Cardamom ramps up chocolate-cake flavor; serve with ice cream

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One of our good friends, a busy journalist and college professor, entertains more often than anyone I know and does so effortlessly and with much pleasure.

Her success, I've discovered, is due to several factors.

First, she plans simple menus, many of which include quickly grilled or sauteed meats accompanied by roasted seasonal vegetables. Although she loves to cook, she has no reservations about supplementing her homemade fare with an appetizer from a neighborhood deli or a dessert from a local bakery.

Finally, she often shares the cooking with a friend.

I turned out to be one of her fellow cooks for a fall dinner for eight. My friend bought savory wine- and pepper-scented crackers and topped them with creamy cheese to offer as appetizers.

Earlier in the day she sauteed chicken with lemon and capers, cooked green beans and tossed them with bacon, and baked a potato gratin. I arrived with a chocolate cardamom cake to end the menu.

All through the cool, crisp New England evening, I noticed how relaxed my friend was.

She spent as much time as the guests savoring wine and appetizers, then left the room for a few minutes to reheat the main course, which was presented buffet style.

At dessert time, she brewed coffee while I brought the cake to the table.

The rich chocolate cake turned out to be a fine finale to the meal and, like the other dishes, was not complicated to prepare.