Today I would like to share with you a specialty drink, the Ispahan Martini. This drink was taken from the famous Pierre Hermes macaron and is a wonderful summer libation! Refreshing and beautiful, who could ask for more?
For more specialty drink ideas, visit www.culinarycrafts.com!
Photo credit ZumaPhoto.
I just wanted to write a little post and spotlight two of our great chefs. They definitely deserve it, as not a day goes by that we don’t get an email or phone call with client’s praise for the great food we served at their event!
Adam is our Executive Chef and has been with our company for over 10years now. Adam graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. Adam’s ability to create new recipes by knowing the perfect seasoning combination for any dish is amazing. Adam is bar-none one of the most talented off-premise catering chefs in the nation. His ability with numbers, times and quantities ensure that every event is on-time with plenty of delicious food! And the best part of having Adam here is when he makes us lunches that are to die for.
Sam is the newest member of our team. He has been with us for 6 months and has really found a niche with us. Sam was the valedictorian of the pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America. His attention to detail and ability in the pastry arts allows Culinary Crafts to produce some of the most amazing and tasty desserts in the state. Sam also handles our in-house bakery and produces all of our Artisan Breads and desserts from scratch daily.
Here at Culinary Crafts we have the most loving and caring staff. I know like many people I have sat on my couch and wondered what I can do to help the people of Haiti. Stacie, one of our wonderful staff was thinking the same thing and decided, along with her roommates to have a bake sale. Once the day and time had been decided what better way to spread the word then on Facebook. Stacie and I are friends on Facebook and so I received and e-mail letting me know of the upcoming event. I quickly sent a reply and asked when and how she was going to be baking all of the treats for the bake sale. I asked her if I could help and had the idea to bake everything at our kitchen at work. Many hands make light work, the same could be said for many mixers and ovens. The day came and after going through our recipe book to decided what was to be made it was time to hit the store to buy the necessary items. It is always amazing to me that when one of us has a great idea and is ready to get their hands dirty to serve how fast the rest of us all jump in to help. In addition to baking a few treats, 150 chocolate chip cookies, 150 peanut butter cookies, 100 rice crispy treats and 200 lemon bars, Adam and Kaleb decided they wanted to do our homemade gelato as well. Adam, our executive chef, came in to put an order together for the next day but when he saw what what happening he didn’t waste any time help get the finished product packaged up and ready to go.
The night of the event came and the place looked fantastic! The goal for the night was to raise $1500 and with the buffet loaded with anything you could ask for, it was definitely attainable. A bounty of fresh home made rolls- if you were trying to avoid sweets, gooey chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles, cookies, and the most popular Caramel gelato filled the room, along with about 600 people. All in all these college students ended up raising $2,300.
We are grateful to Stacie for her idea and letting us be a part of this wonderful opportunity to help Haiti. It just goes to show that no idea is to small.
Culinary Crafts is again setting the trends for “What’s Hot” in the wedding market! This years offerings include our amazing French Macaroon Topiaries…bite-size gems of soft meringue with explosive filling in exotic flavor and colors to match your custom wedding theme. Try.. PIstacchio with Pistacchio Buttercream; or Cassis with Black Current Ganache; or Passion Fruit with Chocolate Mousse….yummm!
People often wonder how new trends develop in creative fields like culinary arts. Culinary artists look to many different places for inspiration, and one sure place to find it is the classics. A prime example of a classic that has caught on in the United States is the french macaroon.
Black Currant and Pistachio Macaroon
Don’t let their unassuming appearance fool you. These jewel-like cookies are a perfect storm of complex textures, clean flavors, and brilliant colors. The macaroon has gained favor with food enthusisasts due to the combination of a crisp, smooth – bordering on ceramic - finish on the outside and a chewy, sweet center. Culinary Crafts is excited to offer this delicate treat in every color and flavor imaginable, adding a subtle delicacy to any event.
Culinary Crafts Dessert Library Display at 2010 Bridal Showcase at the Salt Palace highlighting our French macaroons
Wow, it can get busy fast. That’s why I am already thinking of all of the fun holiday parties that we are going to have this season. We are already brainstorming fun ideas for new holiday sweets for the upcoming holiday season.
How does pumpkin spice gelato sound….or maybe eggnog? Actually I think we’ll do an eggnog cake with rum icing. I know we will have to do our traditional pumpkin praline cheesecake and, of course, the yule log.
I think one of my all time favorites will always be our pine cone cake. Take a look at this picture and tell me who else does something like this! Wow, I better book a spot for our own Holiday Party right now before they are all full….you should be thinking about your own holdiay catering too. Anything from a family party, to an intimate dinner party, to a company party for 3000 guests. I know it is going to be a hit!
So much of our business is about service. We are constantly working on serving others and making each experience with us a great one. This year Culinary Crafts had the opportunity to go serve and build up the community that has built us up for so many years. The opportunity we chose was to work in the Food Bank Community Garden. This is an amazing project that really benefits the surrounding cities by letting people who are in need of it, have a small area of land to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and so on. I live in an apartment and don’t have a patch of dirt or even enough sunlight to grow anything, so I think this is a fantastic idea.
I will be the first to admit that we get to do some pretty cool things in the kitchen. One of Chef Adams favorite things to do is play with sugar. I am talking about using it in a different form then the normal white stuff. When you boil sugar with some other key ingredients it will turn in to candy. It is like making home made suckers, hard candy or cotton candy. Instead of pouring it into a mold like you would a sucker, while it is still warm, use a fork to flip the sugar back and forth over a bowl or as Adam used two elevated sticks to catch the strings.
What is it good for you ask? It has many uses, but we had a party the other night that called for spun sugar as a garnish on top of cheesecake. A simple looking web of sugar can really take regular cheesecake on a plate to a whole new level of Fun!
It is fun to eat, fun to make and just ask Chef Adam, fun to play with.
Mindy
I don’t know about you but I am crazy for chips and salsa. It is an addictive little snack that is great at any get together. I have found a new favorite recipe that has the same basic ingredients of any other salsa, but it is how this one is prepared that makes it special. One thing I love about this recipe is that it calls for chipotle in adobo. The chipotle peppers in adobo add a nice smokey taste to the roasted tomatoes, garlic and onions. It also has roasted jalapeno peppers, so if you like your salsa with a kick this has got it. The chipotle are optional and you can play with any other types of peppers to add just the right amount of heat for your palate. Pre- heat the oven, get the chips and salsa like there is no tomorrow.
Charred Tomato Salsa
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
2 Jalapeno or other small Green Chili Peppers
1 lb Ripe Plum Tomatoes
1 small Red Onion, thickly sliced
1 Chipotle in Adobo, deseeded (optional)
Small handfull of Fresh Cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Juice of 1 Lime
Heat the broiler on high. Toss the Onion, Tomatoes and Minced Garlic with the Olive Oil. Place the mixture on a sprayed sheet pan and place in the oven. Cook until the skin on the Tomato is charred. Remove from the oven and let cool. Toss the Jalapeno with a little Olive Oil and char under the broiler until the skin bubbles and is black. Place the Peppers in a plastic bag and let steam for a few minutes. When Peppers are cool to the touch remove the skins and the seeds. When everything is cool place all ingredients in a food processor, this may be done in batches if needed, pulse until the desired texture is achieved. Adjust seasonings and serve with chips.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Happy eating!!!
Mindy
As spring approches and the beautiful flowers begin to push through the ground we move into a new season of fruits and vegetables. Recently I was able to go to Washington and visit my family and made sure I took the time visit one of my favorite places in Seattle- Pike Place Market. If you have never been it is one place that should be on your list of places to visit. It does not matter what the weather is like the market is always popular. You walk by a certin booth and your nose catches a scent that it is unfamiliar with, you see brightly colored flowers and taste fruit flavored pasta. It is truly an event to remember. Vendors will slice you off a sample of the apple they are holidng in their hand or you can dip a tasting stick into local flavored honey or jams. It is the time where you can find asparagus, fava beans, peas, strawberries, and rubarb in season, just to name a few. My suggestion find something you have never tried before or are less familiar with and experiment with it. Ask friends for favorite recipes using that ingredient and try a few. You never know what you may discover. Happy Cooking!!!!!
Mindy Johnson
