Pad Parties

Pad Parties is a campy recipe/party planner/craft compendium of the recently-tacky-making-a-comeback- school of entertaining decor. Matt Maranian is the King of Kitsch. Not just kitsch but ultra-Kitsch-O-Rama.

So after writing several books on how exactly to decorate your house in the absolute over the top style, it was only a matter of time before he rustled up a cookbook . After all, after you have spent months gathering Tiki torches and lava lamps and shag carpeting into your humble abode, you will need to entertain the neighbors.

This book has tons of unusual projects to make for your PAD. It also features a lovely musical selection as one can't decorate with Tiki and faux fur and play Susanne Vega at a party. As for the recipes, there are some really nifty little bites for your pad or any other party you might just decide to throw. Here's an updated fave for the Mad Men crowd.

Gutless Rumaki

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
1/2 pound sliced bacon
Two 8-ounce cans whole water chestnuts, drained
Wooden toothpicks
Brown sugar

Stir together soy sauce, ginger and curry powder, if using, together in a measuring cup and set aside. Cut the scrappy quarter end off each bacon slice, making for a strip measuring about 6 inches long. Snugly roll each bacon slice over a water chestnut and skewer with a toothpick.

Place the rumaki in a single layer on the bottom of a shallow dish then pour soy sauce mixture over, carefully drenching each roll. Let sit, covered and refrigerated for about 1 hour.

Preheat the broiler and position the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Spread a generous layer of brown sugar on a plate. Dredge each rumaki in the brown sugar getting as good a coverage as possible. Place the rumaki 1 or 2 inches apart in a broiler pan and broil for about 10 minutes turning frequently, until bacon is crisp.

Now get out there an party.
If you are in need of an ensemble to wear and find yourself in Brattleboro, Vermont, you can check out Matt's shop, Boomerang.SEE VIDEO TUTORIAL >>