Accomac Garden Update – May 2011

The Accomac Garden is coming along beautifully and we’re seeing a lot of growth. This year’s garden is twice as big as last year, which is exciting and challenging at the same time! Here are some photos taken from this past weekend. Also, mark your calendars for Sept. 10th. This is the date of our second Farm to Table Dinner at Codorun Farms in York (the site of our garden)!! More info to come on that soon…

Catering Chef Ty's son helping out in the garden! How cute is he??

Two Fun Food Ideas

For your Monday morning, we wanted to share two fun food ideas for your wedding reception or next event!

How many of you grew up with pop tarts as a breakfast treat? Of course we know how bad they are for us, but we’ve taken them for a spin. The possibilities are endless. For example, you could have a Shepherd’s pie pop tart with piped mashed potatoes on top or a chicken pot pie pop tart. You could even do a meatloaf or creamed salmon pop tart! For veggie lovers, a roasted veggie pop tart piped with parmesan cheese whipped potatoes and garnished with lemon zest would be delicious!

Pop Tarts aren't just for kids!! Image Courtesy of the Fresh Fridge

If you’re on the hunt for a fun station idea, try a Philly Cheese Steak Station complete with fried onions, green peppers, cheese sauce, and lots of hots!  You can turn this into a fun action station with a Chef cooking the steaks tableside or if you want to save on costs, let your guests serve themselves (that way they don’t feel any guilt about piling on the toppings).

Have a great Monday, everyone!

Stress-Free Wedding Planning

So, is it your Maid of Honor or is it your future Mother in Law? Regardless of who or what has you torqued up, it’s a good idea to tell yourself “this too shall pass”. It’s important to dwell on the good things that take place while planning a wedding, no matter how trivial they are. It’s equally, if not more important to forget the little stuff that gets in the way. Put it all in perspective and things will work out. Sometimes a little help is needed along the way. Exercise, sleep and proper foods must be your best friends to help calm those nerves and keep you healthy.

B Vitamins are known as the anti-stress vitamins because they help boost your immune system. As you know, a healthy immune system means less sickness during stressful times.

Lemon Balm (known as a medicinal herb) and Lavender Balm help relax you and promote sleep when used in conjunction with other calming herbs.

Have a cup of tea!

Chamomile also aids in sleep, which helps promote a healthy mind and body. So have a nice hot cup of tea and stay relaxed.

Stay away from sugary, fatty and processed foods. They slow your body down, which is the last thing you need.

As an aside, here are some herbs for you to keep in your recipe index to start cooking with for added health benefits:

Cayenne- helps regulate blood sugar (do not take when pregnant or nursing)

Peppermint- Helps with indigestion, bloating and gas

Thyme- Also helps with indigestion and when used as a gargle it helps with sore throats too!

Cinnamon- can help decrease cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels.

Although it may be stressful at moments, enjoy this special time in your life!!

X-Rated Cupcakes

Now that we have your attention, let me explain! Cupcakes have certainly made a huge come back in the past few years, sometimes trumping the traditional wedding cake in many instances. It’s time to take the generic cupcake to an adult level of goodness. Use your imagination. Here are some ideas to help you get started…

*Chocolate Cupcakes smothered in Mascarpone frosting capped off with port wine soaked cherries

*Vanilla Cupcakes filled with lemon curd and lemoncello liquor topped off with fluffy meringue

*Captain Morgan Vanilla cupcakes topped with coconut cream cheese frosting

*Chocolate cupcakes laced with Chocolate frosting, finished off with Chambord soaked raspberry garnish

*Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes capped with Baileys Irish Cream frosting, coffee bean garnish.

Cupcake Wars - White Russian Cupcake (image courtesy of the Food Network)

In a recent episode of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, one of the challenges required the contestants to create a classic cocktail inspired cupcake. The creativity was great. The winning baker created a White Russian cupcake!  She even took it to the next level with chocolate cigars and chocolate crunch balls rolled in 24-karat gold! Here is the White Russian Cupcake recipe courtesy of the Food Network:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/white-russian-cupcake-recipe/index.html

Wedding Bubbly

The champagne toast is controversial these days. My take on it is pretty simple. If the bride and groom love Champagne, then you should serve it. Otherwise, just do the toast with whatever drink you have in hand. We throw away a lot of champagne at weddings and it pains me to do so. You know your crowd better than we do, so if champagne is important to you, then bring it on. Here are some suggestions for some good ‘ol bubbly if you haven’t yet decided:

Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco- Runs around $18.00 per bottle. This sparkling wine is creamy and balanced while refreshing. It has a floral, fruity aroma that’s pleasant and made from grapes grown in Veneto Italy.

Cuvee Jean-Louis Blanc De Blancs Brut- Runs around $10.00 per bottle. You’ll get lots of bubbles with this one. It’s bright and fruity with just a hint of honey. Crafted in Burgundy. A true great value.

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut – Sells for roughly $12.00 per bottle. This one is from Spain and is often referred to as the “black bottle bubbly”. It is the number one imported champagne in the world. This one is crisp and clean with a medium body and a hint of ginger.

Gloria Ferrer Va De Vi- This one sells for about $22.00 per bottle. Sonoma County’s Gloria Ferrer’s vineyard takes the credit for this one. It’s a classic blend of pinot noir and chardonnay with a touch of Muscat. You’ll get big aromas of apple, pear and cherries with a creamy texture resulting in a lasting finish.

Cheers!

Accomac Garden 2011

It’s official! Our garden project of 2011 is underway. We are so thrilled to be able to offer dishes sourced from our very own farm. As always, we will continue to bring you the best in local flavors from other farms and producers in the area. Check back to our blog, Facebook and Twitter as we will update throughout the season.

Potato Chips at a Wedding?

Of course!

Our house made potato chips have been wildly successful at weddings and events. We serve them standing upright on a bed of coarse rock salt with various dippers. We’re now taking those same house made chips and topping them with a sliver of tuna tartare and wasabi, or black bean puree with a dollop of fresh made salsa, or Mango and Avocado. Let’s not forget the ever-favorite mozzarella, a dab of fresh pesto with an added hint of cayenne.

If you’re  looking for something during colder months, put a chunk of brie & raspberry jam on that chip, or go for grilled pumpkin or butternut squash with a maple hazelnut glaze.

Have fun and be creative. No one should have “cookie-cutter” food at their wedding!

Easy Spring Meal Idea

Here is an easy and delicious way to serve lamb this Spring!

Naan bread rounds (image courtesy of recipe.com)

Individual rounds of Naan bread or miniature pizza crusts make for a wonderful blank canvas for you to turn into an artful, delicious meal.

Brown up some ground Lamb and mix in a few pine nuts just before removing from heat. Spread the ground lamb on the crust, sprinkle with feta cheese and lots of flat leaf parsley. Offer a nice tzatziki sauce on the side.

This is perfect for an easy, weeknight dinner. Enjoy!

Wedding Table Design Hints

It’s easy to get carried away with numerous ideas for reception décor.  It is important to narrow your thoughts down to one theme and stick with it. Clean lines and repetition of form is the key to making a statement with your table design. This isn’t to say that you can’t have alternating heights of centerpieces. It is saying, however, to consider simplicity/consistency and ease of conversation amongst your guests when selecting your table centerpieces. There must be a focal point so elements don’t fight with each other and look cluttered. One more hint: Other than flowers, think twice before you implement any other living thing in your table centerpieces.

Spring Specialty Cocktails

Spring is here! Enjoy one of our new specialty cocktails at Accomac Inn.