Navigating the Tablescape: Easter

Happy Easter everyone! Just a quick post about Easter brunch I had the other day and how we set up the table. I had very little notice to go on for this Easter brunch, so don't mind the wrinkled tablecloth!! I went with a dusty yellow and dusty pink colour palette and kind of a simple country aesthetic. So I started with a neutral table cloth and put brightly coloured plates down.


Then i placed a neutral napkin on top of each place and put our shiny heavy silverware on top. I did a google search on Easter quotes, poems and sayings and found this one by Edna Dean Proctor that I thought was cute

I think of the garden after the rain;
And hope to my heart comes singing,
At morn the cherry-blooms will be white,
And the Easter bells be ringing!

I printed this out on white paper and accentuated a few words and cut it out into a thin strip. I wrapped a pink ribbon around the napkin and wrapped the paper around over top of the ribbon so only the top of the ribbon was showing. Then I secured it with a clothespin. In the middle of the table I put some yellow and pink flowers in a clear glass vase.


I put some cute little porcelain bunnies by the flower vase and they were really the only "Easter-y" things I put on the table. I served mimosas in flutes with sheer pink ribbon tied loosely around the stem.


Again, have a Happy Easter everyone!

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recessionista party tips: $5 coupon from Party Packagers

I am a coupon queen. I love to print out money saving deals or clip them from print ads. I received this one in my email inbox a few days ago from one of my go-to party stores, Party Packagers.
Party Packagers has toys, candy, balloons, favours, décor items and gifts galore. Sometimes I find that their stuff is a little overpriced, and sometimes I find amazing deals. I guess it depends on the location and the time of year. They do have things that I don't see anywhere else though, and I enjoy just perusing the aisles and getting inspired.

So click here for the ad and a $5 coupon when you spend $25 or more. Have fun finding fabulous party supplies!

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party phD: Passover

Photo Credit: Alan

Passover is a Jewish and Samaritan festival and Holy day commemorating God mercifully sparing the Hebrews when the tenth plague killed every firstborn son in Egypt [Exodus]. The Bible says that God inflicted ten plagues upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves. The Hebrews were instructed to mark their homes with the blood of a lamb and, upon seeing this, the Angel of Death passed over them. When Pharaoh freed the Hebrew slaves, it is said that they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for their bread to rise. In commemoration, no leavened bread is eaten for the duration of Passover, also earning it the name "The Festival of the Unleavened Bread". Matza, unleavened bread [also called Matzo], is the primary symbol of the holiday.

Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan [March/April in the Gregorian calendar], the first month of the Hebrew calendar's festival year. In 2009, Passover spans from April 9-16. In Israel, Passover is the seven-day holiday of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, with the first and last days observed as legal holidays and as holy days involving abstention from work, special prayer services and holiday meals.

The Seder
A large part of the Passover celebration involves a feast called the Seder. In Hebrew, Seder means 'arrangement' or 'order'. The Seder is held on the first and sometimes second night of Passover. The Seder is all about tradition and family ritual and is a key component of Jewish religious and cultural identity. Families gather at the table to read one of the Haggadah, the story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt. Seder customs include drinking of four cups of wine, eating matza and partaking of symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder Plate.

The Seder Plate
The Seder Plate ["ke'ara"] is a plate with symbolic food arranged in a special way. Each item symbolizes a part of the story of Exodus.

Three matzot are placed on top of each other on a plate or napkin, and then covered.
The matzot are symbolic of the three castes of Jews: Priests, Levites, and Israelites.

The following items are placed on a cloth or plate placed above the three matzot:

• The Shankbone ["z'roa", symbolizing the lamb sacrifice]
• The Egg ["Beitzah", symbolizing the festival sacrifice]
• The Bitter Herbs ["Maror" and "Chazeret", symbolizing the harshness Jews endured while enslaved to the Egyptians]
• The Mixture ["Charoset;", symbolizing the mortar used by the Jewish slaves while building]
• The Vegetable ["Karpas" which is dipped in saltwater. The saltwater represents the tears shed by the Jews during their enslavement]

Passover is full of amazing imagery, tradition and history. There are many steps to the Passover Seder, including blessings, ritual asking of questions, and the order in which food and wine is consumed.

President Obama added a second-night seder to his official schedule, to be observed April 9, 2009. This is the first time that a sitting president is known to have hosted, and observed, a seder at the White House.

Do you celebrate Passover?

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- drinks

For the beer tasting party, the drinks are obviously the most important part of the entire evening! you want to make sure that your supply is fresh, broad and sufficient. If this is your first tasting or your guests are a little finicky, it's best to stock some easy drinking beers that aren't too wild. Try the first 5 or so on the list for the timid beer taster. If your guests are adventuresome, don't be afraid to purchase beers you've never tried before; be creative and dig deep for some hidden gems at your local beer or liquor store. Check out selections from the entire list here for your tasting party.

Light lager [try Coors Light, Stella Legere, Steelback Light, Amstel Light]

Lager [try Amsterdam Natural Blonde, Mill St. Organic, Kirin Ichiban, Zywiec, Sapporo]

Pilsener [try Steam Whistle, Krombacher, Holsten, Labatt Blue, Warsteiner, Jupiler]

Dark lager [try Waterloo Dark, King Brewery Dark Lager, Heritage Traditional Dark]

Canadian ale [try Kawartha Lakes Raspberry Wheat Ale, Molson Export, C'est What? Homegrown Hemp Ale]

Amber ale [try Robert Simpson Confederation Amber Ale, Fat Tire Amber Ale, Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale]

Dark ale [try Wellington County Dark Ale, Sleeman Original Dark, Smithwick's]

Stout or Porter [try Murphy's Irish Stout, Mill St. Coffee Porter, Sleeman Fine Porter, Beamish stout]

Trappist style strong beer or a Bock [try Faxe Festbock, Westmalle Tripel, Aventinus Ice Bock]

Fruit beer[try Früli, Bell's Cherry Stout, Unibroue Éphémère]

The Set-up
How much beer should you buy? A simple rule is to pour three ounce samples for your guests. This means from each standard size bottle, you will get four samples.If you can buy beers individually, purchase this way, or buy each beer in a six-pack. An idea may be to let your guests take a bottle of their favourite home.

Serve your samples in small clear cups. The cups must be clear to fully experience the colour of each sample and note it on your beer score sheet [remember each guest should receive these score sheets in their sampling bag]. Create a backgrounder sheet for each beer you are serving and let your guests appreciate the history of each sample. If you are setting up your room in tasting stations, set the backgrounder sheet at each station.

Take the beer out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before the tasting starts. If beer is too cold, it will numb your tastebuds to the intricacies of the flavour and aroma.

Ensure that you have water and water glasses for your guests to cleanse their palate between tastings. The goal is to appreciate each individual flavour without skewing the results.

The Tasting
When you are ready to start your tasting, set out the cups and introduce the beer to your guests. Pour directly into the bottom of the cup and fill the cup halfway. Ensure there is ample foam [head] in the cup. Follow your beer score sheet and make your observations. Try using the following guidelines to help your guests make informed observations.

• Look at the beer and observe its colour.
  Colour will give good indication of what kind of malts have been used and some of the flavours and aromas you should expect.
  

• Smell the beer.
  The secret here is to get your nose to the back of the glass or cup. This will bring out all the aromas. If you are having trouble with aromas, swirl the beer a little to generate some foam and try again. Start to think about what kind of aromas you are picking up.
  

• Taste the beer.
  The first sip should be a slow process – allow it to rest on your tongue and envelop your mouth. Once you’ve swallowed, think about what flavours you found and how did it feel in your mouth.
  

• Take a second taste.
  The first sip did a good job of preparing your mouth but the second sip should alloy you to notice some softer, more intricate flavours.

• Share your thoughts and comments with your guests and ask them for their thoughts.
  This is the important part. We all have different palates and our experiences may be similar but never identical.

If you are serving food along with your beer, try the foods after you have made your initial observations. See how the flavours interact and note how the food may bring out new flavours in the beer and vice versa. Then, drink about half a cup of water and begin your next sample!

I hope you enjoy your beer tasting!

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hiring an event planner

Photo Credit: Karin Dalziel

Whether it's because you don't have the time, desire, resources, know-how or nerves, hiring a professional event/party planner/coordinator for your celebration can be a lifesaver. They can do the behind the scenes tasks, hire vendors, negotiate contracts, set-up your event, manage your event and guests and may even cut you some money-saving deals.
If you've decided that you want to bring in professional help to coordinate your event, there are many questions you will want to consider before hiring. How do you know what the planner can bring to the table? What exactly can they do for you and your event? PartySpot.com is really a wonderful resource for all things party. Recently I came across this list that they posted called 13 Questions to Ask Party Planners and being a party planner myself, I thought I would share it.

(1) Will the coordinator commit to your budget and not push you in the direction of things you simply can't afford?

(2) Will the coordinator devise a master plan mapping out all the little details, from announcement to zebra-striped decor? (This will clue you in to organizational prowess and a willingness to keep you in the loop on every matter imaginable.)

(3) Can the coordinator name the best and most original locations in your area (that would be suitable to your party size, style, and budget)?

Photo Credit: Evan

(4) Is the coordinator familiar with the best florists, photographers, caterers, bands, and DJs in your price range? Can he/she explain their strong points to you briefly? (Ask yourself: Does the coordinator seem both knowledgeable and passionate?)

(5) Can the coordinator score you some discounts with any vendors? (Coordinators bring volume to favored vendors; often vendors will reciprocate by slashing prices or throwing in extras.)

(6) Will the coordinator read over the vendor contracts for you? What are some common traps to look out for?

(7) Can the coordinator create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process -- vendors, family members, etc. -- what to do and when to do it? How will she/he make sure that everyone sticks to the schedule?

(8) Will the coordinator handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing?

(9) Can the coordinator counsel you on etiquette matters and alert you to hot trends on the party horizon?

(10) Will the coordinator organize delivery, arrival, and setup times with photographer, florist, musicians, caterer/banquet manager, et al?

(11) For the day of the event, will the coordinator be willing to oversee the entire event by supervising vendors, troubleshooting emergencies, and soothing nerves? Can she/he share any anecdotes that required performing above and beyond the call of duty?

(12) Will the coordinator be willing to step in as your advocate, conveying your visions and desires to vendors when you don't feel up to the task?
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It is important to remember that these are simply guidelines. You may not feel the need to ask your planner/potential planner all of these questions. For instance, your event may not require your planner to handle the invitations. There are definitely other things to take into consideration when hiring a planner. What is their educational background? What events have they worked on in the past? What is their main strength/signature style? These may be questions that are important to you!

Make a list of what is important to you about the event and what you can't do on your own. This can help you decide what questions to ask the planner during the hiring process.
Have you ever hired a planner/coordinator/event designer? How did you make your decision?

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party phD: Palm Sunday

Photo Credit: Eric Molina

Palm Sunday is a Christian Feast Day which falls on the Sunday before Easter.
Palm Sunday ranks as one of Christianity's holiest days, second only to Christmas and Easter. It falls on the last Sunday of Lent and marks the beginning of Holy Week. It is called a 'moveable feast' as it is not celebrated on the same day each year. In 2009, Palm Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday April 5th. This day commemorates the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem before his Passion and Crucifixion.

The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah. In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions. The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

The scene of the crowd greeting Jesus by waving palms and carpeting his path with them has given this Christian feast its name. In the Gospel of John, he specifically mentions palm fronds which were a symbol of triumph and of victory, in Jewish tradition, and is treated in other parts of the Bible as such.

Palm Sunday traditions are long-standing. The ceremony begins with the blessing of the palms. The procession follows, then Mass is celebrated. Afterward, many people take the palms home and place them in houses, barns, and fields.

In some countries, palms are placed on the graves of the departed. In colder northern climates, where palm trees are not found, branches of yew, willow, and sallow trees are used. The palms blessed in the ceremony are burned at the end of the day. The ashes are then preserved for next year's Ash Wednesday celebration.

Figs are sometimes considered a traditional Palm Sunday food because Jesus had wanted to eat figs on his journey into Jerusalem. Some people refer to Palm Sunday as 'Fig Sunday' and make foods containing figs. Click here for some fig recipes.

Palm Sunday is an occasion for reflecting on the final week of Jesus' life. It is a time for Christians to prepare their hearts for the agony of His Passion and the joy of His Resurrection.

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- décor

Photo Credit: Shindigz

Depending on the theme of your tasting, you could come up with some interesting ideas for decoration. For example, if you are going with a domestic tasting, you could decorate with patriotic memorabilia, or if you are going for a beers from around the world theme, try setting up a station for each country/region with a little flag and a fact sheet about that country.

If your theme is simply 'beer drinking' [what better theme, really?] then there are a number of really cute decorations available like the beer mug lights pictured above available online at shindigz.com. Set up the tasting area/room so that everyone can sit at the same table as they sample the brews. The beer lights can be strung around the ceiling, or I like to have a string of lights down the centre of the table amongst snack bowls, other decorations and tasting information. Cover the table with a table cloth [try a paper one so you can toss it in the recycling when you are finished, as it will likely be covered in crumbs, beer and sauces!]. I like black or orange because that is the colours of the invitation.


They also have beer mug candles! These would be great set down the centre of your tasting table if you end up stringing the lights around the doorway, chairs or ceiling.

Photo Credit: PartyCheap.com

Tie a few of these beer balloons to the chairs around your table or make/buy a balloon bouquet with one of these balloons and some orange and black plain balloons.

Party Favours

To help your guests with their tasting, provide a little bag full of tasting notes and tips. Just a plain paper bag will do with their name on it and a picture printed from your computer [try the same one you used for your invitation]. Inside the bag, put a sharpened pencil or a pen, some beer score sheets [depending on how many beers you are serving. if you are serving 8, put 8 printed sheets together and punch a hole in the top left corner and tie a black or orange ribbon through it to keep it together] and a list of terms you can use to describe the taste of the beers.

Try this list:

• Amber: Describes medium intensity colored beers, ranging between pale and dark.
• Balance: As with wine, describes how a good beer should exhibit a perfect balance of ingredients, bouquet, texture and aroma. Neither the malty sweetness nor the hoppy bitterness should dominate.
• Bitterness: In beer comes from the hops. Generally the higher the hop content, the more bitter the beer.
• Big beer: Refers to the richness or fullness of flavor derived from the malt. Big beers often have a high alcohol content.
• Black: Describes non-transparent, deep, dark brown beers.
• Body: As with wine, refers to the "mouthfeel," the impact and texture of the beer on the palate.
• Bouquet: Another wine tasting term, describes the beer’s complex aromas.
• Caramel: Refers to a buttery, toffee-flavored aftertaste.
• Clean: Refers to pure, crisp, fresh tasting beer, free of sediment. The opposite of clean is cloying.
• Clove: Refers to the flavor of wheat beers that often resembles the taste of cloves.
• Crisp: Often associated with lagers and weiss beers, refers to a beer’s acidity and refreshing qualities.
• Depth: Denotes both the beer's richness and its complexity of flavors.
• Finish: Another wine tasting term, describes a beer’s aftertaste and your final impression of it.
• Flat: Refers to characterless, dull, insipid, often insufficiently carbonated beer.
• Flowery: Refers to the flowery aroma hops give beer.
• Fresh: Refers to a beer free from oxidation. .
• Full-bodied: Characterizes malty beers with complex flavors.
• Haze: Caused by yeast or protein suspension, refers to a cloudy appearance and slightly musty taste.
• The head: Is the frothy top layer that forms when beer is poured into a glass.
• Hoppy: Refers to a beer with a high hop content.
• Malty: Is the term for sweet, smoky, earthy flavored beers that have undertones of treacle, caramel or molasses.
• Oxidized: Like wine, refers to the liquid's exposure to oxygen.
• Smooth: Characterizes easy drinking beers with great mouthfeel.
• Spicy: Refers to a distinctly hoppy flavor or the aroma of herbs.
• Thin: Refers to a watery, one-dimensional beer that lacks body or character.
  

The next and final installation in this series will include some tips on what beer to serve to your guests and how to serve it to them!

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party phD: April Fools' Day

Photo Credit: Jonathan Assink

April Fools' Day, also known as All Fools Day is a faux-liday 'celebrated' on April 1st in many countries around the world. Read on to find out more about this day of pranks and jokes.
The origin of April Fools' Day may have had little to do with the way it is now celebrated. There is no real 'first April Fool's Day' to speak of. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, where those who celebrated the arrival of spring too early were dubbed 'April Fools', while others believe it stems from the adoption of a new calendar, where those who hadn't yet switched to the Gregorian calendar and attempted to celebrate New Year's on what was now April 1st were called April Fools. Whatever the origin, we have no come to mark this occasion by playing pranks on people.

April Fools' Day is observed throughout the Western world. In some countries, the jokes only last until noon such as Canada, The UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. In other places, such as the USA, the jokes can last all day.

Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com

Martha Stewart's website has some cute ideas for some April Fools' Day pranks to pull on friends and family including this one where you secure a rubber band around the handle of the sink sprayer so when someone turns on the water it shoots from the sprayer instead of the faucet!

What pranks have you successfully executed for April Fools' Day?

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finding inspiration: drink dispensers

I am 100% in love with drink dispensers and I have been for a few months [ever since I saw it in martha stewart weddings]. i was on the pottery barn website today and came across another gorgeous one and that of course sent me on a hunt for more! read on to see what i found.



above is the original cuteness i saw in martha's magazine. how amazing would this be at a childrens party or backyard bbq or wedding! they are made by roost.



here is the one from pottery barn. it's on sale! i love how it looks with lemonade in it with pieces of lemon floating around.



this is from vivaterra. i like the country feel of it. they don't seem to have any available, but a quick search led me to some similar ones.

have you used a drink dispenser at a party before? what kind did you use?

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celebrate this: beer tasting party -- eats

Photo Credit: Ernesto Andrade

the beer tasting party is really about the beer. the food will be minimal, just simple snacks that compliment the taste excursion you are taking your guests on with the beer. read on for some suggestions.

cheese

many people don't think of beer and cheese as complementary when in fact they go very well together. depending on the beer you are serving at your party [something we will get to in a later post] you can choose a variety of cheeses to match.

• Wheat beers, American Lagers: fresh, soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese
• Pilsners, American fruit beers: Camembert or Brie
• English brown ales, amber ales, golden ales: semi-soft, Trappist cheeses such as Gouda, Havarti, port. salut, Monterey Jack
• Pilsners, IPAs, strong ales: semi-hard sliceable cheese such as cheddar, Swiss, Jarlsberg
• Porters, stouts, dark beers: Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and other blues

Of course this is just an introductory list. to read more about beer and cheese pairings, click here.

heartier fare
try something a little heartier if you suspect your crowd will be hungry. a nice stew or chili, smoked sausages, meatballs or shepard's pie.

Photo Credit: Food Network

the usual suspects +
some people just aren't into having anything but wings or pretzels with their beer... which is fine! some great salty snacks that you can serve at your party include pork skins, cashews, pickled eggs, nachos, ham & cheese empanadas, hard pretzel sticks, chips, popcorn. set them in bowls around your tasting/party area and just let your guests go at them.

you could also try making a few easy flatbread pizzas to have set around. this recipe from Bobby Flay might do the trick for your guests.

something else you might want to prepare for your guests is Cucumber kimchi (oisobagi kimchi). check out this video to see how to prepare it.

no matter what you select as your food for your party [traditional snacks, cheeses or full entrées] remember that the focus of your party is on the beer! your food should naturally guide your guests from sample to sample and not overtake the flavours of the beer you are serving.

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