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!
one of the best known (but least used tricks) for easy, yet fabulous entertaining is sourcing really good, prepared foods. throw these into your own stylish platters or bowls and take no shame in being fabulous...and smart. p&c market in the capital hill neighborhood helps the area's residents to sample speciality cheeses, beers and spreads - all of which form the foundation of a great party. what sets the corner store apart is their widely-sourced selection of ready-to-party foods that are sure crowd-pleasers. namely, the vegan pate has drawn attention as the only of its kind available in this area.
the market's blog offers some great suggestions on how to serve it (and fool your meat-eating guests). they can be found in on the west side of lincoln park...or on facebook. not throwing a party, any hostess would appreciate the great gourmet and international finds the store stocks.
(photo courtesy of tbd.com)
the word may be getting around that i'm a softy when it comes to rules (blame my young parents). i'm most comfortable cooking for and planning events for 50 people or less, but that gets enforced less and less. recently, it was for a 7 year old holding a dance party for her birthday. the 50 people limit only covered the little girls...not the adult family members or parents of the kids. it was an all-out extravaganza! coin-trimmed belly dancing hip-scarves, zumba instructor, fake-tattoo artist, dj derby. i can still hear the sounds of those dozens of skirts running around the house - clinkaclinkaclinka x 50...
the food was kept simple. hot dog bar and fresh-popped poporn were the stars. fortunately, the kitchen was designed with a large, center counter top that helped keep the buffet line flowing. for 30 straight minutes, it was nothing but replenishing until all 80+ had been served. yes...80+
menu:
hot dog bar
100% beef 1/4 pounders
hot dog sliders
chili & cheese
sauerkraut
mustard, ketchup, relish, onions
popcorn bar
white cheddar
sweetsalty
caramel cashew
turkey & havarti sandwiches
roast beef & cheddar sandwiches
cheese & pepperoni mini pizzas
caesar salad
fresh fruit platter
FabFete lime agua fresca
for such a simple menu, the weight was on the presentation to make things fab. with themed signage, use of height and elevations and attractive servingware...i think it all worked out. my favorite part was the many hugs from the momma as she repeatedly expressed her gratitude at not having to THINK about the food. oh and dishing out cake for 3ft-tall sugar addicts...i dont think i ever moved so fast with a knife.
whole foods market recently launched community sites based around area stores with blogs, contests and member submitted and answered food questions. for the rockville version of the site, last week's contest was 'your best spring lamb recipe'. it has always been a dream of mine to prepare lamb pops with mint pesto for a stylish, high-budget cocktail party. they are well-suited for entertaining. the bone acts as handle for the two-bite portion of meat and slicing before cooking allows you to prepare the lamb to different temperatures. the walnut in the pesto gets a nice toasting in the hot pan bringing a different dimension to the dish. the mint-parsley mix and walnuts replace pesto's traditional basil and pine nuts.
with two minutes before the deadline, i submitted the recipe fully confident i had a winner on my hands. unfortunately, the site's editors were not so informed and chose two others as the finalists.
it may not have won them over, but it's still a winner.
click here: lamb pops with mint pesto
i freely admit my aversion to working with brides, especially the wedding. but, THIS just might change my mind, if only once, so i can make these.
graduated towers of perfectly rounded sugar cookies, frosted in pretty white and presented in a clear box with coordinated ribbon. how adorable, stylish, modern and original. it doesn't just make the perfect favor but, it greatly enhances the decor of a dessert or place card table.
a sugar cookie is one of the easiest to bake and royal icing is equally a snap. the maybe not-so-obvious secrets to pulling this off is careful, even rolling of the dough, a close eye on the oven to ensure an even browning and patience in frosting and stacking. and since presentation is what makes these stand out, any work put in to sourcing the boxes would payoff immeasurably (dropping these beauties into a cellophane bag tied with ribbon won't have the same effect).
here is the recipe and video to make cookies and assemble the sugar cookie cakes courtesy of martha stewart weddings.
i know...it has taken me a while...
my favorite/only niece turned 4 in march and after years of lusting on the hostess blog, i was inspired to attempt my first dessert party. tianna's parties are always a chance for me to be free with ideas, recipes and themes without having to answer to a client's wishes or budget. (yes, her mother sometimes has special requests, but with free labor, such requests are duly limited). after three years of elaborate fetes, we tried to keep it simple this year.
the challenge here was to create a stylish event that appeals to both kids and adults, while offering a well-conceived variety of treats. chocolate, non-chocolate, sugar free, non sweet, traditional, indulgent, ready-made, quick-to-make, new/different....these were all aspects i tried to hit on in the menu planning. after much thought and consideration a menu was finally decided on.
menu:
(the now famous) red velvet cake pops
vanilla bean cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream
homemade chocolate donuts & cinnamon sugar donut holes
sugar-free strawberry jello parfaits
crunchy caramel popcorn
sweetsalty popcorn
chocolate sandwich cookies with mint and peanut butter filling
oatmeal cookies with peanut butter filling
chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons
chocolate mousse pairfaits
cheesecake cupcakes with sour cream topping and fresh berries
i did learn that my original menu was ambitious. as such, fresh baked chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies were excluded. in hindsight, i did miss having a fresh baked cookie on the menu and i know it would have been well-received by the younger party-goers. it was also difficult to determine what items would most appeal to the kids. surprisingly, the popcorn turned out to be the true winner.
The least successful of the party was definitely the crunchy caramel popcorn. Too much time in the oven left it with a burnt sugar taste. While crunchy, it would have definitely benefited from significantly less time in the oven. I included caramel popcorn at a later event with a different recipe, less time and a closer eye on the oven. much improved.
my favorite moment? when tianna declared a few hours before her party was to start, "auntie you're doing a great job on my party!" ...love that little girl...
i'm already picturing a cocktail party ending in a doily-lined silver plate full of these beauties. this more than exemplifies grandma's adage that 'if food don't look good, it don't taste good'. these are so pretty, i almost don't care what they taste like...
check out the recipe here on purl's blog. yeah, they're sewers and knitters, but clearly they know all things pretty!
so in love...i can't stop talking about them. i just want to stand around, laughing and holding a flute of champagne while popping several of these back in quick succession!
just a few teasers from the dessert party. i promise to post a full review soon, including menu!
yes...i'm a theme nazi. but invitations set the tone for the party!
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