Oh Sugar....

Oh honey honey.  Swooning for these cakes spotted on Pinterest!

Delfina Rehearsal Dinner

You may remember Nancy and Lou's wedding in Greenwich Connecticut from December of last year, featured here.  This past May they had their San Francisco wedding and while I have to hold off on sharing the wedding photos, check out their incredible rehearsal dinner at Restaurant Delfina in San Francisco.  Guests mingled and nibbled over charcuterie, oysters, olives, pizza & cheese while sipping Bellinis before sitting down to a four course dinner of delicious salads and pastas served family style around the table.  Lots of toasts and merriment followed.  I don't think they could have welcomed their guests any better to foodie San Francisco!  Photos by Sasha Gulish.

Creative Packaging

I'm so inspired by packaging and I love thinking about how some of these clever ideas could be incorporated into weddings and parties.  I could imagine any one of these unique elements being incorporated into the right wedding.

Yes! The flavor savor!

Lake Tahoe Weddings

We just got back in the office last night after a weekend in Tahoe preparing for an upcoming Summer wedding.  Tahoe is so beautiful in the Summer, the water is as clear as the Caribbean and the weather is that perfect sunny but not too hot temperature that makes you want to take a hike in the woods, grill out in the backyard and cruise around on a boat.

There are so many great locations in Tahoe from the swanky Ritz Carlton to the variety of private homes and beach venues around the lake and since we have a satellite office in North Lake we're always happy to make the drive up and spend a weekend there after our meetings.

Hope you are having a fabulous Summer vacation!

A Perfect Summer Menu

Every now and again I see a wedding menu that just stops me in my tracks.  I've had so much fun collaborating with my foodie clients, Samantha and Christophe, on their wedding dishes over the last year and just this week I finally saw the whole thing come together into one glorious California/French Summer menu.  Thanks to Jessica Lasky Catering, SOL Catering, Edith Meyer Cakes, and The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg, and Dynamo Donuts for all your fabulous contributions.  Pictures from Jessica Lasky Catering.

passed hors d'oeuvres

local charcuterie board

cured and smoked local meats with mustards, garden pickles, and tapenades

prosciutto, copa, soppressata, salumi, finochiona...

crostini, dried and fresh fruit, crisps and breads

summer fritto misto

crispy baby artichokes, meyer lemon and basil

chilled heirloom red gazpacho with aged balsamico

      served in tiny shot glasses for sipping

crisp potato cups with black olive tapenade and tuna confit

little skewers of fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes with crispy basil vinaigrette

wild salmon sake tartare in a cucumber ribbon

plated first course

summer tartiflette

grilled eggplant, summer squash and oven dried farmed tomatoes with basil and redwood hill chevre

 

whole roast animals 

whole roast Clark Summit Farm pig

marinated in citrus, oregano, garlic, annatto and spices

whole roast Clark Summit Farm pastured lamb

prepared with lemon zest, rosemary and garlic

accompaniments

sweet corn salad

with grilled portobellos, crispy red peppers and bocconcini di mozzarella with oregano vinaigrette

baby summer vegetables en papillote

local heirloom farm veggies steamed in parchment with lemon, thyme, white wine and strauss organic creamery butter

shaved celery root salad

with house cured gravlax, grapefruit and pine nuts   

cheese course

cowgirl creamery red hawk

triple-cream cow / petaluma, California 

uplands cheese pleasant ridge reserve

aged cow / dodgeville, Wisconsin

vermont creamery bonne bouche

ash-ripened goat / websterville, Vermont

bohemian creamery capriago

aged goat / sebastopol, California

served with organic baby lettuces

sweets bar to accompany cake

macerated strawberries with orange almond meringues

fresh nectarine, peach and berry galette with whipped cream

dark chocolate drizzled cream puffs with custard cream filling

mini-lemon tarts

chocolate bark

chocolate, hazelnut and framboise truffles

gluten-free donut holes from Dynamo Donuts 

wedding cake

 lemon chiffon cake with passion fruit curd and lemon mascarpone cream

                  bittersweet chocolate cake with passion fruit curd and dark chocolate ganache