Clean up to help others.

You plan your event and see everything come to life in front of you. What about what happens behind the scenes? Do you know if the staff is recycling the plastic, glass or food? Being kind to the earth is more than chic right now, it's an obligation we have to protect it for future generations.
You certainly don't want to be running around in your gown after the event sorting recyclables. We recently found this company called Special E that does it for you.

The Special E is a group that rescues leftovers from events. As they state on their website, they'll rescue leftover food and deliver it to food banks, soup kitchens and emergency shelters to feed people who are homeless and hungry. They even rescue leftover remnants of beverage containers such as bottle caps and wine corks and then re-purpose them into jewelry and decorative products.

This is really a great idea to minimize the impact your party will have on the environment. I especially love how proceeds from recycling go toward purchasing food for abused and abandoned pets. They need tons of love from us too! In a time when everyone could use an extra bit of help, this program sounds like a great one.

Check them out at Special E to see if they are in your area. Good news, they serve Portland!

I'm so hungry. Q&A with Jenn Louis of Culinary Artistry.

Today's ideas come from Jenn of Culinary Artistry.  I asked her her thoughts on the pros and cons of serving a plated dinner versus a buffet. 

Plated dinners are more formal and the evening of your event is spent seated. This is great for a slower and more mellow event. For social events, buffets work best as well as family style. Also it is good to take your guests into account. Buffets allow for guests to choose what they want to eat and they can have seconds if they wish. A plated meal allows everyone to be served without getting up. This also gives your guests a bit more time to get to know everyone at the table. Finally, platted meals can cost more since the caterer will need to order more silverware & plates to accommodate for each course. They will also need to have additional servers to ensure guests at the table are all served at the same time.  

I had one more question for Jenn before she needed to get back to preparing fabulous dishes,

"How do you go about choosing a menu?"

When it comes to choosing food think seasonal. That will always match best with the time of year your wedding is and will of course, taste the best. Grilled foods in summer, braising in the winter. If you'd like to add a signature cocktail to your event, be sure to serve something that the majority of your guests will enjoy. Lavender mojitos are great, but don't always span the entire guest list's tastes.

Thanks to Jenn for her simple and easy ideas. If you'd like more information on caterering, feel free to contact Jenn thru her website Culinary Artistry. 

Images by Jasmine Photography. Food by Culinary Artistry.

Please don't melt!

Todays' post comes from Allison of Cupcake Mama.

As a baker, one thing I've been dealing with all summer is the heat! An outdoor wedding + buttercream can be a recipe for disaster. If you have ordered a buttercream cake or cupcakes and your reception is outside, talk to your baker. At Cupcake Mama, I am always in direct contact with my wedding couples, the venue, the caterer, to make sure your cupcakes are in tip-top condition on your wedding day. Most often, it's just a matter of creative coordination such as setting up the display while dinner is being served. Your baker should be willing to work with you, after all, it's your wedding day-don't be afraid to ask!

Photo credit to Urban Edge Photography. Copyright Cupcake Mama 2008.

Sweet Sweets.

The meal has been eaten and now  your guests are anticipating the dessert. If they're like me this is something they'll look forward to. Will it be the classic wedding cake or a dessert bar? This should be a fun option for you and your fiance to decide on. More and more couples whom I meet with don't like cake, so why serve it? Choose something you both like; whether it's your favorite donuts, oatmeal cookies or apple pie with ice cream. Take it a step further and introduce guests to local fair from Oregon. Blackberries and cream or chocolate hazelnut bars celebrate local produce. Below are some samples of what some brides decided to do. Soak in the inspiration, I'll be back with more soon!


Detail of dessert table with local berries.
Square layered cake with flower accents.
Mini cupcakes are becoming more and more popular.

More cookies on the dessert table. Cookies, maroons and more! Yum.
Tall cake with lots of roses in between the layers.
Bright cupcakes.
Simple and elegant details. 

Cupcake tower of love!

Chocolate covered strawberries, always good.
Tons of mini desserts for guests.

Martini glasses make a great way to serve a mouse or refreshing fruit sorbet.

All images copyright Jasmine Photography 2008. Ask before you take-thanks!

Lincoln Restaurant, Mmm Good.

I love food but am willing to admit that I'm not the best cook. I have a few go to recipes when needed but other than that I wonder the grocery store trying to figure out something for dinner. At times it is down right frustrating...I just want to eat! When Jenn Louis of Culinary Artistry told me her and her husband David, where going to open a restaurant, I got really excited!

You see I've worked with Jenn at a number of weddings. Jenn and her staff know how to cater an event. They are organized, quick and make simply wonderful food. Their new restaurant Lincoln, is no different. Its warm and inviting atmosphere combined with the great food and service are going to make it a Portland staple. I headed over to N. Williams St, a newly developed and hopping area, to photograph the interior of the restaurant. It's lovely during the day and glows with warmth at night. All the dishes coming out of the open air kitchen looked and smelled amazing. That night my husband and I ate the hanger steak with onion rings and left dreaming about the next time we will eat the dish.

Take time out from planning your wedding and go on a date. Head on over to Lincoln, Jenn and David will take good care of you.











All images copyright Jasmine Photography 2008. Please don't steal images, it will make me sad.

Introducing Sassafras Catering!

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Tricia of Sassafras Catering. She is upbeat, fun and loves to cook! We're excited to have her join the Simply Chic Blog crew and look forward to tips and advice about catering from her.

Let's start with a some Q & A with Tricia to learn more about her.

Q:When did you first realize you loved to cook?

A: "When I was 6 and learned how to make meringues by myself."

Q: How long have you been catering events?

A: "I've worked for other caterers since I was 15, but have been doing it myself for the past 2.5 years."

Q: Describe your style of cooking?
A: "Unique, Southern inspired, healthy and local."


Q: Is there a limit to how may guests you can serve?

A: "No, but we prefer to keep it under 300 to be as personal as possible without sacrificing quality."

Q: What is one of your favorite dishes to serve at a wedding?

A: "Tomato pie. This is a unique southern dish from Lowcountry (coastal region) of South Carolina. It's a savory pie filled with tomatoes and topped with cheese, herbs and carmelized onions."



Images copyright Jasmine Photography 2008.

New Seasons for Catering.

I don't really enjoy grocery shopping, but it's one of those things that has to get done. If you time it right and head over to your local New Seasons Market, then the whole experience just got a bit better.

The other day while picking up a few items with my husband (we were getting desserts) I noticed a flier that read "Catering". Hmm, I never even thought about New Seasons as being an option for catering. 

Their menu has some great hors d'oeuvres, such as mini salmon cakes and mozzarella skewers with a basil dipping sauce. My appetite is growing...How about the simplicity of a fresh fruit platter, grilled veggies or a meza platter with hummus, falafel and other middle eastern foods.

They also offer a variety of main entrees. The parmesan crusted chicken breast is one of our fav's for dinner. A roasted pork loin with an herb coating sounds delish, as does the grilled flat iron steak. You can buy dips such as hummus, spinach or caramalized shallot by the pound. 

I see this being a great option for the couple who are having a small, afternoon event such as a bbq in the park. It would also work great for a backyard event where you can pick everything up the day of and store it at your home. 

Of course they offer desserts...yum! Tiramisu is always a hit but you know the chocolate truffle cake will steal the show. Go to their website for info and pricing. I'm heading to the store now to get something eat!

Choosing the right espresso caterer for your wedding

So you’ve decided to have a personal espresso experience catered at your wedding. You were looking for more than just the standard brewed coffee because being from the Northwest; you are serious about your espresso! Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your espresso caterer.

1. What coffee does your prospective espresso caterer serve?
You should choose a caterer who uses the best beans available to you. These days, there is a huge difference between coffee roasters. Look for a caterer whose roaster offers Direct Trade and Cup of Excellence beans. These beans are the best available today and signify a direct-trade relationship between the roaster and coffee grower. Here in Portland, Stumptown Coffee Roasters has garnered worldwide attention for their COE beans and direct trade practices that are instrumental to the third wave of coffee.

2. Does your prospective coffee caterer use advanced techniques during espresso preparation?
It takes a lot skill to produce a great espresso drink. It all starts with great coffee that has been ground by a quality grinder kept finely adjusted for optimum extraction time. It is then the barista’s job to distribute this coffee perfectly evenly in the basket and tamp the espresso puck level and of even density throughout. The barista should then use a quality temperature controlled machine to produce the dark brown and honey like espresso. Every step of this process takes skill and careful attention. A good barista may discard shots that they feel are substandard. Common problems to look for:

Pre-grinding coffee: Coffee should be ground for the drink being assembled. To save time, some pre-grind the coffee before the event leading to oxidation, loss of flavor, and stale espresso.

Using sealed-bag coffee that is not freshly roasted: Many caterers use coffee that is sealed in a bag and not terribly fresh. By third wave standards, anything older than a week is too old. Ask your prospective caterer what their coffee’s time window is for peak flavor.

Using a home espresso machine: There is a substantial difference between an upper-end home espresso machine and a professional commercial machine. Many caters get by using a home machine because it is light and easy to operate with its built-in water reservoir; but these machines produce marginal espresso and bog down when under the load of an event. Ask your prospective caterer what kind of machine they use. Look up the manufacturer on the internet and see if they sell to the home market or pros.

Remember, not all espresso caterers are the same, not even close. For a big event with espresso-laced memories that will last a lifetime, it pays to do a little research!

-Espresso Arts Catering

Confectionary Vocabulary

So, you’re getting ready to choose your wedding cake or cupcakes. What could be easier? If it looks good and tastes good, it is good – right? Well, right. But here are a few pointers to help you navigate the world of confectionary vocabulary and get the most out of your tasting.

For this entry, I’ll focus on what goes on top of the cake. The most common term you’ll run into is buttercream. This can mean different things. What I call an “American buttercream” is generally made up of powdered sugar, butter, milk and flavoring. This is the super sweet stuff. Other buttercreams include Swiss meringue and Italian meringue. There are slight technical differences in the way they are each made, but they both consist of a meringue base (beaten egg whites and sugar) that is then combined with butter and flavorings such as fruit purees, vanilla extract, and chocolate. The result is something that is silky in texture and slightly sweet in taste. If you’re someone who doesn’t usually like frosting, try this.


The second most common term you’ll run into is fondant. This is basically a sugar dough that can be colored, rolled out, and then applied to cover a cake (and even a cupcake). The cake is coated with a thin layer (usually buttercream), and the fondant is then smoothed over to create a pristine surface. It can also be used to make decorations, or ‘toppers’ as I like to call them, for cupcakes. After years of watching me roll and cut fondant, my four year old describes playdough as “fondant you can’t eat” (a terrible waste, in her opinion).

Now that you’re armed with the basics, jump in and enjoy your tastings! Go with what you like and don’t hesitate to ask your baker questions.


Photos by: Burk Jackson

This Post copyright 2007 Allison Kelleher for Cupcake Mama