for the bride that demands a fabulous shower or engagement party, this ring-shaped cubes are a unique way to cool a signature cocktail. available on amazon.com for $6.91, i definitely buying multiple trays...these will be a hit.
to prepare for your party, start days in advance freezing, popping them out and storing the hardened cubes in a ziploc bag. for maximum impact, save the cubes for the grande toast of the evening and pray they don't upstage maid of honor's tribute!
the end of summer is nearing and we're in the midst of hitting the street market circuit. while brainstorming for the next market, i remembered one of my favorite summer side dishes. sweet onion slaw is full of tang with a sweet bite thats tempered by giving the onions a quick blanch. think cole slaw with thinly sliced onion standing in for the cabbage. the pan-fried onion dip was such a surprising hit at the last market, i know that this will be a winner too. our favorite enjoy this unconventional slaw is to throw it on top of a grilled brat or burger, or along side some mojo criollo-marinated grilled chicken.
as always, make this recipe your own. i like to stick with a mix of sweet vidalia and yellow onions to give it a sweetness with a slight kick. using red onions will give it a glorious and vibrant color. sometimes i add shredded carrot for color and sweetness. if anyone looks at you funny, let them taste it. we have been making this slaw for a few summers and each time we get a convert or two.
here's a method of preparation in place of a staid recipe. make it as tart/sweet/wet/dry as you desire. (if you really really need one, i can dig around in my recipe box). treat this recipe as you would any cole slaw. if you like celery seed or scallions, go for it. just remember it's all about the onions!
sweet onion slaw
1. thinly slice 3-4 large onions (your choice of yellow, white, vidalia or red, or a mix)
2. blanche onions in pot of boiling water until slightly limp, but still crisp. rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
3. in bottom of a large bowl, combine a generous splash of cider vinegar with a few tablespoons of sugar, a squirt of dijon mustard and a dollop of mayonnaise.
4. throw in onions and toss to coat.
5. refrigerate for several hours for the flavors to combine.
6. serve along side your favorite grilled meats.
yes, its been quiet on the blog. but much fabulousness has been happening. it all started a few months ago when i started providing desserts for an area restaurant. the fresh blueberry and thyme cupcake with lemon ginger curd and lemon ginger swiss meringue buttercream and plum cake with green tea swiss meringue buttercream were delicious hits. after that was the coconut cake with yuzu sweet cream. and now we're on to cookies...
last week, FabFete was at the grey market, dc's semi-underground marketplace for local and independent producers. we offered some of our signature party favorites such as the sweetsalt popcorn, red pepper piperade and lavender lemonade. we also played around with some new ideas such as the cocoa and curry popcorns, crunchy roasted paprika chickpeas and a white bean dip with rosemary. our personal favorites were the bocconcini with fennel and basil and the feta with lemon and kalamata olive oil. what a fabulous find that kalamata olive is!
my personal favorite was the pebre, a chilean condiment of fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and aji amarillo. traditionally its served atop grilled meats, but it can also replace bruschetta on crostini or salsa with chips. the aji amarillo is what sets it apart. the paste of spicy, fragrant yellow chili peppers reminds you that this is not just salsa. behind chimichurri and onion slaw, this is my new favorite thing to make a fabulous barbeque.
did you find us at the grey market, were you one of the lucky ones to snatch up our pan-fried onion dip or chicken pate with brandy before we sold out?
brightestyoungthings, the ultra cool, ultra hip, ultra know-everything-hot-going-on-in-dc , was at the grey market snapping pics on sunday, july 17th. check out the gallery and get a peek at FabFete's popcorn, including our signature flavor, SweetSalt.
and a special bonus, below is the super easy recipe for the cocoa popcorn! a little trick we use to keep it not-so-indulgent is to spray the popcorn with butter flavored cooking spray instead of drizzling straight butter (pam and spectrum brands are all natural). it gives the flavoring something to stick to and keeps the popcorn fresh and crunchy. we also use mushroom popcorn kernels. the round balls are ample surface area and are sturdy enough to withhold heavier toppings like caramel.
Cocoa Popcorn
(courtesy of martha stewart...duh)
ingredients:
10c plain unsalted popped popcorn
2tbl sugar
2tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
butter flavored cooking spray
method:
1. place popcorn in a large bowl
2. combine sugar and cocoa powder
3. spritz popcorn with an even coat of butter spray
4. sprinkle with cocoa mixture and toss to combine
photo courtesy of byt.com
