» Bridal Catering

WEN Prom

Laura — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:06:30 +0000

What a fun night! The Arizona Bridal Affair is a proud member of WEN, otherwise known as the Wedding & Event Network. These events are always a blast, and give us moms behind the bridal show a chance to mingle and meet other wedding industry professionals. Last nights event was prom themed and some of the exhibitors really came dressed to impress! The yummy catering was provided by Mi Catering and was perhaps the best yet, although I am still thinking about the pasta station at the last WEN event which was hosted by Special Moments Catering. Living Energy Events provided the music, Pour Masters provided the bar, Largo Photography took pics, and The Self Portrait Station provided a picture station which was so much fun! The event was held at Encore Creative, which could be a blog post all by itself- this place was amazing! It was not a ceremony or reception venue, but rather was a huge warehouse of decor- think The Stagers for you HGTV fans out there. Only this warehouse has linens galore, an on-site floral studio, an on-site seamstress and so much more! They had decor like you wouldn’t believe- couches, rugs, chairs and ottomans for lounging, cages for go-go dancers, ginormous poker chips for a casino themed event, tiki stuff, old western stuff, Morrocan stuff, retro stuff- 50,000 square feet of stuff! And, they can also help with entertainment that you might need for your event, such as casino tables, cigar girls- you name it. Basically anything you could ever want is here. Just walking around the place can help to give you ideas about your big event, and I could not encourage you more to do at least that.

So big thanks to Curtis Whipple, the man behind WEN. Thank you also to all the great professionals showcased this time, and super big thanks to Mi Catering for not asking me to refrain from serving up thirds, fourths and let’s be honest- I probably visited that food table ten times.

The History of Wedding Cakes and The Current Trend

Tamara — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 03:45:37 +0000

The history of the wedding cake is a long one which goes back to Roman times. Obviously the cakes of those times were nothing like the traditional and not so traditional cakes we see now covered with elaborate decorations, colorful accents, flawless fondant sheets and amazing detail. Apparently back then, ancient Roman ceremonies were finalized by breaking a cake of wheat or barley over the brides head for good fortune. Thank God that’s not the going trend anymore! The newly married couple would then eat a few bites together and guests would gather up the crumbs for good luck.

Now, I was extremely lucky enough to have a very talented sister who just so happened to have graduated from the culinary academy in San Francisco in the specialized field of pastry before I was planning my wedding. Of course, I wouldn’t think of having anyone else create my wedding cake because no one knew my style better. She made exactly what I wanted without me even really knowing what I wanted. She created a beautiful wedding cake which was simple, elegant, and delicious. A Genoise cake (Italian sponge cake) with lemon curd and cream cheese filling, covered with light and perfectly sweetened buttercream frosting. Atop each of the three tiers was a disc of marzipan that had been flavored with lemon oil; it gave a beautiful contrast of color, added another layer of flavor, and just made it perfectly delectable. Decorated with delicate scrolls, candy pearls, and iridescent powder, our wedding cake was simply lovely.

Okay, so unless you have an amazingly talented sister, you’ll probably have to put forth more effort into finding your perfect cake than I did. That’s not a difficult task when you explore your own neighborhood and find some wonderful local treasures right in your own backyard. Take Sugarlips Cakery for instance. Sugarlips Cakery is a custom cakery specializing in all-occasion cake design. We have worked with Melodie now for three years as Sugarlips has joined us at the East Valley Bridal Affair since our get go in 2007 and is always a pleasure to work with. Check out some of the pictures I pulled from their blog below.

Extra Extra! My twin nephews turn one!!

Yep, this cake was for my twin nephews’ first birthday, and they are certainly two of the sweetest little cupcakes around. Happy first birthday to Indy and Jase! Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of them next blog with their SMASHER cakes.

Every “1st birthday” cake ordered from Sugarlips comes with a free 4″ “SMASHER” cake, which coordinates with your main cake, and fits easily on your little one’s high chair tray. Perfect for that once-in-a-lifetime photo op, and none of your guests have to eat the slice with baby’s handprint squished into it!

And yes, if you have twins, you may have two free smashers, triplets three, and so on!

This offer is good for baby’s first birthday only!

(We operate on the honor system here!!)

I Do! Me Too!

Victoria’s wedding cake was perfect for a small intimate reception; she chose a “Vows” style cake for the top tier, and a quilted pattern for the bottom tier. Squares set askew in ivory fondant, with fresh flowers. Very pretty!

COOOO LA-LA!

Yes, I did say coo… this was a Parisian themed baby shower cake in ivory and black. We based this one largely off a Cake Boss cake that one of our lovely customers submitted. Too cute, and a refreshing change from booties and blocks, of course!

Come meet the gang from Sugarlips Cakery and other local artisans at the 3rd annual East Valley Bridal Affair on October 4, 2009 and the Windemere Conference Center in Mesa. Other pastry designers on hand to inspire you are Robert’s Catering, Word of Mouth Cookie Co., Vali’s Custom Cakes, and Designer Cakes by April. You can even win a private chartered hot air balloon ride for two from Aerogelic Ballooning by registering online or show your enthusiasm for fun by entering the first annual Bridaloke Challenge to win a $500 gift certificate toward DJ services with Starz Entertainment or a 3 day/2 resort stay!

Phoenix’s Original East Valley Bridal Showcase

Local Brides. Local Experts. Experience the possibilities.

Come together with industry experts who will inspire you to create a day to always remember.

Free admission, prize giveaways, fashion shows, and entertainment.

What to serve at a Bridal Shower Brunch or Luncheon?

Tamara — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:33:11 +0000

For those Maids/Matrons of Honor that are wondering what to serve at a bridal shower brunch or luncheon, let me tell you that I have a yummy option for your occasion, compliments of Chef Keath Allen. What could be tastier than a sweet treat to accompany the sweet celebration of a loved one’s upcoming nuptials? Try a simple recipe from Chef Keath Allen:

Sabayon With Fresh Berries Recipe as appears on www.chefkeathallen.com

As the weather heats up in Phoenix I am drawn to recipes for foods that are perfect for lunch on the patio. Sabayon is a very light custard created by whipping egg yolks, white wine, and sugar. In this recipe it is also combined with heavy cream and fresh berries. A dessert such as this, served cold, is perfect for those hot afternoons.

Ingredients:

7 egg yolks
8oz. dry white wine
8oz. sugar
8oz. heavy cream
16 oz. mixed berries
3 t. sugar
Fresh mint for garnish

Place egg yolks in small stainless steel mixing bowl and whip until light fluffy. Stir in 8 oz. sugar and white wine. Place bowl over sauce pan with boiling water. Whip constantly with whip until mixture reaches 170 degrees. Use a kitchen thermometer, temperature is very important.

When mixture reaches 170 degrees remove immediately from heat and place mixing bowl in ice water. Continue whipping until mixture cools to room temperature. Cover, and place in refrigerator until completely cooled.

While mixture is cooling, slice strawberries and whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed. When sabayon mixture is cooled completely mix 8 oz. of whipped cream into custard. Sweeten remaining whipped cream with 3 t. sugar. Layer berries, sabayon, and whipped cream in parfait glass or martini glass. Garnish with mint sprig.

Chef Keath Allen is a full service personal chef catering to the greater Phoenix area. He is available for private social events, corporate events, fundraisers, weddings and rehearsal dinners, as well as regular meal planning and food preparation for individuals and families in their homes. For more recipes and tips visit www.chefkeathallen.com or better yet, visit with him in person at the East Valley Bridal Affair on October 4, 2009 at the Windemere Conference Center in Mesa.

Other food service vendors present at the event will include: Sugarlips Cakery; Robert’s Catering; Vali’s Custom Cakes; Word of Mouth Cookie Co.; and Espresso Subito.

Phoenix’s Original East Valley Bridal Showcase

Local Brides. Local Experts. Experience the possibilities.

Come together with industry experts who will inspire you to create a day to always remember.

Free admission, prize giveaways, fashion shows, and entertainment.