FabFete

busy busy busy!

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? 

check me out this saturday on h street

i'm feeding your sweet and savory tooth this saturday at hstreet bakes! i'll be offering a fabtwist on baked favorites. 

dessert party: invitations

yes...i'm a theme nazi. but invitations set the tone for the party!

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super bowl series 1: veggies do rock

we at fabfete talk loftily about how we're different, how our parties are more stylish, how we abhor aluminum foil trays, blahblah, but what do we do with your standard veggie platter? always how do you elevate carrots, broccoli and celery sticks? here's how we take the crude out of crudite.

swap out pre-made dips and powder packets for ina's french onion dip or this light version of green goddess dressing (a fabfave!)

roasted kale? we're not sure about this either, but we applaud big-head giada delaurentis for thinking outside the box (but the sweet potato chips and lemon mayo sound awesome!).

try piling veggies in wide rimmed juice glasses and small individual platters

a hollowed-out bell pepper makes a great vessel for dips. just take a thin slice off the bottom to keep it upright.

inspired by our strawberry topiary, we're thinking a similar thing can be done with veggies and foam shapes of all sizes. or make it 100% edible and poke skewered veggies through a halved cabbage.

dont forget about blanched asparagus, green beans, radishes, sugar snap peas, green onions, fennel, crispy jicama...all make for wonderful dippables

keep things welcoming and familiar by mixing traditional veggies with new ones, or traditional veggies with a unique presentation. or mix veggies, fruits and cheese on one giant platter.

because, let's be real, the veggies will never be the star of the buffet...

super bowl countdown! are you ready??

with the big game around the corner, we're kicking off our super bowl series. not just a one-day deal, but daily tips, recipes and entertaining and decorating suggestions leading up to the big event. we've compiled our favorite party foods, snacks, dips, chips, and new favorites to share with you. check her for the next seven days as we give you lists and links to get you prepared. then we'll share some of our entertaining secrets as you countdown to party time.

or...you can leave it up to us. we cant think of a better way to spend the super bowl than throwing a fab fete!

buffet boxes by peter callahan

martha's farm was the location and inspiration for a wedding who's buffet was composed of 27 little boxes. the boxes were encased in a larger box and included marinated hanger steak, colorful tomatoes, flatbreads and fresh herbs to be snipped by the guests.

this idea is easy to replicate with several identical square bowls or platters, lined up and filled with colorful foods and nibbles. its perfect for a salad themed party, light fare, tapas or even a dessert table. the new trend of candy bars at weddings and showers gets an instant update from the all-too-common glass apothecary jars.

check out pics of martha's nephew's fabulous gay wedding full of inspiring design ideas and peter callahan who built the boxes and catered the event.

too much to tackle on your own? call me. i'm DYING to use this idea. i already have my fingers crossed that a certain veggie-loving june bride has me in mind for her bridal shower...

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: The Latest Real Weddings -- Martha Stewart Weddings 

and so it begins...

last summer i took a class titled 'creativity for business leaders and entrepreneurs'. one of the assignments was create a visual representation of how we define creativity using a piece of paper as the canvas. these were displayed around the room. for my submission, i used a crayon to black out the white areas and leave the words 'white space'. for me, this represents what interests me most about creation, the beginning of the process. the white page. the blank slate. the empty canvas. the empty pot. those moments just before idea generation.

when faced with the question of 'what will be the first post, i was reminded of this task and the daunting, yet enthralling moment of facing the blank post.