Outstanding in the Field

As self described 'foodies' we are always on the hunt for like minded people. A few months ago we were lucky to have one of our clients introduce us to 'Outstanding in the Field', a group of traveling foodies that set up these amazing dinners for people on various farms and remote locations throughout the country (and abroad). The very notion of this is right up our alley! The coordinators contact farmers and local purveyors to choose a venue and then they invite a local chef (or team of chefs) to create a menu that highlights the best ingredients that the area has to offer. Diners graze at super long banquet style tables and enjoy the bounty of the summer months. The team makes their way across the country (typically west to east coast), making stops along the way. The exact location and menu remains a secret until just a few days prior to the event, which keeps it all the more interesting! You buy tickets on their website and wait to hear where, exactly, you'll be eating and what time to arrive. It's so fabulous! Check out the website, the list of locations and dates will be published on March 20, the first day of Spring - we'll be waiting anxiously to book our spots!
www.outstandinginthefield.com

The Wadsworth Wedding Show...

... was this past weekend. If you haven't heard of the Wadsworth, please take some time to view their website - it is an absolutely gorgeous spot for any occasion. We've done a lot of weddings there as well as cocktail and birthday parties, so it offers a little bit of something for everyone.
www.wadsworthmansion.com

The wedding show is truly delightful every year - it is just large enough to be encompassing of all kinds of different vendors but not too overwhelming. We heard there was another wedding show going on at the XL Center in Hartford at the same time - now THAT would be too much! And, as always, it was such a pleasure to reconnect with some of our favorite vendors, and even (ahem!) some of our competitors! Here are a few great things and people we saw...

Tony Palmieri of Datura Floral: Tony is one of those people that draws you in as soon as you lock eyes. He is so charming and genuine that you just want to talk to him and make him your pal! And, his floral creations are simply gorgeous - innovative and fresh. Check him out at www.amoderngarden.com

Heartbeat Dance Band: What is there to say? Barbara LaValle could not be kinder! And, their music is absolutely fabulous! We've worked with them countless times, but seeing their videos at the show really reminded us of why we love them so much. In a world of cheesy wedding bands, Heartbeat takes pride in being the exact opposite. If you're in the market for some awesome live entertainment at your next event, do yourself a favor and check it out; www.heartbeatdanceband.com

And now, for the fabulousness of some of our competitors.

Jordan Caterers did an absolutely FABULOUS bright lime green, orange, and yellow display that featured all kinds of fresh produce and even fish! It just made us salivate for the springtime to just get here already! And the food they were serving was absolutely delicious - a deconstructed shrimp spring roll as well as vegetable 'tartar' and a yummy limoncello lemonade. It's going to be very difficult not to steal those ideas. www.jordancaterers.com

Coastal Gourmet had a really, really gorgeous display featuring custom made glass and cut birch branches. It was truly simple and elegant. And, of course, we sampled some of their limoncello seared scallops which were positively delish! www.coastalgourmetct.com

A Thyme to Cook is always on the cutting edge of food trend, and they certainly did not disappoint! I mean, come ON! BLT SUSHI?! They are so cool, and it was delicious to boot. We always love to spend time with our North Stonington neighbors - they are truly classy and creative ladies! www.athymetocook.com

All in all, the wedding show reminded us of how much we love our work. To spend a rainy February Sunday in the presence of such esteemed vendors really makes us so excited for the busy summer months to come!

The Great Wet Way

We've always wondered about the differences between all those types of bottled water you see on the grocery store shelf. Aquafina vs. Voss? Poland Spring vs. Dasani? How can one choose?!

So, in the interest of humanity, this past weekend we conducted our very first water tasting. We sampled from 9 different sources :
Aquafina, Poland Spring, Acadia, good old tap water, Dasani, Fiji, Smart Water, Voss, and Isbre.

And, though we had very high expectations of our palettes and ability to differentiate one from the other, we had a very hard time figuring out which was the best. At one point, one taster exclaimed disappointingly 'this one has absolutely no flavor!'... as if that weren't the point of water? Anyway, we did decide that tap water had a marked chlorine taste and scent, at least that is compared to the other types we had. Some favorites were the Aquafina (surprisingly enough) and Poland Spring.

So, since we have no profound conclusion, we invite you, our faithful readers and followers, to try some different water and let us know what you think. Invite your friends over for your own water tasting - at the very least, it's healthier than a wine tasting party!

An Ode to Vermont...

Vermont. Home of hippies, Ben and Jerry, the moose, and long-haired snowboarders. After spending some time there this past weekend, we've decided to fill you in on some oh-so-great things about our Northerly neighbor.

Snacks! Beef Jerky. Yes, that's right - beef jerky. We're not talking about that stuff you find in the local grocery store. We're talking about real, authentic, small process beef jerky. We loved The Vermont Jerky Company's traditional beef flavor. We ate way too much of it and never tired of it's smoky, salty perfect flavor. Absolutely delicious!

Beer! Long Trail. If you haven't had it, you must! While lunching in their fabulous pub in Bridgewaters, VT a couple of us enjoyed the sampler (a 6oz pour of the 6 brews they have on tap). It's a great way to go through the tasting experience - they structure it from lightest to darkest so as to optimize your taste buds. They also have a pseudo- self tour which consists of a small hallway to walk down and see the brewing process. Very interesting, and not too boring (always a plus!) After a couple of pints. we decided we loved the Blackbeary Wheat the most. It's light, flavorful, and has only 6 grams of carbs! Wahoo for yummy and not-too-bad for you beer!

Shopping! Vermont Country Store - so adorable. It's the perfect place to stop on your way home. They've got kitsch galore! Old fashioned toys and toiletries, a great 10c candy bar, and a wide selection of VT made artisan crafts. It's the perfect place to find the hard to find! (Actually, that might just be their slogan!) Great gifts for grandma and a few treats for the haul back home.

Wine of the Week

Mmm, wine of the week time! This week we're choosing a flavorful yet drinkable Montepulciano. Now, what, exactly is a montepulciano? Well, we wikipedia'd it and basically like champagne (which is only produced in the Champagne region of France), a Montepulciano can only come from a specific type of grape that is grown in a specific region of Italy. The Abruzzo region of Italy (where a handful of Montepulcianos are made) typically produces blends which are both fruity and dry - as is the case with Porta Sole. All in all, this wine is a great one to have in your wine library - it pairs well with chicken and beef (and especially well with those yummy mussels marinara!). And the price is friendly as well- seek some out at your local purveyor, we highly recommend it.

Cheap Eats

There is no better $7 meal than homemade Mussels Marinara. It's just that simple. Mussels can be found at pretty much any local grocery store, in the Seafood Section of course, and they usually go for about $2/pound. Add that can of whole, peeled plum tomatoes you've got in the pantry, garlic, onions, and pasta and you've got a delicious, super easy, and quick meal for any week night.

• First step is to put your pasta water on to boil. You know that though. We recommend a long pasta- linguini is best. You'll need a pound or so.
• Once your water is on, start with 2 pounds of cleaned mussels. Now, you don't want to run them under cold water, just strip out the beard (the stringy seaweed thing that helps the mussel connect itself to the rock underwater) and set aside. The cold water can dilute the yummy brine-y-ness that make the dish so special and succulent. Be sure to discard any opened mussels, as they probably will send your tummy into a tail-spin.
• Once you've cleaned the mussels, start some olive oil in a high-sided saute pan (about 2-3 tablespoons will do). Turn the heat to medium high, dice up a small onion and add to the pan. Chop up the garlic (we are garlic freaks, so we usually add about half a head!) and add to the pan, stirring to coat with the olive oil.
• Now, for the tomatoes. We love San Marzano. They're hard to find but absolutely worth the $3/can price! Instead of just dumping the whole tomatoes into the pan and waiting for them to break down, you have to get your mitts in there and break the tomatoes up one by one as you add them. Once they're in, pour the juice from the tomatoes into the pan as well, and stir. Salt and Pepper here, and stir occasionally as the liquid cooks out (Since you'll be adding the mussels and they'll steam open and let out their salty liquid content you want the mixture to be fairly condensed). This usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
• Once the mixture is thickened, add the pasta to the water, give it a stir and add a palmful of salt and a quick turn of olive oil. Then, add the mussels to the tomato/garlic/onion mixture and cover. It should take no more than 5 minutes for them to open. Towards the end of that 5 minutes, open the top and add crushed red pepper flakes to taste (we love it spicy, but you may not). Stir and re-cover until the pasta done.
• Drain the cooked pasta and add by the scoopful to the pan - you want to make sure that the ratio of pasta to sauce is juuuuuuust right... plenty of sauce to about a cup of pasta per serving. Add fresh chopped parsley for color as well as grated parmesan and crushed red pepper if you're interested. Bon Appetit!

For the Brides...

A few months ago, when you received that sparkly ring, the financial times were different! So many of our brides set out planning their dream wedding under a different set of circumstances, and now that the economy has taken such a dive and money just doesn't seem to be as plentiful as it once was, it's time to get creative to make it happen! With that in mind, the fabulous girls at Stonington Design and Paperie and The White Dress by the Shore have put together a panel discussion to educate you about how you can create a beautiful, seamless event inexpensively but effectively.

The discussion will be held at the White Dress by the Shore in Clinton, CT on March 1st from 1-3 in the afternoon. The discussion will feature input from Karen Bussen, an acclaimed event planner and author as well as Justin and Mary Marantz, two fabulous photographers based out of New Haven. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 860.669.4596

Enjoy!