By Caroline Dipping

Last New Year's Eve, we asked, "What is your culinary resolution for 2009?"

Marilyn Biggica, associate professor of Foods and Nutrition through the Continuing Education program at the San Diego Community College District, was one of the first to jump in with a culinary commitment.

"It's about time I get out the dust-ridden specialty baking equipment that has been sitting out of view on shelves in my kitchen," Biggica wrote. "I can see it now: a dessert party with special friends surrounding Apple Charlotte, Cherry Crepes, Pear and Almond Tarts, Butter Spongecake with Orange Cream, and of course, creme anglaise poured on everything."

In July, Biggica contacted us again and said the time had come for her to make good on her New Year's resolution. She was hosting a dessert party and wanted to extend an invitation.

Out of necessity, Biggica chose summer because she wasn't tied up teaching her low-fat cooking class at the college. She said her determination was buoyed by the fact that too many friends had read her declaration back in December to let her back down.

Still, although a seasoned pro in the kitchen, Biggica admits she bit off more than she bargained for.

"It was a big undertaking probably because I had not used some of my baking equipment and my recipes in this new oven where I'm living now, and there were a lot of mishaps," she said. "The carrot cake spilled over in the oven because I decided to change the pans from oblong to layers and the oven didn't bake like my old oven did.

"It was an adventure, but I have to tell you, there couldn't be any amount of work that I did that wasn't 100 percent worth it."

One of the unexpected joys Biggica experienced was when she started planning her menu. Culling recipes from her old card file brought back a flood of memories of friends and acquaintances who shared their recipes with her decades ago.

The Chocolate Cannoli Torte she served at her party, for example, is Biggica's adaptation of the cannolis Esther Navarra (matriarch of the Jerome's Furniture Warehouse family) made often and wrote about in her cookbook, "Olives on the Table: Memories From a Sicilian Kitchen."

The Fabulous Fudge Cake was another sweet coup. After one taste more than 20 years ago at a party, Biggica begged for, and was granted, the formula from a prominent Mission Hills, Calif., hostess. Coming across the recipe again in her files, Biggica was moved to contact the woman whom she hadn't seen in years.

The Light and Lovely Lemon Cheesecake in a Glass was Biggica's one nod to health and to her reputation as a low-fat cooking teacher.

Biggica is already planning her next dessert party for the winter holidays. She wants to pair dessert coffees with sweets in the evening and invite the friends who couldn't attend her summer gathering.

"This definitely was an inspiration because that equipment was just stored away, not touched for many years, and some of the recipes not done for at least 20 years," Biggica said. "It inspired me to have more friends over. It was my way of communicating my love to them."

DESSERT PARTY BY DESIGN

Strategize: Haul out your recipe resources, and plan a menu to ensure a balance of desserts. Think chocolate and non-chocolate, nutty and non-nutty, creamy and crunchy, fork-and-plate and grab-and-go. For a nice sampling, plan on a minimum of six desserts.

Be prepared: Buy nonperishable items in advance and do as much prep ahead as possible. Toast and chop nuts and coconut the day before. Bake cake layers ahead; well wrapped and unfrosted, they can easily be frozen up to a month.

Pretty is as pretty does: Pull out the stops with your best tablecloth, cutlery, prettiest dishes, glasses and serving pieces. Vary the height of trays, or stack different sizes of pedestal plates to create a tower effect. Flowers and candles (unscented, please!), add ambiance.

Hydrate: Espresso drinks or coffee, dessert wines or Champagne are all well and good, but make sure guests have water (sparkling and still) to slake their thirst. They will appreciate it after they've polished off a rum ball or two.

After the fun: Chances are even the most voracious sweet tooth on your guest list won't be able to tuck into every treat on the table. Make sure you have plenty of zip-lock bags or plastic containers to send desserts home with guests.

Caroline Dipping writes about food for The San Diego Union-Tribune.