This February I had the opportunity to go to Thailand.  I had always felt so so about Thai food and was more curious about the culture and landscape, not to mention the summer weather conditions.  Ultimately, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Bangkok, the largest city and capital of Thailand.

It was amazing to discover that Thai people are completely obsessed with food and that real Thai food is nothing like what we experience at restaurants here in the states.  I take that back… maybe with the exception of Pok Pok in Portland http://www.pokpokpdx.com/.  Anyway, the streets are covered with food vendors and produce stalls.  Literally 3 per block in the middle of the city.  At all times you could smell something cooking or see smoke wafting up from a street-side grill. The produce in Thailand was amazingly fresh and flavorful with varieties of mangoes and herbs like nothing you have tasted.  After a few days, I left Bangkok and traveled to Phuket which is an island off the SW coast of Thailand.  There, I had the opportunity to visit beautiful open air markets which are set up along the road.  I tried everything I could – fermented rice sausage, mango sticky rice in banana leaves, crispy spiced chicken skin and crazy curry dishes – all acquired using the point, pay, and eat methodology.  Below are a few images from the markets I visited.  For a more complete gallery, you can visit my photo blog: http://settingdesign.tumblr.com/

The class was filled with fun facts for bitter’s geeks! Here are some of the tips and nuggets Sother shared with us:

• You don’t add bitters to a cocktail to make it bitter, as you wouldn’t you add salt to your cookie dough to make it salty… same thing
• Vermouth is fortified wine and should be treated as such as its not stable after opening, so buy small bottles & refridgerate after opening.
• TWO catagories of bitters
  o Tinctures (think- Angostura, Peychaud’s & Bittermans) – a little dab’ll do ya.
  o Potables (think- Campari, Aperol & Fernet-Branca) – less bitter & drinkable on their own.
• Bitters are not distilled from anything, nor is any fermentation involved. They are macerated, or steeped.
• 3 components to a bitters recipe: alcohol, a bittering agent, and flavoring agents.
  o The most common bittering agents are quinine, orris, gentian, and cinchona.
  o The most common flavoring agents are Citrus fruits, with cardamom & cinnamon being popular as well.

by Callie, Creative Director – Lisa and I were in New York earlier this month at the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) conference.  We were there to teach a session about creating “Signature Style” for your event.  Luckily, we also had the opportunity to attend other sessions happening at the conference. From the start, I had my eye on a really amazing opportunity – a “behind the scenes” tour of Saveur Magazine lead by Todd Coleman, Executive Food Editor (and personal hero!).  Being a freelance food/photo stylist (as my weekend job), I have been following food magazines closely for years.  When Todd Coleman arrived at Saveur you saw a shift in the magazine toward a more real and artistic approach to food journalism. In fact, it was a pleasant surprise that Saveur HQ had a very “real” feel from the test kitchen (which was like a big cool home kitchen) to the attitude of the staffers.  In this tradition, Todd Coleman actually takes tons of the photos for the magazine himself right there on the meeting table we were sitting at.  Todd and the Saveur Staff graciously fielded questions from our group about what types of stories they look for, the current trends in food and the rigorous recipe testing process at Saveur’s Test Kitchen.  Behind Todd in one of the images below you can see the next issue of Saveur pinned up featuring an exciting story about Senegalese food. I can’t wait to flip through the next issue of Saveur envisioning the team behind the scenes making it all happen.

Menu items included tray passed Mini BLT sandwiches, Beet & Bay Shrimp Tartar served on herbed focaccia crisps, Duck Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops with spiced carrot puree, Lemongrass Braised Wagyu Short Ribs with maple celeriac puree & green apple sesame salad, Oysters on the half shell, Truffled Roasted Shallot Tortellini with sorrel coulis, and Mini Peach & Apple pies with vanilla mascarpone.

Custom bar tops and risers were built to display beautiful local produce from Willie Green’s and Full Circle Farms, delicate dishes, as well as our house-made Limoncello for a signature cocktail featured at the beverage station.

Gorgeous green and white linens were selected from Choice Linens and our rentals from Pedersens Rentals. Jean Louise from Juniper Flowers graced us with a floral “pop-up shop” in the middle of the action, creating precious arrangements right before our eyes!

Our dessert buffet was quite the undertaking – 6 desserts were featured, with our famous Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches perfectly packaged as take-away gifts! The result was a sophisticated and fresh overall look, visually entertaining our guests as they decided which treat to try first!

Champagne Jellies, Cardamom Doughnuts, Absinthe Lollipops, Pistachio Macaroons, Mini Peach & Apple Pies, Hand Crafted Chocolate Bars with rice krispies

Our goal was to showcase our delicious seasonal food, unequaled service, and creativity, with the help of our wonderful vendors and featured Washington farms, breweries, vineyards, and artisan cheese makers. Thank you to those who spent the evening with us – we can’t wait to see you next year!

For more photos visit our Facebook page  >>  Time lapse video of the event on YouTube

Lemon Ginger Oatcakes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings (about 4 medium oatcakes per person)

1-1/2 cups organic oats
2 cups buttermilk
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup diced candied ginger
Zest from 2 lemons

Honey butter (page 22 in Fried Chicken & Champagne)
Maple syrup

Soak the oats in the buttermilk for a minimum of 30 minutes to soften the oats; you can do this overnight if you’d like. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the sugar, melted butter, and egg yolks. Add the oat mixture, along with the candied ginger and lemon zest. Whip the egg whites until just stiff. Fold the whipped egg whites into the oat mixture. Heat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt a tiny bit of butter and spoon out the batter to make oatcakes in the desired size. Allow the cakes to bubble on the raw side before flipping them.

Stack the cakes on a platter and top with honey butter and maple syrup.

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Seattle Bride Magazine has opened the voting for the 2012 Best of Bride Awards! This award honors the best and brightest of Seattle wedding vendors in all facets of our industry. We encourage you visit the Seattle Bride website and vote for Lisa Dupar Catering and your other favorite wedding vendors.  Thank you for another wonderful year;  we truly get to work with some of the greatest vendors and clients in the Pacific Northwest!

Growing up in a household where chicken, rice & beans were the dinner staple, I never once thought I could envision life without Arroz con Pollo (my Puerto Rican grandmother lived with us – that woman could create smells in the kitchen that caused even the most rhythmically challenged to break into Salsa.)

In middle school, I found my way onto the PETA.org website and my morbid curiosity led to watching every video on how cows and chickens were treated at factory farms.  I shunned meat for almost 6 years (I broke down a couple times when Rellenos de Papa were made during Christmas time-if you’re Puerto Rican or Cuban you understand) until my doctor informed me I was iron-deficient anemic. Meat was back in my life off and on over the last 5 years and within the last month, I’ve decided to completely commit to a plant-based diet – excluding meat, diary and eggs for the first time…trust me, I’m still mourning the loss of cheese!  It’s been a scary decision, much like saying “yes” after being proposed to and then realizing you’re about to spend the next 60+ years with that person (so I’ve heard).  But you know it’s the right decision for you and the bumps in the road ahead will only make you a stronger person.

One of the first things I did was open up Lisa’s cookbook to look for some new cooking inspiration – fried chicken may be in the title, but there are some hearty and delicious vegan-friendly recipes that will be making oft appearances in my little kitchen!

Almond Milk Maple Oatmeal (page 43 in FC&C) – vanilla almond milk is my favorite for this. rolled oats are a great source for protein!

Carrot Apple Soup (page 72 in FC&C) – sub chicken stock with low-sodium vegetable stock

Farro  & Spring Asparagus Salad with Fava Beans, Arugula & Basil (page 115 in FC&C) – farro is a whole grain and has twice the fiber and protein than modern processed wheat.  fava beans and edamame are another excellent source of protein.

Squash Blossom Quesadillas  (page 192 in FC&C) – super super delicious! sub white cheddar cheese with vegan cheddar style shreds (Daiya brand is a good place to start)

Redmond Crisp Cookies (page 217 in FC&C) – yes, you can indulge in Lisa’s famous cookies! sub unsalted butter with Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread or the like and 1 large egg with 1/4 cup apple sauce or Ener-G Egg Replacer.

1 Cup Butter, room temperature
6 heaping TBLS Powdered Sugar
2 Cups Flour, sifted with ¼ teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Cups Pecans, finely chopped
Powdered sugar for rolling the cookies

In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and add the powdered sugar. Add the flour, vanilla and nuts. Blend until dough pulls from the bowl. Make into small balls or “fingers” and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees until light brown. Cool and then roll into powdered sugar.