Appetizingly Yours in Arizona!

Jan. 20/ 2011
Appetizingly Yours Events & Catering Experience in Arizona Dec. 2010
http://www.appyours.com

Chef Brian and I had the opportunity to create a Cooking/ Chef Challenge for a friend who was celebrating his 50th birthday with 14 of his closest friends and family.

Arrangements were made for us to stay and create this challenge at the Rocks in Scottsdale Arizona, www.therocksclub.com .

Within three of the villas, we stayed and created the main challenge in the centre of the three.

Guests were able to gold/ hike on the day after we arrived, while we had spent over 3 ½ hours in Whole Foods, picking up the products for the challenge/ dinner.

We have done this sort of event Corporately as a “team builder” and were thrilled to create the same experience in a Friends & Family Environment.

We set up the men against the women in this challenge; where we showed them both how to make a cold hors d’oeuvres (chicken roulade with macadamia nuts & rice paper wraps with Soba noodles/ carrots tossed in a little sesame oil & rice vinegar).

After everyone had their try at this first hors d’oeuvre we moved onto showing the folks how to make ravioli from scratch with a variety of fillings. The flexibility of ravioli as an hors d’oeuvre or as a starter course OR as the main is fantastic. We also created a cream sauce and a tomato sauce that could easily be mixed to make a lovely rose sauce of your choice.

Both groups met in the main villa and showed off their presentation of their courses with great pride.

We created Custom Designed Menu/ Recipe Cards for Each couple to enjoy when they arrived back home which we found was a variety of places across the USA.

The group then sat back and enjoyed the three other courses we served for the evening.

Starter: Mixed Local Greens with Ontario Maple Syrup Balsamic Dressing

Main: Kolbe Beef Tenderloin served with a Lobster Mash accompanied with local Root Vegetables

Dessert Trio: Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee, Milk Chocolate Double Dipped Strawberry & a Pinot Noir Poached Pear

After being able to enjoy & work with Culinary Capers Catering http://www.culinarycapers.com

at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February 2010, it was a fantastic way to finish off the year in Arizona.

Another Great Experience for Chef Brian and myself. We toured Sedona the next day and were back to work for Monday morning. Whewwww what a weekend, but what fun!

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More Wedding Tips From The AY Team

With one wedding already under our belt this budding new year, the team at AY has generated some more tips to consider when planning your 2011 nuptials. Whether you’re looking to save money, outfit your wedding party, or capture the festivities in picture perfect fashion, we are brimming with ideas to think about when planning your big day!

1. If you’d like to save some money on your wedding and reception, particularly if you’re planning a small, intimate wedding, consider having your wedding some time other than a Saturday. An evening wedding mid-week or even a Saturday morning brunch instead of an evening reception can save you hundreds of dollars.

2. There’s no reason to have the men in the wedding party rent dress shoes. How many people actually look at them? As long as they all wear black dress shoes (or whatever color matches the tuxedos chosen), why not let them be more comfortable in their own shoes?

3. For bridesmaids’ dresses, consider separates, especially if you have attendants whose sizes and shapes vary widely. Skip the bridal stores and check out department stores for evening skirts and separate tops that are made of luxurious fabrics and trimmed with beading or embroidered details.

4. If you have unusual family units that the photographer should be aware of, make sure you give him/her a written list several weeks in advance of the ceremony so that no important shots will be missed. For instance, let him know about step-parents, step-siblings, half-siblings, etc. that you would like included in specific photos.

5. Consider carefully if you want to have your wedding around a holiday. It sounds wonderful, but it can also be complicated. Prices go up for catering, reservations and most other services.

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Taste Ontario

Randall Shirley recently wrote an excellent review about our Applewood Smoked Pulled Pork. Check out what he had to say!

We got our Pulled Pork from Thatcher Farm in Fergus. Chef Brian Schmeler made an excellent square summer corn bread topped with Tigchelaars empire apple relish prepared by Appetizingly Yours. The event was the Ontario Culinary Tourism Summit, we represented Guelph Wellington.

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Let’s Make Gingerbread Houses!

We created a Gingerbread challenge at AY earlier in December.After completion of Three Gingerbread Houses we delivered them to our Local Drop In Centre for these folks to enjoy.

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Sunday Night Dinner at Ingrid’s: The Fabulous Soup

SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER AT INGRID’S:

We made this fabulous Soup last Sunday.  Nice change from French Onion Soup and the recipe from Barefoot Contessa Ina Garten, uses fresh fennel & Gruyere cheese on top.

Try it out with this crispy cold weather.  It is sure to warm you up quickly.

¼ lb. unsalted  butter

8 cups thinly sliced fennel (2 large bulbs)

8 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (4 large onions)

1 ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves

¼ cup brandy

½ cup medium-dry sherry

½ cup good white wine

8 cups good chicken stock

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup Pernod

16 slices Crusty French Bread (Or I used a sliced baquette & topped with Gruyere)

¾ lb. Gruyere cheese, grated

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onions and thyme and sauté 20-25 minutes, until the onions and fennel are very tender and caramelized. (Add a little water if it sticks)  Deglaze the pan by adding the brandy; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of pan.  Add the sherry and white wine and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, salt & pepper and continue to cook, uncovered for 15 minutes.  Add the Pernod and cook for 5 more minutes.  Check for salt & pepper.

Preheat the Broiler

Ladle soup into 6-8 ovenproof bowls and place 1-2 slices of French bread or baquette and a handful of Gruyere cheese on top of each bowl.  Place the bowls on a baking sheet and slide them under the broiler for 3 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbly, and serve.

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The World’s Tallest Gingerbread Man

Checking in from the Fairmont in Scottsdale Arizona. A Nutcracker made from gingerbread (150 lbs) 100 lbs of royal icing, 6.7 ft tall, 200 hours of labour! 375 lbs overall! Amazing

The World's Tallest Ginger Breadman

rizona. Nutcracker made from gingerbread (150 lbs) 100 lbs of royal icing 6.7 ft tall 200 hours of labour! 375 lbs overall

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Allison Pick: Far to Go – Canada Reads

Allison Pick is writer for whom Appetizingly Yours catered a small wonderful family wedding in Paris, Ontario.

Far to Go - Allison Pick - Canada Reads

Her new novel ‘Far to Go’ has made the Top 40 at Canada Reads! Pick up a copy today or check out Canada Reads below. They’re onto the top 10!

http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads/

What the Critics are Saying About ‘Far to Go’:

“[…] very deftly structured and the storytelling is seamless. […]
Far to Go appears poised to gain a wide and significant readership,
and deservedly so.” – The Globe and Mail

“Weaving Czech history with a contemporary mystery, Far To Go shows
terrific craft and emotional intelligence. A winner. ” – NOW

“a novel that should have made the just released Giller longlist…it
is not only essential reading, it is further proof that Alison Pick is
one of Canada’s outstanding authors, no matter her age.” – The Owen
Sound Sun Times

“What makes this novel special…is Pick’s challenging, even audacious
way of recounting it…a novel that builds to an almost unbearable
climax…Far to Go explores the ways in which truth and facts can be
assembled like so many fragments of stained glass in a kaleidoscope.”
– The Montreal Gazette

‎”Far to Go’s thoroughly absorbing narrative is expertly crafted in
every sense.” – The Toronto Star

“There are lines here perfect in their despair and desolation. The
hopelessness and fear is conveyed in typical Pick style – with both a
light hand and a punch to the gut…heart rending.” – The Walrus

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How to Cater a 50’s Diner!

This past weekend Appetizingly Yours had the opportunity to cate a 50s Diner Trio-Themed Station. Was it ever a hit!

The Menu

Mini Venison Burgers with Smoked Tomato Jam and a Garlic Aioli
Variety of AY Root Chips
Mini White chocolate Cheesecake Milkshake

The Results

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A Huge Happy Birthday to the FOOD NETWORK!

Myself and four of our team members helped out at the Food Network’s 10th Anniversary Party at 99 Sudbury Street in Toronto.

Here’s what Rick Rowe from Presidential Gourmet had to say about the event!

Check out the links below:

Peter Carruthers and Rick Rowe from Presidential Gourmet from GoodFoodRevolution on Vimeo.

http://goodfoodrevolution.wordpress.com/2010/11/11/presidential-gourmet/

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Hallowe’en Fun, Brain Cup Cakes

Check out what our pastry chef Stacy made! Brain Cup Cakes…

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