Butch Meets Bakery

What is it about a cupcake that makes a woman's heart go pitter-patter? Is it the miniature size that makes us think we are eating less? Or perhaps it's the gob of sweet, sugary delight neatly swirled on top? No matter the reason, cupcakes are a woman's pure delight. But, why don't men seem to respond in the same way when offered a little perfectly packaged treat? What is it about a cupcake that somehow makes it just a little bit girly?

Well, for all those men out there that believe cupcakes are for women, we have a revolutionary culinary treat for you. From a New York bakery called Butch Bakery, comes a new wave of masculinity in the form of a tasty sweet treat.

Choose from six styles of cupcakes: Woodland Camo, Wood Grain, Houndstooth, Plaid, Checkerboard or Marble. You can also choose from 12 flavors including: Rum & Coke (the pause that refreshes - this rum-soaked madagascar vanilla cake with cola bavarian cream filling is a knockout), B-52 (this one is the bomb: kahlua-soaked madagascar vanilla cake with Bailey's bavarian filling), Campout (you'll be begging for s'more of this graham cracker cake with marshmallow filling and milk-chocolate ganache), and Beer Run (butch meets buttercream in our chocolate beer cake with beer-infused buttercream topped with crushed pretzels).

The ladies are officially jealous.

If you don't live in the New York area, don't fret. Butch Bakery is expanding their delivery options this year and should be able to ship to your neck of the woods in no time.

Upcoming Event in Seattle: Book Release Party at Chateau Ste. Michelle

JOHN SARICH
Book Release Party

April 22, 2010
5:30-7:30 pm

TICKET PRICE with book - $40 (plus tax)
Price without book - $35 (plus tax)

Join Chateau Ste. Michelle as they celebrate the release of their Culinary Director John Sarich's new travel cookbook "Chef in the Vineyard." Enjoy appetizers from the book paired with Chateau Ste. Michelle spring release wines. John will be on hand to sign books and share his discoveries of favorite wine estates from Washington, Oregon and California. Visit their website for more information.

Purchase Tickets »

Fresh Food For Busy-Bees

We all know event planners are busy-bees. So, whenever we come across a way to make your life just a little bit easier, we just have to share it with you. From Amazon.com comes a fresh idea on home grocery delivery called AmazonFresh. Although Amazon.com founded AmazonFresh, AmazonFresh operates as an independent grocery delivery business. They've created a new website to showcase their fantastic products and make your buying experience easy. AmazonFresh uses Amazon.com data and systems to simplify your checkout process and get you shopping right away.

Amazon Fresh deliveries to the following zip codes: 98004, 98005*, 98006*, 98007, 98008, 98011, 98024*, 98027*, 98028, 98029*, 98033, 98034, 98039, 98040, 98052, 98053, 98056, 98057, 98059, 98065, 98074, 98075, 98101, 98102, 98103, 98104, 98105, 98106, 98107, 98108, 98109, 98112*, 98115, 98116, 98117, 98118*, 98119, 98121, 98122*, 98125, 98126, 98133, 98136, 98144*, 98146, 98155, 98164, 98178, 98199.

* Limited coverage. Check your address to be sure. 

Water, It Does The Body Good

What does every busy event planner need to do more of? Drink water. No matter what profession you are in, and no matter what your schedule looks like, there is always the need to drink more of nature's juice. And today in the grocery stores we are offered so many varieties of water that there is simply no excuse to not get our full daily dose. But some of us (me included) have trouble getting our daily 8 glasses of water. That's why these uniquely flavored bottles from Herbal Water are the perfect solution. From Ayala comes Herbal Water in the following unique and utterly delicious flavors: Lemongrass Mint Vanilla, Lavender Mint, Lemon Verbena Geranium, Cloves Cardamon Cinnamon, Cinnamon Orange Peel and Ginger Lemon Peel. Not only are these tiny bottles of goodness great for the busy professional on the go, they also make great swag bag gifts for your next event.

Click here to find the locations you can pick up your own Herbal Water and see what all the talk is about.

Valentine's Day: A Day For Lovers (Of Chocolate)

You can't help but think of pounds of chocolate when you think of Valentine's Day. And no, we are not referring to the pounds that may start to accumulate on your thighs. After all, all calories are free on holidays, right? We are referring to those neatly packaged, overly-decadent, edible works of art that give us the warm fuzzies all over.

We've decided that the best cure for our cravings is to go on a Seattle chocolate tour. Here are just a few of the locations we'll be visiting...


1. Oh! Chocolate: Located in Mercer Island at 2703 76th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA 98040
2. Frans Chocolates: Located in Downtown Seattle, U Village and Bellevue. Get more info here.
3. Theo Chocolate: Many locations throughout Washington. Click here for locations.
4. Chocolopolis: Located in Queen Anne at 1527 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109
5. Seattle Chocolates: Located at several Seattle locations, click here for more info.
6. Dilettante: Click here for the various locations.
7. The Chocolate Box: Located in Downtown Seattle at 108 Pine Street, Seattle WA 98101
9. Fiore Chocolates: Buy their chocolates at various locations throughout Seattle
10. The Confectional: Located in Pike Place Market at 1530 Pike Place, Seattle WA 98101

The Hostess with the Mostest

As party planners, we all know how much effort goes into planning the perfect event. So when the tables turn, and you are the one being invited to a great event, it's always nice to reward the efforts of your host or hostess with a small token of your appreciation. We've gathered some of our favorite host/hostess gifts to inspire and aid you in your gift-giving abilities.

1. Ice Buckets: What event planner can't use an ice bucket? Particularly one as cool (pardon our pun) as the ones from iomoi. You can select from a variety of unique icons or create your own custom ice bucket. These ice buckets are $68 and available online at iomoi.com.

2. Stationary: Handcrafted paper in the form of notecards, letterhead, greeting cards and the like never go out of style, especially for a party planner. Stationary designers these days are true artists when it comes to creating beautiful paper works of art. There are many wonderful places to find great stationary. Our picks are The Stationary Studio and if you are in the Seattle area, check out Paper Fling, All About Weddings & Celebrations, and Moxie Papergoods and Gifts.

3. Paulette Macarons: Who can turn down a sweet treat as divine and decadent as the macarons from Paulette? We don't hear anyone volunteering. Their signature giftboxes make Paulette macarons the perfect gift for any occasion. Select from our “champ de macarons,” just as you would pick a colorful bouquet from a field of flowers. From flavors like caramel, vanilla, pistachio, almond and lemon, these sweet treats will have your gift recipient making sure you are at the top of their party-invite list every time.

4. A Night Out: After planning a party, your host/hostess may just be happy to veg for a night. Giving someone a dinner gift certificate where they can take a night off once in a while is never a bad idea. Take this opportunity to share your favorite local hot spot with your party planner and they will be certain to appreciate your thoughtfulness. If you are in the Seattle area, check out this local dining hot spots.

The Ultimate Superbowl Party

If you are one of the millions planning on watching the Superbowl this weekend and are planning on having some guests over for the kickoff, you will certainly want to be prepared with top-notch recipes and snacks to wow the crowd. If you haven't done so already, be sure to check out The Pioneer Woman for high quality and ultra tasty recipes that will have your football loving friends licking their lips and singing your praises.

Here is a taste of some of our favorite recipes from The Pioneer Woman:


1. Cowboy Nachos
2. Wings
3. Twice Baked Potatoes
4. Steak Bites
5. Onion Strings
6. Restaurant Style Salsa
7. Pico de Gallo and Guacalome
8. Quesadillas

Okay, now we're hungry....

We Think You'll Love...

We think you'll love this great new way to taste and share your favorite wines with friends, colleagues and clients. From Brixr, comes wine tasting packs containing four 50ml bottles of boutique wines. If you've ever ordered a wine flight in a restaurant, think of Brixr tasting packs as your own wine flight you can conduct at home.

For those of you that make your own wine, be sure to check out TinyBottles.com for information on how you can create your own mini wine packs. With Brixr and Tiny Bottles, there is a new way for wineries to sell wine and for consumers to discover them. Tiny Bottles, coupled with video tastings by influencers at brixr.com, provide a fantastic new environment for trying, learning and ultimately buying wine. For more information, click here.

Amber Lounge - A Great Place and Space

Amber Seattle

Watch A Recap of the Northwest Event Show

Northwest Trade Show by 4th Avenue Media from 4th Avenue Media on Vimeo.

Mocktails . . . . ooooohhhhhh

It's about that time of year!

Parties and events are in the works - plans being made - and it's time to start putting some serious time into determing -what to eat! Buffets are a great option for gathering - especially if you want some flexibility in the numbers of your attendees. Here are a few tips for you to consider if you are thinking buffet, and in this economy, it can be a blessing in disguise:

1. One general rule is this: Prepare more food if you are having a buffet rather than a sit-down meal; guests tend to eat more from buffets. However, the more selections available, the less people will take of any one item because they want to taste everything. This gives you the option of adding more appetizer types of offerings - and less heavy expensive meats. Don't serve appetizers before - save the money and add a few smaller items to the buffet itself.
   
   
2. For a buffet serving 25-30 people, a good basic menu includes two casseroles in 9"x13" dishes (or one casserole plus meat—turkey, ham, beef), two salads (about three heads of lettuce per salad), rolls (one per person), and two to three desserts. Multiply this for every 25 people you add.
   
   
3. Meat amounts can be tricky, but here is a general guide: for 25-30 people, have a fifteen- to eighteen- pound turkey, OR a six- to seven-pound boneless ham, OR a twelve-pound roast beef.
   
   
4. For serving pasta, calculate about two ounces per person if it's being served as a side dish or as one selection on a buffet table, about four if a main course.
   
   
5. When planning beverages, know your crowd; in general, though, calculate about one drink per hour for each guest. For a party where guests will be standing/moving around a good deal, plan on four to five drinking cups per person. For ice, you'll need about one pound for every four to six guests.

Want to really enjoy the event with your guests? Consider getting it catered. You will often be surprised at just how reasonable it can be. Discuss your budget and guest count with your on-site caterer. They are known to be exceptionally flexible and willing to work with you - just remember they are the professionals and will take care of your needs if you allow them. Believe us when we say - having it catered will provide you the bonus of a true social gathering - without thought to anything other than having a great time!

If you have the need to go to a separate venue, may be suggest: banquetevent.com

October 3rd - Mooncake Festival

Mooncakes - a delicate strong Asian tradition you might want to give some thought to... We found some stunning examples to help inspire you. This year, the Chinese people celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with dances, feasting and moon gazing on October 3rd. Step into the wonders of these remarkable pastries at a local Chinese bakery.

These little cakes earned their popularity during the Yuan Dynasty (1200 A.D.- 1368 A.D.) It is said that mooncakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the perfect vehicle for hiding and passing along plans for the rebellion. Families were instructed not to eat the mooncakes until the day of the moon festival, which is when the rebellion took place. (In another version plans were passed along in mooncakes over several years of Mid-Autumn festivals, but the basic idea is the same).

Roughly the size of a human palm, these mooncakes are quite filling, meant to be cut diagonally in quarters and passed around. More elaborate versions of mooncakes contain four egg yolks (representing the four phases of the moon). Besides lotus seed paste, other traditional fillings include red bean paste and black bean paste.
Today, mooncakes may be filled with everything from dates, nuts, and fruit to Chinese sausages. More exotic creations include green tea mooncakes, and ping pei or snowskin mooncakes, a Southeast Asian variation made with cooked glutinous rice flour. Haagen-Daz has even gotten into the act by introducing a line of ice cream mooncakes in Asian markets.

We are showing you some fabulous examples from various sources. Top left: Intercontinental - Singapore, Middle - right top: Bakerzin, Middle row: Carlton Hotel, Singapore, Large middle: Peony Jade, Singapore, Middle green apple cakes from Bossacafez, green cake: Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore, Bottom left Royal Series from Tung Lok, Bottom center: Fairmont Singapore, bottom right: also the Fairmont - this one with hazelnut filling.

Just Peachy ! ! !

Thank you to "Bon Appetit" for their inspiration for you. All of the recipes for these beautiful items can be found there. These summer days bring mental notes of sweet peaches. Give one of these a try or see which restaurants and caterers are prepping these sweet sensations for you right now!

Peaches, originally from China, are among the most popular fruits grown in the United States. They're the state fruit of Georgia and South Carolina—though not of California, which is the largest producer. There are two main varieties: clingstone (usually canned) and freestone, which is easier to pit. Yellow peaches have a brighter acidity and white peaches have a sweeter, more floral flavor.

Buying Peaches:
Don't be taken in by that come-hither blush—it's simply the part of the fruit that was facing the sun when it was on the tree. The best way to pick a peach is by aroma—the headier and sweeter-smelling the better. Choose firm but slightly soft fruit that smells sweet; pass on peaches with soft spots. Avoid hard or greenish peaches, which were picked too early and likely won't ripen well. Store peaches at room temperature until ripe.

How to use:
Peach skin adds beautiful color when the fruit is baked into pies, tarts, and jams. The skin is good for you, too, especially if you buy organic fruit. But it's fairly easy to remove the skin, provided the peach is very ripe. Start at the stem end, separating a bit of skin from the flesh with a sharp paring knife. Then pull the skin off in strips.

You can also give the peaches a 15- to 30-second dunk in boiling water, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to prevent cooking. When they're cool enough to handle, the skins will peel off quite easily. A peach discolors quickly when it's cut and exposed to air. To prevent browning, sprinkle the fruit with a little lemon juice.

Storing:
Keep on the counter in a single layer with breathing space until fully ripe. Refrigerate for up to one week; serve at room temperature. Or refrigerate first to delay ripening.

Tribute to Carnegie's in Ballard

Recently we celebrated a special occasion at what turned out to be an incredible venue - Carnegie's in Ballard on Market Street. We knew we could anticipate a good evening, however they exceeded any of our expectations in, atmosphere and cuisine. The service was absolutely impeccable.

If you have not had the good fortune to step into Carnegies, do yourself this favor and put them on your list of "must dos". For those of you familiar with Ballard, you will recognize it immediately as the 100 plus year old building given to the City by Carnegies as a library. Over the years, it has been home to various types of businesses and currently the grandnous of the main floor is both a full service restaurant as well as a venue you can reserve for a special event. This is one of those venues that can be setup for so many types of arrangements, as it has three main distinct areas that work well together as one total venue, or can be setup for individual requirements. We had our event in the Eastroom, while the Westroom catered to their restaurant patrons. We found one exceptional compliment to Carnegie's, as at no time were we ever aware of their restaurant patrons, due to the uniqueness of the room setups and the beautiful curved glass walls.
The food itself was exceptional from the Coq Au Vin, to the Rack of Lamb Dijonaise. Bon Appetit!

The Wine Ager: Fact or Fiction?

Over the weekend, our local news, King 5, did a short story on a consumer product that we thought was a bunch of hocus pocus. The product is called The Vintage Express, and its purpose is to take a new bottle of wine and in 60 seconds age the wine as if it has been sitting in your cellar for years and years.

Fact or Fiction?

According to King 5's report, the device really does seem to make a difference by improving the taste of the wine.

Here is how it works: This patented design surrounds the beverage with a powerful triangular-shaped magnetic field, and in just 10 seconds, you'll taste a premium drink's smooth, mellow flavor equal to years of traditional slow aging. The flavor keeps improving the longer it remains. Works with wine and liquor. Holds a bottle or glass. Requires no electronics, batteries or moving parts. Guaranteed to work 24/7 for 100 years.

The Vintage Express costs $39.99 and is available at Skymall.com.

Click here for the link to the King 5 video.

Put Childlike Fun Back Into Your Events

Just because you are all grown and sitting in a meeting doesn't mean you have to act grown up. Create a different kind of meeting and save a few bucks along the way. Instead of price PER plate - why not see if your caterer has any equipment like a popcorn machine, pretzel machine or even a sno-cone machine? This is just plain fun and brings the best out in all of us. OK - so it is NOT the healthiest of all choices, but a little indulgence here and there never hurt anyone.

Now for that extra kick - and to promote interaction between everyone all you need is a photo booth at the meeting. Check out www.photoboothservices.com. They can work with any space and any type of event. Plus you're guests will have a great keepsake from the meeting.

Seasonings Of The Season

Local chefs and food connoisseurs have worked their magic to create exquisite tastes, seasonings and culinary delights that make excellent gifts this holiday. Here are two of our local favorites...

From Volterra in Ballard comes their signature fennel salt and porcini salt, sure to add that extra flair and pizazz to your dishes. Volterra Fennel Salt was launched at the 2006 Winter Fancy Food Show and became an overnight success. After making its red carpet debut in the celebrity gift bags at the Oscars “Night of 100 Stars” gala, it has become wildly popular with celebrities and was even been featured on the set of the “Desperate Housewives”. The boldly flavored Fennel Salt was inspired by Chef Don Curtiss’ travels through Italy. It’s made with freshly toasted, organic fennel seed, organic orange peel, and other traditional flavors of the Italian peninsula. Chef Curtiss personally makes every batch of Fennel Salt to ensure the highest quality. Recreate Volterra’s bread service using Volterra Extra Virgin Olive oil sprinkled with Fennel Salt. It’s a great all purpose seasoning and is particularly delicious in meat and seafood dishes, potatoes and eggs.

The Twelve Rubs of Christmas from Tom Douglas is also on our list this year. What’s more welcome, more delicious, and more exciting than a partridge in a pear tree? A handsome gift box of Tom Douglas Rub with Love Spice Rubs will delight everyone on your holiday list! All 12 of our spice rubs are included in this spectacular gift, from the brown sugar and sweet paprika notes of our best selling Salmon Rub to the smoky chiles, toasted sesame, and dried seaweed tang of Spicy Tokyo Rub to the ultimate BBQ flavors of cumin, coriander, and a touch of cayenne in our Pork Rub. Just pat these spice rubs on salmon, shrimp, steak, burgers, Portobello mushrooms, or baby back ribs- in fact, just about any meat, fish or vegetable you can think of. Sprinkle the rubs into stews, soups, and stir fries, mix up a quick sour cream dipping sauce, or toss some into your scrambled eggs. Spice up the holiday season for yourself, your family and friends.

A Lot-o Gelato!

All of us at banquetevent.com have a hidden sweet tooth, so this ingenious idea we are about to share with you is right up our alley. eCreamery allows you to create custom flavored gelato and have it shipped right to your door, still frozen and ready to eat.

eCreamery’s ice cream & gelato artists can be found churning classic flavors and your own imaginative masterpieces in a small boutique ice cream parlor in the heart of the Midwest in Omaha, Nebraska. Their natural flair for exceptionally delicious & creative flavors has brought them recognition throughout the region!

The gelato is most definitely a spurge as the costs are pretty steep, but this unique idea does make a great gift for thoses with an affinity toward ice cream.

This Is No Accident!

More and more of you are giving the gift of wine this Christmas. If you are one of the winelovers sharing the love, we have a great tip for you.

The Accidental Wine Company takes bottles that have been damaged or tainted in some way and sells them to you at a lower price. After all, there may be something wrong with the bottle, but there is nothing wrong with the wine inside.

A bottle breaks and stains its neighbors, a new label design replaces an old established one, or a winery just closes its doors. A soiled, retired, or discontinued label is suddenly and simply less valuable. But whether it is ruby or straw colored, it still has its legs, and its fruit and perfume. The character and charm remain in tact and by golly, it still commands passion and presence. And, wow, what wonderful taste.