Teddy's Sip and See: A Kentucky Derby Party

It's been awhile.  A long while.  And a lot has happened.  Greg and I had a baby: Teddy!  Teddy is awesome and we're having so much fun obsessing over him.  Between my pregnancy, our thriving catering business and the arrival of Teddy, something had to give and blogging is what I gave up.  However, I've missed it as a creative outlet and a way to share all of the parties that we throw, for ourselves and our clients.  There have been over a hundred parties since my last post and I hope to catch up, as well as share our many upcoming ones.  Teddy's Sip and See Party back in May seems like the natural first post back.  I'd been dying to throw one ever since I learned of the southern tradition - I practically had Teddy for this very reason!  We went with a Kentucky Derby theme (I've wanted to do one every year!) and kept it classically preppy and festive.  Seersucker table cloths and attire set the tone for the day.  Teddy's Aunt Amy arranged mint and tulips in my mint julep cups (one of many ways that she has spoiled him) and made custom racing horse signs.  We sipped on mint juleps (of course) and spiked arnold palmers while grazing the buffet of pulled pork sandwiches and seasonal, slightly southern salads.  The whole party was a fun way to celebrate our new party animal and for him to meet many of his new friends.  Can't wait to share all of the parties in his future!!!

The Menu

Sips

mint juleps

kentucky bourbon, mint, sugar

arnold palmer

vodka, mint iced tea, lemonade

Snacks

pimento cheese & toast

deviled eggs

To Share

pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw & bourbon bbq sauce

hominy & green chili casserole

chopped salad with cherry tomatoes, black-eyed peas, corn & avocado

snap peas, asparagus & mint

three bean salad

Sweet

strawberry shortcakes with buttermilk biscuits & sweetened cream

banana pudding cups

chocolate pecan bars

Edible Flower Videos with LEAFtv

When I met Erin Falconer and Geri Hirsch, I was impressed.  These two very smart, very cool ladies have created LEAFtv, which features beautiful how-to videos in the world of Living, Eating and Fashion.  It's going to be huge.  We teamed up to create a series of videos showcasing edible flowers, just in time for a Mother's Day Luncheon.  This "sous-vide" salmon recipe is my and Greg's go-to easy dinner.  It sounds way more complicated than it really is.  You simply marinate your salmon in a ziploc bag, and also cook it in it.  Zero clean-up!!  Check out the video for a step-by-step tutorial.  Stay tuned tomorrow for how to build a grown-up ice cream sundae bar!  Thank you Erin and Geri for including me--looking forward to future collaborations!

The Menu

sips

lavender champagne cocktail

to start

mixed greens salad with shaved vegetables & champagne vinaigrette

to share

"sous-vide" salmon with lemon & dill

roast asparagus & fingerling potatoes

sweet

ice cream sundae bar with lavender, saffron rosewater & ginger rosewater ice cream

Grilled Pizza Baby Shower

Salads are always appropriate for a ladies' luncheon, but they're even better when paired with grilled pizzas!!  For a friend's baby shower, a long table, filled with her amazing collection of crystal, china & flatware, invited guests to share in a leisurely feast, served family style.  We used Gwyneth Paltrow's pizza dough recipe from My Father's Daughter and the result was perfectly crunchy on the outside, doughy on the inside, with plenty of earthy flavor.  This will be my new go-to crust recipe, which I'll use for build your own pizza parties all summer (plus it held up great over night in the fridge).  And the pistachio, strawberry & vanilla bean layered semifreddo is worth the extra steps for a pretty, sweet finish.   Amy added special touches with printed menus, place cards and a baby photo guessing game.  All in all, a fun afternoon of rose & lunch from the grill, made all the more delicious by good friends, great weather and a baby on the way...

The Menu

sips

raspberry & peach bellinis

rose

snacks

burrata, artichoke & pesto crostini

fig jam, prosciutto & mint crostini

to share

grilled pizzas:

margherita: buffalo mozzarella, tomato & basil

wild mushroom, ricotta & arugula

finocchiona, caramelized fennel and onion & mozzarella

grilled caesar salad

california chopped: baby kale, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, avocado, chickpeas & basil vinaigrette

honeydew, cantaloupe & mint

sweet

strawberry, pistachio & vanilla bean semifreddo

chocolate espresso cookies with sea salt

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Gathering a group of friends for 'off' holidays seems to be my and Greg's new tradition: President's Day, Oktoberfest, and now St. Patrick's Day.  There is something inherently festive about these parties (not that St. Patrick's Day needs any help in the festive department).  With a built in theme of all that is green and Irish, there is nothing to fret over with a St. Patrick's Day party.  After all, is there really any reason to mess around with as good of a thing as corned beef and cabbage?  Throw in some potatoes and spring carrots and call it a day.  And while serving Guinness is a perfectly suitable beverage for such an affair, Greg upped the anti by creating a signature drink: "The Leprechaun."  He showed off his drawing skills with a visual aid for guests to follow his recipe and make their own drinks (no one should have to play bartender at their own party).  The result was a tasty concoction of Jameson, shamrocks (for real!), cucumber and lime, topped off with a splash Harp.  And after years of experimenting with St. Paddy's Day desserts (e.g. Lucky Charms treats, chocolate stout cake, Guinness ice cream & beer floats), I've landed upon a new tradition: little pots of gold in the form of butterscotch pots de creme (topped with whipped cream and edible gold, of course).  Hope everyone recovered well from the Irish antics: Slainte!!

The Menu

sips

The Leprechaun

irish whiskey, shamrocks, cucumber, lime, harp

Guinness, Harp & Jameson

snacks

sour cream & onion chips

green crudités: snap peas, cucumbers, green peppers, asparagus, green beans, cornichons & olives

tarragon dip & english pea pesto dip

irish cheddar, green apples & crackers

to share

corned beef & cabbage with parsley mustard sauce & horseradish creme

buttermilk smashed fingerling potatoes with melted spring onions

roast baby carrots with thyme

irish soda bread with irish butter

sweet

pots of gold aka butterscotch pots de creme

"In the Veggie Kitchen" Easter Brunch

Spring is officially here.  The farmers markets are shifting, filling up with asparagus, peas, rhubarb and sweet strawberries.  I couldn't be more thrilled, especially because it's just in time for Easter, which comes early this year.  To kick off the new season, I teamed back up with The Chalkboard and Jenni Kayne to teach another cooking class for their 'In the Veggie Kitchen' series. We focused on Easter Brunch recipes, all of which you can find on Jenni's blog Rip Plus Tan (along with her and Amy's pretty Easter table).  Brunch is a great moment for a vegetarian meal since farm eggs can be the star and they truly are the perfect food.  Combined with colorful spring vegetables, it's a terrific follow-up to an egg hunt.  You can also check out my Easter Timeline at the Chalkboard for lots of make ahead tips! Amy created recipes for an amazing array of natural egg dyes which will make a beautiful Easter basket, as well as adorable floral headbands that rival any Easter bonnet (I just may have stolen one).  My most original recipe is for my new favorite spring cocktail: a rhubarb fizz (click here for recipe).  I have to admit, I'm not much of a mixologist (I can't even claim to know how to make a mean martini) because I always rely on Greg (who wouldn't?).  But I figured it's time to step up my game and have a recipe of my own.  The combination of Hendrick's gin, rhubarb, lemon, celery bitters and egg whites make for a nice sweet to tart ratio, with a pretty pink hue.  Just the right thing to hold while wearing your Sunday best!

 

 

 

The Menu

sips

rhubarb fizz

hendrick's gin, rhubarb, lemon, egg white, celery bitters

snacks

beet dip & artichoke pesto dip

baby spring vegetable crudités

to share

chanterelle & leek frittata with thyme

farro, english peas, ricotta salata, walnuts & mint

grilled asparagus with parmigiano reggiano & lemon

buttermilk smashed fingerling potatoes with melted spring onions

spring green with edible flowers, cara cara oranges & champagne vinaigrette

sweet

lemon almond olive oil cake

favor

strawberry rhubarb jam