EVENT PLANNING BOOKS

The Cinco De Mayo celebration is most festive and colorful. Music, dancing and flavorful food makes the camaraderie more special. I recommend cooking a friatta to enjoy during Cinco De Mayo Day. It is so easy to prepare. Boil 1 lb. of new potatoes until tender. Wafer slice the potatoes. Slice 1 whole onion and colorful peppers. Caramelize the onion and peppers in an oven proof skillet with olive oil. Remove the onion and peppers. In the same skillet add a generous portion of non-stick cooking spray, then layer the potato slices symmetrically. Layer on the caramelized onion and peppers. Add your favorite herbs. In a mixer, mix 8 eggs, a dash of tequila and 5 tablespoons of coarse mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the prepared potato slices, onion and peppers. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes. Invert the friatta onto a serving tray for a delicious celebratory moment! © Kelly McBride Loft

One of our favorite places to travel is enchanting Venice. Its waterways are intriguing, its architecture is fascinating, its artisans are gifted and its cuisine is world-famous. Quaint cafes are tucked into narrow alley ways. Arched bridges link the exploring souls who wish to bridge the gap between past centuries and the present. Venice is culturally inspiring with live classical music playing and operas frequently performed. Our dear friends G. & R. just surprised us with a lovely painting of the Grand Canal. In their honor we are hosting a dinner party to showcase the art. The dinner theme is “The Merchant of Venice.” I recommend themed occasions to add creativity to the celebration. Each of the ladies will have a vintage costume jewelry cameo at their place setting and each of the courses will be named for aspects of our beloved V. There are many Italian dishes that are classic and one that is always a favorite is lasagna. Too many times the Chef du Cuisine makes it heavy. A good lasagna should be light and fluffy. The secret is to whip, with a mixer, egg whites. Fold the stiff egg whites into the ricotta cheese, which is between the layers. Also, before browning the ground meat, marinate the meat in 1 part coffee, 1 part brandy and 1 part red vermouth. Flavorful dining moments are destined to be a culinary success – you just have to know the steps, those special Venetian surprises. © Kelly McBride Loft

Baskets are charming representations of holding the things that we enjoy. Hand-woven styles and colors are interesting and artful. Baskets that hold food presentations are most special. During the Easter holiday, I like to carve small watermelon baskets for each individual. The filling can be creative. One of my favorite chilled concepts consists of medallions of chilled lobster and cooked (but chilled) medallions of sweet potatoes. Once arranged in each of the watermelon baskets, top the layering with your favorite chilled salad dressing. It’s easy, which leaves more time for celebrating this blessed season. Happy Easter! © Kelly McBride Loft

Sometimes the best gatherings have no silverware. Hors d’oeuvres are mostly eaten with our hands. Lamb ribs can be enjoyed without utensils. One of my favorite hands-on food is an artichoke. Artichokes create a fun dining experience. Try my recipe of Hallelujah Artichoke for a significant shared table tradition.
Hallelujah Artichoke
Trim the thorns and fuzzy fiber “choke” completely from the artichoke. Wrap foil around the artichoke so that it keeps its shape during the steaming process. Place the prepared artichoke into a pot of water just up to its 2nd level of leaves. Add a lemon cut in half to the water. Sprinkle olive oil over the artichoke. Cover and steam the artichoke for about 20 minutes, until tender.
Prepared fresh cooked crab meat. Keep chilled until utilized.
In a separate pot (double boiler), prepare the Béarnaise Sauce with 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar and 2 egg yolks whisked over the double boiler heat. Whisk in 1 stick of butter, a tab at a time. Add a dash of lemon juice, a dash of white pepper and fresh chopped tarragon.
Add the cooked crab meat to the Béarnaise Sauce. Place the artichoke in a serving dish. Remove the foil wrap and pour the heavenly sauce over the cooked artichoke! Hallelujah! © Kelly McBride Loft

Spring greens initiate a salad spectrum. Salads are healthy, refreshing, colorful and versatile. The preparation is fast and the selections are vast. There is an abundance of variety of greens including Boston Bibb, romaine, “Living Lettuce”, classic Iceberg, arugula, endive, cabbage varieties, spinach and “Artisan Lettuce” such as sweet gem, tango and oak. The addition of fruit enhances the color and the flavor. Add blueberries, sliced oranges, grapefruit (without the rind) and sliced pear for impact.
What fun it is to create a tossed kaleidoscope of flavors and textures. Radicchio adds a delightful pop of purple. Interesting textures can be enhanced by adding marinated artichokes, hearts of palm and water chestnuts. Cheese is impacting such as goat cheese, Parmesan cheese and tidbits of Swiss or Cheddar. Classic salads also include chicken salad, shrimp salad, egg salad and tuna salad. Here are some interesting alternative salad combinations:
Brussels Sprout Salad
Boil fresh Brussels sprouts just until cooked through in water with an abundance of butter. (Don’t overcook the Brussels sprouts.) Cut each in half. Place the Brussels sprouts onto your favorite greens. Top with crumbled bacon and nuts. I recommend poppyseed dressing.
Fennel Salad
Boil fresh fennel bulbs until tender. Slice the bulbs in half. Sear each in butter with a dash of honey. Place the cooked fennel bulbs onto your favorite greens. I recommend a honey vinaigrette dressing.
Smoked Salmon Salad
Form lovely rose and rose bud shapes by rolling slices of smoke salmon. Dust the centers of the salmon flowers with fresh cracked pepper. Decorate the roses with fresh whole basil leaves for an edible floral bouquet. Simple fresh lemon juice is my suggested topping, just prior to serving.
Beet Salad
There are many varieties of beets. If one is not using canned beets, allow for plenty of cooking time, so that the beets are tender. Let the beets sit overnight in a mixture of vinegar and sugar. When ready to serve, place the beet slices artfully on each plate with goat cheese between each beet slice. I suggest a Champagne vinaigrette dressing with walnut oil.
Classic Caprese
Utilize interesting tomato varieties. Place sliced Mozzarella cheese between each. I personally prefer Balsamic vinegar with an interesting infused oil as a topping.
Celebrate springtime with a salad spectrum fête! © Kelly McBride Loft

The freshness of spring is greatly enhanced by fresh colorful cuisine. Contrasting the colors of green and red present appetizing combinations. Spring is here and bland is out. So, flavor up and spectrum up! Enjoy my colorful and flavorful Springtime Shrimp.
Springtime Shrimp
Devine and peel 2 lbs. of shrimp. Marinate the shrimp in lemon juice for 5 minutes. Julienne cut 1 – 8 oz. jar of sundried tomatoes, drained. Julienne a green bell pepper. In a wok, heat 4 to 6 tablespoons your favorite herb infused cooking oil. Stir fry an array of slice vegetables including squash medallions, broccoli, snow peas, julienned sundried tomatoes, julienned green bell pepper, etc. Remove the vegetables from the wok when cooked. Then, stir fry the fresh shrimp until cooked thoroughly. Add the vegetables back into the wok with the shrimp to toss and heat. Pour on the sauce consisting of 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 1/4 cup of Sherry, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (to stir in) and 1/2 cup of water. Stir completely and pour the sauce into the wok. Heat the dish completely before serving. Sprinkle on fresh chopped basil just before serving. Hello springtime! © Kelly McBride Loft

Simplistic planning can be the most fun. Host an improvisational garden gathering with the neighbors as spring showcases its flora. Our double pink Kwanzan cherry tree is in full-bloom! Its pink petals announce spring’s youthful vigor. This weekend we hosted a wine and cheese party with our neighbors to celebrate that winter’s embrace has gone. When entertaining with a cheese and wine theme, be sure to check the date on the cheese before purchasing. In France, the fromager knows his product and will assist. Our multi-service grocery stores tend to have less trained staff that know specialty product knowledge. I recommend at least 3 selections and at least 2 varieties from either the milk of cows, goats or sheep. Vary the shapes when slicing the cheese. Know and understand your guests’ tastes. If your guests don’t care for a hearty bleu cheese, then don’t subject them to a negative exposure. I recently acquired a new cheese board carved from honeycomb calcite stone. It is an amber stone that has veins of calcite that resemble a honeycomb, hence the name. This stone not only enhances the cheese, it also presents candlelight beautifully, too! So, decorate your table with lovely spring flowers and a balanced color palette consisting of the plates, the linen and the glassware. Pair the cheese selections with interesting wine for a fun intellectual tasting. Remember, it is a tradition in Bordeaux, France to drink the oldest wine last. Let’s toast to an energetic spring, dear neighbors and delightful floral gardening that brings us all together! © Kelly McBride Loft

This week marks the annual St. Patrick’s celebration and the luck of the Irish. Ireland is known for its lush green rolling hills and its specialty cuisine. One of my favorite condiments to serve with our St. Patrick’s day supper is fresh mint sauce. Mint sauce enhances the flavor of lamb, veal, chicken or fish. The mint plant is hearty and it has prolific growth during the spring and summer. I highly recommend creating an herb garden during this time of year with mint featured. Mint’s versatility creates a lovely tea flavoring to freshen any sipping moment. Mint can be included in a bouquet garni to flavor braised meats or for soup. Also, mint can transform any basic plating design into grandeur with a sprinkle of a few leaves. I think it looks and tastes wonderful with salmon rosettes to create a blossom design. So this lucky month can begin with a handful a earth and a seedling of fresh mint during our spring green March.
Fresh St. Patrick’s Mint Sauce
Finely chop 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves. Combine the leaves with a couple of dashes of tarragon vinegar and a teaspoon of clover honey (or a teaspoon of sugar). To carry the theme, serve the sauce in an authentic Belik Irish porcelain China condiment dish. © Kelly McBride Loft

Eggs represent new beginnings and are explicitly linked to spring. Children love the colorful tradition of spring Easter egg decorating. Other than our traditional chicken eggs, options include Bantam chicken varieties such as Cuckoo Marans or Cochin eggs. Quail and goose eggs are popular culinary quests. And we don’t want to leave out the sought after fish eggs – caviar. In celebration of spring, a European delicacy known as Oeufs en Cocotte is most appetizing. This is my version with smoked salmon.
Oeufs en Cocotte Salmon Fume
Butter 4 ramekins. Cut a small portion of smoked salmon into small pieces. Separate 4 eggs from the yolk and egg white. Mix only the yolks with 8 tablespoons of cream, then add the smoked salmon. Spoon this into each of the 4 ramekins. Break a whole egg into each ramekin.
Whip in two different bowls, 1/4 cup of cream and when stiff add 1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add a dash of white pepper. In the second bowl, whip the 4 egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the cream/cheese mixture. Layer this mixture over each whole egg in the ramekins and bake for about 15 minutes at 400˚F until the whole eggs are cooked thoroughly. When baked sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve hot. © Kelly McBride Loft

Papillon is French for butterfly. As spring approaches, we yearn for those bright colors and mornings filled with sunshine. Butterfly culinary designs are easy to create and evoke the pleasure of light-heartedness. Salad butterflies are easily created with slices of yellow and green bell peppers arranged in butterfly shapes. Starter butterflies can be created from slices of scallops adorned with colorful shapes of fruit. Entrée butterflies can showcase the dinner plate made from artful slices of apples. Cheese course butterflies can be shaped from your favorite cheese selection. Lastly, dessert butterflies can flit upon the dessert plate by using a cookie cutter butterfly shape to cut petit fours. It is a lovely way to welcome March. As Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Dear March come in!” An unforgettable culinary design makes each guest feel welcome; so, welcome your guests as you welcome March into your home. © Kelly McBride Loft

Shapes are impacting and culinary spheres turn an ordinary dish into appetizing grandeur. The most simplistic are melon balls consisting of seedless bite-size rounds of cantaloupe, watermelon or honeydew melon. These spheres colorfully enhance any starter, salad, cheese plate or dessert. Another concept to enhance the dining experience is to offer peeled grapes or peeled cherry tomatoes. It is easier than it sounds. Just drop the grapes and cherry tomatoes into boiling water for 5 seconds and then strain the grapes and tomatoes straight into an ice bath. The outer skin peels off with ease. If a dressing is desired for the grapes and cherry tomatoes, just gently toss with a combination of finely chopped shallots, orange zest and equal parts of walnut oil and wine vinegar. It will spin your world around! © Kelly McBride Loft

Symbols and mascots have represented clans, nations, leagues and teams for centuries. Could the source of symbolic admiration have started in caves adorned with primitive art skills, have had its beginnings as idealist armor for strength or have begun as the symbolic representation from the first star gazers who named constellations for animal life? Interestingly, many national icons are boldly presented symbology and imagery that are associated with countries such as the rooster with France. Many French restaurants feature rooster images on the menus. If one is able to experience the culinary excellence in France, one would find menu selections such as capon instead of hen or chicken. Coq au Vin is a very famous French entree. Whether the culinary succulence of foul is cooked small, medium or large, try my recipe I named Saint-Germain Capon as a representation of the fine flavors that can be found in that section of Paris.
Saint-Germain Capon
Prepare the hen or capon the night before by marinating the foul in 1 cup of orange juice, 1 cup of marmalade, 1 cup of molasses and a generous dash of salt. Then, marinate prunes in brandy. Chop the prunes and mix with chopped pecans and Parmesan cheese. When cooking the bird, prepare a Dutch oven roaster with a layer of sliced apples in the base of the roaster. Set the hen on top of the sliced apples. Fill the cavity of the bird with the prunes, pecans and Parmesan cheese mixture. Pour on a mixture of 1 part chicken stock, 1 part white wine and 1 part brandy until the liquid just reaches the bottom edge of the bird. Bake the hen, covered, at 400˚ for at least 1.5 hours. Then, pour on more chicken stock to cover the bottom of the bird to the edge and add 1 cup of uncooked rice. Cover tightly and cook for 1 hour until the bird is thoroughly cooked. Serve with fresh vegetables for a delicious wholesome meal! © Kelly McBride Loft

Valentine creativity, inspired by tradition, can spark togetherness – the theme is everything. For example, “Fire and Ice” can be enhanced with Masala tea shots infused with pepper and frozen berry slush drinks. “Think Pink” with cotton candy cones and peppermint Baked Alaska. “Retro Roar” with red velvet cake bonbons on picks. “Heart Throb” with chocolate covered cherries and crème de mint ice cream sundaes. “Bubble Over You” with selections of colorful bubble tea. “Craves and Delicacies” can be celebrated with caviar served in authentic caviar bowls with authentic mother-of-pearl caviar spoons. Host a “February Digs” dinner party which features an archeological theme with each of the courses named for famous archeologists. The featured dessert – hidden treasure chocolate mousse with a hidden cordial inside. Personally, I find explorers romantic. This weekend my husband and I are hosting a British Explorers’ Dinner with each of the courses named for famous British explorers with conquests in different regions of the world. World cuisine abounds but your creativity brings the world to you table. Happy Valentine’s week with your favorite quest! © Kelly McBride Loft

We all long for moments of culinary grandeur. Grandeur may imply complicated; however, there are many dishes that evoke splendid style without complications. Such is the case with my Hallelujah Artichokes. Artichokes can be shared or served to each individual. The versatility includes being served as hors d’oeuvres, as a starter, as an entree or with a cheese course. Artichokes were cultivated from the thistle species. Artichokes are rich in vitamin K and antioxidants and the green tone adds color to our winter tables. What more could one wish for on cold winter’s day?
Hallelujah Artichokes
Trim each artichoke to remove the thorns. Then, completely remove the thread core (called choke) that is attached to the artichoke heart. Wash each thoroughly. In a stockpot with a cover, steam the artichokes with a dash of olive oil and lemon slices. Make sure to prop up the artichokes and cook until just tender. (Don’t completely cover the artichokes with water, just bring the water to the leaves’ edge so that steam surrounds the meat the artichokes.) Remove the artichokes and stuff each with a mixture of 1 part fine Italian bread crumbs, 1 part Parmesan cheese, 1 part cooked crab meat and chopped chives. Return the artichokes to the stockpot with a portion of the same lemon water that will not submerge the artichokes. Prop each artichoke upright. Drizzle each with olive oil. Cover and steam until the stuffing is heated through.
In a sauce pan on the stove, prepare a lemon butter sauce with fresh chopped tarragon. When ready to serve, remove the hot artichokes and top each with the lemon butter sauce. © Kelly McBride Loft

Whether it is Game Day or a Gather the Gang Day, insalata platters are spectrum enhancers of flavorful bursts and sumptuous taste pleasers. Let the anti-pasta colors of fresh vegetables brighten your winter table. For these color wheels of non-pasta favorites, take crudités to new level with a power play of healthy insalata. Grille medallions of zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower and colorful peppers. Include olive varieties and a kaleidoscope slices of red, yellow and green tomatoes. Add green and white asparagus and mushroom varieties. Arrange a stunning presentation with creativity. Offer salt selections from around the world. Offer green, black and red pepper seasonings. * For Robert Burns poetry lovers offer a flight of Scotch liquor selections to fully entertain your guests! © Kelly McBride Loft