Two local notables serve up delicious dinner party for charity

When a Catholic priest hangs up his robes and a local weatherman has already told us that tomorrow will be sunny, what comes next? Ah, yes: philanthropy and food.

Coachella Valley's own Patrick Evans, meteorologist at News Channel 3 and host of Eye on the Desert, recently teamed up with Reverend Monsignor Howard Lincoln, who retired in 2021 after 20 years of service at Sacred Heart Church in Palm Desert, for a one-of-a-kind dinner in Rancho Mirage that satisfied palates and raised money for a good cause.

Both Evans and Lincoln love to cook and entertain, and over the years both have been incredibly generous with their talents and their time. Many local nonprofits have benefited from their actions. And on May 27, so did one lucky local couple.

At a benefit in May for Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine (CVVIM), Peter and Susan Baker bid on an auction item offered by Evans and Lincoln: dinner for 10, prepared in their own home by the two philanthropists, who paid for the food and wine out of their own pockets.

At several events throughout the season, Evans and Lincoln have individually offered up their culinary talents as auction items to raise money for local charities. And on more than one occasion when a bidding war incited, the men would double their generosity and agree to offer their gifts to both parties in order to raise twice the amount for the organization.

For the auction at the CVVIM event, Evans and Lincoln made the decision to team up and share cooking duties. And so it was that on May 27, the Bakers were treated to a scrumptious meal in their Thunderbird Villas home along with eight of their friends.

The evening began with Lincoln's mouthwatering homemade shrimp and pesto pizza, which was cut into tiny pieces and served hot and crusty straight from the oven. Cocktails were served and there was plenty of laughter as friends got caught up for an hour before the hosts and their invited guests took their seats in the dining room.

First came Evans' traditional Caprese salad with vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, adorned with a tiny dollop of pesto and a balsamic glazed dressing and served with tiny crostinis.

The main dish followed. Prepared by Lincoln, guests were treated to freshly made and cooked-to-perfection ravioli, which was tender enough to melt in the mouth while savoring the exotic taste of the chef's signature homemade truffle sauce and adorned with sweet peppers.

Evans' grand finale — which generated many "oohs" and "aahs" from the guests — were Sicilian cannoli, made with imported shells, a homemade filling of ricotta and mascarpone cheese and sweetened with finely powdered sugar, Madagascar vanilla and cinnamon with an added orange zest and a splash of Grand Marnier with folded-in mini dark chocolate chips. Then both ends of the delectable dessert were dipped in more chocolate chips and adorned with a sweet fresh raspberry and a whisp of confectioners' sugar.

Dessert was followed by a pause and a hush fell over the room for a few satisfied moments before delighted smiles began and laughter erupted, which was followed by an outpouring of applause for the talented duo.

After-dinner drinks were poured, coffee was served and for the next two hours everyone sat around the table telling stories old and new about Palm Springs then and now. Tales of Sinatra were bountiful as were family memories and discussions of upcoming vacations. The evening was an overwhelming success.

Host Susan said the event was a great bonding experience as she and Peter had known and loved Lincoln and his wife, Sandra, for many years and had supported many of the same charities. While the couple hadn't previously met Evans, they found him delightful and raved about his cooking.

Susan said it was so much fun to have a personally catered dinner with not one but two local philanthropists in the kitchen — and all for a worthy cause. She said she would absolutely do it again next season. (Unless, of course, someone reads this article and vows to outbid them.)

Beginning in October, there will be more chances to bid on one of these wonderful evenings as Evans and Lincoln plan to make their way around the charity event circuit, offering their talents to benefit many worthwhile Coachella Valley organizations. If you get the chance to have these remarkable chefs in your home, you will be treated to terrific cooking skills and a whole lot of fun.

Carole Stephen-Smith began writing in Scotland for a woman's weekly at the age of 15 and then covered American celebrities for the London Evening Echo. Arriving in the desert, she wrote for Desert Woman in the 1990s. Carole focuses on charities that help women as well as medical causes, especially breast cancer awareness, and all aspects of child abuse.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Two local notables serve up delicious dinner party for charity