Yes, you can bring the bakery to your wedding!  Enjoy Cupcakes not only creates delicious cupcakes, but they can also serve them from this adorable vintage Shasta trailer.  Oh, how I wish they’re in the East Coast.  Photos were taken by Jose Villa.

Have a happy and delicous Valentine’s Day!

Belle Mer offers free private menu tasting for the bride and groom.  Belle Mer no longer has a menu that you can choose from.  Their new “custom menu” works differently.

First, we discussed the type of menu we like for the wedding with our assigned Belle Mer event coordinator.  The Belle Mer culinary team then created a menu proposal based on what we discussed.  We were able to make changes or add or subtract items from the proposed menu until the tasting.  Note that the Belle Mer culinary team likes to create their own version of the usual items, like duck sauce for example.  They won’t provide the regular duck sauce you can get from the grocery store, they create their own duck sauce.

When we didn’t like an item, the chef discussed with us possible alternatives.  We then had to trust them to create something better or at least something we may like, as we would not be able to taste those alternatives as per Belle Mer policy.

Before I start saying what I thought about the food, I just want to say that I’m not a food connoisseur and my description of the food is not very good.

Now on to the food (click on images to enlarge)…

BUTLER-PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES:

Vegetable Fresh Rolls with Cucumber Dipping Sauce

I’m not a vegetable fan and I don’t like cucumber, so this wasn’t my favorite.  But it was a good vegetable option.  There was a good amount of vegetables and the wrap tasted great.

BLT on a Savory Spoon

This was John’s favorite and my second favorite.  The spoon was edible, but it wasn’t crispy as I was hoping it to be.  The portion was really really tiny.

Kumomoto Oysters with Spicy Mignonenette Gelle & Smoked Sea Salt

Oysters are my favorite, but I didn’t like these oysters too much.  I couldn’t taste much of the oysters, the taste of the Mignonette Gelle was too overpowering.  It didn’t help that the oysters were tiny too.  So we told the chef to replace the gelle with cocktail sauce.  The chef told us she’ll create something similar to cocktail sauce.

Lamb Noisette on a Rosemary Spear with Lemon Mint Aioli

This was my favorite hors d’oeuvre.  The lamb was cooked just right and the lemon mint aioli perfectly complements the meat.  It was a good portion too.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Filet with Sweet Corn Relish

The chicken was tender and juicy.  It was really good.  However, I didn’t like the sweet corn relish (I’m not a relish fan) so we asked the chef to propose another garnish.  The portion size was big.

Bacon Dusted Sea Scallops with Red Pepper Jelly

John and I love bacon and scallops.  And Belle Mer’s version of the Scallops Wrapped in Bacon hors d’oeuvre is the bacon dusted scallops.  We loved it, but I didn’t like the red pepper jelly.  I thought it was too sweet and didn’t go well with the seafood.

Grilled Littleneck Clams with Spicy Parsley-Garlic Butter

I like the Spicy Parsley-Garlic Butter on the clams.  Unfortunately, the clams were chewy so we didn’t go with it.

COCKTAIL DISPLAY

We are having a Far East Experience cocktail display and requested some Filipino items included.  Belle Mer usually don’t include cocktail display items at the tasting, but I requested some of the Filipino items and here they are…

Pinoy Pork BBQ

The pork was tender and juicy and flavorful.  However the sauce was more on the sweet side and tasted more like teriyaki instead of barbecue sauce.

Lumpiang Shanghai with Duck Sauce

Lumpiang Shanghai is the Filipino version of an eggroll.  The eggroll was great, but the Belle Mer duck sauce was very sweet.  I had to ask the sauce changed.  I really wanted the regular Chinese duck sauce, but they create their own duck sauce so they said they’ll tweak it to make it less sweet.  Hopefully it will turn out more like the regular duck sauce.

SOUP

John and I both love New England clam chowder so we requested that to be included in our menu.  But the chef suggested something lighter, as New England clam chowder might be too heavy for a Spring day wedding.  So here are the soup we had…

New England Shellfish Bisque with Pernod and Red Pepper Rouille

It was very “seafood-y” in a good way, but still not as good as a New England clam chowder.  It is lighter and it didn’t have anything in it, just soup.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons

It tasted good, but it wasn’t something we would order over some soups that we regularly order.

SALAD

Caesar Salad with Baby Green & Red Romaine with Ciabatta Crostini and Parmegiano Reggiano

It was good and Caesar Salad is the only salad that I eat, so we went with this of course.

Field Greens & Watercress Salad with Haricot Vert, Shaved Red Onion, and Creamy Cucumber Dressing

I thought there weren’t enough dressing on it.  But it was alright.

INTERMEZZO

Champagne and Lemon Intermezzo

The lemon intermezzo was creamy while the champagne is more “icy.”  John preferred the lemon, I preferred the champagne.  So we decided to get small scoops of both.

ENTREE

The entree portion of the tasting was my favorite, even though I was already full by then. All the entrees were delicious! It makes me hungry now just thinking about them.

Olive Oil Poached Free Range Chicken with Crispy Pistachio Crust + Parsnip Puree & Bay Scallops Sautee with Garden Peas & Wild Mushrooms

The chicken was again very tender and juicy.  The parsnip puree perfectly complements the chicken.  I don’t like pistachios but the pistachio crust was great.  The peas and mushrooms were alright.

Grilled Filet Mignon with Sweet Onion Parsley Relish + Shrimp & Leek Risotto / Lobster Risotto & Vanilla Baby Carrots

Like the chicken, the filet mignon was tender, juicy and flavorful.  I loved the shrimp & leek risotto, it was creamy and not too seafood-y.  We were served lobster risotto as well as another option to pair with the chicken or filet.  I loved it too and chose it over the shrimp & leek risotto.

Truffled Spring Vegetables + Pearl Onions, Leek Puree & Hand Rolled Potato Gnocchi


I don’t like vegetables, but the leek puree and potato gnocchi were great.

All photos were provided by Belle Mer.  It was nice for them to do that so we only needed to focus on the food at our tasting.  Our event coordinator also brought 8 (more than we requested) sample linens and chargers for us to look at!  She was very helpful and very responsive.

A restaurant after my heart.  Can you guess what restaurant is this menu from?

Do you want something different other than the usual cookie or candy or almond favors?  Let me give you a suggestion.  Parisian macarons come in many flavors and colors.  Not only do they look delicious, they taste delectable too!  They’re also a delight to photograph.

 

Visit your local French bakery or make them yourself.

Read on…

Indulge your guests’ sweet tooth with a candy buffet. Not only are they delightful edible treats, they can also serve as favors as much as party decoration. When we think candies, we think kids or casual or fun. But nowadays, more formal gatherings such as weddings feature candy buffets as well. Thanks to Martha Stewart Magazine. Candy buffets can look anything from colorful and fun to elegant and chic.

Step 1: Get inspired
Below are photos of candy buffets for inspiration. Your wedding venue/location, season, time, wedding motif can play a part in deciding how your candy buffet will look (i.e. candy colors, hard candy in the summer).

Click images to enlarge

Row 1 (from left):
Lollipops and candy sticks arranged in intricate pottery make unique and beautiful centerpieces as well as edible decors @ Rebecca Thuss; The different jar sizes makes this simplistic candy buffet eye-catching @ Rebecca Thuss; Recreating a candy shop is enticing to kids and adult guests alike @ Rebecca Thuss
Row 2 (from left):
Complement your cake with a candy buffet @ Rebecca Thuss; Even an all-white candy buffet looks delicious to a kid @ Rebecca Thuss; Tying ribbons around jars and scoops add spice to a candy buffet @ Rebecca Thuss

Row 1 (from left):
Be creative with your containers like using shells at a beach-side wedding @ Brides.com; Coordinate candy colors to match your wedding motif @ Brides.com; When containers are of the same height, use a stand to add height to some @ Brides.com
Row 2 (from left):
Arranging candy jars in shelves creates a unique shop-like candy buffet @ Brides.com; What a wonderful idea to use s’mores instead of regular candies for the buffet @ Brides.com; Definitely do varieties (i.e. candies, pretzels, pastries, chips) @ Rebecca Thuss

Row 1 (from left):
While the awning makes a good shade, it also is a great added decor to the buffet table @ TheKnot.com; These edible place card holders double as favors @ TheKnot.com; Apothecary jars are decorative in of itself and make fancy candy containers @ Michaels.com
Row 2 (from left):
Candy apple buffet includes fresh apples, caramel and several toppings for guests to choose from @ With This Ring…; Add a sign inviting guests to help themselves at the candy buffet @ Martha Stewart Weddings; Coordinate your containers with other elements such as the candy buffet table and the feel of the room @ Presentpast Flickr album

Row 1 (from left):
Labeling the candies/treats lets guests know what they’re getting; Alternating colors make a beautiful display @ Ashley’s Bride Guide; Add a personal touch by imprinting your names/logo on your candy packaging @ Inspired Goodness

Click here for my complete inventory of candy buffet inspirations.

Read on…

Click images to enlarge

Row 1 and 2: Rebecca Thuss

Row 1 (from left): Brides.com; Brides.com; Brides.com
Row 2 (from left): Brides.com; Brides.com; Rebecca Thuss

Row 1 (from left): TheKnot.com; TheKnot.com; Michaels.com
Row 2 (from left): With This Ring…; Martha Stewart Weddings; Presentpast Flickr album

 
  
Row 1 (from left): Ashley’s Bride Guide; Inspired Goodness
Row 2 (from left): Martha Stewart; Mi Mi Design; Martha Stewart

 
  
Row 1: Amy Atlas Events
Row 2 (from left): Wedding by Color; Vanilla Bake Shop, Vanilla Bake Shop

  
  
Row1: Style Me Pretty, Taste Catering, Mary Basnight
Row2: Details Details, Daisy Pink Cupcake, Personalized Candy Buffet 

Click here for steps to creating your own candy buffet.

I have decided that I need to lose weight. I went to Diet Blog to calculate my daily calorie needs and I was discouraged. In order to lose fat, I need to limit my calorie intake to 920-1168 calories a day. That’s just like one lunch for me! John was right, I need to start working out. It’s just so hard to do it alone. I need someone who will force me to work out and work out with me. Yup, I don’t have that much will unfortunately.

Olympic Fact:
Michael Phelps, a great US swimmer at 6′4″, 195 lbs requires 8,000 to 10,000 calories daily!

I’ve never been a fan of yogurt.  But I always try any yogurt that I haven’t tasted.  I believe it’s a good breakfast or snack.  But I haven’t found one that I like until I tasted fruit and yogurt parfaits.  Combining yogurt with fresh fruits and granola does it for me.

There’s a McDonald’s by my work and I stop by to get a parfait for $1 when I feel for a snack.  Starbucks also has their own bigger version, but of course more expensive for the size.  They are easy to make at home, too.  Click here for the recipe.

(photo from TheDailyCollegian)