It is already the end of January (who can beleive time goes so fast?!), and the Superbowl is upon us.  Now, I have to admit that I do not fully understand American Football - soccer, tennis, cycling and any type of hockey are my usual favourites.  However, the Superbowl has its own special charm.  I also love the commercials and half time.

There is nothing better than to sit down with a good beer and some chickeng wings and watch the Superbowl.  They are my favourite American snack.  I came across a great recipe in an old Gourmet Magazine.  These wings are not as spicy as I prefer, but they are a great crowd pleaser.  Don't forget extra napkins for those messy fingers!

Jamaican “Jerk” Chicken Wings
Serves 4-6 people

For the Marinade:
1 ea onion chopped
2/3 cup finely chopped scallions
2 ea garlic cloves
½ tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup minced pickled jalapeno pepper, or to taste
1 tsp black pepper
6 drops Tabasco, or to taste
2 Tbsp soy sauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
18 ea chicken wings (about 3 ¼ lb), wing tips cut off & reserved for another use.

In a food processor or blender puree all the marinade ingredients. In a large shallow dish, arrange the wings in one layer and pour marinade over, rubbing it in. Let the wings marinade 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.

Arrange the wings in one layer on an oiled rack set over a foil-lined roasting pan. Spoon the marinade over them, and bake wings in upper third of oven (preheated to 450F). Bake wings for 30-35 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
 

Wow, the new site is live at last.  Thanks so much to the great folk at UnitedWebWorks - they have patiently held my hand since last November.  They are not the slow ones - I am.  They gave me a launch date of end November, however we got so busy catering that I had to push it off to the New Year.  Thanks UWW - you rock!

Why the name change you might ask?  Whilst in Cape Town, South Africa last February I had a bit of an ephiphany.  I felt the new name would be more reflective of our food and how the company has grown.  It also rolls of the tongue a little easier.

It is rather chilly to say the least, though I can be grateful that I am not up North where it is really bitter.  I am a soup fan and this weather begs for a good bowl of soup.  However, why not treat oneself to a delicious chocolate soup?  Imagine curling up next to a big fire with a good book and sipping on this delicious chocolate broth.  It is a quick easy recipe and if you don't finish it all (though I cannot imagine such a scenario) it holds well in the fridge.  I use Amarula liquor - which is a South African liquor, but you can substitute your personal favourite or none at all.

The legend behind the Amarula Liquor is that the elephants eat the over-ripe berries and then get drunk.  I imagine that we humans saw this and immediately decided that the elephants had hit on a good thing.

Bon Apetit and keep warm.

Chocolate Broth
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken up
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 ea slices all butter pound cake
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Amarula Liquor

Method:
Bring the cream to a simmer in a 2 qt pot. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Let the chocolate sit in the hot cream for 5 minutes and then stir the mixture until the chocolate has completely dissolved. Add the water and vanilla extract and stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the Amarula.

Cut the pound cake into ¼ “cubes. Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the cake in the butter until golden brown. Ladle the broth into bowls (or I do like it in a big mug) and sprinkle with the pound cake croutons.
 

On Saturday February 7, 2009 we had the honour of catering the Imperial Sugar Memorial Service and Legacy Park Dedication.  The Memorial Service marked the one year anniversary of the tragedy at the Imperial Sugar factory in Port Wentworth Ga.

Legacy Park is very beautifully done, and the Memorial Service was lovely, though very sad.  The sense of community was so apparent.  I have read in the paper about how people came together and helped on another, and on Saturday I saw that spirit of community and family.

It was an honour to be part of such an event.  God bless all the families affected in any way whatsoever.

Wow!!  My head is spinning!  I have been in Las Vegas since Sunday February 22 attending the Catersource Conference.  It is the biggest catering conference in the world, and sure felt like it.  Sessions every day loaded with new information about menu trends, decor, accounting (one has to make sure the business end of things is taken care of), flowers, how to take care of the guest better etc..

I am sure the menus are going to change - fresh ideas for all.

Tomorrow it is off to the Grand Canyon - though I am not going down the Canyon on a donkey!  Not this time.

Of course we are off to some restaruants and brew pubs.  One has to eat so it might as well be out on the town!

See you on the other side!

We finally got back into town late Monday evening.  All that snow in Atlanta shut the airport down.  No matter how we tried, we could get neither a flight nor a rental car!  We finally had to resort to getting a family member to pick us up in Atlanta - othewise I think we might still be there!!

One thing I can say about the exprerience is that everyone we encountered was so helpful and polite - and most of them had been working all day dealing with frustrated travellers.  Kudos to them all!

Thanks to everyone who entered our 'Win A Dinner For Six' contest.  The deadline for entries was February 28, 2009.  Our marketing team will be pulling the entries this week and we will announce the winner next week Monday - March 9, 2009.

Last Thursday, March 5, 2009, we had the honour of participating in the Skidaway Island Antique Art Show and Sale Preview Party.  What a lot of fun!  We served a dish created specifically for this event (when we do events like this we take the opportunity to create something new and fun).

We served a Mediterranean Chicken Roulade - we stuffed it with a chicken and thyme farce, port wine figs and toasted walnuts.  The roulade was served on a bed of citrus scented couscous and accompanies by a Marsala Sauce.  It was delic!

The tent was gorgeous.  This year it was a clear tent - open to the stars!

Last weekend I threw a party to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday.  We changed things around a bit for this party.  I replaced most of the outdoor furniture with cocktail tables and set up the bar in a different area.  I kept one seating/lounge area, which was well utelized.  However the cocktail tables kept the crowd moving. 

Of course Cape Creations catered the food.  We tried a few different things as we are wont to do.  We made different crabcakes, but decided we prefer our standard.  Made mushrooms a l'greque - so yummy that I am considering putting them on the menu.  Two groaning tables of food, but very little was left over.

The flowers were done by AtoZinnias - my studio-mates from The Savannah Wedding Studio.  Heidi and Natalie did a great job.  I had tallish, cylindrical vases for the cocktail tables - the flowers were inside the vase, very minimal.  A lavish centre piece for the dining room.  These gals went to town!  I gave them creative license (colour parameters and price were set, and height to, of course), but told them to have fun.  Well the flowers were just georgeous.  What tickled my funny bone was the roses they used - they are called amnesia!  Of course I told everyone that the roses were specially chosen for their name.

The fabulous centre piece!  Lasted for ages!

The centre pieces for the cocktail tables!  Guests raved about them!

The cake - well, my husband wanted a chocolate and red velvet cake.  Now I am not fond of red velvet cake as it is normally way to sweet.  I told him there was no way we could mix the two.  Anyhow, Carrie Briscoe from Two Cakes made the cake.  Two Cakes is also part of The Savannah Wedding Studio www.SavannahWeddingStudio.com We came up with the idea of doing a 5 in chocolate and a 0 in red velvet.  Wow!  The cake looked so good.  Now I know that Carrie's cakes are good.  But let me say that the red velvet was just to die for!  The best I have ever had.  However, having had such a good red velvet has really turned me off the other sweeter examples.

At last I have figured out how to post photos! 

CONGRATULATIONS TO RON HATCHER!

Thank you to everyone who entered our contest.  The name of the winner was scientifically drawn - I put all the names in a hat! 

I spoke with Ron last week and he did not even enter!  A friend of his entered on his behalf.  Anyhow, he was rather thrilled to win.  We are going to get together (probably after St Pats) and choose a date and a menu.  I think he is going to let us go to town - I do hope so! 

I shall keep y'all up to date on what's happening..............

I met on Friday night with Ron Hatcher to discuss the dinner party he won.  Well, I am not too sure who is more excited - me or him!  The menu is starting to come together - depending upon when we have the dinner (he is corralling his guests) it might look something like this:

Chilled Soup, a fab lobster dish, lamb rack, little salad, cheese course, dessert, coffee and truffles.  I am still working through the details and Ruby has her thinking cap on about the dessert.  Ron loves caramel and Ruby said she already had ideas!  Of course we are going to make wine pairing suggestions........

Ron is being so great - he is giving me carte blance about the table.  I have some great ideas for table decorations that I have been wanting to try out! 

A few weeks ago Maria from the Trustee's Garden/Morris Centre told me that they are ready to receive compost.  Well say no more!  We immediately set up a bucket by each persons work station for compost.  Vegetable matter, egg shells, coffee or tea grinds etc.  No protein.  Well the first week I had two 5 gallon buckets of compost.  Last week I had 5!  This week I think we might break the 10 bucket barrier!

We recycle everything!  We actually have large recycling bins in the yard of our facility.  No glass so we haul that off ourselves.  As everything is seperated for recycling anyway, the composting is just another step for us. 

We haul our personal trash from home, which is actually not that much when you consider how much we pull out of it to recycle.  Why pay a garbage company for maybe 2 bags of trash a week?

I am so enjoying the Farmers Market at the Trustee's Garden.  I try to go down every Wednesday.  I am purchasing for home use of course.  We are eating a greater variety of vegetables now.  Anything that is easy to prepare.  So sorry, but after a long day on my feet, over a stove, the last thing I want to do when I get home is a repeat! 

I am totally enjoying the eggs from Adcote Farms.  The yolks are so plump!  They taste good too!  They were selling some chickens last week (not for the eating but for the laying!), and so I got to thinking of how cool it would be to have some chickens scratching around and laying eggs for me.  Then I started thinking of my neighbours having a fit over the rooster (in fact I might be after him in the early am myself!), and the fact that I would have to run around collecting eggs or face a yard full of chickens!  Oh well, I guess I shall leave all that to Elliot and just buy my eggs from him!

I met up with Elliott from Adcote Farms at the Trustee's Garden Farmers Market a few months ago.  I try to go every Wednesday to drop off all the compost we generate and then go shopping. 

A morning seldom goes by when I do not consume 3 eggs for breakfast, together with a bowl of oatmeal.  This is a bit of a hangover from my body-building days (yup, used to work out every day in the gym and even did a competition!).  Anyhow, as you can imagine I go through a lot of eggs.  When I came across Adcote Farm eggs - well that was a happy day.  They have two kinds of chickens - white and brown!  Okay they probably have serious fowl names, but all I care about are the eggs they produce - which are delicious!  Plump, yellow yolks and firm whites.

When I heard they were having a Farm Tour and an Egg Hunt I had to go.  My assistant and Chef, Ruby, and I trecked off with her daughter.  The farm is just lovely and the chickens too cute!  They allow the chickens out of their coops each day - so they get to peck and feel the breeze ruffling their feathers.

What was just amazing is that their droppings did not smell.  They put hay on the bottom of the coop and turn it over each week and rake it out once a month.  I think these chickens have landed in the lap of luxury!  I even considered taking one home, then thought of the early morning noise and rethought that pretty quickly!

What a great weekend!  Lots of hard work, but we had such fun doing it.  I love my job - I get to meet so many different people.  We catered two weddings this weekend - lots of happy guests and beautiful brides!

One wedding was at the Morris Centre - what a great venue!  We rolled our Bamboo plates and utensils out for this one.  They looked so good, and they caused great comment amongst the guests, who were thrilled to hear that we were collecting them for the compost at the Trustee's Garden.  (one has to recycle and seperate all the garbage at the Morris Centre, which I so appreciate).

Our Blackened Striploin of Beef with Tomato Reish, Wholegrain Mustard and Mayo was a great hit.

Of course, guests thoroughly enjoyed our Low Country Shrimp and Grits Station - we also offer Sauteed Andouille Sausage just in case someone does not eat shrimp.

Now we gear up for the next round!

On Saturday May 2, 2009 we catered dinner for Ron Hatcher, the winner of our Website 'Win A Dinner for Six'.  He and his partner live in a charming house in Ardsley Park.  I met with Ron a few weeks ago to plan the menu and we came up with what I thought was a delicious 8 course feast!

Guests started off with cocktails around the pool - the weather was fab, not a bug in sight.  Ron is partial to olives, so I marinated some for him - a wonderful citrus herb marinade.  We served our famous Pecan Cheddar Dollars (our take on the proverbial Savannah Cheese Straw).  Of course our Gourmet Nuts made an appearance.

Ron and Gary gave me carte-blanche for the table settings.  I had so much fun.  I rented silverware and linens from Classic Party Rentals.  I had plexi-glass chargers made and put fresh rose petals underneath them.  Madame Chrysanthemum did the flowers - Michelle is so talented.  I told her I wanted something long and low, minimalist in style, and fairly modern.  She did not disappoint!

Our menu was as follows: 

Cucumber Crab Soup Perfumed with Dill.

Lobster in Syrah Reduction with Aromatic Grits.  I must admit that I pinched this one from the fabulous cookbook 'The Elements of Taste' by Grey Kuntz and Peter Kaminsky.  It is one of my favourite lobster preperations.

Lemon Thyme Sorbet, though Ruby added a hint of Ginger which was delicious.

Hoisin BBQ Lamb Chops with Basmati Rice and Grilled Aparagus.

We had a little salad after the entree - in the European manner.  Field Greens tossed with Fig Vinaigrette.

Ron and Gary are partial to cheese, so of course we included a cheese plate.  We served a Maytag Blue Cheese, Sharp Vermont Cheddar topped with Savannah Bee Honeycomb, Ripe Brie with Merlot Gelee, Mahon.  Crackers and grapes accompanied the plate.  We served the cheese on our Bamboo plates - in lieu of a wooden cheese board.

I had asked Ron what his favourite dessert was, and he said these were his favourite things:  Coconut, Caramel, Almonds.  No fruit or chocolate.  Ruby put her thinking cap on and came up with the most delicious dessert - perfect for a warm spring evening:

Coconut Vanilla Parfait with Candied Almond Crisps and Caramel Sauce.

We finished the evening off with our Fools Gold Chocolate Truffles (winner of the Chocoholic Frolic 3 years ago).

Now you might be asking yourself 'Who took these wonderful photos?'  Theresa Ernest of MemoriesnMore Photography worked with us that evening.  Theresa is also the founding member of the Savannah Wedding Studio of which Cape Creations is a member. 

I think the essence of the whole evening was captured by the following photo:  Good friends getting together and enjoying an elegant evening of food and wine.

May has turned out to be a busy wedding month here in Savannah.  We catered two outdoor weddings last weekend - one at a private home on Wilmington Island and the other at the Davenport House. 

Both were lovely - beautiful brides and happy guests.  It is getting a bit warmer now, so we are ending up a bit limp by the end of the day.

A happy tired chef after a long day!

Tim Rutherford of savannahfoodie.com and I participated in the 'Battle of the Tenderloins' on Saturday May 16, 2009 to help rededicate the Ronald McDonald House.

Approximately 75 supporters and volunteers attended the event, held at the Ronald McDonald House on the grounds of Memorial Hospital.  The open house marked the completion of a full house makeover and honured donors who sponsored the makover.  Additional support for the house comes from operators who own over 40 McDonald's in Coastal Georgia. 

Additional support comes from volunteers - from church groups to businesses, who volunteer to provide and cook dinner for the residents of the House.  The facility has 10 rooms to accomodate families of children who are undergoing treatment at the hospital.  I toured the rooms and they are lovely. 

Tim prepared a Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin marinaded in Apple Juice and Dijon Mustard, served with an Apple Mint Relish.  I prepared a Blackened Beef Tenderloin served on a Sourdough Crostini with Spicy Mayo and Corn Relish.  A tie was declared - so perhaps Tim and I shall have to have another sort of cooking throwdown!

Summer has arrived early and hot in Savannah Georgia!  Last weekend, June 20,2009 we catered a fabulous wedding at the Davenport House Museum.  I was concerned about the heat and the fact that we were outside with all the food - the temp was to be 98F with a heat index of 105F!   However, Marianne McBay of Wed Accompli, arranged lots of fans for the garden. 

At the last minute the Museum allowed us to utelize a new space for the food.  They, with the help of SCAD, have been renovating an old pharmacy.  It is located right across the alley.  It is a lovely space and we were so happy to be able to have the food inside!  It also gave the guests a respite from the heat.  I had been worried they would be too hot to eat and we had delicious fare - shrimp and grits (with chorizo as an additional option), a pasta station, carved loin of pork, various fabulous cold spreads and dips, and our delicious reuben eggrolls. 

The bride and groom had wisely chosen cupcakes instead of a wedding cake - which is a popular trend right now.  Two Cakes made the cupcakes so you know they were delicious!  Great choice given the heat of the day.  The garden looked beautiful with hanging candles, lanterns and wonderful flower arrangements by A to Zinnias - they looked very rustic.

Guests brought their own drinks in coolers - a great way for the bride and groom to maximize their dollars.  Marianne created alphabetically arranged cooler parking stations - it looked fun and organised. 

Despite Savannah experiencing its first heat wave of the summer, it was a great wedding reception.  When we left the guests were dancing and having a ball!

Wow!  I cannot believe it is almost a month since I last blogged!  Thankfully we have been rather busy - to say the least. 

Last night we catered the CVB's Palate to Palette Gallery Hop, and hop WE did!  A total of seven galleries participated and we catered food at all of them.  The CVB gave me carte-blanche on the food which is always so much fun.  We made just under 4000 hors d'oeuvres - talk about a fun undertaking! 

Most of the items were from our regular menu, but we did throw out a few others - for example our Forbidden City Crabcakes with Chili Dipping Sauce.  Savannah is  famous for its crabcakes and our regular crabcakes are extremely popular.  However I a came across this recipe for an Asian styled crabcake and really fell in love with it.  So we served it at the Pei Ling Gallery and it received rave reviews.

We also served our Mini Sliders with Chow Chow.  They were yummy and looked so cute on the butlering trays.  Another popular item was the BBQ Pork and Collard Green Eggrolls (someone said we should call them 'Soul' Rolls!). 

We butlered all the hors d'oeuvres and desserts - it is one of my favourite styles of service and worked wonderfully.  Guests did not have to contend with a plate and a drink at the same time.  I think the galleries liked it as well because we did not take up floor space with a table and it was cleaner.

I think the evening was a success - the galleries were buzzing with guests who seemed to be having a fabulous time!  See y'all at next years Palate to Palette Gallery Hop!

It is rather hard to believe we are at the end of August already!  It has been a fairly slow month - as usual it has been hot and humid in Savannah.  We catered a few weddings, private parties and corporate events, and took a short vacation.

Whilst on vacation in Vancouver, Canada I ate the most delicious fish.  Farm raised salmon just cannot compare with wild salmon.  The Halibut I ate was also just delicious - grilled is how I prefer it.  One does have to ask - was my dining enjoyment enhanced by the fact we were eating in an outdoor restaurant with spectacular views and family not seen in ages?  Probably.

Of course I had to cook a Little for my family and friends - chefs always seem to have a busmans holiday!  I chose a whole salmon to cook on the braai - there were a majority of South Africans on hand so we tended to cook like we do at home.  (A braai is a barbie for the Aussies, a cookout for the Americans).  The salmon had been gutted and beheaded.  I rubbed it with olive oil, salt and pepper, and sprinkled it with white wine.  I stuffed the cavity with sliced lemons and dill, wrapped it in aluminium foil and set it on the grill.  Low heat - about 250F and in about 45 minutes it was ready to go.  I Served the salmon along with skewers of grilled shrimp - we ate it all up!

I am so disappointed that I shall not be able to participate in the US Navy's Adopt-A-Ship program this year.  I have always attempted to go in August as it is our slowest month.  This year has not been that slow! 

My Mum arrived in the beginning of August for a 3 month vacation which has been long awaited.  We went up to Vancouver for 10 days and now August is over! 

I think I am going to try to arrange something in January of 2010.  Hopefully somewhere warm as my trip to Norfolk two years ago in February - well let me just say that I am still trying to get warm!!!

This is such a fantastic program - for those who are not familiar with it, Adopt-A-Ship is a program run by the Navy which puts professional culinarians on board US Navy ships (or at other Naval Facilities) to provide continuing education for the Cook Specialists.  I love the program as it provides a way for me to give back to this great country.  And to partially fulfill a missed dream - I always wanted to join the Navy.

For this years Telfair Ball, we donated a dinner for 12 paired with wines selected by the Savannah Sommelier, Kevin Smith.  Last night we catered the dinner, and what fun we had.

The client selected to host the dinner in their home downtown - a fabulous old Savannah home.  When we met a few months ago to select the menu, I made the recommendation to do a dinner of 'small plates'.  This would enable us to serve a greater variety of foods in smaller portions.  We started with a Cucumber Crab Soup which is surprisingly light.  We had a vegetarian guest at the table, so served the soup minus the crab.

The fish course was so delicious!  Chilean Seabass dusted with Smoked Paprika on a bed of sauteed Baby Spinach with a Lemon Butter Sauce.  The fish was so moist, and the Smoked Paprika and Lemon Butter sauce played off one another beautifully.  For the vegetarian we served all of the above but substituted Cauliflower Puree for the fish.

An Apple Thyme sorbet cleared the palate for the Braised Kobe Beef Ribs (boneless of course) served  over Polenta with Roast Root Vegetables.  Yummy comfort food taken to the next level.  The vegetarian received the same basics, with a Smoked Paprika seared Tofu and brown butter in place of the Kobe.

We served a salad (field greens tossed with Citrus Vinaigrette) after the main course - in the European style of dining.  A cheese course followed - just a small tasting of four cheeses.  A sharp Vermont Cheddar with Savannah Bee Honeycomb, an Etorki Sheep's milk cheese from the French Pyrenees, a Blue Brie, and to round it out, a Baked Brie with Merlot Gelee and Almonds in Phyllo.

Dessert - the client requested a butter pastry tart with some sort of fruit.  Ruby made the most melt-in-your-mouth butter tarlets.  She filled it with Creme Patissiere and topped it with roast Pears (she brushed them with a lovely Maple Syrup white wine sauce).  Individual desserts that were just enough.

We finished the evening off with our famous Fools Gold Amarula Truffles (which won Best Dessert at the Chocholic Frolic a few years back), and Decaf Coffee.

The guests enjoyed themselves and so did we!

Last night was another huge success for America's Second Harvest and their Chef's Table Auction. 

Local Chef's get together and put on a delicious evening.  We start with a Cocktail and Hors d'oeuvre hour with 6 participating Chefs.  Guests are then seated for a 4 course dinner.  A different Chef (and sometimes a team of two Chefs) prepare each course.  At the end of the evening the participating Chefs auction off their services.  Auction items range from private dinner parties for 12 to cocktail parties for 40.

It is such a great collaboration of Chefs.  Now Chefs have a reputation for having large egos, but let me say, that at this event no egos are apparant.  We all work together, plating up, making sure that someone elses food goes out looking the way they planned. 

The money raised (a final figure is not yet available) goes to the Kids Cafes operated by Second Harvest.  Kids Cafes are set up in needy areas to provide the children with a hearty meal.  Help with homework is also provided.  Occasionally special programs are also provided.

December is upon us - perhaps a bit more quickly than anticipated!  It is time once again to plan your December Catering - Year End Employee Appreciation Lucheons, or, perhaps, time for you to thank your clients for their business this past year.  Whatever your December Catering needs, we at Cape Creations Catering are ready to assist you.   

We have created some wonderful Menus this year.  We have taken the current economic climate into account - even though things are on the upturn, we wanted to give you options. 

Our menus have side dish choices, price point options and of course, service options.  We go from complete drop off catering to full service catering.  Of course, our regular menus are always availbable. 

December is such a busy time - let us help you take care of your December Catering needs.

We look forward to seeing you!

What a year we had in 2009.  I have not had the chance to blog - we were to busy in the last quarter - for which we are eminently grateful.  January is turning out to be rather busy too, but I do plan to blog about a few interesting things we did in the last quarter of 2009. 

We would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  Thanks to all our clients for such a wonderful 2010.  We had great fun being part of so many fabulous events.

Last Sunday we participated in Savannah Wedding Magazines Behind the Veil Wedding Show.  What fun!  Lots of gorgeous brides!  We also had the opportunity to see so many of our friends and fellow wedding vendors. 

We had a lovely booth on the 2nd floor landing.  Of course, as Caterers, we had to have tons of food.  We rolled out quite a few new menu items - we spent the month of January taste testing recipes.  Talk about happy cooks!

One of our new menu items! 

Savory Desserts!

Chef Ruby Reed-Ezik made these most delicous Coconut Rum Balls.  Limit - 1 per person!

Carrot Cake is one of my favourite things to eat.  These Spiced Carrot Cupcakes with Candied Carrot and Pistachio are to die for!

We made assorted breadsticks which we find gives the food table a whimsical look.  Soo much better than the store bought variety.

Our Sweet & Spicy Popcorn in Pine Cones was once again a big hit.

A to Zinnias did the flowers.  I love Heidi and Natalies work.  I gave them the colours of the linens and they went to town and did whatever they fancied.

Such talent!

Our Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles are a bite of heaven.  They and the Coconut Rum Balls are great for your party favours.  And yes, if you want to order some of them by the dozen, give us a call.

Linens were graciously provided by Classic Party Rentals.  Erin is so great to work with.

We chose a brown tablecloth with a Hessian overlay.  To bring a pop of colour I used a deep, bright pink table runner.

I wanted to give the display an earthy, green feel.  This is rather the rage right now.  It is also reflective of our views on sustainability. 

Our Bridal Team - Cynthia Creighton-Jones, Ruby Reed-Ezik and Sara Parks.

Thanks to all the brides that stopped by our booth.  We so enjoyed meeting you all and hearing about the wonderful wedding celebrations you are planning.

Thanks to all the Brides who entered our 'Win a Free Tasting' draw.  We apprciate your interest in Cape Creations Catering, Inc.

Our WINNER of the Free Tasting is JESSICA ADAMS!  Congratulations Jessica, we will be in touch with you shortly to schedule a meeting and a tasting.

Last November, Savannah had the honour of hosting an episode of Extreme Makeover - Home Edition.  The Simpson Family was chosen as the family for whom a fabulous home would be built. 

A few months earlier, Cape Creations was approached by JT Turner Construction (the Builder for the project) to be the Catering Co-ordinator for the build.  I enthusiastically said yes - I am a big fan of the show!  Little did I realise what I was being tasked to do!

We had to co-ordinate the donation of food for 25 meal periods, feeding an average of 300 volunteers per meal period!  We also had to arrange for the donation of all the supplies to support those meals - plates, utensils, sodas, coffee (wow, people drank coffee!) etc.

I have always known that Savannah is a giving town, but the generosity of the various restaurants and vendors was just amazing.

Water was a big item.  It is truly amazing to work the the production crew and learn all that goes on behind the scenes.

One of the most important jobs our Catering Volunteers had to do was remove the labels from all water bottles.  Keeping the volunteers hydrated was most important.

Artworld was right next to the Catering Tent.  Fascinating to see those talented SCAD students creating two different dining rooms.

Demo Day was such fun!  A busy day on site, but no so busy in the Catering tent - they work hard to get the shots they want, so kept the volunteers busy on site.

One of my favourite shots of demo day.

Neilie Dunn of JT Turner commandeers our Gator!  We spent a lot of time running around delivering water and snacks to various locations on the build.  The Gator came in handy.  It was also way too much fun to drive!

These guys work quickly (106 hours to build a house!), so everyone was working night and day.  Everybody was so accomodating, nary a bad word spoken!

Things happened so quickly on the build.  I would leave late at night, come back the next day and be amazed at the change on the build site.

Lots of spectators kept an eye on what was going on.  Day and Night!  We had fabulous neighbours - their neighbourhood was lit up like a Christmas Tree and the noise was 24/7!

As I mentioned, Coffee was huge!  It was also rather cold.  Cape Creations Executive Chef Ruby Reed-Ezik came on site to volunteer on her day off, and we loaded up the Gator with breakfast and coffee.  Off to the build site where we were swamped.

Checking out progress!  I was lucky enough to be able to go through the house at various times - they were building so fast, we had to deliver meals right to the volunteers.  Some of them would not leave their station to go and eat.  One would have to inch round a painter, who is crouched under the ladder of an electrician!

What a lot of fun we had, and what a lot of work.  Being a part of Extreme Makeover Home Edition - Savannah, and helping to build a house for the Simpson family, is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.  A community came together - one hears that so often on the show, but it reall was true.  By the end of it, a beautiful house had been built..........

Ty Pennington - such a nice guy - claps the family in.

Happy to be home, but still not allowed to see the house! 

Paula Deen - they ambushed the family at her restaurant - was on hand to welcome the family home. 

That exciting moment everyone has been waiting for - MOVE THAT BUS!

OUR HOUSE!

BEAUTIFUL HOUSE!

Welcome Home Simpson Family, Welcome Home!

Last year we had the honour of catering the Wedding of Amanda Gallo & Joseph Rawley.  Amanda is the sister of the talented Morgan Gallo of Morgan Gallo Events.  When Morgan coordinates a wedding is is wonderful, so you can imagine what she did for her sisters wedding! 

The wedding was held at the Harper Fowlkes House in Savannah GA.  This is one of my favourite venues.  The ceremony was held in the Garden, guests then moved into the house for Butler Passed Hors d'oeuvres - we served Proscuitto Wrapped Mozzarella and Basil, Endive Spears with Sweet Potato, Maple Vinaigrette & Walnuts, Mini Biscuits with Shaved Ham and Maize Fritter with Garlic Aioli. 

Whilst guests enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, we flipped the garden from Ceremony to Reception. The staff of MG Events were stellar - not only was Morgan the coordinator, she was in the wedding!  Her staff were so supportive.

The Gallo family are of Italian heritage, so we brought that theme into our food.  We offered a choice of entree. 

Pan Seared Tenderloin of Beef with Jumbo Shrimp, Mashed Potatoes, Haricot Vert, Merlot Sauce and Beurre Blanc

Chicken Parmesan, Herb Orzo, Haricot Vert & Roast Red Pepper Sauce

The beautiful Harper Fowlkes House makes a wonderful back drop for a first dance.

After a delicious meal and a gorgeous cake by made by Carrie Briscoe of Two Cakes, everyone hit the dance floor. 

This is a majical garden at night.  Love it!

Photos courtesy of Shannon Christopher.

Well, our hard work is paying off!  We finalised our new Hors d'oeuvre Menus this week. 

It is surprising how much work this entails.  Not only do we need to come up with new ideas, we have to cook everything to ensure that it works.  For example, our Savory Desserts. Changing a recipe from sweet to savory might seem pretty simple, but it is a delicate balance.  Not only must the cupcake become savory, but it must maintain its integrity as a cupcake.  We must keep the moistness and the crumb of the cake....... as you can imagine lots of tasting!

The menus are off to the web guys for uploading to the site.  Now we move onto our plated dinner and buffet menus.............................

Our no-rain dance worked this weekend!  We catered a beautiful wedding at the Davenport House Museum in Savannah GA.  Our backup plan was the Kennedy Pharmacy, but we knew it would not be as wonderful as the Garden.  Our bride held off until the last minute with her rain decision, and it worked in her favour (though it gave us the jitters!).  It was windy, but that even died down towards sunset.

We created a lovely Southern Influenced Menu featuring some of our favourites:  Mini Biscuits with Shaved Ham, Proscuitto Wrapped Mozzarella & Basil (so wonderful in summer and spring!), Low Country Grits Station, Pulled Pork and Collard Green Eggrolls, and our Brown Sugar & Bourbon Ribs were some of the selections.

Carrie Briscoe of Two Fabulous Cakes did the wedding cake.  I LOVED the grooms cake - such fun.

On May 14, 2011 we loaded up our vans and headed out for Charleston, SC for a fabulous wedding, which was 6 months in the making. 

We worked with Lawson Roberts of White Tuxedo Productions based in Charleston, SC.  whitetuxedoproductions.com  What a fabulous company to work with.  As you will see from the photos, they are a talented group. 

The wedding was held in a church downtown Charleston, and the Cocktail Reception was held at the Robert Lange Studio robertlangestudios.com which was stunning.  We served Connecticut Blue Point Oysters, Seoul Street Food, and Butler Passed our Savory Desserts and Fried Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese.

Seoul Street Food - Korean Beef Salad served in a Lettuce Wrap

Connecticut Blue Point Oysters - Shucked to order.

Fried Smoked Gouda Mac & Cheese served with Chow Chow

Savory Desserts were a big hit - Roast Red Pepper Velvet Cupcakes & Dill Parmesan Sandies with Meyer Goat Cheese Filling.

After the Cocktail Hour guests were transported to the Magnolia Plantation magnoliaplantation.com to enjoy a spectacular evening at the Carriage House.

It was Action Stations all the way!  Some of our stations:

Stir Fried Beef & Chicken over Fried Rice - served in Pagoda Boxes.

Our Asian-Cuban Pork Roast with Biscuits.  We also had delicious carved to order Brown Sugar & Bourbon Ribs.

Cuban Shrimp were served in Flour Tortillas.

The Decor was just wonderful!  Lawson and Nathaniel and their crew are so talented.

Such beautiful colours!

Whilst guests went outside to enjoy the flame thrower, we broke down the buffet stations and set up a gelato station.  We purchased the Gelato from Paolo's Gelato of Charleston SC - delicious!  Guests thoroughly enjoyed the Gelato and toppings.

It was a wonderful evening - though a very late one!

Last week Thursday the Travelocity Gnome visited Savannah.  What fun the little chap had.  Besides being a total tourist and visiting all the great sights of Savannah, he attended a welcome party at the Ships of the Sea Museum.

Cape Creations Catering, Inc had the honour of catering the reception.  The Gnome did enjoy our Sweet Iced Tea with Mint and noshed on a few Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches.

The Crew with the Gnome!

Showing the Gnome our delectable offerings.

On May 11, 2011 Mitsubishi dedicated their new plant in Savannah GA. 

We rolled the red carpet out for dignitaries from the Governor of Georgia to top Executives from Mitsubishi HQ in Japan.

The ceremony was opened by a Colour Guard and the National Anthem!

We served a Low Country Boil to 525 guests!  Nary a bit was left!

Guests finished off their meal with our Famous Peach Cobbler and Banana Pudding!  So Savannah and So Delicious.

WOW!  How quickly the year is going past.  We are in the midst of a hot, hot summer.  One of my favourite ways of welcoming guests to my home is to offer a glass of champagne.  Sometimes it is fun to put a little twist with that champers.  As we are located in Savannah Georgia, why not put a Georgia twist to it - Peach Bellini's!

This is one of my favourite specialty drinks.  We make our own Bellini mix - puree some fresh Georgia Peaches (peeled and pitted), or you can use frozen peaches.  Mix with a little simple syrup.  Pour the Bellini Mix into a champagne flute (about 1/3 full) and top off with champagne.  Garnish with a raspberry.  For those who prefer not to imbibe top off with some Sparkling Apple Cider. 

An easy and delicious cocktail you can make your own.

In July I once again paired up with Tim Rutherford (of savannahfoodie.com) for another 'The Chef & The Wine Guy' cooking class at Kitchenware Outfitters (kitchenwareoutfitters.com).  If you are not aware of the cooking classes held at KW, do check them out.  Some of the best Chefs in town give regular cooking classes there.  Now these are demo-style cooking classes - which is great!  You get the recipes, bring your own wine, watch the demo and eat delicous food!  Who could ask for more from a cooking class?

Well, actualy, Tim and I.  Which is why we paired up.  I prepare the food and Tim pairs the wine.  This time 'round we decided to feature Summer Reds.  Many folk think that red wine is only to be consumed during the colder months.  Not at all!  Not only did we have wonderful wines, but I had a hankering to try out one of their Big Green Eggs. 

In South Africa, braaing (as we call a cookout) is a mans job.  The men huddle round the braai with their beers and chit chat, the women organise the rest of the feast and chit chat.  However, as a Chef one has to braai, which I have done on many occassions (though at home I do revert to the South African standard and make my husband manage the braai).  But I have not had the opportunity to use a Big Geen Egg.  What fun.  David Freeman, one of the owners of KW, actually turned into my braai man.  With all the prep and demo in the kitchen, without him, I doubt we would have been able to pull it off - that braai needed attention.

I served a delicious Planked Salmon with Honey Balsamic Glaze (I do like to cook on a Cedar Plank) and also Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin.  Fresh Grilled Asparagus was a delicious accompaniment.

Soo good!

I have just returned from 2 1/2 weeks in South Africa - Johannesburg to be exact.  It was wonderful to be on my old stomping grounds.  Though I must say that I felt like a tourist in my own country - what fabulous changes and how their economy is booming!

This was a family visit - I went out to assist my Mum to emigrate to the States.  However, I did take time to visit some wonderful restaurants and also to go to the Rooftop African Market. 

Whilst the price of food in the grocery store is comparable with Savannah, the food in restaurants is very reasonably priced.  We often had lunch out (entree, wine) for less than $40 for two!  The menus feature different dishes to ours, of course, but the food is fabulous and the service excellent.  I really cannot recall a bad restaurant experience whilst in South Africa!

One of my favourite meals was at a Indian Restaurant.  I do love a good curry!  I chose the Lamb Vindaloo - which the waitron said was their hottest dish.  'No worries', think I.  WOW! WOW!  I believe I have become used to the heat of the curries in Savannah, where I always ask for hot and it is still pretty mild.  I forgot that South African Curry Hot means HOT!  Still, it was most delicious, and the presentation was great.

Last Sunday night we catered our Auction Item Dinner from the 2010 Chef's Table Dinner.  We partnered with Tim Rutherford of savannahfoodie.com and what a wonderful partnership that was.

This was a dinner for 12 paired with wine and held at the Green-Meldrim House www.stjohnssav.org/green_meldrim/history/  which is a beautiful house.

We started off with butler passed hors d'oeuvres and a Gruet Blanc de Blanc. 

Dinner started started with a Mushroom & Chestnut Soup with Truffle Oil.  It was a delicate blend betweent the earthiness of the Porcini Mushrooms and the Chestnuts.  The Truffle Oil just added another wonderful dimension.  This was a new recipe for us - love cooking new dishes!

We moved onto one of my favourite fish dishes - Panfried Grouper on a bed of Sauteed Swiss Chard and Cauliflower Puree with Lemon Beurre Blanc.

When guests see the Cauliflower Puree they often think it is either Mashed Potatoes or Grits.  I think it is a wonderful way to have two veggies on the plate, which is lighter when you have multiple courses.  It also causes our guests to do a double take.

Tim paired both of these courses with a lovely little Viognier.

We then served a little Cuvee Brut Sorbet with Thyme.  A perfect palate cleanser.  The Entree was another of my favourite dishes - Braised Boneless Kobe Beef Shortribs with Grilled Sweet Potato (perhaps a little early for braising, but only by a smidge!

Just look at the shine on the sauce - one of the tricks to braising is to marinade the meat overnight it wine.  It is critical, though, to make sure you cook the alcohol out of the wine (and then cool the wine), before you marinade the meat.  If you don't you get that nasty raw wine taste, which can actually taste a little off.

Tim paired this course and the dessert with a beautiful Australian Shiraz/Viognier blend.  Most interesting.  In the European manner we served a little salad after the main course.  Then came Chef Ruby Reed's dessert!  WOW! 

This is a treat!  Chocolate and raspberries are always a wonderful combination.  I so enjoyed the way Ruby incorporated the raspberry into the torte - it was rich in chocolate with a hint of tart raspberry to finish.

Guests then repaired to the Parlour for Cheese & Madiera.  Tim served a lovely Savannah Verdelho Madiera.  A wonderful and interestng change from serving a Port.

PARTY PLANNING TIPS

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to cater a wedding at Brockington Hall www.brockingtonhall.com/, which is a fairly new venue here in Savannah.  What a charming location!

The wedding took place in a very windy Forsyth Park, and then the all the guests followed a New Orleans style band to Brockington Hall.

Of course, we butler passed some delicious hors d'oeuvres and then followed cocktail hour with an Italian themed buffet dinner.

The Family have left a lot of their beautiful works of art and antiques on display.