Crazier (than Gnarls Barkley) for Consomme

Everything old is newer than ever again, and the austere bowl of broth or consomme is such a severly elegant (in today's parlance the term would be FIERCE) way to begin a formal dinner. If you're not prone to meals of great formality, try it. You just might enjoy the determination and discipline such an evening or afternoon requires, and certainly your friends and family will appreciate the special treat.

AVOCADO BROTH

A holdover from the days of Ladies Who Lunched (famously), as with most recipes from the 1940s/50s, this thin soup feels fresh again. Presented in wide, shallow soup bowls, garnished with a tiny dollop of sour cream or snipped chives, we can almost imagine Deborah Kerr next to us daintly ladling spoonfuls into her crimson lips. If it lends a further Hollywood pedigree to this already glamorous dish, we'll let you in on a secret: it was Joan Crawford's favorite starter for dinners at her Bel-Air home.

2 cans (10-1/2 oz.each) beef broth /2 soup cans of water (this is how we measure it anyway) /4 crumbled dried chiles (or 1 T. dried chili flakes, though best to use the whole chiles) /Juice of 1 lemon /1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced

1. Mix beef broth, water, chilies and lemon juice.
2. Heat just to below boiling. Stir in avocado.
3. Serve immediately. Serves at least 6 for a small first course.

SCOTCH BROTH

A veritable classic that never goes out of style or unappreciated. Ideal for a multi-course formal dinner, but equally good as a luncheon starter, perhaps preceeding a quiche-and-salad entree or hearty pasta. Most recipes require an enormous cooking time plus lots of skimming of debris from scraped bones, so we invented this (nearly) hands-free version using that crockpot gathering dust in your cabinet.

2 shoulder lamb chops (be sure to buy these cheap cuts available at all supermarkets) /1/3 cup pearl barley /1 large carrot, peeled and cubed / 2 leeks, white part only, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 cups water /salt (you're gonna need quite a bit) / pepper / 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1. In the slow cooker, combine the lamb, barley, carrot, leeks, celery and water.
2. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, until meat is very tender and falling apart; add salt and pepper to taste. (You will want to remove the meat and discard the bones most likely).
3. Ladle into serving dishes and garnish with parsley.

TOMATO CONSOMME WITH MOZZARELLA & TOMATO GARNISH

A great way to start an Italian meal, perfect for hot or cool weather with the addition of rich fresh mozzarella. Avoid a pasta course following with cheese or even an entree based around dairy, as it tends to feel repetative we've discovered. Do not be deterred by the lengthy instructions below; they are meant as guidelines to help you stun guests with presentation and are quite simple.

3 to 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes plus 1/2 tomato, cut into 4 wedges / Sea salt and freshly ground pepper /4 mozzarella cheese bocconcini, each 1 inch in diameter (usually found in the deli section of your supermarket, but also at all Italian markets and Costco etc) / 4 cherry tomatoes /About 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil /8 large fresh basil leaves, cut into very fine chiffonade (i.e. thin strips)

(Note to Visitors Sensitive to Cafe Drake (mis) measurements: It is impossible to give a specific amount for the tomatoes because how much "water" a tomato releases depends on many factors, including the growing season and the variety. You will need enough tomato water to fill your martini glasses, so measure their capacity, probably something between 5 and 9 ounces each. We used 7 tomatoes, about 3 1/2 lbs.)

1. Chill the martini glasses in the freezer or refrigerate an hour ahead of serving. NOTE: For the most stunning presentation, make sure the glasses are heavily frosted (a freezer gives a heavy frost).
2. Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper; place in a sieve suspended over a bowl and refrigerate for several hours. As the tomatoes release their juice, it will fall into the bowl, giving you an almost gin-clear liquid with lots of flavor. NOTE: If the tomato water is not clear, pour it through a fine mesh strainer. Season the tomato water to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until very cold. Reserve the tomato pulp for another use.
3. Halve or quarter the mozzarella bocconcini if they are larger than 1 inch in diameter. Thread a tomato wedge, a bocconcini piece, and a cherry tomato onto each of 4 wooden skewers 4 to 5 inches long. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.
4. Working quickly, divide the tomato liquid among the chilled martini glasses. Balance the skewers on top of the glasses, then sprinkle the basil chiffonade over the skewers. Serve immediately.