Chef’s Market: Your Mother’s Day Gift Stop!

With Mother’s Day less than a week away, we thought it was the perfect time to talk about our Mother’s Day gift ideas! Our gift shop has plenty of  sweet finds that your mom will absolutely love, from our cakes, to our gift cards and unique collectibles, you won’t have to go far to put together the perfect present! So, what’s in our store this month? Check out some of our new merchandise below!

We love these cute yellow cake stands! So perfect for summer entertaining!

The beachy tones of our blue glass bottles and other summer inspired merchandise are perfect for creating a relaxing vibe in any home.

The perfect gift for Mother’s Day? A framed photo of  you and mom! Our sweet, colorful frames are the perfect size for displaying on a desk, small shelf, or counter top.

There’s something about mercury glass that just can’t get enough of! Stop by and check out our new selection and other unique collectibles.

Don’t Forget we also offer gift cards so that your mom can purchase the perfect gift for herself! We hope to you see you soon!

Genna

Tags: chef's market, Mother's Day Gifts

Irish Beer Cheese Fondue: A Chef’s Market St. Patrick’s Day Recipe

There’s nothing we love more about holidays than the food…we’re a restaurant and catering company after all! So in honor of St. Patrick’s Day  we’re sharing a recipe straight from our kitchen and it’s sure to please the beer loving Irishman in all of us!!

Irish Beer Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

10oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar
6oz Shredded Gruyere
1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1cp Irish Beer (Guinness Lager, Smithwick’s, O’Hara’s Irish Red)
2 Tbsp Spicy Dijon Mustard
A Few Drops of Tabasco or to Taste
A Few Drops of Worcestershire Sauce or to Taste

Directions:

Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour.

Add beer to a small pot & bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Reduce to a slow simmer & add cheese/flour mixture in handfuls.

Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches.

Stir in a figure-eight pattern with a wooden spoon.

When the cheese is fully incorporated, stir in the mustard, Tabasco & Worcestershire sauce.

Transfer to presentation or warm fondue pot for service.

Chef Derek prepared this recipe just yesterday on Bowling Green’s MidDay Live Morning Show and it was a huge hit!! Dip your favorite snacks into the fondue for a tasty bite (crusty bread, pretzels, chips, veggies, chicken, sausage, etc)!

Leave us a comment and let us know if you try this recipe! Have a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

Genna

Tags: Beer Cheese Fondue, chef's market, St. Patrick''s Day Recipes, St. Patrick's Day

Spring Bridal Show Inspiration

With spring right around the corner, we went in to designing our latest bridal show booth ready for something fresh, clean and fun. The Sunday show held at the beautiful ‘The Mill at Lebanon‘ was great and we were thrilled to give Nashville brides a glimpse at something different from anything we’ve ever done before.

Photo Courtesy: Johnny Miller

If you’re an avid pinterest fan like me and the rest of the staff at Chef’s Market, you may have seen this photo before.

Ombre has been so huge in everything from fashion to hair color and home decor that once we saw this picture, designing our booth around this concept felt like a no brainer!

We loved the simple elegance of an ombre palate in shades of pink and decided to keep the rest of the look very clean and organic so as not to take away from the color scheme.

Our designer, Ricky Carroll brought our vision to life and we had an absolute blast seeing it jump from pictures to reality!

We hope this look stays around awhile, it would work so perfectly for a super girly bridal shower/brunch or pink inspired reception. What do you think? Do you like the ombre look for weddings, bridal showers, etc? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Genna

Tags: chef's market, nashville wedding catering, Ombre Bridal Inspiration, The Mill at Lebanon

The Smart Bride: Workshop Your Way to Your Wedding with Ashley’s Bride Guide & Chef’s Market!

For any bride who has “pinterested” her dream wedding to death but doesn’t have a clue how to make it a reality The Smart Bride Workshop this coming March is a MUST attend! The fabulous ladies over at Ashley’s Bride Guide have but together a bridal bootcamp that will kick your wedding planning into serious shape and we couldn’t be more excited to announce that Chef’s Market will be apart of it!

We’ve been asked to be an expert speaker at the workshop, which will give engaged couples all of the education needed to effectively plan the wedding of their dreams and avoid common mistakes and pitfalls. As Nashville’s only wedding planning workshop this is something couples will not want to miss out on. Another huge plus? The workshop will be full of talented Nashville wedding pros offering much sought after advice!

Did I mention registration for the three week workshop which takes place March 13th, 20th and 27th is FREE for brides & grooms who register here before February 25th?! Cost for registration after the 25th is $25 for all 3 weeks or $10 per session. So click on over and let go of all your wedding planning stress!!

Photo Courtesy of SB Childs Photography

The Smart Bride is a once a year workshop and we’re hoping this year’s brides will take advantage of this incredible opportunity. You’ll have the chance to meet other engaged couples, hear from Nashville’s finest wedding vendors and learn how to enjoy the entire planning process not to mention the big day.

For any of Chef’s Market’s current brides, we’ll be more than happy to provide you with complimentary tickets to the workshop! Email your Catering Sales Manager and they’ll get those to you right away.

Genna

Tags: Ashley's Bride Guide, Bridal Workshops, chef's market, The Smart Bride

A Wedding Venue with Serious Southern Charm: Hazel Path Mansion

Hazel Path Mansion is the kind of historic wedding venue that will have a bride checking off huge pieces of her ‘to do list’ in one fell swoop. Whether you’re planning on an outdoor tented celebration post ceremony or a small intimate cocktail reception, Hazel Path will bring old southern charm and modern convenience to your entire day!

Photograph Courtesy of Bob Dulaney & Hazel Path

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to tour the house and grounds with Melody Wilkes of Grand Central Party Rental. Melody was beyond helpful and friendly showing me everything from top to bottom and giving me fun inside details, like the fact that the gorgeous chandeliers hanging in the foyer and front rooms are original to the house and were imported from Paris in the 1850′s. Amazing.

Photograph Courtesy of C. Scott Photography & Hazel Path

Hazel Path offers more than just beautiful lighting though . The outside grounds are perfect for a large tented reception for up to 200 guests and the house is situated far enough away from a main road that you won’t have to worry about any noise interrupting your ceremony. Smaller parties of up to 125 can be held inside the mansion itself and there’s also a full kitchen that will make whichever caterer you choose very happy!

A HUGE plus to choosing Hazel Path as your venue is your freedom to use whatever caterer you want for your big day. Brides & grooms are not required to choose from a pre-selected list of caterers, which means you can plan a day and a menu that will truly reflect your tastes as a couple.

Hazel Path Mansion is located in Hendersonville, just 30 minutes from Nashville, so any out of town guests will have the chance to enjoy both the vibrancy of downtown city life and the sweet charm of an elegant southern wedding.

Photograph Courtesy of C. Scott Photography & Hazel Path

Check out more stunning photos of Hazel Path here or go to their website to contact them about your upcoming wedding!

A BIG thanks to Melody for showing me around. Trust me, this is a beautiful venue brides & grooms won’t want to miss out on!

Genna

Tags: chef's market, Hazel Path Mansion, Nashville Wedding Caterers, Nashville Wedding Venues, Wedding Catering

Recipe Recap: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

When it comes to baking there are some recipes that are so good they have to be shared, which is exactly what we thought the minute we made the first batch of White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. We found the recipe for these absolutely delicious cookies over at Taste of Home and believe us, the newest addition to our pastry case really is home baked goodness!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

24 servings – Prep: 20 min Bake: 10 min/batch

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white baking chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Stir in cranberries and chips.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Yield: 2 dozen.

Let us know how these turn out if you bake them at home…or stop by Chef’s Market and pick one up this afternoon!

Genna

Tags: chef's market, Taste of Home, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Food Ideas for your Giants VS. Patriots Super Bowl Party

Okay I admit being a caterer isn’t the manliest of professions.  Event planning, tablescaping, menu development, and recipe tweaking are not topics guys sit around discussing.  With one exception…the Super Bowl!  This is the one time of year when guys are into party planning.  So here are a few tips for you on food from a pro who knows.

* First of all, keep it simple.  Select menu items you can prepare ahead of time.  You want to be in the game and not in the kitchen.

*  Mobile food.  Remember: nobody wants to miss any of the game or  commercials so design the menu so your guests can move between the kitchen and the TV quickly. That means saying no to a “build your own sandwich” buffet, yes to grab-and-go wraps or mini burgers.

Wraps make perfect easy snacks for the super bowl

Cheeseburger, Crab Cake & BBQ Sliders are perfect for a Super Bowl party!

*  Unhealthy is best for the Superbowl, dude!   If you must, add some crudite and hummus as a healthy token gesture.

*  Forego the china and glassware.  Go disposable  all the way!

This year’s match is going to be an exciting one between the Giants and Patriots.  Boston and New York are incredible food towns. For the Patriots, why not serve mini lobster rolls,  Boston baked beans, or mini turkey rolls with cranberry aioli?  For the Giants, feature mini New York Style Hot Dogs or New York Strip Steak Sliders.

For fun, have a Clam Chowder Showdown:  Manhattan VS New England. Or try a Dessert Dual between Boston Cream Pie and New York Cheese Cake.

Individual crudite cups w/ ranch or hummus make healthy eating at Super Bowl parties much easier!

Other than the game, the food is what your guests will remember most.  With a little planning you won’t miss a play and your friends will be asking for an invite in 2013.

Jim

Tags: chef's market, Super Bowl Parties