When a Chef is Expected to "Bring Something"

There's nothing more gratifying to me than cooking for my friends and family. They are my biggest fans, amazing critics and the world's best guinea pigs. But the pressure is always on. I've got to top myself from last time, don't I?

When someone has a party or you go stay with someone for the weekend, you ask and always mean "What can I bring?"

Whatever you decide to bring has got to be GOOD. I mean, you can't bring storebought cookies or a cake when they KNOW you can make it yourself.

So you start to think through your arsenal, "nope, they had that last Easter. No, I made this for that party a few months ago." So then you think about what you can make that's new and fresh. But you realize:
a) you don't have time for a dry run**,
b) whatever it is needs to be mostly assembled and/or cooked ahead of time because their house probably won't have the right equipment
c) noone wants their kitchen taken over by someone else when it's their party.

**Side note on the dry run: Most people, especially most chefs no matter how famous or experienced, are a bit insecure. So a dry run is essential for the chef to actually enjoy themselves at the event instead of watching every face as they take a bite.
"Are they gagging?" "Did they just spit it out or were they wiping their mouths?" "I KNEW there was too much pepper."

I'm going to stay with some family who I adore this weekend. I normally bring a bottle of wine and something edible. Here's what I decided on this time; a dessert, an appetizer and something a little different from a bottle of wine:

* My famous Peppermint Patty Brownies. Time tested and approved. They come out great, even when I vary the brownie recipe slightly. A chewy brownie, with a layer of peppermint frosting and topped with ganache. Best served cold, near frozen.
* A salad of cubed watermelon, sliced feta cheese, fresh mint and a dash of sea salt. Sweet, salty, and couldn't be more stress free.
* Tarragon infused Vodka. I did a small test a few weeks ago and it came out delicious! I'm doing it on a larger scale today, with the intention of mixing the concoction with lemonade and served straight up. The combination of the slightly anise flavor with the sweet, tangy lemonade makes this a really refreshing summer drink. I'm a little nervous about the infusions, but since I've done it once, we should be ok. It's infusing now - I'll let you know how it turns out.