Because there are all sorts of simply elegant ways to fold napkins that can make a dramatic impact on a table setting, we’ve decided to share six more napkin folding techniques with you.

Whether it’s a formal sit-down dinner, an everyday family meal, or a festive party buffet, artfully folded napkins add stylish flair and enhance any occasion. No matter how simply or intricately done, elegant and creative napkin folds transform meals into celebrations.

French Pleat

Fold napkin in quarters.
Roll the first layer of the napkin toward you to the center.
Fold the second layer toward you and under the first - Do not Roll.
Leave the same width of the napkin as the rolled edge.
Fold the next layer of the napkin away from you and under the second leaving the same width as other two folds.
Fold under the right and left side edges to center back.

Crown

Fold the napkin in half diagonally forming a triangle.
Fold the left and right triangle to the top forming a square.
Turn napkin to form a diamond. Fold the bottom point 2/3 of the way to the top point and fold the bottom point back again to the base line.
Turn napkin over and tuck the far corners into one another forming a round base.
Stand a napkin upright and flair out the two top corners to form a Crown.

Flame

Fold tall four corners of a flat napkin to the center.
Fold the bottom half under the top half.
Fold the right half over the left half.
Turn the napkin clockwise to create a diamond.
Roll the top layer toward center forming a band.
Turn the second layer under to form a second band.
Fold the left and right hand edges under.

Trifold

Fold the napkin in half diagonally form a triangle with the long point facing you.
Fold the far left and right had corners of the triangle toward you to the bottom point.
Fold the napkin in half bringing the bottom point under to meet the top point.
Lift the napkin at the center to stand upright on the two side edges.

Peak

Fold the napkin toward on end into quarters.
Fold the right and left edge under and towards you creating a triangle at the top of the napkin.
Roll the right and left edges up into the base edges of the triangle.
Turn the fold over standing the triangle point up with the open edge facing you.

Candle

Fold napkin in half diagonally forming a triangle.
Fold one-quarter of napkin’s base edges, forming a cuff.
Turn napkin over. Carefully roll from left to right.
Tuck the remaining corner inside the cuff to hold the Candle firm.
Position the Candle with the highest point of the napkin facing you.

Napkin folding is an art that is easy to master. These simple folds will enhance your table and delight your guests.

We at Simply Elegant know that an important part of ensuring that your event is a success has to do with paying special attention to the details. Those small finishing touches can make a big difference. And that’s why this week, we’re going to look at napkin folding.   

A perfectly set table is a small masterpiece. And a beautifully folded napkin adds an elegant finishing touch to a dining table. Napkin folding is also a perfect way to dress up your table without much extra cost!

Cloth napkins make your guests feel that the meal is an event filled with moments worth savouring. Intricately folded napkins on the empty dinner plates or in water goblets add beauty and a formal polish to the table.

There are a number of different napkin folding options, and here’s a pleasant surprise, they are actually a lot easier to fold than you may think.  

Here are five napkin folds and instructions on how to create them.

Opera House Fan

Fold napkin in half.
Fold the bottom edge of the halved napkin up about one inch and hold in place.
Fold it back under the napkin in the opposite direction another inch. Continue this pattern until you are within four inches of the top of the napkin, finish with the last fold down away from you rather than up.
Fold accordion pleats in half down the centre with folds facing the outside. A four-inch flat portion of the napkin now sticks out from the center of your folds.
Fold accordion in half with folds on outside; four inch flat will protrude from the center.
Fold the unfolded corners diagonally and tuck them under the accordion folds then open the fan and stand it up.

Bird of Paradise

Fold the napkin in quarters with the four edges toward you.
Fold the edges up to form a triangle.
Fold the left and right points of the triangle to the center and then fold the extended points under.
Lift the center and hold the base – pull the four napkin edges out of the center to create the bloom. 

Rose

Fold all four corners of a flat napkin into the center: then fold four points again to the center.
Turn the napkin over and fold four points again to the center pressing all folds tightly.
Turn napkin to form a diamond. Using one hand to hold two points at front center of the napkin and with the other hand reach under that point and pull up flap.
Repeat at three other points.
Holding center points, reach between petals and pull out additional flaps.

Cardinal Hat

Fold the napkin in diagonally forming a triangle.
Fold the left and right hand corners of the triangle to the top.
Turn the napkin over so that no folds are visible.
Fold up the bottom tip of the triangle and fold in half.
Fold the right side over the left making a circle.
Tuck one end of the triangle into the other.
Place the Cardinal Hat in an upright position and flare out points slightly.

Goblet Fan

Fold napkin in half with the edges at the bottom.
Accordion pleat form right to left.
Fold the bottom third up.
Insert into goblet and spread pleat to form fan.  

When it comes to the art of napkin folding, remember that each napkin fold will suit different themes and styles. For best results use square napkins when creating napkin folds. Well-starched napkins form the cleanest folds.

Okay, there’s no getting around it, we need to talk about… The weather.

Calgarians are a hearty group. We embrace the chilly mountain summer air and we laugh in the face of summer snowstorms… But what’s with all the rain?  The last time we checked, Calgary was supposed to be one of the sunniest cities in Canada.

Ah well, as we at Simply Elegant say, “when life gives you a rainy day, have a Rainy Day Party.”  Just because it’s pouring outdoors doesn’t mean we can’t bring the sunshine inside. After all, it’s family, friends, and good times that ultimately brighten our lives.

And guess what?  We’ve been saving all our rainy day party ideas for a rainy day.  So  now it’s time for us to share our Rainy Day Party ideas with you…. 

- Send your Rainy Day Party Invitations on cheery and sunny stationery.

- Decorate your house with bright and sunny themes.  Make a big sun out of yellow construction paper and hang it from the ceiling or on the wall. Hang a few white, puffy paper clouds from the ceiling. If you have any sunlamps, make sure they’re on.   

- Have an indoor picnic. It’s fun and easy to set up.  Choose a room for your picnic that has lots of floor space and then spread a large blanket on the floor. (You can even cut some ants out of construction paper and scatter them around.) To help enhance the feel of bringing the great outdoors inside, arrange paper flowers all over the floor. And (of course) bring a picnic basket that’s packed with sunny day food – oh, and don’t forget the picnic plates!   

- Serve “Weather Themed Foods and Drinks” such as snow cones, cold salads, fresh fruit, funnel cakes, cold chicken, citrus coolers, and rainbow trout. Or, you can beat the rainy day blues by serving comfort foods.

- Play weather related music.  Stormy Weather, Let The Sunshine In,  Ain’t No Sunshine, Have You Ever Seen The Rain?  There’s no shortage of songs about the rain. In fact, there are over 5,000 albums containing at least one song with the word ‘rain’ in their title. Talk about a flood of rain songs.

- Or you could throw a Movie Marathon Rainy Day Party.  Rainy days and movies go hand in hand. A few viewing suggestions include: Waterworld, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Twister, and Rain Man.  If these aren’t to your tastes, not to worry, it’s easy to find a list of the best rainy day movies. You’re sure to find something there that suits your viewing tastes.  

- Or how about having a Rainy Day Board Game Party? Nothing beats the precipitation blahs like playing a board game. Board games remain wildly popular, and for good reasons. They’re fun and provide plenty of guest interaction.  Who needs to worry about the showers outside when you’re trying to find the money to put up hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place?

A Rainy Day Party is the perfect thing for a… well, a rainy day. We hope you enjoy yours. Oh, and try not to be too disappointed if the sun makes an appearance – that just means you can take your Rainy Day Party outside.

We at Simply Elegant believe in community and in helping one another when we can. We were so taken with teenager Megan McNeil’s message of hope, we wanted to share it with you.     

Just 19, Megan has battled a rare childhood cancer called Adrenalcortical Carcinoma since she was 16. She wrote the song song to lift the spirits of other kids in the chemo ward never dreaming it would soon be produced by legendary music producer Garth Richardson (Hedley, Rage Against the Machine). But that’s exactly what happened. The result? “The Will to Survive,” a beautiful uplifting song that celebrates anyone who faces adversity and keeps on going, but especially kids battling cancer. 

Best of all? You can purchase a copy of the song on iTunes and Amazon.com  Net proceeds from “The Will to Survive” will go childhood cancer organizations, including  The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research, which funds the James Birrell Laboratories at The Hospital for Sick Children and its research into neuroblastoma, one of the deadliest childhood cancers; and BCCCPA, a parents group engaged in support for families battling childhood cancers. 

The Will to Survive will be played on radio stations nationwide starting in September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

There is a Facebook Page called I want to give children fighting cancer The Will to Survive where fans can get regular updates and the website www.willtosurvive.org features the latest news, videos and other information.  The website is www.willtosurvive.org

We hope you find Megan as inspiring as we do. And we hope you’ll consider supporting the childhood cancer cause of your choice in the month of September. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to download the song. 99 cents doesn’t get you much these days. But it just might buy a cancer fighting kid The Will to Survive.

Click here to view the embedded video.

How does the idea of a light and crisp India Pale Ale on a summer day sound? Or what about enjoying a full-bodied glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with tonight’s dinner?

And what if the winery or brewery they came from was in your own house? If you’re a “Do It Yourself” type of person, then we think it may be time that you invested in beer and wine making kits.   

Now we know that lots of people are leery when it comes to the subject of beer and wine making kits. The two main issues are:

1) Beer and wine making kits are overly complex and “scientific”
2) Homemade wine and beer tastes awful. 

So… Let’s address these issues, shall we? 

The truth is that you don’t need a PHD in biology to make your own beer or wine. In fact, basic beer and winemaking isn’t much more difficult than making soup.

And, get ready for it, it tastes great.

But we have even more good news. The best part is that doing it yourself means that not only are you enjoying a better quality of beverage but you’re doing it at a substantially reduced cost.

That’s right, it’s easy to do, the taste that is comparable to store-bought wine and beer, and it’s a lot cheaper than store bought wine or beer. Cheap and delicious tasting booze – what’s not to like? 

Let’s take a fast overview of beer and wine making kits.

As we mentioned, there is a startup cost, but your investment will eventually pay for itself if you are brewing in any significant quantity. The ingredients and various sanitation compounds that you will be buying are inexpensive when compared to a finished product you buy at the store.

Most homebrewing stores or online merchants will offer a beer starter’s set and/or a wine making kit that will provide most if not all of the necessary gadgets and equipment. Prices can range anywhere from a basic $40.00 kit to a few hundred for a “state of the art” kit.  

Plus, basic beer and winemaking can be done at home with (mostly) the same set of tools. You may even have some of this stuff lying around the house already.

With both wine and beer, your finished product is only as good as your ingredients. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to stick with the all-in-one ingredient kits until you are ready to branch out into more complex recipes. These cost effective kits include all of the ingredients and instructions to make a particular style of beer or wine.  A $40.00 beer kit will get you around 50 bottles of high quality beer for about 85 cents apiece. And we believe it is waaay tastier than the “buck a bottle” stuff from the beer store.

Wine kits work in much the same way and can cost approximately anywhere between $70 and $200 on average. (Although wine takes longer to make.)

So, if you were looking for an everyday wine, a $70 kit will yield 30 bottles of wine at less than $4 a bottle. It’s not going to be a world-class wine or anything, but it will be on par with bottles you would pay twice as much for in a store.

Obviously, a more expensive kit will get you a higher end wine.

After it’s corked, why not put your own personalized monogram label on the bottle? You might even want to serve it at your wedding celebration or your next event.

And if you really start to get into the winemaking then you can find ingredients in your own backyard. Wild flowers and elderflowers can make very tasty wines.

But best of all, beer and wine kits can be a lot of fun. And as you mature as a homebrewer, you will find even more creative ways to cut costs and improve your quality.  

Cheers!

Now that we’ve learned that Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13^th, we thought it would be fun to forgo this week’s recipe in favour of a phobia matching game.  

We’re 99.9% sure there is no such thing as a phobia of games – so let the games begin.

1. Cacophobia                                   A. Fear of belly buttons
2. Aulophobia                                    B. Fear of the Pope
3. Gerascophobia                              C. Fear of flutes
4. Oenophobia                                   D. Fear of going to the doctor or of doctors
5. Papaphobia                                    E. Fear of frogs
6. Brontophobia                                 F. Fear of cooking
7. Iatrophobia                                    G. Fear of thunder and lightning
8. Mageirocophobia                           H. Fear of ugliness
9. Omphalophobia                              I. Fear of growing old
10. Ranidaphobia                               J. Fear of wine

Answer Key: 1H., 2C., 3I., 4J., 5B, 6G., 7D, 8F, 9A, 10E

Yes, that’s right.  This week we’re offering tips on how to throw a Friday the 13^th party.

Sure, it might seem a little “offbeat” but the idea behind this party theme is to poke some fun at superstition. 

So along with throwing caution to the wind (and maybe a little salt over our shoulder), let’s throw a Friday the 13^th party.

- You’ll want to make sure you invite the proper number of guests to your Friday the 13^th party. The key here is to make sure that all total, there will be 13 people in attendance.

- Do you have any friends who were born on a Friday the 13^th? If so, we recommend you make them the guest/guests of honour.

- Decorate your house appropriately. Place a ladder inside the doorway so guests have to walk under it when they enter. Paint lots of cracks on your walkway so no one can make it to the house without stepping on one. If possible, remove wooden furniture from the house so there will be nothing for your guests to knock on.  Decorate tables with “spilled” salt shakers. Place pennies face down on the tables. Leave a few opened umbrellas lying around.

- If you have a black cat, make sure it’s front and centre for the party. If you don’t have one, you can place fake black cats around your house that people have to walk by.

- Serve “unlucky foods” at your Friday the 13^th party. Perhaps some chicken wings because of the legend that your luck can fly away.  Grill up some blackened main courses. Turn a loaf of bread upside down after you’ve cut the first slice. Serve black cat cookies.

- Play games that poke fun at superstitions. See how far people can walk across the room with a salt shaker on their heads.

- Thinking of entertaining them with a DVD?  Nothing says Friday the 13^th like the “Friday the 13th”movies. 

- And to balance it out, end your Friday the 13^th party by giving each guest a party favour bag that is supposed to bring good luck. Include good luck charms such as acorns, four-leaf clovers, ladybug toys, tiny horseshoes, crystals, etc…

A Friday the 13^th party isn’t for everyone. But for those who are willing, we say have no fear and just have fun. Oh, and for the record, the formal term for fear of Friday the 13th is “Paraskevidekatriaphobia”. There’s a 20 dollar word you can throw out at your next party, in fact, a Friday the 13^th party would probably be the perfect place to use it.

You’re getting married next summer. Think it’s a little early to plan your perfect wedding? Think again. Venues and caterers are already booking up.

But before you charge out to book a hall, order flowers and create the ultimate in wedding menus, we suggest you sit down, take a deep breath and look at the bigger picture.

Ask yourself what is important to you. That requires you to look honestly at your intended and yourself and determine the expectations you both will have from the day. Should it be formal? Religious? Infuse heritage and culture? Involve family? Only when you determine what you want out of the day can you even start to plan your perfect wedding.

And plan is the operative word.

While it might not sound wildly romantic, think of planning the perfect wedding as if it were a work project that you are overseeing. Set specific deadlines, schedules, timetables, goals, and divide the tasks. Breaking everything down into smaller jobs will make everything less overwhelming and much more manageable.

To plan your perfect wedding, you are going to need nerves of steel and anywhere from 9 – 12 months of preparation time.  Remember, you’re on a timetable and you’ll need to stick to it.

Yes, there’s a lot to do. But if the two of you plan it together, you’ll both learn how well you work as a team on a big project. And sharing and working together on something this important is actually indicative of your future happiness. There will be give and take, and you’ll hit some snags, but it will also be one of the greatest experiences of both your lives. And if things get too overwhelming, you can always consider hiring a wedding planner. A wedding planner can be your best friend. Not only will a wedding planner relive you both of some of the stress but they can save you time and money.

Here’s a look at what you’ll need to do to plan your perfect wedding starting now.  

9 – 12 Months before Your Perfect Wedding Day

Up first: choose your wedding date. Whether you plan to be married in a church, temple, pagoda, at home, etc., make sure you clear the date and time with your clergy.

Announce your engagement in local newspapers.

Set a realistic budget. Take the time to talk with your fiancé (and your parents if they’re paying) about the budget and style of your wedding, reception and wedding-related parties, and who pays for what.

Enlist help. Consider hiring a wedding planner. If your budget won’t stretch that far, consult with one for an hour or two and get some much needed advice and guidance. Then ask relatives and close friends to assist you in specific tasks – choosing the band, interviewing caterers, locating a reception site – look for guidance from them in areas where you feel you really need support.

Compose your guest list. Plan to send Save the Date cards or emails to let out-of-town guests know your wedding is in the works so they can make travel plans.

Reserve your reception site.

Choose your wedding attendants.

Select your wedding gown, shoes and accessories.

Decide on bridesmaids dresses and choose your color scheme.

Determine the theme or mood that you‘d like to establish with the food, table settings, flowers and entertainment at your reception.

Interview caterers, musicians, florists, photographers, videographers and bakers. Get written estimates of their costs. Keep records of your discussions and their bids in a notebook or with wedding planning software.

6 Months before Your Perfect Wedding Day

It’s time to choose your caterer. Remember to get a written contract.

It’s also time to choose your musicians. Once again, remember to get a written contract.

Book your photographer and videographer. We’ll say it again; remember to get a written contract. 

Select your baker and order the cake.

Choose your florist.

Shop for wedding rings with your fiancé.

Decide on your honeymoon destination. Work with a travel agent to book your travel and accommodations.

Select your wedding invitations.

4 Months before Your Perfect Wedding Day

Register for gifts at one or more bridal-gift registries.

Help both mothers to coordinate and shop for their wedding-day attire. Make the most of the day and take them to lunch.

Select music for your ceremony and reception.

Choose readings for your wedding and write your wedding vows.

Plan a rehearsal dinner for members of your wedding party, your family, and out-of-town guests. Reserve the location.

Make appointments for gown fittings.

Check the requirements for a marriage license.

Reserve your wedding-day transportation and any other wedding-day rental needs.

Make sure contracts and arrangements are complete with all of your service providers.

Make appointments for a hairdresser and makeup artist for the big day.

Arrange hotel accommodations for members of the wedding party who live out of town.
Reserve a block of rooms for other out-of-town guests, and let them know the rooms are available. Remember to ask for any group discounts or special packages.

Carefully prepare directions, including simply drawn maps, if necessary, to help guide guests to the wedding and reception, and to hotels. For guests who will travel a long distance to your wedding, consider assembling an information package on fun things to do and see while in town.

Begin addressing invitations and announcements.  Invitations should go in the mail six to eight weeks before your big day.

Give the caterer or other food suppliers a close idea of the number of guests you expect.

Make sure all reservations are in place for honeymoon travel.

Select your “going away” outfit and special items for your trousseau.

Check with bridesmaids to make sure they have their gowns and are getting them adjusted.

Shop for gifts for your bridesmaids.

Offer to help your fiancé select gifts for his attendants.

Make a date with your photographer for any formal portraits you desire.

Make an appointment to have your hair done just before your portrait session and again the day or so before your wedding. Consider including your bridesmaids in a “day of beauty” before your wedding, with manicures, hair styling, massages and makeup sessions.

2 Months before Your Perfect Wedding Day

Mail out your wedding invitations and announcements.

Have wedding portraits taken.

Send bridal portrait and wedding announcement to newspapers for publication.

Make your final choices on the music that will be played during your wedding ceremony.

Meet with the musicians who will provide entertainment during your reception and let them know what you want and when you want it played. Remember those nerves of steel and don’t be shy to voice your preferences, from everything to the volume, favorite songs you’d like to hear and even songs you don’t want to be played.

Plan your rehearsal dinner and a brunch or fun activity for out-of-town guests to enjoy on the day following your wedding.

Purchase special accessories for your wedding-day attire.

Plan a luncheon for your bridesmaids.

Finalize honeymoon plans. If you’re traveling overseas be sure to double check that your passports are current and that you have any and all necessary visas.

Gather necessary birth or baptismal certificates you may need for your wedding license.

1 Month before Your Perfect Wedding Day

Get your wedding license.

Have a final fitting of your gown and make sure your attendants have theirs.

Check that your menu selections and service plans are locked in place with your caterer.

Purchase a special book to keep track of wedding gifts as they arrive.

Keep writing those thank-you notes on a daily basis!

If you plan a formal dinner for your reception, it s time to draw up a seating plan and make up place cards.

Check with your florist to confirm dates and times of flower deliveries.

Review your wedding-day transportation plans and make sure drivers are clear about addresses, times and number of passengers.

Make name or address changes official on documents, including driver s license, Social Security forms and financial accounts.

Meet with your photographer to specify the formal shots you want taken of the bridal party, as well as specific, candid shots you d like taken during the reception.

Review the video plans with your videographer.

2 Weeks Before Your Perfect Wedding

Keep writing those thank-you notes for wedding gifts!

Pick up your wedding rings. Make sure any special engraving appears precisely as you wished.

Begin packing for the honeymoon.

One Week before Your Perfect Wedding

Make final checks with all your vendors: musicians, florist, photographer, videographer, limousine, service, caterers and baker.

Ask a friend or a family member to arrange for wedding gifts that may be brought to your reception to be delivered to your home or another safe spot.

Wrap gifts for bridal attendants and have them ready for the rehearsal dinner.

Purchase  travelers checks and reconfirm honeymoon travel and hotel plans.

See that checks are written and ready to be handed out to vendors at the agreed-upon time.

Inform your caterer of the final number of guests. Confirm that out-of-town guests are set with hotel accommodations, transportation and wedding-day directions.

The Day before Your Perfect Wedding Day

Take time to relax and enjoy a massage, manicure and pedicure.

Traditionally, this is your day for rehearsal ceremony and rehearsal dinner.

Have fun!

Turn in early for a good night’s sleep.

Your Perfect Wedding Day

Allow plenty of time for dressing, makeup and hairstyling.

If you plan on photography before the ceremony, allow ample time so you’re not rushed.

Relax, breathe, and remember: This is your special day, the result of all your careful planning. Now it’s time to enjoy.

Refuse to let any glitch get to you. Savor every moment of this sacred day. Let your happiness shine through and have a perfectly wonderful wedding day!

So you’re planning to throw a summer party.

And, of course, you want your summer party to be a huge success.

Good news – that’s completely doable. But to throw a summer party that’s guaranteed to wow your guests and leave a lasting impression, you’ll need to get organized.

We have a few helpful hints on how to throw a summer party.

Summer parties with themes are always lots of fun.  And when it comes to choosing a theme, the options are pretty much limitless. (How’s that for a sunny party forecast?)  Movie themes, regional themes, musical themes, food and drink themes, even a “Jingle Bells July” works for a summer Christmas party – and you don’t have to shovel any snow.  Hopefully.  

To really make the theme successful, fully incorporate it into your summer party. Pick a theme and weave it in and throughout the whole event from start to finish – that includes décor, entertainment, lighting, costumes, food theming, invitations, and even take home gifts.  

If you’re planning a summer party and you’re on a budget (and most of us are), it’s best to weigh your expectations… Ask yourself what is important to you and the reason for the party before you start planning. Plan your budget from the start to finish. (Those invitation cards aren’t free.)  The one area we recommend that you spend the extra money on is for the food. Quality food is always guaranteed to please everyone. You can “cheat” in other areas.   

Remember to set aside the time you’ll need to get everything ready.  To throw a great summer party takes time. In fact, it’s usually a lot more work than most people might imagine. Oh, and don’t underestimate the food and beverage quantities; hungry and thirsty guests tend to be a grumpy group.

You’ll not only want to keep your guests entertained but ensure that their kids have plenty to do (bored and restless kids are even more challenging than hungry and thirsty guests). Grab activities from a dollar store. Crayons and coloring books/glow sticks/balloons are cheap and will keep the wee ones entertained. But watch for choking hazards and other dangers. Or you could create a movie area and video game station. Interactive entertainment such as a magician will keep your younger guests happy and occupied. And don’t forget the child friendly food.

For any party to be successful, you need to answer the following questions:

-What is the reason for the event (birthday for family member or an anniversary party for in laws from out of town)?
-What’s the bottom line on how much I can spend?
-How many people do you want to attend the function?
-Will I need staff to help work on the event or can I do this on my own?
-Is the location convenient for the majority of my guests?
-Have I fully considered the physical environment and location (interior of home, backyard, hotel vs. tent)?
-What style of party do I want?
-What type of hospitality do I want my guests to receive?
-Is the access to the facility easy for the suppliers like the caterer to set up?
-What are my menu challenges?
-Will the Decor or entertainment affect or get in the way of the style of food service?
-Will I need permits (tenting, fire restrictions, and power and water availability)?
-What will my entertainment require (different entertainment requires different needs)?
-If my party is outdoors, am I prepared for bad weather?
-What about other public events that are booked ahead for any conflicts (e.g. Stampede)?
-Have I done all the research?

A little creativity can go along way. If you keep a close eye on the details, your summer party will be a memorable hit and a huge success.

The ultimate in eggplant sandwiches, it’s healthy and incredibly tasty.  Enjoy!

Yield: 8-10 portions

Ingredients

1 large round crusty bread

Filling

3  red onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp  sugar
1-2 tbsp  Extra Virgin olive oil
12 rounds  grilled eggplant
½ cup  fresh mint leaves
20 rounds grilled zucchini
1 cup arugula
20 tomato halves, oven roasted
1 bunch thyme
½ c  basil leaves
250 g  goat cheese
20  pieces grilled red peppers, sea salt and cracked black pepper

 Method

Cut the top off of the bread, scoop out the inside leaving approximately 1½ inches crust.

Cut tomatoes in half, sprinkle with EVOO, season with sea salt, 1/8 tsp minced garlic and sprigs of thyme, roast in a slow oven (about 300° F) for approximately 1hour.  If you are in a hurry, turn the oven up to 375° F for about ½ hour).  When done remove and reserve.

Sauté  the sliced onions with olive oil until the onions have caramelized, then add the balsamic vinegar and sugar, sauté a few minutes longer until all the onions are coated, season with sea salt & pepper.  Remove from heat and reserve.

Salt and toss the eggplant and zucchini with extra virgin olive oil.  Grill until golden brown. Remove and reserve.  If you choose you may toss the grilled vegetables with a little balsamic vinegar.

Divide all ingredients in half.  Start to layer the muffuletta with the arugula, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, basil, goat cheese, red pepper, zucchini, and mint.  Repeat with the remaining half of the ingredients.

Replace the top of the bread and wrap in a tea towel to transport.  Cut into wedges to serve.