Dinner en homage Dorothy Draper

We've been completely taken with the current Dorothy Draper exhibit at The Museum of the City of New York (1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd St.). In addition to the large display of vintage Draper furniture, textiles, sketches and more, the building itself is an architectural beauty, and the neighborhood of Spanish Harlem is teeming with Latin groceries and authentic tacquerias for food shopping and dining after your tour. One of the Draper exhibit's treasures can be found in a glass case on the left corridor - a menu from the Camelia Room restaurant(designed of course by Dorothy) of the Drake Hotel, circa 1940s. In tribute to this influential pioneer, and to the grandeur of meals of a time long past, Cafe Drake proposes the dinner below, comprised of favorite recipes suitable for your most refined guests.

Cocktails with Bacon-Wrapped and Broiled Chicken Livers to start . . .

followed by Singapore Salad

1 qt. mung bean sprouts (the large ones) / 1 pt. boiling water / 1 avocado, sliced thinly / 1 red bell pepper, diced / 1 t. dry mustard / juice of 1 lemon / 1 T. tarragon vinegar / 3 T. olive oil / pinch of sugar / salt and pepper

1. Pour boiling water over bean sprouts. Drain immediately, pat dry and chill.
2. Place a mound of sprouts on a chilled salad plate. Dress with avocado and bell pepper. Return to refrigerator.
3. Mix dressing (all remaining ingredients) and pour over chilled composed salads and serve.

moving on to Fritz's Frog Legs

30 frog legs (available frozen but often fresh at Asian markets) / 2 cups dry white wine / 1/4 cup snipped chives / 1/2 cup dry sherry / 2 T. butter / 2 T. flour / 1 cup cream / salt and white pepper to taste

1. Simmer the frog legs in the white wine and chives (save a few for garnish) for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the frog legs to a bowl and cover with the sherry. Let sit for 1 hour.
3. Make a thick white sauce with the butter, flour and cream. Season with salt and white pepper.
4. Place legs in a casserole and cover with white sauce. Warm in a low oven (300 degrees or so) for about 15 minutes until sauce bubbles. Serve at once garnished with a few chives.

and for dessert . . . Apricot Omelette

1 oz. kirsch / 1 cup apricot preserves / 6 free-range eggs (at room temperature) / 2 T. ice water / pinch of salt / 2 t. sugar / 2 T. butter / 1 t. powdered sugar

1. Blend the kirsch and preserves and set aside. Preheat broiler.
2. Blend 3 eggs with 1 T. water, tiny bit of salt and 1 t. sugar. Melt butter in hot pan and add eggs. Prepare omelette, adding 3 T. or more of apricot mixture to center of eggs before closing up the omelette.
3. Sprinkle the top of omelette with 1/2 t. powdered sugar and run under broiler just to glaze.
4. Serve at once and repeat steps above for the second omelette.

All dishes above will serve 4 quite comfortably, or 6 with lighter summer appetites.