58 October 2019_Esquire
...to After-Party
We cocoon when things get crazy. We hunker down. It’s only natural.
The barrage of unsettling news over the past few years has gotten a lot
of us longing for something settled. Entertaining at home has rarely been
more attractive, because there is so much comfort in the communion
of breaking bread and opening bottles with friends. With that in mind,
what we offer here are some easy suggestions for bringing it all back
home: Bowls of pasta that don’t require your traveling to Modena for a
master class. A pantry full of aromatic spices that can give your cooking
majestic sweep with nothing more than a shake. Rice perfumed by a
whole fish. Crispy toasts overflowing with jammy tomatoes. A nightcap
that will mellow everyone out. Whether you’re inviting over a rowdy
entourage or lighting candles at the table for a Friday-night staycation for
two, these are the things you’ll want to eat and drink as you shut out
the world and dig in. So when do you want us to drop by? —Jeff GordinierPhotographs by PEDEN & MUNK