Charlotte Berwind Fine Foods

NY NY at the Katonah Museum of Art. So nice we went back thrice.

2011-12-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

This has been an amazing season here at CBFF and one of my biggest pleasures has been catering at the jewel box that is the Katonah Museum of Art in Katonah, NY. Regular readers have seen numerous posts of our work there and due to the laser vision of the curators every exhibit is fresh and always exciting.

This exhibit had us there for two corporate events, one for architects in black tie; they looked so very smooth, so very New York, as well as one for BNY/Mellon’s Wealth Management Group. The third event was a “Feast Your Eyes” luncheon which brings in the modern version of ladies who lunch. Busy women, working women, philanthropic women, women who need a brief respite from their hectic lives to eat a delicious lunch and take a brief tour to refuel their souls so they can carry on during this hectic time of year for women everywhere. (Tell me, would ANY holiday happen without us?)

A few of the ladies at Feast Your Eyes commented on the salad dressing which is my spin on Julia Child's Basic Vinaigrette. So here it is along with variations and suggestions and way too much to say. And by the way...giving the gift of membership is a wonderful thing to do for both the recipient and this museum.... Just a suggestion, the link is at the end of the post!

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

Learning the 3 to 1 rule of vinaigrette is really all you need to know, the rest is window dressing!

NOTE: I make enough dressing to store in a jar in the refrigerator for easy use. The amounts are never measured with standard devices but rather by eye and hand. I truly encourage you to do the same. The tactile relation between food and cook is, in my opinion, essential to truly good cooking.

Equipment Needed:

Food Processor or Hand Held Immersion Blender

Ingredients:

• ½ onion or about ½ cup chopped
• ½ cup of good Sherry Vinegar
• 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I use a 2/3, 1/3 mix of good olive oil (2/3) and outstanding olive oil (1/3)
• Heaping Tbs. of Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt- or to taste
• ½ tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper- or to taste
• 1 – 2 TBS. Spike*

*a blend of dried, pulverized vegetables sold in health food stores since 1925.

1. In food processor, puree onion.
2. Add Dijon and all dry spices
3. Add Vinegar
4. Slowly add oil.
5. Taste and adjust. Try to achieve a true balance of tastes, where neither the vinegar nor the oil stands out.
6. Transfer to a jar, shake well before using and sometimes I find it helpful to go into the jar with a spoon so the onion and dried seasonings are evenly distributed

VARITATIONS ON THE THEME.

1. You can switch out the vinegars to be ANY vinegar to complement your menu, the season or preferences.
2. Adding a squeeze of citrus or a rasp of the citrus zest can brighten the dressing.
3. Grain mustard… This change I particularly like with heartier greens like Kale and Spinach.
4. Herbs! Any and all work but will shorten the lifespan in the frig
5. Electric went out? (Oh please, here in the Northeast that is becoming commonplace so it’s back to learning how Grandma did it!) Just use a jar to shake it all up in. Makes the 3 to 1 ratio easy to determine and grate your onion in, or leave it out. There is always the bowl and whisk too…but I’m lazy!

Source: Julia Childs Matering the Art of French Cooking Volume 1 Page 94

http://www.katonahmuseum.org/

How The Chef Stole Christmas

2011-11-30T09:37:00.001-05:00

A very dear friend and talented writer just sent me a text to brighten my day as I head into holiday madness. The first event of the season is tonight and I promise that come January, I will be posting like a mad woman. Till then, a laugh from Laura!

How the Chef Stole Christmas

There was slicing and dicing and frying and baking,

there was packing and trimming and backs that were breaking,

even Rex stood in awe at the marvels in making.

So she worked and she worked and she still worked some more

to get all her goodies to fly out the door!

I don’t exactly inspire poetry so Laura, THANK YOU!

Stop Genetically Engineered Food

2011-10-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

The agribusiness in this country has hijacked your market basket. When confronted with the business practices of such giants like Monsanto, Cargill and Arthur Daniels Midland, three of the big players who influence EVERYTHING you eat and you see how we, the public, have let a good amount of the control leave our hands, it is time to keep the little we have left. Two documentaries that helped inform me about the far reaching tentacles are : "Food Inc." http://www.foodincmovie.com/ and "Dirt. The Movie" http://www.dirtthemovie.org/

I copied and pasted the text below. This is important and while I do not agree with everything Change.org proposes, this one hits home, literally. Take a minute, read the text then hit the link and sign and leave a comment which I neglected to do. The last sentence states if you do not leave a comment the FDA does not consider your signature important enough to count.

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-the-fda-to-label-gmos

Why this is Important

In a country that labels everything from cosmetics to cleaning agents, it’s surprising that there are no laws in the U.S. requiring labeling of genetically engineered foods. Yet 93% of Americans believe GE foods should be labeled.

We don’t think that’s right.

Many other countries including Japan, Australia, the European Union and even China require labeling of genetically engineered foods.

Tell the FDA you have a right to know what’s in your food.

Healthy Child Healthy World has joined an effort with hundreds of organizations representing millions of Americans called “Just Label It: We Have A Right to Know.” We’ve petitioned the FDA to demand that products that use ingredients produced with genetic engineering be required to disclose this information on the label.

Please sign-on AND LEAVE A COMMENT! Without a personalized comment, the FDA won't count you as a supporter. THANK YOU!

Sophisticated Autumn

2011-10-09T10:19:00.001-04:00

A meet and greet for their children’s classmate’s parents. We took our favorite wheatgrass display and added illuminated floating white pumpkins, white phalaenopsis orchids, a few gigantic sugar pine cones and a touch of bittersweet to make this display. To lend to the autumnal feel one of the hors D’oeruve served was an Orange Marinated Roast Turkey breast with an Apple and Cornbread stuffing with dried Cranberries and moistened with Cider laced Cognac Sauce served in Asian spoons.

A Beautiful Evening in West Hartford

2011-09-17T13:07:00.004-04:00

What a fabulous evening last Saturday was. The room was dazzling, resplendent with giant white Calla Lilies, white Phalaenopsis Orchids kissed with the barest bit of yellow in their throats, bronze Cymbidium Orchids, white Roses with the slightest hint of pink through them. Candles, mirrors,” floating” centerpieces, “ghost” chairs on tables clothed in brown faux suede for the adults and a sophisticated lounge for the children and the well heeled guests in blinding jewels and shoes to die for. This hostess and her mother put their stamp on every aspect of this evening. I think the menu and the photos speak for themselves.

Adult Stationary Display

Vegetable Satays with Thai Peanut Pesto

Chimichurri Beef Skewers with Chimi Dip

Japanese Sirloin & Scallion Rolls

Portobello Satay with a Rosemary Ginger Dipping Sauce

Skewered Tandoori Chicken with a Cucumber Raita

Carrot Flowers, Radish Roses, Celery Curls and Green Bean Wands

Passed Adult Hors D'oeuvre

Watermelon Gazpacho Shots with Minted "Pearls"

Smoked Duck in Chinese Pancakes with Hoisen Sauce

Mini Kugel Bites

Fresh Mozzarella & Grape Tomato Bites with Aged Balsamic

Sushi Skewers

Plated First Course
Salmon Roulade with Gazpacho Cream and Paddlefish Caviar garnish

White Corn Agnolotti with White Truffle Oil and Frizzled Sweet Potato
Baby Greens, Shaved Fennel, Grapes & Dill in Sherry Vinaigrette
Asiago Crouton
A thin slice of Sourdough Ficelle toasted with Asiago Cheese

Plated Main Course
Bistro Steak Goan Style served on full bodied greens with Black Mustard Seed and Tamarind Sauce

Roasted Branzini with Orange Beurre Blanc and garnished with Mango & Hazelnuts

Sautéed Julienne Carrots, Yellow Squash & Haricot Verte

Sweet Green Pea Risotto with Pea Shoots & Mascarpone

Whole Grain Parmesan Crouton

Thinly sliced whole grain Ficelle, toasted with Parmesan Cheese

Bistro Tables for Cocktails

For the tiny tots....

Before the lights went low...

Basking

Room design was Brenda LaManna from Damselfly Designs, photography was by Geoffrey Tischman and of course food service and event planning by Charlotte Berwind Fine Foods, Inc.

Relish the Relish

2011-09-03T10:12:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene came and left a mess here. We lost power for several days, trees came down, basements flooded, fortunately not ours, and I have to say a bit of chaos ensued. We really are a spoiled lot. When the local radio station announced dry ice would be available at a nearby firehouse HUNDREDS of people showed up to sign up for the ice. The ice finally came at the end of the day but only 50 bags. Anarchy. Other towns and states had it much worse, I just heard from one of my chefs that she just got her power back on, 7 days later, and there are still pockets without so we were lucky at my house. No losses thanks to a generator, time to read because the computer was down and enough time to catch up after all was said and done. And what did I learn from all of this? I now know what the sound of civilization is…a flushing toilet.

The garden took a little hit with the wind and all so I collected everything and set to preserving. The two relishes I produced are from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving.

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Blue-Book-Guide-Preserving/dp/0972753702/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313420601&sr=8-2

Dill Relish for Hamburgers and Sweet Pickle Relish for Hot Dogs. This book was the one I started with 20 years ago and the one I still go to after looking at all the other “fancier” books on preserving and canning. The recipes and procedures are easy to follow and once you have your canning legs beneath you, you see where there is room for interpretation. A very inexpensive book to begin canning with which is good since the jars are so damned expensive!

A note on pickle crisp: Almost impossible to find –evidently Ball is retooling this ingredient although they mention it constantly in the book, it is virtually unavailable as of summer 2011- but I discovered that the Calcic I use in my molecular gastronomy is the same thing. Ask around for calcic is the takeaway.

I am notorious for not thoroughly reading the recipe’s directions carefully until I begin so let me hip you to this time saving fact in relish making. Cut up (food processor) your ingredients and let them sit 2 hours before you actually can! The vegetables need to be brined and to sit, and then you can get your jars ready and the water boiling.

I also put up pickled grape tomatoes as they took the worst of it. A nice thing to put on your holiday relish trays I think. Happy canning and GOOD NIGHT IRENE.

Double Solitaire: The Surreal Worlds of Kay Sage and Yves Tanguy at the Katonah Museum of Art

2011-08-27T11:22:00.002-04:00

We are bracing ourselves here in New York for Hurricane Irene; I confess that I LOVE a good storm, I give thanks that we have no brides, hostesses, museums, corporate clients and guests to worry about traveling in the rain and wind this weekend. With the unrelenting news coverage, knowing how much of our area is covered with coastline and that summer has everyone’s beach home open and in full swing I think that we forget how much work is involved with battening down the gems of our region…the museums, outdoor sculpture exhibits (thinking StormKing here- what Do they DO?), zoos, the botanical gardens… All the while these folks need to attend to their own properties.

Two week ago, under yet another threatening sky, we were the caterer for the August Second Saturday gathering at the Katonah Museum of Art. This is a cocktail party that utilizes the museums beautiful sculpture garden and brings the community in to enjoy the museum, an interactive art experience, music and food during the summer months. We have fun with coordinating our displays and passing trays to the exhibit and in the past the inspiration came easy. Surrealism and food. Aside from Dali’s melting landscapes I was at a loss and melting food…in August it happens anyway…this was going to be a tricky one.

The moment of inspiration came at the awe inspiring Alexander McQueen exhibit. The exhibit which proved his genius and that his collections were so much more than clothes had a headdress which dripped down the head of the wearer, and that coalesced with Joseph Wheelwright’s Tree Figures that are on the south lawn and sculpture garden.

We debuted one of the head’s for the winners of our donated auction item, a catered cocktail party for 10 in the museums center hall, and then to the crowd of 100 for Second Saturday. Much to my delight the Bedford Record placed a photo of one of the heads on their front page and while no credit was given to our company, I did find it flattering. Art was my first desire but the need to make a living trumped that and through a winding road of trial and error I found my way into the culinary arts and used that as my medium.

Maybe it’s the rain that has begun to fall that is making me more introspective but I have found “The Process” that creative people use for inspiration is really the foundation for all good decisions. Take in all information, use all your senses, try not to think too hard on a decision and let these influences come together in an organic fashion. I am so looking forward to this next phase of my life where I can play inside of art again, thank you Katonah Museum!

http://www.katonahmuseum.org/exhibitions/

Tomatoes and Panzanella

2011-08-20T10:20:00.000-04:00

Here we are at August 20th and the sugar maple leaves have begun to turn color ever so slightly, before the fall takes hold it is time to get into your vegetable patch or the local farmers market and get busy. Tomatoes are my reason for living in the summer. Besides Tomato Pie, eating them dusted with grey salt or sliced thickly between a good wheat bread and obscenely slathered with mayo, Panzanella is a must have at least three times a summer dish. I used this recipe from Epicurious.com as my cheat base but added my own twists based on recipes I have gathered for years of this one dish.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Panzanella-12529

Panzanella is a Tuscan salad that was born from economy and thrift. Yesterdays, or older, bread, an abundance of fresh summer tomatoes and a well stocked larder that contains full flavored olive oil choices and other preserved items like capers. Don’t forget to let your bread get stale, it is essential, toss this together in the morning after you have picked today’s harvest and let it sit.

I began with a round, crusty, well textured Tuscan bread that I removed the crust from and made large 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cubes, allowing them to dry for several days. I add chopped garlic, capers, more really good extra virgin olive oil. (I use a peppery olive oil from Spain, D.O.P. Gata-Hurdes from Fairway) and a Cabernet Vinegar. Toss, let sit at room temperature for a few hours. Toss again and serve on grilled romaine. Let the swooning commence.

Party Like It's Hot

2011-08-16T09:53:00.000-04:00

We had some beauties this summer. A stand out was Geoffrey Morris’ of Litchfield Magazine threw a cocktail party in conjunction with their 50 Most Influential people which was held at the Arethusa Dairy Farm in Litchfield, CT. The Arethusa Dairy Farm

is owned by George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis, president and vice president, respectively, of Manolo Blahnik in North and South America. They lived across the street from this parcel of land that looked like it was going to be swallowed up by developers. They stepped in, preserving this way of life, the quality of locally made milk, yogurt and cheese and the land itself. I will tell you that the cows are super models of the Bovine world and that is stated by a sign that is placed at the entrance of this immaculate barn which simply says, “The Cows in this barn are Ladies, treat them as such.”

http://arethusafarmdairy.com/

http://www.townvibe.com/Blogs/Litchfield/Posts-2011/A-Fly-on-the-Wall-at-Litchfields-Top-50-Most-Influential-People-Party/

Yellow Bean & Green Bean Salad

2011-08-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

After all the preparation of July 4th I expected life to settle into a sleepy summer, not happening. Gratefully, the phone began to ring and kept the catering end of my life full steam ahead, combine that with the garden and then hubby was off for two weeks and wanted to go to the beach, I could not find 10 full minutes to sit and catch up.

Summer in the Northeast is a combination of everything but snow. We have had a heat wave with unforgiving heat and sun, torrential rains that included hail and one week of perfection. The garden, of course, sees it all and that plot too is seeing the gamut. Remember my saying back in June the best part is the planning? Truer words were never said. I am so glad I took picture every 7 to 10 days; I can look back to early July before the brown leaves of blight took hold. Blight is a fungus that once it takes hold of a plot of land is tough to get rid of. Blight caused the Great Potato Famine of Ireland and while we have some solutions now, this fungus will be with us till the end of times. I fight it tooth and nail but the potatoes succumbed after the first and only harvest for the 4th. The tomatoes are struggling to keep producing but 2 plants have bitten the dust. We have grasshoppers who like to take a bite out of the perfectly ripe fruit and beetles who just love leaves. The acorn and butternut squashes never set fruit. BUT! The corn is coming in, the cantaloupes look full, and cucumbers have made me into a one woman relish factory and the tomatoes….. I swoon.

During the brief time I had yellow and green beans I made a favorite salad whose recipe is below.

My Yellow & Green Bean Salad

Yield 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main course salad.

This is sort of a green bean Panzanella….

• 3 cups mixed-colored string beans, trimmed and cut into 2” lengths and blanched
• 2 1/2 cups cut ripe tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup pitted oil cured olives
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• Sourdough Ficelle cut into ¼ “ rounds and dried in oven.

Toss all and let sit.

VARIATIONS:

Grill some romaine, place on top.

Add grilled Chicken, Shrimp or Salmon.

Add grilled Haloumi Cheese or cubed Feta

Wear your SEAT BELT

2011-08-15T10:37:00.002-04:00

Please wear your seat belt.

My husband is an EMT and nurse and volunteers on the local ambulance. Friday night, around 10 p.m., a call came that there had been a bad crash on the nearby Interstate, while he was not on duty, he went. A car with 4 local girls was coming back from a ball game on the way to the diner, somehow, the car flipped over. The moon roof was open. Three of the girls were wearing seatbelts, one wasn’t.

The three girls who wore their seatbelts, while injured walked, I repeat walked away. A local lifeguard about to enter college. Pretty and loved by all. The funeral cortege just passed our home which faces the lake as they drove her around one last time while a soft rain fell.

Please, please, please wear your seatbelt.

A Homegrown Potato Salad

2011-07-09T12:41:00.001-04:00

Summer, where does the time go? I went to out to pull weeds one day and three weeks passed. In that time the garden had developed early blight which sent me into a tizzy being that ¾ of what was planted is susceptible. I will never plant the garden without pretreating for this nasty fungus again. Think I may have stemmed the tide but the thought of losing everything is not a good one.

After the events of June, I had what I thought was a week off for some commando gardening to find out we were hosting a July 4th party for some 11 friends in a mere 2 days. No problem, that’s what caterers do, right? Well, as you all know, when it’s your own home and garden a tiny bit of panic sets in. My home has that “lived in” look and I grew up with a mother whose philosophy is that if you are coming to see what kind of housekeeper I am you can keep on going. Did I mention one of the party guests would be my mother, who would be staying a few days?

So as I am dealing with the onset of early blight in the vegetable garden I set out to prepare for my guests, gathering up those extra chairs and making sure they are clean, pulling the July 4th decorations out of hiding, getting the room Mom will be staying in squared away, filling bins with all the flotsam and jetsam of my daily life to be stowed till the revelers go, beverages in, ice procured and I have to make a menu. I am fortunate, there is no question, with what I do for a living, so I went to my own freezer and frig, took inventory and made the menu and food for about 20 without hitting the stores.

The point is, before making a menu, look to see what you already have; chances are good you are more than halfway there. Pull out that vegetable drawer (s) and take a complete inventory, tweak your recipes and menu to include what you have. Have you begun my habit of tucking away odds and ends into the freezer? If you are organized and keep a list, pull it out, if you just shove them into the freezer like some people I know (me), take a good look, there is a gold mine in there of work you have already done and beautiful ingredients ready to be showcased.

The Menu:

Grilled Garlic Chicken
House Smoked Pork Loin
Hot Dogs (can it be the 4th without them?)
Newly harvested homegrown Fingerling Potato & Pea Salad
Sweet Potato, Carrot and Chickpea Salad in an Orange Pecan Dressing
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Watermelon and Mint
Homemade Pickled Jalapenos
Homemade Fennel Pickles
Cream Corn Scones with softened Butter
Brownies, Blondies and Pecan Bars
Ice Cream Bars from the Ice Cream man as we watched the fireworks over the lake

My Favorite Potato Salad

Yield: 4 quarts or anywhere from 12-20 guests

This recipe came out of Bon Appetite so many years ago I have lost the copy of it and being that I am growing my own potatoes now, well, it has only become more of a favorite.

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

Equipment:

• Pot to boil potatoes in
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rubbermaid Spatula

Ingredients:

3 -4 pounds Fingerling or Red Potatoes, scrubbed with skin on
½ to 2/3 cup shelled Peas briefly cooked. (Frozen is perfectly acceptable)
Salt
3/4 to 1 cup Hellmann’s Mayo
1/3 cup good Dijon Mustard
Salt
White pepper
¼ cup or more of chopped chives. Scallions may be substituted.

Method:

1. Cook your peas and set aside or pull peas from freezer and run under lukewarm water.

2. Place potatoes in pot of cold water with enough salt to fill the cup you make with the palm of your hand about 2-3 Tablespoons.

NOTE: In harvesting my own potatoes, they came up in many sizes. Place the larger ones in first to cook a bit, then work your way down to the smallest ones to ensure you do not overcook the potatoes. The same size differential often happens with bags of potatoes purchased at the market. Cook according to size.

3. Stir occasionally to keep cooking even and with a skewer test for doneness. The potato should be easily pierced but still have a bit of resistance.

4. Drain and cut into ¾ to 1 inch chunks.

5. While potatoes are cooking whisk the mayo, mustard, salt and pepper together to make a creamy dressing.

a. When making dressing if you prefer more or less of a bite from the mustard, adjust amount of mustard. Same goes for mayo, some like it creamier than others.

6. Pour dressing over warm potatoes, correct seasoning.

If the salad is not to be eaten right away, cover everything and put in frig. Prior to serving, add peas and chives

Asian Noodle Soup for a not quite cold day

2011-06-13T12:49:00.002-04:00

It’s been so hot here in the Northeast that today’s temps in the 60’s leaves me feeling like I want to pull out the cozy jammies and curl up with some soup. Soup must be one of my favorite things to make for my hubby and myself. It uses your odds and ends and is so personal and comforting, I know of few people who are not enticed by a steaming bowl of soup. I have the pea tendrils coming in and while I want a bowl of soup, I don’t want anything over powering so this Asian Noodle Soup fills the bill today.

I mentioned Ollie’s Noodle House a post or two ago and this easy and quick soup was inspired from their noodle bowls. There are a few ingredients in here that I always have on hand and if you do not have them that can be substituted but with a different effect. These are white Miso paste, a salty and rich paste that can be added to many soups, stews, sautés and is also the base to Japanese Miso Soup (you can sub more soy sauce), Sambel Olek, a hot Asian paste that can be stirred into almost anything and the Japanese Style fat rice noodles which are so fun to slurp down (you can sub regular vermicelli). The dish will be different than my Noodle Lunch Soup but I am sure it will be equally delicious.

Asian Noodle Lunch

Serves 2 -4 depending on hunger factor!
Approximately 20-30 minutes start to finish

EQUIPMENT:
• A pot. (Can it get easier than this?)

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 ½ quarts light broth (chicken or beef, canned may be substituted if need be)
• 2 slices peeled ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups baby Bok Choy- sliced (I have substituted cabbage, Napa cabbage, Pea Tendrils or any vegetable that is similar in texture and taste …)
• 1 chicken cutlet – sliced thin (can substitute or add shrimp)
• 1 package Japanese style fat rice noodles
• 2 large Tablespoons white miso paste
• 1 -2 Tablespoons Soy sauce
• ½ block firm tofu (optional)
• 1 cup Mung Sprouts (and / or substitute Julienne carrots)
• ½ teaspoon Sambel Olek (or hot sauce)
• ¼ cup sliced scallions
• 2 Tablespoons ripped Cilantro

METHOD

1. While stock is coming to boil, add ginger and garlic. Let simmer a couple of minutes.
2. While broth is simmering slice Bok Choy and add to soup. Meanwhile slice your chicken breast.
3. Once greens are beginning to become tender in 3-4 minutes, add chicken breast.
4. Add noodles after 1-2 minutes.
5. Once noodles become tender, turn down heat, add miso, soy sauce, tofu, sprouts and Sambel Olek.
6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions and cilantro.

NOTE: I leave the garlic whole and pull it out when serving along with the ginger.

Pea Tendrils

2011-06-08T22:19:00.005-04:00

The tips of your pea plants are an amazing delicacy. While I am picking these from my garden you can find these marvels at Asian grocers. Purchase at least twice as much weight as you need because you will need to discard the lower tougher leaves and stalks. I know this sounds like a waste, if you can compost, do so, but using only the tenderest part of the tendrils is optimal. The first time I tried these darlings I was with my pal Estelle and we were at Ollie’s Noodle Shop on 44th St. in the heart of the theatre district. As an aside Ollie’s is a great spot to pop into when hitting the theatre without making it “A NIGHT”. Great soups, stir fry’s, duck. Anyway, Estelle ordered one of the specials, this pea tendril stir fry and I crave it ever since.

Nutritionally, they are loaded with A, more C than blueberries, folic acid and caratenoids like beta carotene.

For cooking and experimenting you can treat the tendrils much like you would spinach. Saute’ them and place under a nice piece of broiled salmon cooked with a Sweet Chili Glaze like outlined on www.Epicurious.com. Add them to a Pho or Chinese Soup. Sauté them and add to an omelet or make them the way The Cialntropist does and use them as a base for an Orange, Feta and oil cured Olive Salad. http://cilantropist.blogspot.com/2011/02/pea-tendrils-have-you-tried-them.html Sautéed with garlic (again, the garlic) and add your favorite pasta. I believe the key to these beauties is simplicity, so please try them and please experiment.

As for me, I am stir frying them with garlic & ginger and eating them with a bowl of steamed rice. Perfectly simple, perfectly heaven.

Garlic Ginger Stir Fried Pea Tendrils

EQUIPMENT:

Wok or sauté’ pan
Long handeled spoons
Large holed grater or microplane.
Spatter guard (if you have one)

INGREDIENTS:

6 Cups Pea Tendrils (triple washed to remove –sorry- garden bugs….organic has its price….)
4 cloves garlic grated
Thumb sized piece of peeled freshest ginger – grated
Plain oil like Grapeseed, Safflower, Canola or even a light vegetable oil.
Salt

METHOD:

Heat oil till wavy in appearance. If you can work quickly then grate the ginger into the oil and then the garlic. Stir a moment to release fragrance.
Add your tendrils; being careful to avoid the popping of hot oil when water meets it (the spatter guard comes in handy here).
Once tendrils are coated with ginger garlic oil, keep moving steadily till greens are adequately wilted.
Serve with steamed Jasmine Rice!

Tomato Pie

2011-06-04T09:50:00.001-04:00

Now with all this garden talk, you need something to make.

The 1987 cover of the Best of Gourmet was my first piece of food remembered porn. (There might have been a crusty stew pot on a cover of a Bon Appetite but I’ll look into that later) The recipe which was originated by Sara Moulton still makes me swoon a little every time I think of it. . I have made this recipe nearly every year since and of course, over time, it morphs into something that is a little yours but still mostly theirs.

The recipis long but I took a cue from my hero Julia Childs when writing a recipe. More explanation is better than less. The experienced cook can cut through the excess and the novice can feel comfortable everything has been explained.

Tomato Pie

Prep time including chilling of dough: 3 hours this includes:
        Baking time for crust: 20 ish minutes.
        Baking time for pie: 1 hour 15 minutes

Equipment:
• Food Processor
• Measuring Cups, wet and dry
• Measuring spoons
• Rolling Pin
• Long bladed Spatula
• Rubbermaid plastic spatula
• 2 Deep Pie Dishes
• Parchment or foil
• Pam
• Pie weights or rice/beans

Makes 2 large pies Each could feed 8 people.

For the pastry:
• ½ pound bacon – cooked and crumbled
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and frozen
• 4 T. chilled vegetable shortening
• Up to 4T. Ice Water

For the filling:
• 6-8 large tomatoes, sliced 1” inch thick
• 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for sprinkling the tomatoes
• 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves plus 3 sprigs for garnish
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ pound coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
• ¾ - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Breadbrumbs

• Center of a good textured bread to make approximately 1 1/2 cups
• Parmesan Cheese
• Olive Oil
• S & P

For Assembly:
• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
• Fresh breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

Crust:
1. Bake off your bacon by lining a sheet pan with foil, place bacon in a single layer-
2. Combine the dry ingredients in the large bowl of your processor fitted with pastry blade (the plastic one you never use).
3. Pulse dry ingredients till mixed
4. Add the butter and shortening and pulse till mixture resembles corn meal or a grainy texture.
5. Add ICE COLD water a little at a time, using longer pulses, till mixture JUST holds together around the center the stem
6. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and with a firm motion, dump the mixture onto the plastic. Remove the blade. I then fold up the edges of the plastic which pushes the small bits into the dough. I try to keep this in an already round form, a little flattened out to help with the rolling out
7. Chill at least 1 hour. This can be done the day ahead
8. Sprinkle flour onto rolling surface and roll out dough. This dough should be somewhat easy to work with. Use a long bladed spatula or old flat cookie sheet to lift off of surface, slightly folding in half and transfer into pie dish. Crimp the edges onto the pie dish slightly going over the edge to keep this heavy crust from caving in on itself.
9. Chill for 1 hour. I have also left this at this point for a day.

BAKING SHELL:
1. Prick shell with a fork across bottom and up sides.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
3. Pam a double thickness of parchment or a single sheet of heavy aluminum foil, place pammed side down onto the crust and fill shell with weights or old uncooked dried beans and/or rice
4. Place shell in oven mid to lower third of oven. Lower oven to 325 degrees for 20 minutes
         a. Check on shell after 15 minutes to make sure to sides are staying up. If necessary, push the weights towards a possible cave in.
5. Remove weights once you see the shell has “set” and bake 8-10 minutes more or till lightly golden in color. Cool in pan. Can be made a day ahead at this point.

FILLING:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees if you made shells the day before if not once your shell is removed from the oven RAISE your oven to 350 degrees.
2. While your shell is baking and cooling slice tomatoes 1” thick BUT slice the ends off keeping them a little thinner. Lay thicknesses of paper towels or tea towels on sheet pans or cookies pans. Sprinkle with salt, lay tomato slices onto towels and top with more salt and more towels, place next pan on top of this pan and repeat.
         a. While the tomatoes are draining rotate the top pan to the bottom and so on so all tomatoes have weight on them at one point.
3. In the large bowl of the processor, chop basil, add eggs and pulse, add ricotta, salt, mozzarella, parmesan & pepper. Pulse till combined.

ASSEMBLY:
1. Pat the tomato slices dry with paper towels.
2. Line the bottom of the shell with shredded mozzarella and about ½ inch cheese mixture top with thinner sliced tomato ends and press into cheese mixture.
3. Place more cheese mixture into shell to fill 2/3 – ¾ up sides
4. Arrange the remaining tomato slices in one layer, overlapping slightly, pressing gently into the cheese mixture. Fill center in a concentric pattern with halved slices.
5. Pam a length of aluminum foil to fit around the top crimped part of the crust and cover.
6. Brush the top LIGHTLY with olive oil and bake until the cheese mixture is set 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes if to be served hot. I prefer this served room temperature personally so cool to room temp. Garnish with reserved sprigs.

General Thoughts:

• This is for only the best summer tomatoes. Please do not bother with the hot house variety, wait for summer and go to your local farmers market or backyard!
• Making this on successive mornings can keep your house temperature down.
• I have made this with fat free cheeses and only egg whites, with super duper high end ricotta and the highest fat content cheese there is. With some fresh mozzarella, a little fresh oregano and parsley. My husband even requested one with red pepper flake which I do not recommend. The point is experiment; do not be afraid to use what is on hand.
• I always make two because one goes so darn quick.
• Make the dough ahead and freeze that so when the tomatoes come in you are good to GO!
• This does not freeze at all.

Bacon Tips:

Bake off your bacon by lining a sheet pan with foil, place bacon in a single layer-
You can squish it up a bit to fit more on the pan if needed. Bacon can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Set your timers and keep checking. The difference between cooked bacon and burnt bacon is usually 1 minute! I save old egg crates to drain the bacon on.

Read the Sexy World over

2011-06-02T07:30:00.003-04:00

Having just finished a marathon of 6 weeks of work coupled with getting the garden together I have a much needed week off. My scheduled coma. If I were anybody else I would spend this week lounging, catching up on past issues of Vanity Fair, playing toss with the dog and making dinner plans with friends. Not me. The first day was spent in the garden, oh how I love that little slice of earth, but I tend to garden like this was my last day on earth; EVERYTHING that needs to be done MUST be done. Crazy, I know, let’s take a peaceful pastime and turn it into another quest for perfection. Yesterday I ran a full day of errands (I did manage to squeeze in one of the best massages of my life), posted you and still was full of shplikis, Yiddish for nervous energy. I began to noodle around on the computer, came to the blog and started clicking on the things I probably should have a long time ago.

I found out that this blog, this blog that has only 16 registered followers who I thought was only read by a handful of friends and clients is read in 17 countries!

What?

Now at first, when I saw Russia and Iran there I figured these are places where people sit in rooms monitoring the world, a room like that phone company commercial with “Peggy” at the other end. I mean can you see some Iranian woman, in her home, sans chador, reading “What to do in Chappaqua?” How about her Russian counterpart planning her sons Bar Mitzvah and reading my “Top Ten Money Saving Tips? But then why not? I read blogs from all over the world, some I go back to, most of them are food related but all of them give me a feel for their daily life and their daily life is much like mine. We try to do the most for the people we love and squeeze some pleasure from the day if it’s possible.

Maybe.

Well it turns out the number one viewed page was titled “A Very Unsexy Post” which was about food safety but I suspect the word “sexy” brought in the bulk of the traffic. So I am going to rename everything past and going forward….Each title will have the word sex or sexy in it. My SEXY Garden Gate, A SEXY yet Appropriate Name, The SEXY Meaning of Life. You get the picture. Google Ads will flood me with business, I will become a household name, the Today Show will have me on and want to know, well who knows what they ever want to know. Fame. Fortune. THUD. That was me plummeting to earth. My point is I think the traffic came in for other …ahem…reasons…. I am going to track this particular post in months to come and to see if it is as I suspect, the smarmies looking for new ground.

For the curious, 2,791 people have viewed my blog in (and in order of readership) the US-as far as Alaska, Russia, Switzerland, Israel, Germany, Latvia, Iran, Netherlands, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Chili, Indonesia, South Africa, Denmark, France, Canada, Chinaand India just joined my list. Almost everyone uses Internet Explorer (2,029) and Windows (2,553) 11 of you use Linux and 17 use Netscape. Personally I do find this stuff fascinating.

I have enabled the blog to be translated into your own languages, something I had not done because NEVER saw the need to have it anything but English, I have 16 followers after all, and I know 15 of them and most of them became followers because I begged them to, and we speak the same language. This revelation of you on the other side of the globe reading this is stunning to me. And now that we are on this subject, write me, if this is indeed a place for food, parties and kvetching and we know women do this all over the planet, let’s talk about it.

After “The Unsexy Post” page, a whopping 675 views interest is in recipes so I am going to provide more Sexy recipes. I’m already getting sick of the sexy thing….

Write me.

To help translate some of my NY Yiddish you can use: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shpilkis

My Garden Gate

2011-06-01T09:45:00.003-04:00

I love to garden. Actually, I love to garden in the spring and early summer, when planting three kinds of beets makes sense, when every tomato plant is going to yield perfect, HUGE, juicy tomatoes, before the heat, too much rain, not enough rain, slugs, beetles, raccoons and (insert horror movie music and maybe a woman’s scream here) Blight.

Two years ago, my husband got the tomatoes in for me. I had purchased the plants right before Dad’s surgery and then everything went awry. Poetically, Blight hit our area that summer so the few tomatoes harvested were not that great and had the same results last year. Dad was a master gardener and Tomato Whisperer. His tomatoes were the most prolific, the largest and the most delicious. These are not the words of an adoring daughter; these are words one jealous gardener reluctantly says of another. I think my brother Charlie also has this innate gift that I so desperately want but alas, while I can get some results, they are meager when stacked against Dad’s. But still I try.

But THIS year dear friends, this year the newspapers are going to come to take photos, there will be an abundance of produce, so much that I’m going to give away the overflow. There will be a table at the end of the driveway, with a sign, that says "Free for the Taking"; beneath that table will be boxes of the overflow, so much will my garden give me! I am going to be a one woman answer to world hunger! OK. Now I have woken from this beautiful dream that I dream daily while looking at the 20 inch tomato plants, the seedlings emerging from this newly tilled soil, the shoots from the potatoes.

But this delusion is not all my fault. It is my husband’s fault.

Back in March or April when the snow began to melt, I realized that my darling Rex had acquired the habit of really stamping through this area so I thought I needed to buy one of those jam in the ground premade fences. Chuck and I went to Home Depot and he looked at the cheap fence and said he could do better and boy did he. He hand milled every picket, every post; the design came from him, no pattern or directions, tripling the amount of space I have to plant in. As it took shape the delusions of gardener became more fixated.

So, come August and September, it is my hope to get at least 1 ear of corn (2 varieties but I will be happy with a single well formed ear) and enough tomatoes (13 plants, 8 varieties). For good measure I also planted 3 kinds of potatoes, acorn squash, butternut squash, white turnips, the aforementioned beets, 3 kinds of sweet peas, 3 kinds of green beans, 2 varieties of cantaloupe, 2 kinds of peppers, eggplant, horseradish, many herbs, lettuces, chard, and spinach. While I may not have Dad’s talent, I did get some of his enthusiasm.

The Meaning of Life

2011-05-16T11:27:00.008-04:00

I have too much to do today. I have too much to do every day for that matter and finding time to blog has just slipped down to the bottom. But it nags at me, like dusting or filing, something that HAS to be done, something I can even enjoy doing when I get into the zone….

Ahhh, the “zone”. I spent yesterday with a group of women at “The Round House” in Kent, CT, the home, workshop and healing space of my good friend Patricia Horan who brought us together to get out of our own way. I have been doing this kind of work for years and am quasi successful at it, yet….. So Miss Patricia brought in a woman named DyAnn Suares who can help us, in scant moments, cut through the smoke and mirrors we erect. One by one we went into our private session, emerged, gathered our coats and bags and departed. I drove home thinking, “Good, I’m pretty much on track even though I don’t do things like my blog, or finish the damn book…yadda, yadda” You know, the lies we tell ourselves. But evidently this Diane Suares reached a spot, because here I am, adding a recipe for the book and writing to you- the unknowns.

Thank you Patricia. Thank you DyAnn and thank you to the wonderful women present both in form and in spirit, you all enrich my existence and give it meaning. Incidentally, if you want to make an appointment with this woman DyAnn her phone number is 860-619-0016 and email is DSuares@charter, net.

So here is the real meaning of life. Chocolate.

Chocolate Love, Chocolate Mousse Cake
Y: 1 cake but I recommend using ingredient list at bottom, making 3 cakes and freezing the other two.
1 – 9” cake can feed 16 normal people. Adjust accordingly!
Time: 1 hour prep, 1 ½ hours cooking, overnight in turned off oven and several hours in the frig before unmolding. Cake is best a day or two after being baked.
Equipment:
• 8-9” Springform Pan
• Aluminum Foil
• Double boiler: For this I use a 4 qt pot with a large stainless bowl inserted. You need the space especially if you are making the three cakes.
• 2 large heat resistant bowls
• Whisk
• Rubbermaid spatula
• Large metal spatula
• Cake circles
• Coffee maker of some kind.

Ingredients:
• ¾ pound the best dark chocolate you can afford
• 2/3 pound butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brewed strong coffee
• 6-7 eggs- beaten
• Pam or butter.

Method:
• Brew coffee of better yet, save some from the morning.
• In double boiler (see Equipment) place Chocolate, Butter and Sugar, stirring occasionally to insure complete melting of chocolate.
• Remove Bowl from heat and let cool slightly to just above your body temperature.
While chocolate is cooling:
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Prepare pan(s) by placing bottom upside down in rim. There should be an indentation beneath pan, rather than having the bottom lie flat.
• Surround pan in foil.
• Pam or butter pans.
• Crack and beat eggs in separate bowl.
Once chocolate has cooled, gradually and gently add beaten eggs into chocolate mixture to avoid incorporating any air. Once mixed, add coffee.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Pick up pan with two hands about 4 -5 inches off the counter and let drop. Air bubbles will rise to the surface. Do this till you feel you have removed air pockets.

Place cake (s) into preheated oven for an hour and a half. Do not open the oven again, use the light.

The cake will be as cooked as it needs to be when it rises and the edges begin to appear cooked. At this point shut the oven off and forget about the cake for the next 6-8 hours. The next day transfer the cake to the refrigerator to thoroughly chill.

To unmold:
Have cakes circles at the ready (or a plate if only one cake)
Remove foil. There may have been some leakage, this little bit is your reward for not opening the oven) Run a small knife in hot water, dry it and gently around the edge of the spring form. Release the springform. Run a large spatula under hot water and dry it slip it beneath the cake and transfer to circle or plate.

This is heavenly with fresh whipped cream. If you want to sex it up, add some raspberry sauce or fresh raspberries. I rarely do this for myself personally but do this for clients. I like the cake just as it is.

For the full recipe which yields 4: 6-7”springforms or 3- 9” springforms
2 ¼ pounds chocolate, 2 pounds butter, 4 cups sugar, 2 cups coffee, 19 eggs

Want to feel like it's warmer?

2011-01-20T12:59:00.019-05:00

Unctuous Beef Brisket. Cornbread, moist but crumbly with gritty perfection that needs neither butter nor honey. Smoked Prime Rib, rare, sliced thin and served on a soft potato roll with a Cajun Remoulade. Chicken wings, large and shellacked to juicy perfection in the custom smokers brought up from Texas served with a tangy buttermilk bleu cheese dipping sauce.Crisp and tender rings of fried Calamari with a Smoky Chipotle Sauce that have severely addictive qualities. Rounds of crisply fried green tomatoes with Pecorino Romano and drizzled with a spicy savory sauce.

These were some of the foods I sampled at Billy Joe’s Ribworks a couple of weeks ago and am still drooling over. With all the snow we’ve had I think we all need a break and I urge you to take the ride across the Newburgh Beacon Bridge and head to the river to eat at my new favorite place to hide out. Cavernous with a honky tonk feel, this new venture on Newburgh’s waterfront restaurant row has so many of my favorite things in a restaurant. First, it’s barbeque, hands down, my favorite thing to eat. Second, it’s on the water, and by on the water I mean, ON THE WATER. The Hudson flows directly beneath the considerable deck that is slated to be ready at spring’s first blush. Honestly, listening to the ice flow under my feet while looking across the Hudson, a bridge to my left and one in the distance to the right, the ferry landing just yards away, well, it was romantic even though it was freezing! Third, it's clever, clean and the guest is paramount being attended to by cute waitresses and waiters with just enough sass to make this fun. BIG drinks. BIG plates and something for everyone from the cue lovers like myself, to the ever dieting friend, vegetarian and even your mother in law who doesn’t like anything.

In the interest of full disclosure, my mentor Joe Bonura, Sr. and his family opened this place and invited me to stop and sample some fare while they were preparing for the official opening. But this family (who are referred to in a previous post - March 11, 2010) knows how to do it and do it well. Come by land or sea, yes you can dock your boat right outside, on two wheels or four. If I’m not at your house doing a party I will be there with a plate of wings in front of me!

Did I mention the Banana Pudding?

http://www.ribworks.com/

Help Soldiers Eat Better

2010-11-29T10:18:00.005-05:00

UPDATE 5/2011: MIKE IS STATESIDE NOW SO NO LONGER NEEDS THESE DONATIONS. Please contact your local VFW to see who your local soldiers are, I bet they could use an influx of goodies!

Wondering what to do with all of your holiday generosity? I read a blog called Chef2Chef.net and stumbled across this post. I have copied and pasted but the photos don't come up. The list, the links and the address is here and I am running to Restaurant Depot, the Asian market and then to the Post Office to get my box off to these brave kids.

Happy Holidays to one and all.

The copied and pasted post:

November 24th, 2010
Help Soldiers Eat Better!
Mike is one of our most helpful, long standing members of the Chef2Chef forums. He’s also an Army cook tasked with feeding hungry soldiers still stationed in Afghanistan. The problem: the military provides basic ingredients, but very few of the seasonings necessary to produce great tasting grub.

You can help by donating any of the following ingredients to Mike and his crew. Our soldiers serving overseas will thank you! We’ve had great success with this campaign in the past, but supplies are running low! Note that dollar and big box stores often sell these items for a fantastic price. If you can’t send much, don’t fret–every little bit helps.

If you’d like to participate, please send an email to the following email address to request the proper mailing address: chef2chefnet[at]gmail.com – replace the [at] with a @–I modified it to foil spambots.

Thanks so much!

Mike’s Wish List:

Lawry’s season salt
Old bay
Basil
Bay leaves
Cinnamon
Dill
Ginger
Mace
Nutmeg
Sage
Thyme
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Curry powder
Vanilla
Chili powder
Cayenne
Liquid smoke
Allspice
Cumin
Paprika
Parsley
Crushed red pepper
Chicken veggie or beef base
Sriracha sauce
Rosemary
Cup a soup during the winter months
Tea, black and green
Gallon-size Ziplocs

Bonus Items:
Gummys
Red Vines
Gobstoppers
Crunch and Munch
Instant Miso
Wasabi peas
Mixed Nuts
Ramen Noodles
Chex Mix

Notes:
Flat-rate shipping boxes work great–they’ll work for overseas shipments to military sites.
Alcohol and pornography are prohibited (sorry!)
Take caution when sending liquids–double bag in Ziploc bags if there’s a chance they’ll leak.

Thanks so much!

look at the list take a guess cause sooner or later I'm gonna need it. improvise if you what I'll figure out how to use it.
The addy is
SGT Michael Swaggerty
Fco 2/502 FSC 2BCT 101ABN DIV
FOB Howz E Madad
APO AE 09370

...

Ahhhhh, finally the Baked Brie recipe!

2010-11-18T18:40:00.004-05:00

This is one of the most requested items come fall. Back when Martha was doing her baked Brie en Croute in puff pastry, I was immediately revolted by the all the fat oozing off the plate. The fat content of the melted cheese was enough for me but add the buttered rich puff pastry and instant gag. Then there was always the issue that in order to get the cheese to melt then the pastry would burn. If the pastry looked good then the cheese was tepid at best. In those days bread bowls for soup was consider genius and somehow they became one for me. So here it is….

BERWINDS BAKED BRIE

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: The 2lb. brie can feed a crowd of 25-35 as part of a hors d’ouevre table.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb. Coal, Tuscan, Peasant or other round crusty bread, unsliced. Must measure at least 10” in diameter.
2 lb. Brie
1 to 1 ½ cups chopped toasted Pecans
1 – 1 ½ cups dried Cranberries
1 1 ½ cups dried Cherries
1 ½ - 2 cups Light Brown Sugar
4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. grated Nutmeg
1 tsp. ground Tonka Bean or Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla (a Nielsen Massey product)
French Bread cut up or Crackers (or both!)

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut a circle into your bread large enough to fit the brie. Remove interior of bread from both the lid and the “bowl”. (Save this bread to either make croutons or bread crumbs either drying it out for dried breadcrumbs or grinding it and reserving in an airtight container in the freezer.)
• Remove the paper off the brie saving the wrapping for later in this step, and place onto a cutting board. Insert a serrated knife halfway beneath the top of the brie. With your other hand placed on top of the brie, gently move your knife in a circular way to remove the top rind off the cheese. Place this top onto the reserved paper.
• Now I use my hands for most of this and don’t think amounts matter so very much…as long as there is PLENTY of “stuff” used….so… Place a handful of brown sugar on bottom of hollowed out bread. Top with a scattering of dried cranberries, dried cherries, pecans, a sprinkling of cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg.
• Place Brie on top of this and repeat above.
• Place lid of brie on top of this and repeat once more, using up all ingredients.
• Place bread lid on top, gently pressing down.
• Wrap the bread in two thicknesses of aluminum foil. I use the extra long, extra heavy 18” width Reynolds Foil
The Brie can be frozen at this point or stored in the frig for a day or two. If you freeze it remove from freezer 2 days before baking and let defrost in the frig.

COOKING:

Bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour and a half and up to two hours. I know this sounds very long but it really does take that long for it to melt all the way through. You can test this by opening the foil and removing the lid, insert a thin knife directly through the center and leave there for a moment. Withdraw the knife and check the blade temperature. If noticeably warm, you are done. If not, return the lid to the bread, rewrap and back into the oven for another bit.

TO SERVE:

Have a platter or board large enough to fit your brie ready. Cut up some French bread and open up some good crackers. Carefully remove foil and with protected hands transfer the hot bread to the platter. Take the lid and cut it up into bite size pieces. I place these directly on top of the bread. Scatter the crackers, etc around the platter and serve. I’d also apply some lipstick here as everyone will be looking at you as you bring this out!

NOTES:
1- You may want to increase, decrease quantities of anything. Substituting nuts and fruits-all good.
2- Smaller bries and smaller breads are available. The cooking time will be between an hour fifteen and an hour and a half.
3- Breadcrumbs. Fresh breadcrumbs, toasted, can elevate a simple oil and garlic preparation of pasta and are considered a must have ingredient here. As far as dried breadcrumbs, there is no good reason to ever buy them. Make your own, they take an extra couple of minutes and taste so much better due to the variety of breads that will go into them. Worth the minimal extra time involved.
4- Tonka Beans are available at Caribbean grocery stores and the Neilson Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla can be had at www.Amazon.com in the Grocery & Gourmet section.

November 2011 NOTE:

I had a comment recently that the cooking time I have listed is too long. The cooking time is based on 2pound brie, bread that is at least 12 inches in diameter and has been previously frozen. If you are making this same size without freezing it cooking time would be about an hour and if you are making this with smaller brie then even less time. As with all of cooking, a little common sense needs to come into play and that includes checking on your items in the oven. Please keep those comments coming!

Something to do next weekend

2010-10-11T11:57:00.002-04:00

Looking for something to do with the family this weekend? Thinking about having a family portrait done for the all important holiday card and gift for Grandma? Well known portrait photographer Debby Brown will be at Maimonides Academy at their Family Fun Day at a greatly reduced rate of a $36 sitting fee (normally $150) this Saturday, October 17th. Each 30 minute session must be reserved so call and reserve your time slot with Gigi at 203/918-8788 or with the school itself at 203/748-7129.

Maimonides recently sold their property to a neighboring school so that they can move to a facility that will better suit their growing needs, the fourth move Maimonides Academy has made since their 1978 founding. This nurturing school provides a Jewish and secular learning environment from nursery school through 5th grade, offering a more challenging curriculum than many of the other local private educational institutions in our area.

Other activities that will be happening at this family oriented afternoon will include Judaic sand art, a variety of bouncy things and the reason I will stop by: delicious and juicy Kosher Hot Dogs.

Bring the family, save some money on your holiday photos and check out this amazing resource for your children and their children’s children.

Maimonides Academy of Western Connecticut
103 Miry Brook Road
Danbury, CT 06810

Phone: 203-748-7129
http://www.mawcschool.org

Another One Bites The Dust

2010-08-20T14:59:00.003-04:00

Oh the humanity. Maybe this is a bit melodramatic, after all poor customer service is par for the course these days, and this experience isn't quite on par with the Hindenburg, but I am darn near exploding myself.

Had my first personal experience with Bloomingdale's' Bridal Registry in the last 2 weeks and I have to say to one and all, take a full pass. From the moment I went on to the site in my first 2 attempts at sending a bridal gift, then a conversation with someone at the 800 number to actually place the order and now the subsequent 2 follow up phone calls to register shock over the condition of the order I can only guess that any of the "Marts", K- or Wall, could offer similar service.

So if you want your bride to be to receive your gift unwrapped, without a gift card but with a bill go to Bloomingdale's. If you are thinking of registering for your big day stay away. I guess that leaves us with Neiman Marcus......

Jewelry? On a food blog?

2010-07-29T21:23:00.007-04:00

We are 40 hours away from BIG EVENTS WEEKEND here (when did July become the new June and why didn't I get the memo?) and I am de-stressing by trolling the Internet for a bit wondering when I am going to write all of you again...and about what.... Go to email and there, from a real babe named Gigi , there's an email with a link. A distant family member...etc, etc, eyes crossing, I click on the link to be polite and suddenly I am thanking Gigi in my head.

Handmade jewelry and hair accessories, affordable, sweet, pretty and, forgive me, but I am signing off and running into the next room to grab my credit card. GO. Click on this link, you can thank Gigi in your head too!

http://store.joypardifazzone.com/

Best Summer Meat Marinade ....Ever

2010-07-14T17:25:00.007-04:00

Well the livin' ain't been so easy with all this heat so when it's time for comestibles here, I turn to the grill for nearly all my hot weather cooking. That and a good take out place and when you find one in my area PLEASE tell me!

I like my beef salty. I worked at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck when I went to the Culinary Institute, there was a crazy group of guys in the kitchen then, the broiler guy had his own secret marinade for all meats. This is my version of what he used and I think it is just about as close to perfect as you can get.

The easiest best beef marinade I have

1-cup good soy sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 – 1 cup water.
1/3-cup vegetable oil
4 tsp chili garlic sauce * (I use one from Thailand but they are all good) This is a spicy mixture. Use less if you do not appreciate the heat!!)

Mix all ingredients together
Marinate steak anywhere from 15 minutes to overnight for a deeper flavor.

The cheapskate in me cannot throw out a perfectly good marinade just because it has been used once. IF you kept this under refrigeration and did not leave the meat in there for a week, freeze the marinade, I use a code- don’t laugh now, 0, 1x, 2x. I know you have cracked my code. 0 is fresh never used, 1x means used once, 2x which is rarely seen around here but on occasion is used twice. After that we are finished I feel I have gotten my monies worth out of this. NOTE: I only reuse marinades for my hubby and I; somehow I can’t do that for company.

When you are grilling you want to heat that puppy UP. Turn the grill on, all the way up for a good 15 minutes before you put on the steaks.

Lifting the steaks up out of the marinade place them on the grill at a 45 degree angle to the grate. I turn 1 ¼ inch steaks 5-7 minutes after they begin for medium rare. If you want to create a cross hatch pattern like the steakhouses do, after 3 minutes, ONCE THE STEAK can lift off the grates without leaving bits behind, turn the steak (leaving the same cooked side towards the grill) so it is at a 45 degree angle in the opposite direction. Imagine an X. First the steak goes one way, like so / , then the other \ .

PLEASE PLEASE do not cut into this juicy slab of artery clogging protein! Without benefit of photos, maybe I’ll get to that, let me tell you how the chefs do it.
1. Figure out which hand you write with….. Good. Now with the OTHER hand hanging loosely from your wrist (shake it a couple of times to make sure you are loose.) poke the fleshy part where your thumb and index finger (Mr. Pointer) meet. Push in to this fleshy part, you will meet with little resistance, it’s mushy. This is VERY RARE.
2. Straighten out your fingers but not very tightly poking the fleshy part. This is MEDIUM RARE
3. Now flex your fingers out rather stiffly. Poke that fleshy part. This is MEDIUM.
4. Ball up your fist. Poke that part that was fleshy and it now a knot. This is WELL DONE.
I hope on all that is sacred you will stop cutting into your grilled meats to see if they are done now! Even stabbing at this defenseless steak with a meat thermometer lets all the juices run into your grill and not over your deprived taste buds. A sin if I ever heard of one.

A very unsexy post

2010-07-09T22:20:00.002-04:00

Who wants to think of food recalls? Chefs, caterers, food service professionals sure, but I don't think most consumers think of it all that often till it hits the news. As I checked into the FDA's website again today it struck me how very many foods are recalled monthly and that a substantial portion of them are pet foods.

I check this site weekly so that I can keep my clients from harm but it wouldn't hurt for you to check it out from time to time. Unfortunately there is always something added to the list and I am always surprised by what.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm

Rants, Raves, Reviews & Musings from the 56th Summer Fancy Food Show

2010-06-28T11:51:00.004-04:00

The upscale gourmet end of the food business is a harbinger of what will become mainstream on America’s plate. Gluten Free everything. Tea. Organic. Soft serve sorbet. Sweet Potato anything. Upscale pet treats. Greek style yogurts. Indian flavor profiles. Peach. Hibiscus. Pomegranate. More environmentally thoughtful packaging. Optimism. Co-operation. These were the takeaways from this year’s Fancy Food Show held at the Javitts Center.

Reports from last year’s show were that the vendors AND the retailers stayed home. We weren’t sure if the sky was really falling and what would be next. This year the vendors and the attendees all spoke in terms of gradual upswings which I took tremendous stock in. Like in the retail aspect, the wholesale end of this business also lost the companies that came in for the low hanging fruit. Gone were the never ending aisles of salsas, chutneys, dry rubs, readymade sauces that had clogged the aisles at this show pre September 2008. Being New Yorkers we take for granted that the world comes to our door with their wares. A good portion of the vendors and attendees come from elsewhere so their reports of the improving economy combined with our own feeling here in NY gave the mood at the show one of survivors of a shipwreck, a little giddy, helpful, happy and gosh darn it, glad to still be here.

Maybe I’ve watched one too many episodes of Dancing with the Stars but the relationship between attendee and vendor at these shows seems to be a Tango. The seasoned whore wants to entice the wary potential client into her dance; the wary client does not want to pay to play. You would think that the vendor is the seasoned pro and attendees the reluctant one. Not always. The vendors come with a wide variety of things to give away from tastes, eco bags, pens, samples, deals and more deals BUT in the pre 2008 days, they held onto these things brought to entice so the attendees would work to charm the vendor! NOT THIS YEAR. It was nice to wooed….

2010-06-28T11:49:00.004-04:00

Greek style thick yogurts from at least 6 companies were there, three brands come to mind that are now widely distributed, Fage, Stoneyfield & Chobani. Trying to not spend the entire day eating chocolate (I am weak) I stopped to sample a cup of strawberry Chobani. At a nearby table I stand stirring the daylights out of the yogurt when a man wearing a company shirt instructs me that this style yogurt is not to be stirred like that. Did you know that? He went on to tell me this brand spends great deal of time extracting the water from the yogurt during the thickening process, no stabilizers or additives are used and stirring will diminish the richness Greek style yogurt is known . Now a convert, I asked this man what he does for the company, shyly he informs me he’s the CEO. Mr. Hamdi Ulukaya goes onto tell me that this was his family’s recipe back in Turkey and he has now brought this to our tables. This September Chobani is rolling out a children’s product, Champions, developed for their tastes in portion sizes ideal for them, based on the CEO’s commitment to teaching me how to eat his yogurt properly, a small consumer at best, I’m thinking this is going to be good for kids. http://www.chobani.com/

Everything is going gluten free and while I’m not sure how I feel about this enormous shift because less than 8% of our population has sensitivities, this is undoubtedly a large emerging market. Stubb’s Barbeque Sauces (highly recommended and widely available in super markets, Fairway and specialty stores) is changing their entire line of sauces to accommodate this market so maybe it’s time for me to re-evaluate my stance. http://www.subbsbbq.com/

2010-06-28T11:42:00.004-04:00

Bequet Artisanal Caramels from Montana were to die for. Realistic sized packaging and a retail section on their website makes this a good place to look for gifts. Their candies are fresh for only 3 months. THIS I like. http://www.bequetconfections.com/ Oh, and the owner is a former Long Island girl from Massapequa!

Twelve the beverage, which I wrote about in a June 2009 post, had a booth and I am sincerely hoping they are able to become more available. Currently you can find this complex adult alternative to wine with dinner at Whole Foods. Hello Fairway? They should be at your store too. http://www.twelvebeverage.com/

2010-06-28T11:36:00.005-04:00

Many of you know I intend to manufacture the jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles and other savories we use in our catering but credit where it is due. Magnolia Honey Company, a small 3 woman company from Mississippi had a lovely line with a horseradish, honey sauce called Juliet’s Jezebel Sauce that I can still taste. They have a retail website at: http://www.magnoliahoney.com/

Jelly Belly has finally realized who is eating all those jelly beans and came out with a “Cocktail Classics” collection with the tagline “it’s five o’clock somewhere” with flavors like Margarita, Mojito, Pomegranate Cosmo, Bellini and Strawberry Daiquiri. Beats the snot out the Harry Potter collection that had flavors so awful I won’t name any more of them… Yes, snot was a flavor.

I also encountered some major misses. One was a water/vitamin drink and the vitamin mixture was held inside the cap. When ready to drink, you would twist the vitamins out, shake it up and drink the healthful mix. Great idea, dreadful tasting. Boring chocolate vendors, pasta that made you wonder, uninspired packaging and concepts. Then there are the misguided vendors that are maybe in from the middle of somewhere who might have a good product but they stand there with blank looks in their expensive booth either afraid to interact or uninterested. I want to walk up to them like Cher in Moonstruck and give them a good smack while yelling “SNAP OUT OF IT!” Tango anyone?

Garlic Chicken

2010-06-22T19:11:00.006-04:00

Garlic Chicken

This recipe started out when we were called upon to do a family birthday party. This family made a heavily garliced chicken on the grill and asked us to include this as part of their menu so I created my version of their family favorite and loved it so much that it has become a regular menu item for us in the summer. As with many of my recipes, the measurements should become in your hand rather than with a measuring cup and spoons. Add different herbs and spices, adjust quantities, make this your own.

This preparation takes little time to make but it does require a day or two in the frig so plan ahead.

2-3 Days ahead:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cup up in 8 pieces OR 8 pieces of chicken OR boneless cutlets, white or dark.

Brine:
¼ cup kosher salt
1 cup Boiling water
1 large onion cut in ½” thick slices
½ cups smashed garlic cloves
2 jalapeno sliced ¼” thick slices
¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves
1/8 cup fresh thyme leaves
½ cup fresh parsley leaves
Cold water and ice cubes
A nice amount of freshly ground black pepper
-Dissolve the salt into the boiling water.
-Add the onions, jalapeño, garlic, herbs & spices and let sit till the onions soften a bit.
-Add ice cubes till this mixture is cold.
-Add Chicken pieces
-Cover with cold water. Mix a bit. Cover and put in the frig for at least one day and up to three.

Day of Cooking.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper
Black Pepper
Granulated Garlic
NOTE: You can also add more herbs or more smashed garlic here.
-Drain chicken discarding brine.
-LIGHTLY coat brined chicken in olive oil.
-Season with more black pepper, crushed red pepper, granulated garlic & re-season with additional herbs if you like
-Now here’s the key: Grill your chicken LOW & SLOW. Low heat and very slowly. This is the key to juicy, tender grilled chicken!

I like to serve this at home with something that can soak up the incredible juices that will come out. Orzo, Israeli Cous Cous or other small pasta shapes like Trofie or Strozzapretti work well. The pasta I use at home is an artisanal pasta named Dal Raccolto that I think is superb. Made in Italy it is distributed by Colavita in this country and you can find it in good Italian markets, Fairway (www.fairwaymarket.com), at the retail outlet of Ace Endico (http://www.aceendicocompanystore.com/) located off of 84 on the border of Brewster and Southeast or at Colivita’s online “store” (www.colavita.com/store).

Catching Up

2010-05-31T14:56:00.005-04:00

This spring has been a sharp contrast to last year. My garden went in on time, even though the weather wanted to keep us on our toes. Business has been brisk as we realized that the new economy didn’t mean our entertaining lives had to come to an end. And lastly, gratefully, my family is not in crisis mode and we are learning to deal with the losses. Hubby left to volunteer his nursing talents in Haiti for awhile and that leaves me with some wonderful free time to sit and write to you.

We’ve been to some of my favorite people’s houses for soirees, attended the Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield’s annual fund raiser to see our contribution bring in the most money of the event and participated in the Ridgefield Kitchen Tour again.

I love the Kitchen Tour. I get to make exactly what I want and for the 4 hours of the tour while the gals stroll through, I get to talk and pretend I’m Shecky Green.

Aside from our Crudités and Satay Garden we offered a Berry Garden with a Lemon Cream, our own version of Baked Brie, Cognac Currant Cheesecake and a variety of soup shooters that included a Fresh Minted Pea with Crème Fraiche (which we make ourselves), Corn Chowder with Crabmeat and a Jalapeno “Pearl” garnish and Watermelon Gazpacho with an herbed “Pearl”, Sundried Tomato Quiche & a refreshing sparkling Lemon Mint Drink.

I promised recipes and here are a couple to get you started. Always feel free to ask for one you do not see. Making myself write them down and FINALLY getting this book done is high up on my “to do” list but somehow can’t seem to get done!!

Recipes

2010-05-31T13:55:00.003-04:00

Refreshing Summer Sparkler
When citrus fruits are plentiful, buy a bunch. Peel and dry the zest as outlined in the Cognac Currant Cheesecake Hints section and juice the fruits, freeze the juice. Make your syrup when the mint is abundant in your garden and freeze that. When guests drop by, you have the components already at hand for a beverage that looks like you planned for their visit.
Ingredients:
· Mint Syrup (recipe follows)
· Fresh Lemon Juice ( Grapefruit, Lime or Orange juice also works well)
· Club Soda ( or Pellegrino-still water will also make a refreshing drink
Fill pitcher with ice. Splash in a little lemon juice in, sweeten to taste with mint syrup and fill with club soda. Garnish with lemon slices and springs of fresh mint.
Mint Syrup:
I make this all summer long when the garden produces copious amounts of mint then enjoy it at my leisure!
INGREDIENTS:
· 2 parts sugar
· 1 part water
· Fair amount of mint.
Preparation:
1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water, stirring constantly.
3. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, boil a minute and remove from the heat.
4. Stir in handfuls of mint.
5. Allow to cool completely and thicken, then bottle.
I make this all summer long when the garden produces copious amounts of mint then enjoy it at my leisure!

Savory Cognac Currant Cheesecake
Yield: 1 small cheesecake which can serve up to 20 depending on other items served
INGREDIENTS:
7 Tablespoons toasted Almonds (chop 5T. 1/8”and reserve 2 T. for garnish)
1 cup currants macerated in cognac to cover (approx ¼ cup cognac)
2/3 lb cream cheese- room temperature
2/3 cup ricotta or sour cream- room temperature
2 extra-large eggs + 1 yolk- room temperature
1 Tablespoon orange zest (no white pith)-finely grated (a microplane works great for this)
2 teaspoons sugar
Light ¼ teaspoon ground Cardamom
Pinch of ground nutmeg (try to use whole nutmeg and grate with microplane or better yet, nutmeg grater….the flavor cannot be compared to the sawdust purchased in those small expensive jars)
Pinch ground white pepper
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon almond extract
6”- 8” spring form pan with bottom wrapped in foil.

MIXER METHOD:
Measure all dry spices/sugar, almonds, grated zest and put aside.
Beat cream cheese till smooth, scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time till incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl after each egg.
Add spices/sugar/zest/almonds and lightly mix in, scrape down sides of bowl.
Add ricotta (or sour cream), till incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl.
Drain currants (reserve liquid – see Tips) and stir in.
Add extract, beat till all mixed in. Do not overbeat.
FOOD PROCESSOR METHOD:
Measure all dry spices/sugar and put aside.
Peel ¼ of orange and chop till fine, and almonds and chop coarse (remember, they will continue to be ground up as you add other ingredients)
Add cream cheese and pulse till mixed smooth; add eggs, 1 at a time till each egg is incorporated periodically scraping down sides of work bowl.
Add ricotta or sour cream and spices/sugar. Pulse a couple of times and scrape down sides of bowl.
Add extract and pulse till incorporated. Drain currants (reserve liquid-see tips) and pulse VERY lightly to mix in. Do not over process. You may have to additionally stir manually to mix currants in so they do not become chopped.
BAKING:
Pour into prepared spingform pan.
Bake at 300 degrees 30- 40 minutes depending on your oven. Try not to open your oven door for the first 20 ish minutes, use the light to check the action and see Tips and Hints for determining when your cheesecake is done. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven for at least 1 hour, I have left it in till the oven has cooled. Chill for 1 day. Remove cheesecake from pan by removing foil from pan. Gently release latch of pan. Run knife along the interior of the pan. Release the sides of the pan all the way.
At this point I remove the cake from the bottom of the pan and move onto a bakers cardboard round. These are available at party stores and craft stores like Michael’s.
SERVING:
For the Tour I spread the top with our own Meyer Lemon Vanilla Bean Marmalade. Other garnish ideas could be:
a quality store bought orange marmalade
sour cream mixed with a bit of orange zest and a touch of sugar would work
and for the lazy day-leave it alone!
After dressing the top, holding the cheesecake from the cardboard disk underneath (or a plate) gently press the reserved almonds into the sides.
Serve with crackers, thinly sliced baguettes, sliced apples or pears and definitely cocktails!

TIPS, HINTS & THOUGHTS
1. How to tell when your cheesecake is done.
Don’t open your oven door more than you have to during baking. Watch the action by using your oven light. Once the cheesecake rises a bit, this is when you can turn it.
2. You want the center of the cake to not completely set during baking. When you gently shake the pan, the middle should – ok, pardon me for this one, and try not to laugh too loudly- the middle should move like a silicone breast implant- not that I have firsthand experience with this….. The sides of the cheesecake also look like they have set and have JUST begun to move away from the pan.
Once you have achieved this state, shut the oven off, close the door and leave the cheesecakes to come down gently in temperature. This should prevent cracking.
Save the cognac which the currants have macerated in. You can add more currants for the next time you make this, add this liquid to a sauce for winter meat dishes, use for a winter dried fruit compote or vegetable stew.
3. I have tripled and quadrupled this recipe when needed. If you are heading into entertaining season or want to bring something along during the holiday parties, make these ahead and freeze them UNGARNISHED. Pull them out a day before and place in the refrigerator to defrost and garnish the day of.
4. My original recipe was for ricotta, in the midst of making the m for a catering, I realized I had to ricotta; hence the sour cream version was born. Please do not be afraid to substitute. No oranges, use lemons. Use dried peel. No almond extract, try orange or lemon. EXPERIMENT!!!
5. If your cake split and you really don’t want to put it out the way it looks, change the shape of it. Use it as a spread, smoosh the cheesecake into an attractive bowl and surround with the crackers and fruits. Same can be said for leftover cheesecake.
6. DRIED PEELS. Citrus is essential to my cooking. Sometimes I need tons of juice and have no use for the peel, when that happens, first I lightly peel the fruit and place this peel (no white pith) on a sheet pan and place in my turned off oven for a couple of days. Once the peel has dried, I pulverize it in the food processor and jar it up for that day when I may have run out of that particular fruit or I just need something extra! Uses for dried citrus peel are ENDLESS! Mix with salt and pepper and place on chicken or fish for grilling or broiling. Add to salad dressings, stews, sauces. Use in baking.

A Vegetarian Graduation

2010-05-31T13:39:00.002-04:00

The task was a daughter’s graduation from college, a vegetarian who wanted to be able to reach for anything that passed by and not have to worry if it was “safe”. Mom also wanted her friends to be able to eat- the carnivores and then there was a beloved aunt with dietary restrictions. I had my work cut out for me!

For the daughter we adapted our satay garden for the multi level deck that looked over the family’s substantial property. On the lower levels of the deck we only served vegetarian foods while the carnivores were served nearer the bar on the upper most deck. For the aunt with dietary restrictions, we adapted the entire menu for her food and dedicated one service person as her “go to”. The server was introduced at the beginning of the event so this family member could eat confidently throughout the day.

Décor included tye dyed tablecloths that suited this young woman’s personality, having many talented people in their circle, no less than three bands played during the day, golf carts rented for the occasion, brought the guests from the designated parking area to the area where the party was held. The cake exactly replicated this lucky young woman’s’ diploma and the rain held off!

Some of the offerings included:

Veggie Burger "Sliders"
Gazpacho Shots with Yellow Pepper “Pearls”
Goat Cheese "Quenelles", Figs & Honey Glazed Pecans on Endive Petals with a drizzle of Port Reduction
Watermelon & Manchego with a Balsamic Reduction Served in an Asian Spoon
Stuffed Artichoke Leaves

Some Menus from the Season

2010-05-31T13:30:00.004-04:00

Paella Menu

Passed Hors D'ouvre
Chimichurri Beef Skewers with Chimi Dip
Gazpacho Shots with Sweet Yellow Pepper “Pearls” and a Sour Cream Rosette
Olives
Sweet Potato Fritters with our own Pear Ginger Chutney
Salad
Romaine with Oranges, Red Onions, Croutons and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Dinner
Paella with Chicken, Sausage, Mussels, Shrimp & Peas
Cheese
A Taste of Cheese
Manchego, Mahon & Majorero with Membrillo with Fruits & Crackers
Dessert
Flan with Crème Chantilly and Raspberries
Specialty Cocktail
Sangria made with Rose, Tequila and garnished with Peaches, Grapes, Oranges & Apple

A Gathering on the Back Deck for Friends

Passed Hors D'ouvre
Summer Corn Chowder with Crabmeat Shots garnished with Jalapeño “Pearls”
Portobello Satay
Shrimp Skewers with Curried Mango Sauce
Dinner
Blue Cheese Filled Burgers with a Chipotle Sauce
Tuna Burgers with Ginger Garlic Mayonnaise
Turkey Burgers stuffed with Goat Cheese and a Lemon Thyme Mayonnaise
Cucumber, Watermelon & Fennel Salad with Ricotta Salata
Red Cabbage Coleslaw with Jalapeno Vinaigrette
My Favorite Potato Salad (Red Potatoes, Green Peas & Chives in a dijon flavored mayonnaise)
Arugula, Carrot & Shaved Parmesan
Dessert
Meringue Baskets with Lemon Cream and Raspberry Sauce
Special Cocktail
Lychee Martini

Save The Trees...no really

2010-03-22T11:51:00.003-04:00

Not sure how many of my friends here visit the NY Botanical Gardens, maybe you were there for the Train Show held every December with your grandchildren or you visit The Garden with a girlfriend for the Orchid Show which occurs at this time of year or you walk the grounds for inspiration and the restorative properties The Garden offers your soul. (I also visit for the great lunches at the Café and the amazing bookstore). BUT, the storm that ravaged this area destroyed some of the finest specimens the garden had curated over its nearly 120 year history. Old, old trees, plants and shrubs and some of the other lovely architectural and visitor friendly amenities were destroyed and some badly damaged.

I know this doesn’t rank up there with Haiti and Chili and that a Save the Tree’s outcry is probably laughed at but The Garden needs donations now. NYBG had run into tremendous disrepair during the 60’s and 70’s and the Wall St boom time and funding from corporate sponsors helped restore the Garden to its pre-storm brilliance. Then came The Tides of March and all the destruction it left in its wake.

Here’s a link to the Facebook post. If you can donate even a small amount it would be helpful, if not, please visit The Garden and see this amazing place. I have brought dozens of skeptical visitors over the years and every one, without exception, has left this place wide eyed and anticipating their next visit. If you can do nothing else to support this New York treasure, do visit this wonderful place. You will be so glad you did.

The New York Botanical Garden Remember that big storm March 13th and 14th? More than 150 trees were damaged here at the Garden. http://www.nybg.org/email/general/postcard_20100319.php

What the.....

2010-03-12T21:20:00.002-05:00

I’ll make this brief because this loopy suggestion of banning salt from restaurants is a pathetic attempt by an obscure assemblyman for some camera time is ridiculous. YET. It has my feathers ruffled.

As a woman and a consumer, I am in the super market regularly; I see what is in other peoples carts. I also have the rare perspective of knowing what is inside many of my client’s cupboards. The amount of convenience food I see purchased is staggering; more disturbing still is how much of this food is fed to our kids. So do we ban salt in manufactured food? Then what? Maybe by the time I hit “the home”, we’ll just get those tasty MRE’s they distribute after earthquakes and floods. Low fat, low sodium, high in protein and even the starving Haitian people didn’t want them choosing to not eat instead. Yummy.

Shop the perimeter of the store; avoid the aisles, that’s the answer. Anyone who has met me knows that I am….what’s a nice way of saying this….amply nourished, and I have done that in the most childish way possible. I over consume ice cream, cookies, candy & cake. Yes, my name is Charlotte and I’m a cakeaholic, and an adult and don’t need anyone outlawing my own version of heaven. Thank you, I’ll step off my soapbox now….

Under Mikey's Big Top

2010-03-11T15:48:00.000-05:00

Chuck and I had the good fortune to be invited to a party thrown by a mentor of mine. I could write an entire post on this man and his genius, not only in business but the intricacies of how to throw huge events.

The occasion? His grandson’s first birthday. Yes, yes, I know, a first birthday? Get a pony, a cake, the camera and pretty much call it a day. Oh no. Not for this man who has several huge catering locations, in an economic downturn, he needs to keep busy! So he and his son put their heads together and boy did they ever!

The theme of a circus could be heard before seen with calliope music playing at the entrance. As you pulled up to the dozens of valets, there were clowns of every type: on stilts, in skirts, gorgeous girls in those circus costumes with balloons, balloons, balloons. And a boat. A cigarette boat painted in the wildest colors, Mikey’s first birthday gift because every child needs a “toy” boat.

2010-03-11T15:47:00.002-05:00

The long entranceway had hundreds of balloons overhead; the walls were lined in circus scenes complete with fun house mirrors. This led into a room where the realistic circus ticket booth replete with barker took your name and gave you your “Tickets” (table assignment); this led to the counter most parents dread. The souvenirs. This counter had everything that lights up, wands, glasses, yo-yos, headbands, all manner of lighted toys. Point and claim it, you could have whatever you wanted. The adults were beginning to jump up and down!

2010-03-11T15:46:00.001-05:00

Now armed with tickets and toys you are brought to another entranceway with a strongman and a contortionist, women in skirts that held cotton candy, people passing the best fried chicken legs not made by me. As you continue into the large room where cocktails are held your jaw drops, a wide smile breaks out and you are now at the circus. Cotton Candy being made in front of you, hot dog carts, a midway, photo booths with funny things to pose behind, animal acts, jugglers, portrait caricaturists, a card reader, more clowns, a balloon sculpture of animals that was over 20 feet high and a Ringmaster cutout of the birthday boy. I cannot remember it all but I will always remember the look on everyone’s faces. Wide eyes, wide smiles.

The adult Hors D’oeruve during this extraordinary cocktail time included shrimp that were ½ pound EACH served in martini glasses, tender lamp chops Provencal, a seafood station that ½ lobster, scallops and lobster bisque, a slider station but my favorite was the child’s height hot dog cart and the child’s height Shirley Temple station.

2010-03-11T15:43:00.001-05:00

We are all now led into “The Big Top”. If I had thought I had seen it all I was dead wrong. The picture says it all.

2010-03-11T15:41:00.002-05:00

After catching your breath, you begin to look around and see the black and white draping of the ceiling, the linen choices, the centerpieces, each one unique but unifying with Mikey as a character in a circus, animals and lighting elements to give a cohesive look. The linen choice of white moiré embroidered with black swirling low ruffles and a cone shaped orange satin napkin was whimsical yet adult.

2010-03-11T15:39:00.001-05:00

At this point the adults are acting more like children because no one in this room has been at anything like this unless you were part of the Cirque de Soliel team. There were entertainers in an ever changing array of costumes on stilts dancing, on giant tricycles, unicycles, free moving forms that topped out at 12 feet. The DJ opened with songs that most DJ’s end with and kept this middle aged crowd with their kids and their grandkids at a frenzy for hours, only letting us loose for long enough to savor our awesome victuals.

2010-03-11T15:37:00.004-05:00

Anytime Joe and his family feed you, you know you are in for a treat. The hors D’oeruve would have been enough for mortals to feed their guests, not here. We began with a cheese ravioli and half pound elliptically shaped meatballs. Again, mortals would have stopped here. Later we had a deconstructed cob salad with applewood bacon and Maytag Blue Cheese. To round out this gluttonous day we had a perfectly braised short rib over cheesy mashed Yukon golds and a bundle of mahogany, blonde and orange baby carrots wrapped in scallions. No one in the room thought “oh no, not that again”! The groaning at my table from over eating was hilarious.

We can’t forget the children here, can we? A very welcome and very looked after group of lucky tykes they were. Their salad course had carrot sticks, cheese cubes, fruit and a jelly sandwich triangle. The main course was a Mikey Meal which was served in a bag. Standard Kiddy favorites were inside and no parent had a surly child on their hands. Brilliant. And I am stealing it this minute… ; )

2010-03-11T15:37:00.002-05:00

During each course was more entertainment, pairs of Las Vegas style little acrobats, fire eaters, an aerial act, so much, so much, so much to remember! Even with a camera, a cell phone, making notes, I cannot remember it all, it was total pleasure overload!

2010-03-11T15:33:00.002-05:00

Now we come to what is always my favorite course and I couldn’t wait. A wall rises to reveal the young mother and father holding this very lucky little boy in the midst of what I can only describe as heaven done in sugar.

2010-03-11T15:32:00.002-05:00

Dessert “tables” both stationary and mobile included, a full coffee / espresso bar with every liqueur known to man as available. An ice cream table with mini waffles, bananas foster, every topping, fudge, you name it. Tarts, pastries, a cannoli station, a candy counter with giant lollys, penny candy and bags for us to load them with. (Yes Jordy, tell the gang I have lollys for all).

2010-03-11T15:30:00.002-05:00

The entertainment continued, the children could not get enough and the adults were reluctant to leave too. This was an afternoon of utter fantasy and of hospitality few of us have the chance to experience. I know some of you reading this are thinking “so much for a one years old birthday” but knowing this family as I am lucky enough to do, I know they put together this party not so much for Mikey, they know full well he will have no recollection of this day, but because they could. To share their happiness and their joy and give all their family and friends a day we will never forget. I felt so fortunate to have met these people and be considered as a friend, the people who were sitting at my table said the same and I can imagine that the people at the other 40 or so tables also had the same thoughts. As for the children in attendance, they were delirious! And I am certain they will torture their parents when it comes time for their next party and the folks want to take them to ChuckeCheese!

2010-03-11T15:28:00.000-05:00

Sweet Valentine Wishes

2010-02-03T12:39:00.002-05:00

It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a riverI could skate away on

That sums up how the holidays felt for me here at CBFF. I know so many of us had a simply awful 2009 with tremendous losses, obstacles and tribulations. When it came time for me to sit and write out my holiday message, there was nothing joyful so I sat. To the wonderful people who sent me holiday cards, my apologies but they still sit in a pretty basket, unopened.

But the groundhog saw his shadow in Pennsylvania and didn't on Staten Island, does that portend 2010? If this is a year of neither losses nor gains, I'll take it! And then there is Valentine’s which felt more appropriate to send you all my very best wishes for a better 2010 than 2009.

From this cyber site to yours, I wish you a year of health, happy times, and days filled with sunshine and a kitchen filled with wonderful aromas. You all hold a special place in my heart and I have mad gratitude for you all.

Best Valentine wishes:
Charlotte

The Art and Spirit of Giving

2010-01-18T19:42:00.000-05:00

December also found us coming to the aid of one of our own. A family member of one of our band came down with a nasty cancer at a pretty advanced stage. Due to the economy their income stream had become a dribble and their health benefits dried up. Her good friend, another family member of this tribe quickly pulled together an auction of some very stunning art. Both the one with the illness and the person putting this on are involved in the art community as has their families over many years and they called on collectors, artists, musicians to donate pieces and talents for the auction. Charlotte Berwind Fine Foods donated food and four members of the team donated their time.

A good amount of money was raised along with our flagging spirits leaving those involved with the feeling that this is what the holidays are truly about. It was the highlight of my 2009. If you would think a positive thought for this person, they are fighting valiantly.

December

2010-01-18T16:08:00.002-05:00

Habits and routines are funny things. Once I let a routine slip, I need an act of congress to get me back into it, sometimes, never to be routine again. That is this blog. I love writing what we have been up to and when I started I also said I would write about life and the times we are in. Many of you know of the crisis my family and I went through with my father which has left me without my customary joie de vie. Everyone is experiencing the change in the economic climate to some degree and I am certain we are all in pain over the horrors occurring in Haiti.

I must confess that when life conspires to push you down just a bit, it is hard to think of parties, to be creative and to rustle up the enthusiasm that clients deserve. It comes back to habits and routines. While we do tailor each event to the particular client, much of the display work has a bit of a formula so when it came to creating a display for an annual holiday event in Greenwich, I pretty much packed up a truckload of sparkle, added some incredible staff and we were off.

This annual event includes a singer, storyteller for at least 35 children, I think this year’s topped out around 100. Then there are the nannies to which we added a nanny wrangle this year to aid in communicating. Add to that the parents who come along to this well known hostesses events. Include in the mix a beautiful carriage pulled by two stunning percheron horses, an elegant driver and a coachwoman with a pile of cozy blankets to shuttle the guests around this private loop of waterfront road and bring in the first real snowfall of the season. To completely ensure we had to be on our toes, an additional 100 guests showed leaving the final guest count at 250.

This is where the Abracadabra School of Cooking comes in. We had planned on 150 guests. 50 children and 100 adults. There was to be a children’s’ menu for their time with the storyteller and the carriage rides. That would then morph into a children’s buffet in their well appointed playroom while the kitchen transitioned to the evening event which was sans children, sans nannies. When feeding little children, I have learned to assume they will eat one bit out of a container and leave the rest so we came armed with lots of food. THANK HEAVEN!

Suffice it to say, I have very few photos of that evening. One year I will get a photo of the horses but always seem to be too busy by the time this gathering gets underway. I took a few very poor photos, which I will share, one of the hot chocolate and egg nog bar, a terrific idea with adults and children, just have someone man the bar to add the spirits for the adults! One of my happy terrific staff getting everything ready, the grazing table and of course, the snow.

Six inches of snow that evening, one staffer with a flat on his way home and two other parties rounded out the night. I was too tired to be anything but glad.

Wild in Bedford!

2009-11-01T15:51:00.004-05:00

Boy did we have a hot time in the old town last night! Truman had one night to remember at The Bedford Historical Hall. The building was built in 1806, moved to its present location in 1837 by OXEN and became the rallying cry to organize a preservation society. The building has original glass in its windows that in the shimmery lighting used to create the mood was breathtaking.

The invitations were “all access” passes one might find backstage at a concert, complete with lanyards. Guests were greeted by a red carpet, fanciful outdoor lighting making the Historical Hall the backdrop for drama. Once inside, our insiders faced “The Golden Sneaker” cake, which was the secondary theme and golden ladies on pedestals posing as statues. A lounge awaited created by none other than Brenda LaManna of Damselfly Design with entertainment from Dynamic Entertainment that supplied not only the music but signature lighting with Truman’s name emblazoned on the floor, a ton of streamers being shot onto the dance floor from above, photo booths and a funnel cake stand. A tattoo artist waited to put “tats” on guests, photographers were everywhere like paparazzi, the only thing missing was Lady GaGa herself.

Truman’s menu, aside from a complete “virgin bar” had such delectable’s as Mini Matzo Ball Shooters, Mini Yukon Gold Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraiche, Seared Tuna with Avocado in Wonton Cups to name just a few, of course our signature Satay Garden was there and during the cutting of the red velvet Golden Sneaker we served Mini Malted Milk Shake Shots, Deep Fried Chocolate Truffles and Mini Ice Cream Cones on neon lit cigarette girl trays. The adults, viewing this all from their own private lounge located on the balcony enjoyed Rude Cosmopolitans and Fireside cocktails.
What a night!

Link to Bedford Historical Hall: http://www.bedfordhistoricalsociety.org/renting_hall.html
Dynamic Entertainment: http://www.thepartyneverstops.com/
Damselfly Design: http://damselflydesigns.net/

Temple Shearith Israel In Ridgefield, CT

2009-11-01T14:53:00.003-05:00

Temple Shearith Israel renovated their event room, The Pavilion, and had a showcase to present the new space to the local community. Event space is very limited in our area and now the community has one more option for their events.

Inquiries can go to this link: http://www.tsiridgefield.org

A congregant took photos of all the vendors and their wares and it has been interesting for me to see how others see our wheatgrass display. Here are some of the photos Jeff B. took.

2009-11-01T14:51:00.001-05:00

A sad sign of our times

2009-10-07T11:32:00.002-04:00

We're busy getting a party out for tomorrow, but I wanted to lament with you. Gourmet Magazine, that bastion of taste, travel and food is being closed by Conde Nast. What a sad age we live in that such an inspirational magazine is going to stop publishing. I have Gourmet's that go back to the 70's (yes I have kept every single issue) and have pulled them out when we have traveled to get a gourmand's perspective. I view the food photos as ideals, have used the recipes as inspiration and keys to unlock my own creativity.

My mother cried when B.Altman closed. I never understood that, so many good stores my child's mind thought, what's the difference? Now, I see what the tears were for.

Talk to you soon!

Link to Conde Nast article:
Read all about it.

It's All About The Dress

2009-09-24T13:47:00.004-04:00

The call comes in from a woman who found me on the internet, they are having a birthday party, not too large, at their property in my neck of the woods, and can I come and meet them? No problem.

As I make the turn into their property I realize this is going to be a joy, and then I meet the clients, Jeff & Julie. Now I know it is going to be a rare treat. Their property is huge by anyone’s standards and they are this generations caretakers in a most grand fashion. Creating organic and sustainable gardens, keeping bees and going geo-thermal to be off the grid. Chickens, dogs, beekeepers, gardeners, landscape designers, the property is a bucolic hive of activity.

Our hostess, Julie found a dress in Europe, a perfectly girly girl dress that inspired not only having the party, but the party. In our discussions a budget was set, a generous budget in this economy but we had a great deal to accomplish and concessions were still made. The biggest three decisions were the DJ, it had to be someone who knew all types of music as this was a well traveled crowd, there had to be a rocking bar with a signature cocktail and the décor had to enhance the property and be a backdrop to “the dress”. Food was important but came 4th on the list. I mention these points because when you are planning where to spend your money, your priorities need to be in place, like life.

In creating the tent, our first choice was to create a South Beach Lounge, till the price tag came in. No matter how I tried to tweak that idea it came in at too much money. We opted for tall and short cocktail tables, everything in white. We wrapped the tent poles in satin and using spray glue and “fairy dust” glitter, gave them a shimmer that candlelight would catch. We had strand lights on a dimmer around the interior perimeter of the tent and the DJ brought dance lighting with him to create a disco ambiance that had guests dancing well into the night. The barn, had exterior lighting that supplied enough light for all to move around safely. Their landscape designer had recently completed lighting that area of the property so the garden, certain trees and the pond which also pulled guests here and there to enjoy the full setting.

For the center of the tables we took purple cabbage leaves, phlox, hydrangea and other flowers from their own gardens, judiciously sprayed the glue on the half the leaf with the stem are threw fairy dust at that. These larger leaves became the anchor with the dusted hydrangea in the hostesses own crystal glasses, votives, glass beads and flowers tucked here and there. Paper party poppers were also strewn about to entertain the children and lend a quirky touch. The actual cost was minimal; using their own items gave a more personal feeling to the evening and kept much needed money in the budget for their key areas.

I found a recipe for a Honeyed Cosmopolitan which worked their newly developed hives into the party which was a smash but I think Champagne with Chambord and Blackberries was the elegant drink of choice. Guests nibbled on our seasons’ favorite, the satay garden, with the barest of passed hors d’ouvres which kept the labor to a minimum.

Choosing your planner is key to accomplishing your catering and event goals. We were willing to take on more work to help the client achieve their goal of a memorable evening. A comment we continually heard from this well heeled group was one of amazement “How did you find someone who knew what to do UP HERE?”

2009-09-24T13:44:00.002-04:00

Teatime

2009-09-19T16:50:00.001-04:00

Haven’t posted in quite some time, it was a difficult summer losing my father. But fall is in the air and Dad would not want us to wallow so back into the drink I go, and by drink, for me anyway, I mean tea!

I love tea. In my catering we use premium and outstanding teas from Revolution and Harney and Son along with the often requested Lipton. (I must admit, there are times I also crave a cup of Lipton.) But for my own personal consumption I have indulged my passion for tea with Adagio Teas. The three most often in rotation are Jasmin Pearls, a two leafed “pearl” of light oolong teas that unfurls during brewing; Golden Yunnan, a light oolong tea that tastes like Lipton’s rich uncle and Silver Needle, a white tea that is one of China’s best and so amazingly fragrant you will wish you could wear it. That is not to say I don’t drink the Revolution and Harney teas, we do and plenty of it, but when I am looking for that solitary cup to sooth and refresh me, it is Adagio these days.

Some tea facts. Tea is the second most consumed beverage, following water. All the varieties of tea, green, black, white and oolong come from one plants leaves, the Camellia. How the varieties are derived is from the processing these leaves receive with the main difference being how much oxygen the leaves are allowed to absorb during processing. White tea is the only tea that is unprocessed and is considered the apex of teas in the west but never drunk in the east.

While being the second most consumed beverage worldwide tea is still not considered in the same class as coffee in the US. Coffee has the cache of the connoisseur what with Starbucks and the attention paid to coffee in the US. But that is a recent conversion, remember when we drank Sanka? No one would dream of that swill now and the same will happen with tea as these new smaller tea companies infiltrate our American psyche. That brings us to Bag vs. Loose. The worst tea has been bagged for US consumption. That is until the boutique tea companies came about which is why their tea costs a little more. The tea is loose tea quality, the bags are better quality for no transference of that nasty under flavor you couldn’t quite put your finger on.

The brewing of the tea is as important as the quality of the tea you are choosing. For black tea, dark oolong and herbal teas make sure your water is at 212 degrees (boiling) and do not brew your tea longer that 5 minutes or a bitter cup will result. For the more delicate teas such as white, green and lighter oolong, a cooler water temp of 180 degrees (in between simmering and boiling) is better as to not burn the leaves, thereby dampening their flavors. A longer brewing time of 7 minutes is optimal for these teas. As we approach winter I also suggest pouring a little hot water into your cup or teapot and then discard that before you brew your tea. Your brewing water will stay the optimal temperature.

My Mom just called with a new decaf tea she is crazy for and we will do some research on that. Decaf presents some challenges for the tea crowd and the process of decaffeinating often takes out the delicate flavor of the tea leaving us with a cup of hot water basically. I promise to add to the following collection of websites when we find new companies with a worthwhile product.

All of these tea sites have retail capability.

http://www.adagio.com
http://www.harney.com
http://www.revolutiontea.com

Another nice site to learn about teas is:

www.teaclass.com

Till next time….bottoms up!

Hudson Valley Ribfest

2009-08-19T16:47:00.000-04:00

Ribfest was as expected!

The Hudson Valley Ribfest!

2009-07-26T16:07:00.002-04:00

It’s that time of year again, The Hudson Valley Rib Fest!!! Beginning Friday, August 14 at 5 p.m. the pig out will continue the next day Saturday the 15th at 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. and conclude on Sunday again 11 a.m. till 5 p.m.

The $5 entry fee includes parking; there is music, barbeque to buy and to stroll the competition area. As far as the que for sale, I always try to go with a big group, we split up, each taking a stand and then all meet at a table and pass it all around, having our own competition!

The actual barbeque competition occurs between 12 and 2 both Saturday and Sunday so getting some samples after that requires some “que” speak but there are plenty to be had. Remember that the competitors are not under any obligation to give away hand outs but if you are a true aficionado and know how to schmooze, you can have your socks knocked off.

There are other vendors too from the usual kettle corn to fried pickles, specialty rubs, barbeque items, smokers, and ice cream-a guaranteed alka seltzer day!

This festival is part of an 8 festival competition held in NYS that is recognized by the Kansas City Barbeque Society: http://www.kcbs.us/about.php. The current rankings of the 94 registered competitors can be seen at: http://www.nybbqchamp.com/

Here are the links and I hope to see you there!
The link is: http://www.hudsonvalleyribfest.org/ and is also on my links all year.

Directions: http://www.hudsonvalleyribfest.org/directions.html

Here’s the link to last year’s winners, just to give you a head start on who to look for!

New England Barbeque Society 2008 official rankings:
http://www.nebs.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=2

Kansas City Barbeque Society 2008 official rankings:
http://www.kcbs.us/events.php?year=2008&month=08&id=1132

Delicious New Beverage

2009-06-28T10:41:00.004-04:00

Twelve, Noon to Midnight is a new beverage made by David Burke and Alfred Portale. While still difficult to obtain, this beverage is a new and fresh alternative for those who do not imbibe. Not too fruity, herby, fizzy or tasting of just tea, it is a well crafted blend of all.

Good luck in finding it but do make the effort.
http://www.twelvebeverage.com/

I Love Wheatgrass ! and skewers....

2009-06-14T17:42:00.003-04:00

It has been a difficult time dealing with all the ramifications of my Dad’s stroke and then switching gears to the task of helping my clients create a memorable event but I have to add that I feel blessed to do what I do. The chance to be creative and escape my own troubles by being involved in the planning and execution of so many parties is a joy. The realization that these moments will be treasured by the families and that one day, when they have to pull from their collection of memories, I might have done something to contribute to that. It fills my heart with gladness and my gratitude to all of you knows no bounds.

We have certainly had our fun with the new Crudite Garden that we rolled out in March. Hope you like it too....

Stroke Awareness Month

2009-05-22T09:51:00.002-04:00

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Please learn the signs of stroke and preventative measures for this massively debilitating condition. It just happened to my father on the 14th. Please go to this link for more information:

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageNavigator/HOME

Me & Mr. Lee

2009-04-17T22:15:00.002-04:00

Once again, it was our pleasure to be asked back to The Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at NYU to cater an event they hold annually for staff. We look forward to this day for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the center itself. It is inspiring to be around so much youthful enthusiasm and the talent that is evident in their dress, the art that is ever changing and the electric feeling in the air. We brought our new signature green display with us which was well received during the reception.

The highlight of this trip was in encountering Director, Filmmaker, provocateur, basketball fan, and NYU instructor in the film grad program Mr. Spike Lee. Mr. Lee graciously agreed to be photographed with me and it is a moment I won’t soon forget. Thank you Mr. Lee!

Celebrate Party Showcase at the Greenwich Hyatt

2009-03-31T12:27:00.004-04:00

We had a ball this Sunday at the Celebrate! Showcase (http://www.celebratepartyshowcase.com/) Greenwich Hyatt meeting new friends and strengthening old relationships. This event vendor showcase is one of our favorite things to do; we roll out new ideas, new displays and get immediate feedback from the public. On Sunday, we rolled out our answer to the new economy with décor and food that meets the tightened budget. The Crudité and Satay Garden became a talking point for every person that walked by with most people coming back to get a better look. Just what you want for your event!

If you are planning a major event visiting one of the three showcases this company holds a year is a very good idea. Entertainment, flowers, photographers, venues, décor, cakes, invitations, and all manners of craziness is right there for you to see. Of course we have our favorite vendors whom we like to work with, who we know deliver a top shelf product, but the fit has to be yours.

MitzvahMarket.com is a new resource for all Bar/Bat Mitzvah planning families. Their Website has a unique vendor directory and you can sign up for their free email newsletters filled with clever, useful and entertaining ideas. There is a lot of information on this site and we were lucky enough to be interviewed by creator Sheri Lapidus on why we are regular participants in this showcase. Here is a link to our interview with the Mitzvah Moms :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUCVR3AHxQ4

Lichtenstein at the Katonah Museum of Art

2009-03-31T12:16:00.004-04:00

It was our privilege to be asked back to the Katonah Museum of Art for the premier cocktail party for the opening of the exhibit called Lichtenstein in Progress featuring the creative process of artist Roy Lichtenstein from sketches to painting which the New York Times review said "is a fascinating and engrossing show providing a rare glimpse of the pop artist's private working methods...."

This is a jewel of a museum. Easy to get to, always changing, always relevant and one of my favorite places to frequent for inspiration. The sculpture garden is a place to pause and refresh one’s self on the way from here to there. Located just off 684 in Katonah it seems to be always en route for myself and my many clients.

Please stop by this treasure, especially in these hard times when the arts need us the most.

http://www.katonahmuseum.org/

What To Do in Armonk, Bedford & Chappaqua

2009-03-17T11:57:00.008-04:00

I was asked in the bleak days of January to come up with some menus for a Memorial Day Celebration for the What To Do guide that just came out and is distributed in Bedford, Armonk & Chappaqua, so I surrounded myself with flags, sang I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy and got typing. I know May is still a bit away but there really is no time like the present to begin planning a party! Look for the guide in your mailbox, it is packed with useful information. In the days ahead I will post the decor ideas they requested as well.

The Traditionalist
· Burgers
· Hot Dogs
· Three Bean Salad
· Cole Slaw
· Potato Salad
· Watermelon
· Lemonade
The Traditionalist with a Twist
· Blue Cheese Filled Burgers with a Chipotle Sauce
· Portobello Burgers with Red Pepper Mayonnaise
· Tuna Burgers with Sweet Ginger Sauce
· Turkey Burgers stuffed with Goat Cheese and a Lemon Thyme Mayonnaise
· Grilled Hot Dogs with Red Onion Mango Relish
· Shrimp & Crabmeat Rolls
· Green & Wax Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Mint & Oil Cured Black Olives
· Spicy Napa Cabbage Slaw with Wasabi Dressing
· Red Potato & Fresh Pea Salad
· Watermelon, Lemon & Blueberry Ice Pops
Ginger Splash (a sweet ginger“ade”)

The Sophisticated Gathering
· Grilled Chimichurri marinated Flank Steak
· Rotisserie Roasted Rib Rubbed Boneless Pork Loin
· Grilled Vegetables with Fresh Mozzarella
· Orange, Fennel & Watercress Salad
· Panzenella (an Italian bread salad)
· Red, White & Blueberry Ginger Shortcakes
· Lime Rickey’s

A Night of Networking in Greenwich

2009-03-15T18:09:00.005-04:00

You could almost smell spring on a drizzly Wednesday evening as some of Greenwich’s more savvy business owners met to network and exchange ideas.

Jean Ruggiero whose card reads, One Woman, One Billion Dollars hosted this productive evening and inspired us with encouraging and humorous words.

2009-03-15T18:07:00.004-04:00

The bar was a tidy little spot to mingle and nibble.

2009-03-15T18:05:00.005-04:00

Portobello Satays with Rosemary Ginger Dipping
Dry Rubbed Tandoori Chicken with Fig Chutney
Orange Cinnamon Rubbed Shrimp & Scallop Skewers with Green Chili Chutney
Beef Tenderloin Satay with Indonesian Peanut Sauce

2009-03-15T18:03:00.004-04:00

We kept the food designed to fit the space and easy to eat while exchanging ideas with each other on how to navigate this economy.

2009-03-15T18:02:00.005-04:00

Alfonso Beltran, manager of the Porcelanosa in Ct. opened this unusual space In Riverside for us to use.

2009-03-15T17:49:00.004-04:00

Geoffrey Tischman took the stunning photographs, you can visit him at http://www.gmt-photo.com/ .

NEW MENUS

2009-03-05T10:40:00.002-05:00

Was fortunate enough to attend the Catersource conference in Las Vegas again this year and brought back some cost saving ideas. In the next two weeks we will be creating a couple of new menus, one we are calling Recession Concessions and that will be geared to the life events, weddings, b’nai mitzvahs, your large parties. The second we are calling our Stimulus Package and that group of menus will be focused on the smaller gatherings that make our lives so much fun, getting together by the pool, to celebrate a birthday, babies, anniversaries and so on. The third is for me and I am calling that my Slumdog Menu! Indian and Indian fusion food that fits these challenging economic times perfectly.

I am very excited about bringing these new ideas to you and talking about how we can save you some money and help you achieve your catering goals!

A Girl & Her Pearls

2009-03-05T10:33:00.004-05:00

Molecular Gastronomy! I have run from this with all my might and have been converted! Andy Snow, from Feastivities in Philadelphia gave an amazing seminar on food trends at the Catersource conference. When I realized that this new culinary trend is taking natural compounds and applying them to food in a different way, well my eyes flew open and I purchased a starter kit and believe me this is just the beginning.

First we are going to give you girls PEARLS! Yep, little bursts of flavor to top your hors d'oeuvres. One compound that is derived from calcium is added to the sauce, the sauce is strained to become a clear liquid and then put through a device that looks like it belongs in a DNA lab. This then gets put into a solution of mostly water and a compound that is derived from seaweed. The sauce forms a hardened exterior keeping the interior liquid so that it bursts when bitten. No more sloppy dripping sauces and an exciting presentation and eating experience.

The next mad scientist experiment we will conduct is mozzarella balloons, an incredibly fun way to update the Caprese Salad. Oh and did I mention these new treatments will add nothing, not one cent, to the bottom line? Excited guests, you being first on the block AND keeping your money where you need it these days, in your wallet!

2009-02-25T01:48:00.002-05:00

The top photo is one of fellow caterer Dawn LaRochelle and I looking spiffy in our party duds.
The second is a beautiful coffee station but I wondered how much in rentals this would have cost my clients. The silver coffee samovars rent for $70 apiece. The décor design would either have a design firm come in or require someone to go out and purchase saw horses, paint them and so on, then bookcases. Not a money saving option to my eyes.
The main course food was presented in pods. Each pod was a square with the exterior accessible to the guests to pick up “little plates”. On the interior of the pod were chefs making new plates for guests. The tables the chefs worked on were nicely appointed and guests felt as they were watching the show but I couldn’t help but think that while trendy and showy this was a waste of money
There were 10-11 tables per “pod” and in this instance 5 to 6 chefs per pod. Right there you have over $1,000 in rentals and labor. And this party had 4 of these larger pods so before we even figure out food, we have spent $4,000. . In order to eat what I would consider a normal dinner, I would have had to have 9-10 plates and forks, about $10 and I did not have a place to sit. I could see this for a large NYC fund raiser but in our market, not practical BUT I will take elements to bring to your parties.

Drinking as a Metaphor?

2009-02-15T12:53:00.006-05:00

Got this off the New York Magazine Blog for a cocktail that has hit the New York bars via England....

The Sully

From the oft-apocryphal British newsletter Popbitch: “Most popular cocktail in New York — The Sully, named Capt. Chesley B. ‘Sully’ Sullenberger. It’s two shots of Grey Goose and a splash of water.”

The witty combination of vodka and a splash, while nothing new, led me thinking about the news that has dominated the last few weeks. Hope, fear, tragedy, hope.

I love television. There I’ve said it. It was the bane of the intellectual crowd while growing up and I turned my nose up at it for many years, oblivious to the fact that I was on the opening credits to the Mary Tyler Moore show for two years. Ok, I still watched All My Children, cable was new and WILD (anyone remember the original Ugly George with his silver hot pants and camera the size of a small breakfast table?) and some PBS, and I was out a lot in the 70’s and 80’s, a lot. But now that I am on the other side of the middle age hill, I have TV’s all over the house, at least one is on all the time so all the news that’s fit for propaganda gets into my view.

So when Captain Sullengerger and his amazing crew came in for a landing on the Hudson, I watched. When our newly elected President was inaugurated, I watched, and then this week, it was late, I was flipping through the channels and there was another plane down, this one not as lucky and I watched. The news of a failing economy, a stimulus package that confounds me and must give all parents pause as it is their children who will pay, empty restaurants, caterers going out of business, a woman who has had a liter of children implanted by a mad scientist of a doctor and I am left here shaking my head. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT THERE? And then the fear sets in.

I am getting on a plane this week to go to a conference I look forward to. While a grueling experience of classes that start HOURS earlier than I like to be awake, this conference, energizes me, gives me new ideas, creates avenues of thought on how to do my business a little better, fresher and more exciting. (I still need to work on profitability, maybe next year…) BUT it is the plane ride that has me a little freaked. I don’t care about the shoes, or how they made you throw out toothpicks and carry teensy tiny bottles of stuff for years, it is the randomness of luck. It is the Ponzi scheme that is Washington, heartless executives who knowingly let tainted food be distributed and then go out of business, physicians that use women who might not be “all there” to conduct experiements and weather, something no one has any control over.

So when I see a recipe for a cocktail that is mostly something that can both help and hurt with a splash of something that makes life possible, I wonder if I can use that as a metaphor for coping. I think I need to turn the TV’s off and drink more water.

Won Ton Cup Recipe

2009-02-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

Won Ton Cups

This idea began as a recipe in Gourmet magazine a couple of years ago. We adapted it and have turned this into one of our pantry staples. A “go to” item that we can change around at will.

The following recipe and photos will hopefully get you on your way!

2009-02-07T14:29:00.005-05:00

Mise En Place:

Mini Muffin Pans

Pam

Shanghai style won ton wrappers *

Vegetable Oil

Pastry Brush

Savory: Herb Seasoning, Sesame Seeds, Salt OPTIONAL

Sweet: Sugar, Cinnamon, Cocoa OPTIONAL

*They are the thinnest yet are still easy to work with. If you do not have an Asian market in your area, the super market now stocks a serviceable brand.

2009-02-07T14:20:00.003-05:00

Take oiled wrapper in both hands with index finger and thumb. With the place over muffin opening and with middle and ring fingers, tucking them behind the thumb, press the majority of the wrapper into the muffin tin. (This gives folds to the cup making it sturdier.) Slightly flare the outer edges of the cup and repeat with as many cups you desire to make.

If Savory or Sweet: Sprinkle lightly with desired seasoning.

2009-02-07T14:18:00.001-05:00

Bake till crisp 10 to 12 minutes. We use a timer for these. It seems no matter how long we have made them there will be a tray we forget, a timer reduces that possibility.Cool cups and store in air tight container.

Some of the ways we use these:

Filled with Avocado Mousse and topped with a slice of grape tomato (herb seasoning)

Filled with Caponata (herb seasoning)

Filled with Asian Tuna Tartar (sesame seeds)

Filled with Lemon Curd and topped with Parisienne Poached Pears and Raspberry Sauce ((sugar)

Filled with Ice Cream and Hot Fudge. (Brush interior of cups with melted chocolate cool and proceed)

Filled with Sautéed Apples and topped with a caramel sauce (cinnamon sugar)Filled with Canolli Filling, (Brushed Chocolate)

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

2009-01-31T11:34:00.007-05:00

It is Superbowl weekend and Josh asked me to post the Lobster Macaroni & Cheese recipe. Not your standard Superbowl fare but certainly a dish that will be remembered for years to come! Oh, and don’t forget to check out the Puppy Bowl with Feline Halftime Show on the Animal Channel! : )

This football cake was designed by a bride and groom for a very untraditional twist on the wedding cake. There are no rules!!!

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese - Can feed 6 to 8 people

Ingredients:

· I like a pasta that is tubular for this- cellentini, orrechetti, shells work nicely.
· 6 – 8 ounces o f good white semi soft cheese that is not too strong. Fontina, Fontinella, Bel Paese, Havarti, Port Salute, Muenster- use your own taste buds to guide you

MY TIP: there are always odd ends of cheese that are destined for the trash if I don’t save them from that fate. I trim them and wrap them well and pop them into ziplocks labeled soft, semi soft, hard and then pull them out as a recipe calls for them.
· ¼ + cup White Wine
· ¾ - 1 quart Heavy Cream or Half and Half
· 1 – 2# cooked Lobster Meat (can also use crab meat) cut into large chunks
· About ¼ cup Shallots (or onions, green onions, leeks, if you don’t have shallots)
· Some butter
· Sale & White Pepper
· Chopped Chives (Optional)
· Buttered bread crumbs (Optional)
· Buttered Baking Dish

Cream sauce:
Sauté chopped shallots (or substitute) in small amount of butter till soft and translucent-don’t let them brown. Add most of the heavy cream (or half and half) and reduce by ¼ over medium heat to thicken slightly. Add wine (to your taste), bring back to a simmer and slowly, constantly stirring, add small amounts of the chunked cheese to the sauce, incorporating each addition completely before adding more.

Taste this as you go along. If you think you would like more cheese, add more cheese. Season LIGHTLY with a bit of salt and a bit of white pepper. You can even add the barest touch of cayenne or mustard here.

Pull this off the heat and strain into a clean container. SAUCE CAN BE MADE AHEAD at this point. If making ahead, cover the sauce with plastic wrap and cool down as quickly as possible.

To assemble:

Cook your pasta, I like to cook mine REALLY, REALLY al dente in liberally salted water. To where there is a real crack when you bite into it for these baked dishes. The pasta holds its integrity and does not become mush.

Combine sauce and pasta, mix well. Mix in your lobster meat, the optional chives and turn into your buttered baking dish. THIS CAN BE MADE AHEAD AT THIS POINT.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top with optional buttered bread crumbs (or not). Bake till bubbly. This can be anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes depending on how big the baking dish is, how deep the mixture is loaded, how accurate your oven is.

A word about the lobster meat. Most of us in my area are lucky enough to have outstanding markets all over that always seem to have freshly cooked lobster meat available on a regular basis. If you are not that lucky, grab some tails and poach them off in a court bouillon. Chill them, and pull the meat out. The shells can be saved to make lobster bisque out of but that is another recipe for another day. Frozen lobster meat is available and can be used and the last choice is canned.

Court bouillon: peeled onion, leeks, a carrot, fresh fennel, bay leaf, peppercorns, white wine, lemon juice and water brought to boil to extract the flavor and strained. Keep the liquid from having too much green color to preserve the color of the seafood.

A word about buttered bread crumbs: I love the bit of crunch on top of a classic mac & cheese but this dish deserves a little more. Use hand grated larger crumbs from a terrific loaf of bread. Again, rescue that bit of bread you were going to feed to the birds (give them the crusts-what do they know) and store those crumbs in the freezer, tightly wrapped.

A Swellegant Birthday

2009-01-25T10:15:00.008-05:00

As with everything in life it takes all kinds, this past week end I had the best of that. The call for this event came in just prior to Christmas about the clients 40th birthday. Something elegant, soignée, I labeled it swellegant and we went on to the planning. Miss M, the birthday girl, choose a substantial menu of passed hors d’oeuvres and wanted a trio of cakes to end with a celebratory note. I called upon one of the bakers we use regularly because of her very fresh ways of decorating and her very tasty cakes.

Erin McGinn (www.cakeflourllc.com) made the delivery at the appointed hour and they were above and beyond all expectations. Seems our budding entrepreneur had time on her hands and her creative juices were flowing, not willing to let an opportunity go by, Miss McGinn went to town on our order turning the request for simple layer cakes into something truly memorable. Upon seeing the cakes the design idea for the stationary display completely changed. We took Lucite boxes, filled them with new pairs of the hostesses own shoes, small light packs and roses, taking a minimalist (for us anyway!) approach to make the cakes the feature throughout the night rather than bring them out just for dessert.

Our hostess/birthday girl has a Parson’s design background which was evident throughout her newly renovated home. Miss M choose warm toned roses, vases of flowering quince and many many candles to create an ambiance that spoke of the January evening. Her husband, extremely knowledgeable in wines and spirits, added to the evening with signature cocktails prepared by a master mixologist and rare cordials to complement the cakes. A truly unforgettable evening.

Here is Miss M’s menu:

Stationary Display

Baked Brie with Dried Fruits and Nuts
Crudites with Orange Feta Dip, Smoked Cheddar Bacon Dip & Fresh Herb Dip
International Cheeses with Seasonal Fruits, Dried Fruits, Breads & Crackers featuring Stilton and Parmesan

Passed Hors D'ouerves

Baby Lamb Chops with a Spicey Mint marinade and served with Dried Cherry Chili Chutney Dipping Sauce
Bacon Grissini
Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade
Goat Cheese "Quenelles", Figs & Honey Glazed Pecans on Endive Petals
Shrimp & Sesame Sticks with a Sweet Dipping Sauce
Smoked Salmon on Black Bread
Sweet Potato Fritters with Pear Chutney
Zucchini Pancakes with Basil Chive Cream
Sliced Beef Tenderloin with Arugula Horseradish Cream

Desserts

A Lemon Cake, A Mocha Cake & a Coconut Cake.

30 for a 40th

2009-01-21T10:52:00.005-05:00

An elegant 40th birthday for one of my favorite clients. Miss “N” has superb taste and we used many of her own object d’art combined with my items out of our prop inventory to create a special table for the evening. The flowers included two varieties of green hydrangea, magnolia leaves, small apricot dahlias, pheasant feathers, poppy pods, rust amaranthus, hypernium berries and other botanicals.

This was a special night planned for late September just as the banking crisis hit. We had some Recession Concessions in here by bringing the party indoors, having only one bar open, reducing the size of the stationary display which eliminated a rental table and cloth along with selecting standard table linens and not using specialty or custom linens.

Passed Hors D'oeuvres
Baked Italian Shrimp
Bacon Grissini
Macaroni & Cheese Minis
Mini Bleu Cheese Burgers
Pulled Pork on Cornmeal Biscuits
Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Stationary Table
International Cheese with Seasonal Fruits, Dried Fruits, Breads & Crackers
Seasonal Crudités Extravaganza with Dips
Sundried Tomato Pate
Olives
Pickled Grapes
Grape Leaves

Plated First Course
Tortiglioni with Filet de Pomodoro

Plated Main Course
Scallops with Creamy Bacon Vinaigrette on Haricot Verte
Vanilla Glazed Duck Breasts with Sautéed Clementines
Roasted Lamb Marinated in Oregano, Garlic & Olive Oil
Served with Baked Eggplant & Roasted Red Peppers
Broccoli Rabe with Garlic
Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Orange Glazed Carrots
Haricot Verte with Grape Tomatoes
Great Breads with Artisanl XVO

Plated Salad
Romaine with Oranges and Red Onions
In a Red Wine Vinaigrette

Cheese Course

Passed Dessert
Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies
Malted Milk Shots
Mini Smores
Mini Ice Cream Cones

A Bat Mitzvah To Warm a January Day

2009-01-17T10:30:00.004-05:00

The theme of Pink and Green carries through to the food itself with these WonTon Cups with Avocado Mousse. They will be garnished with a Slice of Grape Tomato before serving.

A Bat Mitzvah to Warm a January Day

2009-01-17T10:27:00.001-05:00

Welcome!

2009-01-16T14:30:00.001-05:00

Beginning a blog has been something I wanted to do but have not found the time, it is January, a plane just landed on the Hudson, Bernie Madoff is home enjoying his digs next Tuesday becomes one of the most historic swearing in ceremonies this country will see (until they put a woman in that big white house : ) ) and there is no time like the present.

Food, politics, zeitgeist. They are so intertwined in my life. I cater life events for a living, I love food, I love parties, I love creating a fantasy of a moment where the world and the ones you care most about are brought together in as ideal a setting as is possible. In January the calls come in from the women who are planning their big event of the year. A wedding, a B’nai Mitzvah a milestone birthday or anniversary and this year the word is budget. So we have food, politics and zeitgeist rolled into one of their biggest moments and probably biggest expenditure of the year.

I want to blog on the process of the life as a caterer, to share menus, thoughts on food, a recipe here and there and hear what you have to say on the experience of creating your big day. To use this place as a clearing house for some of you to see what we have been up to with photos and when big things happen (like planes landing in the Hudson River) a place to share.

Welcome.

My Top Ten Ways of Stretching Your Food Dollars

2009-01-16T11:46:00.004-05:00

My Top Ten

Everyone knows, times are hard and your wedding is stressful enough without worrying if your guests are thoroughly pampered within your budget. When we are in times of plenty we can let our imaginations stagnate and go for the tried and true, the obvious luxury and the no holds barred approach. As we all feel the economy tighten, a bit of a panic sets in, we want to spoil our guests AND not break the bank! Here are ten of my money saving tips for your food dollar:

1. Take those high end items and stretch them out! Items like shrimp can become an ingredient and still play that lux card without breaking the bank. Shrimp, for instance can become a filling in a cocktail hour quesadilla. Lobster can be turned into a decadent and very au courant Lobster Macaroni Cheese first course or small plate.

2. EVERYONE loves cheese. Shredded, melted, crumbled and put out in large pieces, cheese makes a big hit. On your grazing table for the cocktail hour, ask the caterer to use larger pieces of cheese, understanding the caterer will be taking them back at the end of the event, ask for a price break. Adding cheese like crumbled feta to a roasted pepper croustade elevates the item, gives a deeper satisfaction for the guest in terms of richness and is a less expensive alternative to a protein.

3. While we are talking hors d’oeurves. Vegetable based hors d’oeurves will get you more bang for your buck. Be judicious when selecting the proteins and let the caterer lead you in tasty, satisfying vegetable based choices. A sweet potato fritter is one of the big hits here, a quesadilla filled with pear and brie is luxuriously sensual and satisfying, small wonton cups filled with caponata or avocado. Want to ramp that one up? Top it with a little crab meat! Want to splurge? Give the guests some filet on a croustade with some Dijon sauce, need to cut back a bit, a Chimichurri beef satay will give the same beef satisfaction with a less direct hit on the budget.

4. Think outside the box on your middle of the plate protein! Instead of thinking only filet mignon or prime rib of beef for your dinner, think about the wonderful bistro type cuts. These cuts are delicious, add a touch of the gourmet to your menu and save you money (for the dress?). Tri Tip, flat iron steak, and my favorite, hanger steaks are a few that can be sauced and treated just like their expensive cousins but keep that bottom line from getting out of hand.

5. While we are on the main course, the fish….does it have to be salmon? Have you ever left a wedding of a friend and said to your fiancée “That would have been a terrific evening IF ONLY they had served salmon.” No you have not and neither will your guests! Try a Basa or the new “it” fish Tra, with a vegetable and herb stuffing on top and a sauce beneath. Gives color to the plate, is very delicious and no guest will think anything but what an imaginative couple you both are!

6. First courses can really run up the bill in a couple of ways. First the obvious, the food. Then there is another plate to rent if you are going off premise and then there is the time factor. Why not extend the cocktail hour? Send the soup out in shooter glasses, pasta on small plates or even Asian soup spoons. Keeps the party lively and moving, guests get their first course without even realizing it!

7. The cake. I love a wedding cake. The bigger the better BUT that can run into some major dollars, especially for a delicious cake, and would you want to serve your guests anything else? Get a smaller wedding cake, something that reflects both of your styles and have a larger sheet cake in the back to serve everyone. This works for the caterer as well as the sheet cake can be pre sliced when the time comes; your guests are served cake in a very timely manner.

8. Adding things to dessert seems to be an area where budgets can get blown apart. Cookies on the table, bowls of fruit, mountains of miniature pastry. Have the caterer place one cookie, like a biscotti or a pirouline, next to the coffee cup when coffee is served, there are your cookies. Place a few seasonal berries on the cake plate with a drizzle of raspberry sauce. Do you see how you are controlling the portion size per guest? If I hadn’t mentioned that yet, that is key to saving the dollars. The guest still gets the item and you get to keep your costs in line.

9. The Chocolate Fountain. Seems like everyone wants one of these now and let me give you a heads up on this one. First, renting the fountain is expensive; a few hundred dollars just for the equipment and these fountains are notorious for not working. Second, the worst chocolate is used because the lowest quality chocolate has a high oil content and that melts the best for these things. UGH! Why not have a little chocolate fondue for each table? A small silver bowl with a blend of high quality dark and milk chocolates (my choice!), heated just so and placed on a charger with some berries (instead of on the cake plate), some biscotti (instead of on the coffee saucer) and some skewers or small forks. No stampede to the fountain and a truly memorable chocolate experience.

10. Stations. You need to be a little careful when doing stations, action stations require more personnel which turns into a higher labor cost BUT these stations can be set up to be nearly self serviced and just maintained by already existing waitstaff. For instance, an Asian Station can have all the items in tiny take out containers complete with chopsticks. No chef at the station, no plates to rent, no person in the back to handle those plates coming and going and your guests are still enjoying their Beef & Broccoli, Pad Thai, Lemon Chicken and Fortune Cookies! Win-win.

MY BONUS TIP!
11. Finally, a word about how unseen costs are passed on to you. Tastings have become de rigueur in the last decade but please keep in mind that these cost money and time for your caterer. While you may not realize it, that cost is being passed on to you somehow. The same goes for the client who needs to call and email every thought. This takes the caterer’s time and the possibility exists that cost is going to be passed on to you too. Be considerate of your vendors time and that these tough economic times are hitting them hard too. If you work with the vendor, believe me, they will work with you!

Really talk honestly to your vendors. Determine your budget; share that with your vendor up front so your time and their time is not wasted on the initial pie in the sky proposal. If the proposal comes in too high after that, ask where costs can be trimmed. Most catering professionals, vendors with a proven track record, really want to work with you to give you the event of your dreams within your budget BUT they cannot read your mind or see into your checkbook, you must tell them your parameters.

Finally, remember this day is about something larger than what your guests will eat. Keep your fiancée as the focus and this will be an event all guests will talk about for years to come.