Entertaining With :: Bailey and Peter McCarthy

Nothing personifies entertaining in Houston quite like a dinner party that perfectly fuses Tex-Mex flavors with charming southern hospitality. So when I spotted a topped off margarita glass set beside antique crystal on Bailey McCarthy’s table, I couldn’t help but smile. You may know Bailey as the blogger behind Peppermint Bliss, the brains behind Biscuit Home, or the subject of this gorgeous Matchbook Magazine feature, so we’re beyond excited that she joins us today to share her amazing entertaining style, photographed by Logan Beck.

From Bailey: My husband and I just recently moved back to Houston with our daughter Grace, and renovated a house that’s super close to my store, Biscuit. At least once a week, my Biscuit team and I go out after work, and whenever we try to decide what we want for dinner the answer is always the same: Mexican. Like any good Texan girls, we can’t get enough of it. But in an effort to be a bit healthier, we’ve recently started doing fancy Mexican feasts at my house (think: seared avocado salad instead of chips and guacamole). Our babysitter is an incredible cook as well and always contributes a few dishes that we are more than happy to devour…

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The taste I’m always craving:

Spicy and salty.

 

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Always in my refrigerator:

Cheese. I am suspicious of all persons and cultures that don’t consume cheese.

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My standard hostess outfit:

For me a casual dress is always a safe bet. It is the quickest thing to throw on, and I feel equally comfortable if people arrive overdressed or in jeans.

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My dream dinner guests:

Beyonce, Jay-Z and probably Blue Ivy too so that Grace could have a friend to play with. Lorne Michaels — I feel like he must be good at managing personalities. Jon Hamm and Jennifer Westfeldt because they are both exquisite. Tom Wolfe so he could write about it. And then someone really dull and unaccomplished so that I am not the least valuable player.

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The restaurant meal I’ll never forget:

My husband and I lived in Chicago when we were first married, and the restaurant scene there is unreal. Every meal with chef Giuseppe Tentori of Boka and GT Fish and Oyster is unforgettable.

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My entertaining style in 5 words or less: 

Casual, festive, rowdy.

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My must-have entertaining tool:

Margaritas. Food tastes better, people are more interesting, minor disasters unimportant. Fresh lime juice, good tequila, and either triple sec or Grand Marnier. A third, a third, a third.

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The perfect dinner party playlist includes:

Edward Sharpe, Bombay Bicycle Club, Passion Pit, Macklemore, Little Green Cars and then maybe some really offensive hardcore rap to keep things lively.

*photo by Emily Johnston Anderson

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My signature entertaining dish:

My corn salad is always a hit. It is good for entertaining too because you can do the majority of the cooking before guests arrive and then throw it in the oven 20 minutes before you are ready to serve.

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Click for Bailey’s Corn Salad Recipe

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The entertaining rule I rarely break: 

I try to never run out of anything. We like to present an abundance of food, drinks, and joy.