When hosting any sort of an event, it is crucial to find the correct balance between too much open space and not enough room. If there is too much room, the party looks like an empty dance floor at a bad prom. If there is no room, it can be stifling and uncomfortable.

During the public tasting at the Artisan Cheese Festival, I found myself crammed between several people all desperate to taste cheese. The booths were too close together and there was no flow of traffic because the place was over packed. Needless to say, it was not fun. I wondered why the event planners had not spaced out the booths better or taken into consideration that it was a beautiful day that would bring a bigger crowd to the event.

Although this was a large event, the same goes for private parties in the home. If you have a small studio, don't invite over fifty friends. Allow room for guests to mingle without having to press up against a new acquaintance.

How about you? Have you ever been to an over-crowded party? How did you deal with not having enough room?

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Learn a different way to poach an egg. I've heard of this simple method before and think it's about time I tried it. — Delicious Days

This week's cupcake of the week comes from Steph at the Frosted Garden. These adorable Easter Nests are delightfully festive and oh so cute. I hope she inspires you to make your own batch for Sunday!

Earlier this week I let you in on how Good Housekeeping published Conan O'Brien's recipe. Unfortunately it wasn't actually Conan's recipe and so a feud was born. All week long Conan has been talking about it and creating Irish recipes of his own. I sort of thought it would never end, but last night Good Housekeeping's editor in chief, Rosemary Ellis, decided to pay Conan a visit. She apologized, gave him a lifetime subscription to Good Housekeeping, offered to teach him how to cook the stew, and actually brought some in for him to try.

After tasting it, Conan decided to "Irish it up" a bit. Let's see, what would make it more Irish? How about some Jameson? Perhaps some Guinness, too? If you want to see what he did, we got the clip, watch it when you read more

A fun way to present cocktails at a party is to serve them in a bottle. To make these Orangina sunrises, some of the Orangina is poured out of the bottle to create room for the rum, amaretto, and grenadine. Put the cocktails together before the party starts and fill a large cooler with the bottles. Fill another cooler with plain organina and label it so guests know which ones have alcohol and which ones do not.

This drink would also be perfect to bring to a picnic or other outdoor function where public drinking is "not allowed." To see how it's made, read more

Toasting nuts before you use them to bake or make pesto brings out their intense richness. It gives the nut a deeper, nuttier flavor. Although many recipes say to toast the nuts in the oven, you can just as simply toast them on the stove. Since I'm usually toasting a small amount, I actually prefer to toast them on the stove because they are less likely to burn. Here's the technique I practice:

• Heat a large dry frying pan — you want all of the nuts to fit in a single layer — over medium-high heat.
• Add the whole nuts and toast, stirring often. When they are fragrant with a light-brown color, remove from the heat. It shouldn't take longer than a couple of minutes.
• Let nuts cool on a plate or paper towels before using.

How about you? What's your nut-toasting technique?

Wednesday night we watched as the second cheftestant left the Top Chef house. And while Valerie Bolon may never look at blinis the same, she was able to look back and cherish the time she spent on the show. Yesterday afternoon I got to speak with her about her experience. To see what she had to say, including her pick for the win and who she would like to see leave, read more

Seafood is typically consumed on Good Friday and I suggest you go exotic and make this simple shrimp curry. Served over rice, this is a fragrant and delicious meal. The shrimp is cooked with an onion, mustard seed, curry, and coconut mixture. A large sprinkling of cilantro and a healthy serving of carrots round out the dish. For the recipe please, read more

• Confused by all the enhanced water choices out there? Check out the results to this seven bottle taste test. — Al Dente
• Learn the secrets of Top Chef as told by their Chicago neighbors. — Time Out Chicago
• Get a unique recipe for Easter Egg Challah. — Baking Bites
• Not into Easter eggs? Try these fabric ones instead. — CasaSugar
• Chefography is returning to Food Network, including one on itself. — Food Network Addict
• Is there a cure for chocoholism? — Slashfood
• Learn the pros and cons of decaf. — FitSugar
• How did I miss out on Macaron Day? — Serious Eats
• How did Rachael Ray's SXSW showcase turn out? — Chow