Friday Find; ISES March Event

Today, our "Friday Find" comes from this month's ISES meeting, which we attended last Tuesday, March 18. The International Special Events Society is a networking association for event vendors and professionals. To learn more about this organization, catch up on our previous blog post, "Introducing ISES"! ISES holds a meeting on the third Tuesday of every month and this month we attended a not-so-normal event venue; Ferguson Bath, Kitchen, and Lighting Gallery. This is number one on our Friday Find list!

• Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery

 

Ferguson's is a showroom displaying bathroom and kitchen fixtures by some of the leading manufacturers in the business. However, this isn't your typical fixture warehouse; instead, customers are able to see these fixtures displayed in some of the most gorgeous bathroom/kitchen set-ups. Take for example, the picture shown above (and my personal favorite kitchen design). This suggests that Ferguson's isn't only a retail store, but a great place to go for décor and style inspiration. After taking a tour of this facility, we sat down in one of the biggest kitchen set-ups for a cooking demo and tasting by Village Pantry Catering. Which brings us to our next Friday Find.

• Village Pantry Catering's Chocolate Dipped Palmiers

 

 

How have we not heard about this dessert before?! Village Pantry's Pastry Chef, Sarah Bepler, gave us the scoop on how to make this seriously delicious treat and we're here to share the secret!

• Take a sheet of puffed pastry and cut it in half
• Dust each half with granulated sugar
• Fold 2 inches from both ends inwards and then fold both ends again (the sheet will be folded in fourths lengthwise)
• Dust again with granulated sugar
• Cut each half sheet into 6, 1-inch sections of the puff pastry and then lay on a cookie sheet lined with parchment
• Bake at 350 for 5 to 6 minutes (until they start to brown)
• Then flip them over and bake an additional 4 to 5 minutes on the other side (when they're done, they will puff up like little hearts.)

Once you have your pastry baked, you then dip the ends into melted dark chocolate and set them on a sheet of parchment until the chocolate cools. Now, you start working on the vanilla whipped cream.

• Take 1 quart of heavy whipping cream, 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• Whip these ingredients with an electric mixer until it starts to form stiff peaks

Then using a piping bag with a pastry tip, Village Pantry informs us to pipe the whipped cream on the underside of each palmier and sandwich it together with another palmier. This should make a total of six sandwiches. At the end, you can dust with powdered sugar. Thanks for the recipe, Village Pantry!

This dessert isn't the only thing Village Pantry showed us how to make, which brings us to the next item on our list!

• There's more pasta sauces available than marinara and alfredo

 

Chef Larry of Village Pantry Catering performed a cooking demo of, what they call, the three "mother sauces." Starting off by creating a roux with flour, butter, and cream, he created a basic white sauce, which can then be turned into some secondary sauces. These secondary sauces included pesto cream, Cajun cream,  and alfredo, which let me tell you, were delicious!

He then demonstrated a basic brown sauce, by again making a roux of flour and butter. But this time he added shallots and allowed it to cook longer than the white sauce (creating the brown color). To finalize the brown sauce, he added beef stock and voilà! The secondary sauces of Swedish sauce and marsala were created!

We were impressed with how easy these sauces were to create! To learn more about how to make these incredible sauces visit Village Pantry's blog!

Along with Village Pantry, Epitome Bartending also made an appearance at this month's ISES event.

• Epitome Bartending's Martinez

 

 

Now this drink is no stranger to us, as Epitome Bartending provided the recipe for it in our January "Drinks for Thought" post. However, we had never tried this drink before, until now! This classic version of a martini was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. With 2 parts of Sweet Vermouth, 1 part London Dry Gin, 1/4 part Maraschino Liqueur and then a dash or two of orange bitters, this drink was not your normal martini! See for yourself by checking out our previous blog post to learn more on how to make this dangerously good drink.

A special thanks to Pottinger Photography for the great pictures!

Want to take part in these ISES meetings? Take a look at the ISES website to find out how to become a member.

Food for Thought; Elegant Fare

Every Friday, we have decided to post a "Food for Thought' segment, where we introduce a local caterer or baker asking them to share their story and some wedding insights to our readers. This week we are taking readers on an Elegant escape as they read about one of the classiest catering companies in town, Elegant Fare.

We call this catering company “classy” because they have catered to a number of higher-end, upper-class celebrities and heads of states, including Elton John, the Dahli Lama, and US Presidents and Vice Presidents. We feel honored to have even interviewed this catering team! Let us introduce you to Nigel Chalkley, Chief Operating Officer of Elegant Fare.

Nigel explained that Elegant Fare started off as a company offering frozen dinners to businesses over 30 years ago. Today, Elegant Fare has grown into a business which caters one of the largest sporting events in the state of Ohio, the Western & Southern US Open Tennis Tournament. In 2013, this event had 185,000 attendees.

Working large sporting events isn’t the only service Elegant Fare has to offer. This company also caters towards brides’ food and planning needs. “Elegant Fare offers so much more than just the catering & services, we walk the bride through the whole process from initial contact, menu development, a tasting at our commissary with tour of kitchen and culinary departments if requested,” Nigel explained. “We have strong relationships with many of the finest events specialists and vendors in the industry from florists to limo services. We are always available to spend time with our brides to discuss their options all the way through to their event. Our knowledgeable sales associate from conception to execution of the event will be there to make sure every detail goes as planned so we can always exceed the client’s expectations.”

That’s not all! What also makes this company so unique is the fact that all staff members are hired and trained by in-house management to ensure quality. That’s right; they don’t use a temp agency for their staff!

After winning multiple awards over the years, including Best Caterer and Best Service, it’s no surprise that Elegant Fare treats its brides like queens.

 

However, every queen needs some advice every now and then and Nigel is here to offer it! “Go with what makes YOU happy,” he suggested while discussing reception food. “Select the food around your ethnicity, your theme or your personal tastes. Don’t worry too much about every other individual guest, they are there because they love you and will always have a great time and [will] enjoy what you selected for them.”

Want your guests to rave about your reception food for years to come? Contact Elegant Fare at 513-552-1340 or stop by and visit them at 2575 Commerce Blvd. in Cincinnati.

Pictures provided by Elegant Fare's Facebook.

Food for Thought Friday; McHale's Events and Catering

Every Friday, we have decided to post a "Food for Thought' segment, where we introduce a local caterer or baker asking them to share their story and some wedding insights to our readers. This week we are McLovin' some McHale's! We spoke with Jeff Schachleiter, General Manager of McHale's Events and Catering, to learn how this McAwesome McBusiness McStarted (OK- I'm done J)

 

Jeff explained that the owner of this catering business, Chuck McHale, started in the grocery business in the late 70s, eventually selling his grocery stores to Remke Markets. Soon after, he purchased his Florence store back and turned it into a catering company. After this transition into the catering world, business flourished. Chuck found himself purchasing more and more space to create a Banquet Facility, which now features six banquet rooms and a nearly 4,000 square-foot state-of-the-art kitchen. Today, McHale’s Catering operates the Grand, Pinnacle, Marquise, Gardens of Park Hills, and The Florentine. Along with this, they won Best Catering and Chef Chris Weist won Best Chef in NKY Magazine’s Best of Northern Kentucky for two years in a row!

Along with being an award-winning company, McHale’s Events and Catering also gets The Center’s stamp of wedding approval. Knowing that brides can constantly change their needs, Jeff said McHale’s offers “over 25 different napkin colors, multiple centerpiece vases, 3 different under and overlay linens, [and] even chair covers and bows.” My, oh my, we can already see the blank canvas of The Center come to life!

 

"As for catering, we are also able to move into any space and create a successful event," Jeff said. "We provide an event planner to ensure all details are communicated properly. We will also provide a banquet manager to run your event evening. They are solely dedicated to ensuring the success of your event and making sure your experience is nothing less than perfection."

How else is McHale's Catering going to help make sure your wedding night is a success ? By helping you transform the venue space of course! Jeff said his favorite part of catering weddings is being able to turn any space into an event.“I like taking the brides' ideas and running with it. This year was our first year working at The Center. The Center is a very unique space, with our help we were able to transform this venue into exactly what the bride wanted.”

Transforming an event space is something we like to hear! But let’s not stray away from the “food” portion of this “Food for Thought.” Award winning Chef Chris Weist provided us with a recipe of one of his favorite meals; fire roasted tomato soup.

“I picked this soup because it can be used for lunch, dinner or how we love to serve it; in a small shot with a bite of your favorite grilled cheese,” Chef Chris said.

Here is how you make it!

·         Olive oil for roasting and starting vegetables for soup

·         1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

·         1 medium carrot diced

·         3 ribs celery

·         2 cloves garlic, minced, or 5 to 8 cloves roasted garlic

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         2# hearty Ripe tomatoes (meaty thick skin) (plums, or small round)

·         1 (32-ounce) box chicken broth, or 4 cups of homemade chicken stock

·         1 tsp ground fennel

·         ¼ tsp paprika

·         1 lime cut into wedges

·         Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         Extra Virgin Olive oil to drizzle

“Light your fire, let it burn down to a nice bed of coals with some flame to char tomatoes. Rub tomatoes lightly with olive oil and place on a grate or basket close enough to flame that skin chars nicely (15-30 minutes). In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and sauté 5-6 minutes. Add salt, ground fennel and smoked paprika, sauté, and [in an] additional 1-2 minutes, add tomatoes, stock and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. Using an immersion blender or food mill puree until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with fresh lime to squeeze on top.”

When he said fire roasted, he meant it!

Not a tomato soup fan? Jeff gave us some advice on what types of foods brides should generally provide at their reception.

“I always suggest to my brides to think simply. Unique foods can be great but always remember you’re feeding a bulk of people. Everyone enjoys foods they are comfortable with. Stick with your major protein items such as beef, pork and/or chicken. Provide some sort of pasta that will appeal to your vegetarians. I always like a potato dish that is simple, again [large] crowds like simple. Then lastly, provide a very common salad, with a dressing that everyone can enjoy.”

Want to hear more advice from Jeff and Chef Chris? Contact McHale’s Catering at (859) 442-7776 or email Jeff at Jschachleiter@mchalescatering.com.
 
Pictures provided by McHale's Catering and Events Facebook.

Food for Thought Friday; Vertigo Catering

Every Friday, we have decided to post a "Food for Thought" segment, where we introduce a local caterer or baker asking them to share their story and some wedding insights to our readers. Our post today puts a spin on the wedding world as we talked to Chef Stephen Spyrou of Vertigo Catering to learn about the company’s background while gaining some dizzingly (yes, I made this word up) reception food advice.

Vertigo Catering works a wide range of events from private in-home parties to church functions and graduations. However, this company didn’t start out as a multi-events business; Stephen explained it began as a part-time personal chef service while he was transitioning out of culinary school. After catering a number of private home parties where he would prepare 8-10 courses all based within the same theme, Chef Stephen decided to take his business to the next level. Since 2011, Vertigo Catering has catered a number of events from smaller get-togethers to large corporate events of 500 guests. 



Chef Stephen

With a name like "Vertigo," Chef Stephen and his team like to say that his company provides, “a dizzying sensation of the taste buds.”

While some of Stephen’s favorite meals to prepare focus around Italian, Mexican Fare and comfort foods, we can see how our taste buds would be spiraling!
 
Vertigo Catering isn't just on a roll in Cincinnati; it also has a large number of resources available in Dayton as well. These two cities allow Chef Stephen and the Vertigo team to take on challenging events while picking up some pointers for the future. According to Stephen, being in two cities allows the team to stay ahead of the game and create some "awesome" events down the road.
 
So what type of "awesome" events is Vertigo creating? Along with graduations and parties, Chef Stephen looks forward to catering weddings!
 
"Every couple is unique and awesome in their own way, and they always bring that to the table. It is always an honor when a client picks us. We know how important their wedding day is to them and know they are putting a lot of trust in us to execute it. We take a lot of pride in what we do and always strive to please the bride and groom, as well as their families," Chef Stephen exclaimed!
 
With a catering business that focuses on creating a "wedding menu that is as unique as [its] clients," who wouldn't want to take Vertigo Catering for a spin?

Worried this dual-city business might be too busy for your event? Don't stress! Chef Stephen explained his company never takes on more than 2 weddings in a weekend, allowing him and his staff to spend ample time with the bride and groom. "Our small staff allows us to develop relationships with our clients so we can better assist you on your wedding day. We strive to keep open communication with our clients throughout the entire planning process."
 
Chef Stephen leaves us with one piece of advice for future brides when deciding on reception foods:

"The best advice I can give to any bride is to focus on what YOU want to serve at your wedding. Weddings are a time to celebrate you and your fiancé coming together (cliché, but true)! I see a lot of brides paying attention to details of centerpieces, colors, dress selections, favors, and decorations. Take your menu to that same level and customize it to reflect you and your fiancé. Do you have a story of the two of you that revolves around food? Work it in! Do you have food that you LOVE and takes you back to a certain time in your life? Share it! As we always say, 'You didn't settle on your significant other, don't settle on your wedding food!'"

Thanks for the whirling tips, Vertigo Catering!

Want to learn more about Vertigo Catering and their twirling treats? Visit their website at http://www.vertigocatering.com/ or call them at (513) 312-7137.
 
Pictures provided by Vertigo Catering's new menu and Vertigo's Facebook page.

 

Opening Day Parade 2013

A little cooler this year than last, but Reds fans came out in great numbers for the 2013 Reds Opening Day Parade. Once again, we were able to watch from The Center's window overlooking Fountain Square! Scroll down to see what we were able to see from the west side of the Ballroom!  

 

George Foster, the Grand Marshal of the 2013 parade

Bronson Arroyo

The Vintage Reds making their way down Fifth Street

Cincinnati Circus performers

Mayor Mark Mallory

Special thanks to Corey Stevens for providing us with some great shots (much better than our cell phone images above) of the parade as well! You can find Corey on Twitter @coreystevens88

Too cute!

 

Frisch's! You have seen the new Great American Ballpark menu, right?

This space could be yours for Opening Day 2014!

The view of Fifth Street from the east side of the Ballroom. What a pretty day!

 

We'd also like to give a special shout out to our friends at ArtWorks who participated in this year's parade! It looked like everyone was having fun!

 

The Center Photo Shoot

A huge Thank You! to Nancy Dawson with BrideFace and Patrick Clark with Shelby Street Photography for helping update our look on www.thecentercincinnati.com. (The new headshots will be published soon, along with recent reviews and more images from our fantastic events!) Here is your sneak peak!

 



Sam, Alana, and Shannon in front of The Center

Shannon

Alana

Sam

Alana, Shannon and Sam

The Event Coordinators strike a "Charlie's Angels" pose

Corporate Winter Party 2012

Decor

Check out these awesome pictures taken by Nathan Peel Photography at the Winter Party held at The Center last week! The decor was courtesy of Entertainment Unlimited Events and Prime Time Party Rental and Cincy Event Planning was a huge help in making all of the pre-party arrangements!

The event was catered by Village Pantry Catering and Party Pleasers provided the DJ services for the evening. The party also featured Fortune Tellers, Valet Coffee, and guests made donations to Toys for Tots. Scroll down through the pictures to find images of the stunning decor, cupcakes from Frost Cupcake Bar and our pub-inspired Beer Tasting room!  








The white trees lining the back wall of the ballroom added a simple and elegant look to the room. The amber uplighting created a warm and cozy feeling and made for a relaxing evening for guests to unwind after work!









Our champagne chiavari chairs are perfect in the space! (I'm only a little biased.)





And no event at The Center would be complete without an amazing "Wow" factor at the bar. Entertainment Unlimited Events delivered in a big way!






















Cupcakes

Frost Cupcake Bar provided a beautiful spread of delicious sweets and also brought an interactive element to the party!


















Beer Tasting

The beer tasting offering Nut Brown, Winter Ale, and Stout from Mt. Carmel Brewing was a big hit in this pub-inspired side room!