my projects on trackI am delighted, absolutely delighted to be working with you. To Carolyn Krebs, my copy editor, many thanks for your meticulous attention to detail editing this book.

To Cheryl Russell, my valued and beloved assistant, I truly dont know what I would do without you. At times I have teased and called you my wife, but it is uncanny the number of instances you have anticipated my needs and supported my efforts even before I asked. It is a pleasure to have you in my kitchen and share in my work.

To my friends Peter and Harriet Watson and their children, David and Eric, and Erics wife, Paola, I treasure our friendship and relish every meal we get to share together. For Margie and Ken Sanders, Steve and Marci Taylor, Mary Barber, Sara Whiteford, Toni Allegra, Tori Ritchie, Summer Jameson, Josie Jimenez, Priscilla and John Longfield, Laurie Turney, Roxanne Murata and Austin Huang, and Adrienne and Robert Silveria, many thanks for all your support and wonderful friendship.

To my husband, Greg, whose palate I trust, insights I welcome, and twenty-five years of love and marriage I cherish.

Finally, to my children, Eric and Molly, I couldnt have done this book without your energy, enthusiasm, and love. You always challenge me, question me, and make me laugh. Eric, as you head off to college, I dont know what Im going to do without your well-honed skills as a taster. I guess Ill be mailing you my nonperishable recipe successes. Molly, keep asking your friends for dinner and making suggestions. I value your palate and love your company.

I dont know how they do itat cocktails parties, that is. Women, especially, holding wine glass in one hand, cocktail napkin or plate in the other hand, and niftily plucking hors doeuvres off a passed silver tray, all the while clutching an elegant little purse under her arm. Men, of course, sans purse, have one less thing to worry about, but its a juggling act nonetheless. The bigger challenge comes when a cocktail glass replaces the wine glass. One tiny bump from a passerby sends the cosmo or martini sloshing over the side of the glass, splashing the new, or freshly dry-cleaned, cocktail attire of a neighboring guest.

Is it obvious that Im a bit of a social observer? Of course, Im fully engaged, even enthralled at times, by cocktail conversation, but I cant help observing the skills needed to simultaneously eat, hold a glass, and conduct sparkling conversation at such affairs. The food alone can pose quite a challenge. Those one-bite-fits-all hors doeuvres arent always one bite. Nor are they conveniently tidy. Too big, and those topped-toast-point savories shatter upon the first bite. Too runny, and those Parmesan cheesestuffed mushrooms ooze juice between the fingers. Too crispy, and those phyllo-wrapped triangles send cascades of flakes to the floor.

Im not really a klutz; my husband and friends can attest to that, but I dont manage well at these types of parties. I fear being bumped, dread the thought of a too-crispy canap, and know Ill be introduced to some charming guest just when Ive plunked an hors doeuvre in my mouth.

This brings me to dips. I love dips. I wouldnt have written this book if I didnt like dips! Let me tell you why. When I see a dip and a delectable bowl of chips set on a buffet or cocktail table, I can easily sidle up to the table, set down my glass, and have a hand free for scooping and crunchingthe juggling act is over. Now, Im free to chat without the worry of a spill.

Dips allow for social engineering; set out on a buffet or cocktail table, they change the way guests mingle. Put out small plates and individual hors doeuvres and guests will walk around a table or move along a buffet, pick and choose to fill their plate, and move away. Set out a dip or two, in different spots, and guests will congregatehappily scooping and crunching as different conversations blossom. Dips become a positive social mechanisman icebreaker of sortsfor getting guests acquainted. (That is, of course, unless a guest double-dips a half-eaten chip. But who invites those sorts of guests, anyway?)