Calgary, Wedding Planning, Event Planning and Catering | Simply Elegant

Carmelized Apple and Pear

Chef Tony Dunstan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:23:20 +0000

Every month, there are so many good subjects to choose from when it comes to articles and recipes. Did you know for example that March is “Humourists are Artists” month? It’s also “International Mirth Month.” And this week is “National Ghostwriters Week.” Special days this month include: “Beer Day” (March 1), “Forgive Mom and Dad Day” (March 18) and March 20 is “Snowman Burning Day.” Seriously, we couldn’t make that up people.

With a cornucopia of special days to choose from, sometimes you just have to throw it all out the window and say, here’s a recipe we like a lot and we hope you do too. Oh, and “Happy Middle Name Pride” day.

Caramelized Apple and Pear
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 Red delicious apples in half and cored
2 anjou pears in half and cored
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups apple juice
4 scoops good quality vanilla ice cream optional

Method
In a heavy sauce pan heat sugar over moderate heat until sugar begins to caramelize. Add apples
and pears skin side up and cook in caramelized sugar basting frequently. Add unsalted butter and
apple juice. Cook for approximately 5 minutes more. Plate onto dessert plate or bowl and serve
with vanilla ice cream.

Hiking for Hospice Calgary

Michelle MacNair — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:22:14 +0000

Who hikes for hospice care in Canada? Thousands! And this year, as we have for the last few years, Simply Elegant is pleased to be hiking again for Hospice Calgary on May 2nd in support of the vital work they do.

Why? Well, we have as many reasons as we have people who work here. One of them is our very own Sharon Barwick whose sister, Carol Barwick, is the Spiritual Care Coordinator at Hospice Calgary.

“Carol and her colleagues at Hospice Calgary inspire me,” said Sharon Barwick, Simply Elegant’s Events Producer. “My work may be very different from my sister’s, but from her I learned the meaning of helping someone create the environment they need around them when it matters most.”

Helping Simply Elegant’s staff support the cause that has come to mean so much to them makes good business sense to Robert Vidra, Simply Elegant’s President and CEO.

“We try and support those community initiatives that matter to the Simply Elegant family because we believe that connecting to our community is vitally important to who we are as a company.” says Robert Vidra, president and CEO of Simply Elegant. “Hospice Calgary provides hope and comfort to so many people.”

Every Christmas, Vidra and the Simply Elegant team prepare a special Christmas meal for the residents and staff of Hospice Calgary. And throughout the year, they plan smaller events that further Hospice Calgary’s goal of helping those it serves to live life to the fullest.

But like all good things, Hospice Calgary runs on money – and the more money it raises, the more services it can provide those facing end of life issues and the families whose lives will be forever altered.

We’re hiking for Hospice Calgary because we think everyone deserves dignity. Why don’t you join us? Pledge us by emailing sharon.b@simplyelegantcorp.com or sign up your own team for Hike for Hospice and see if you can raise more money than we can. We’d like to see you try! Seriously…

Time for a Spring Party?

Sharon Barwick — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:49:26 +0000

They say April is the cruelest month, but whoever said that hasn’t been to Calgary in February. Am I wrong? Yup, we’re looking forward to springing into something like, well, spring! But why stop there? Couldn’t you use a little spring party?

Seriously. Look around. Are happy faces staring back at you or are you looking at the faces of people clearly wearing their Christmas visa bills, months of darkness and the unending cold? Couldn’t you use a mood lifter? We’re not talking about a blow out bash – just a game changer, a spring party that refreshes and pulls the team together. Let’s face it, no one works well when cabin fever has set in.

Round here, nothing says “spring party” like cheerful colours, flowers and fresh fruits and vegetables. In fact, our bodies have different needs as seasons change from one to the next. Lucky for you, spring recipes include such tasty items as fresh strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus and lamb – to name but a few mouth watering delicacies. So let’s get our spring on!

A spring party can be a great way to bust out the winter blahs and get your team motivated and feeling ready for new beginnings. Spring is, after all, a season of growth, renewal, and new potential. Why not show off these qualities with your spring event? And why not incorporate early spring foods to get your gang enervated and enthused?

Here’s something worth noting: Not only does your food taste better if you buy it in the season it’s best suited for, it also holds a higher nutrient content. When food is at its peak, it’s tastier and more nourishing.

Your event doesn’t have to be elaborate. But it does need to be thoughtful and uplifting. It shouldn’t take a lot of work for you or anyone else on staff and its goal should be to come away feeling refreshed. How’s this for easy? Have a beautiful lunch catered featuring early spring staples including crunchy fresh carrots, cherry tomatoes and blueberries.

Not only are all these spring veggies and fruits low in fat and calories, they’re a good source of dietary fiber and provide you and your team with extra energy. We could all use that right about now. Their high fiber content also helps fill the stomach faster limiting the total amount of food consumed. Oh, and they boost energy production within the muscle cells. This gives us a natural feeling of vitality and the energy to become more active helping to burn more energy each day. And served as, let’s say a lunch, a meal like this a great way to energize and vitalize a group for the rest of the afternoon.

Need another reason for a spring party? Take 10 per cent off your spring party lunch or breakfast. Smiling yet?

Good. Then let’s bask in the love a little longer, shall we? Here is a very special spring lamb recipe from Chef Tony from our table to yours….

Dijon Crusted Crown Roast of Lamb

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 x 8oz rack of New Zealand Lamb cleaned and frenched
butchers twine
1/4 cup grain mustard
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
12 dried mission figs

Method

1) Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2) Assure all fat and silver skin are removed from lamb.
3) Season with salt and pepper.
4) Using your hands, rub grain mustard all over meat of the lamb.
5) Roll lamb rack inwards and tie secure. There should be a hollow cavity in the center.
6) Insert 6 mission figs into center of each crown roast.
7) Insert fresh sprig of rosemary into top of crown roast and mission figs.
Roast lamb for approximately 20 minutes for medium rare

Wedding Planning for the Groom and Bride

Robert Vidra — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:36:51 +0000

An interesting trend is starting to emerge in weddings. Once strictly a bride’s domain, wedding planning is increasingly involving both the groom and bride. In fact, according to Bridal Guide Magazine, more than 80 per cent of grooms are involved to varying degrees in the planning of their weddings. That’s a significant shift from, say, your parents’ wedding.

And why not? Weddings are a HUGE amount of work – infinitely more work than most brides realize when they start down the path of wedding planning. If you’re doing it yourself, there is plenty of stress, er fun, to go around, meaning having a good, strong extra pair of hands to help may not just be a nice thing to have, it could be downright essential.

Besides, a wedding is about two people celebrating their new beginning together. It may be your day, and of course you want it to be perfect, but here’s the thing – having him help with the planning doesn’t have to change any of that. In fact, it could make your life a lot easier.

Planning a wedding is a lot like a marriage. It involves communication and compromise.

When a groom and bride co-plan a wedding, it’s important to determine right up front who is in charge of what tasks. You can decide by consensus (all choices must be co approved by both but are sourced by the one or the other) or by absolutes (the groom and bride each have final say over their tasks).

As a rule, men are more interested in certain areas of wedding planning (hello food and music) and are often more than happy enough to stay well away from other areas (hello flowers and decors ).

Your groom may be passionate about a particular choice or direction regarding the wedding planning, and if that’s the case, you need to assess if taking it the direction you’d originally planned is really that important. That, really, is between the two of you – but even if you’re not crazy about his choices, do enjoy the fact that he wants to be part of the wedding and not just some guy who shows up on the big day in a tux with a ring.

Okay, sure, often enough the groom’s involvement in wedding planning has a lot to do with his type of personality. And there are guys out there who just don’t have the “wedding planner” gene. But even the ones who are ready to jump in are also willing to leave most final decisions to their future brides. Chances are, they have not grown up with the same expectations of what their wedding will be as you have – and they know that.

But there’s no reason why your groom shouldn’t have some fun too. In fact, a site called The Man Registry that launched a couple of years ago is getting a lot of buzz because it specializes in all things pertaining to grooms, including gifts for groomsmen, bachelor party planning and gifts that go beyond traditionally bride-centric gifts.

Whether it’s dessert choices or picking the first dance song, remember that a wedding is a wedding for two. No wedding is as beautiful as that of a a groom and bride who have worked together for a day that is special for everyone. Pull off a great wedding day that reflects both of you as you’d like it to, and you’ve taken a great first step to a wonderful, long and happy life together.

Chef Tony’s Chocolate Mousse

Chef Tony Dunstan — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:45:15 +0000

This dessert is decadent yet light, made of fresh, wholesome ingredients that will dance off of your tastebuds.

Chocolate Mousse
Serves 8

Ingredients
3 cups whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
7 oz fine quality bitter sweet chocolate chopped
pinch of salt
instant read thermometer

Method
Heat 3/4 cup of whipping cream in a heavy sauce pan. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and
pinch of salt in a stainless steel bowl until combined well. Add heated cream in a slow steady
stream into egg yolks and sugar whisking constantly. Transfer to a heavy sauce pan and cook
over low heat stirring constantly until thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Pour custard through a
fine mesh sieve into a bowl and add vanilla. Melt chocolate in a double boiler stirring frequently.
Whisk custard into melted chocolate and chill. Beat remaining whipping cream until stiff peaks
are formed. Whish 1/4 of whipped cream into chocolate custard mixture. Then fold remaining
whipped cream gently but thoroughly into that mixture. Portion mousse into 8 6 oz long
stemmed glasses and chill for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes
before serving. Garnish with fresh berries and more whipped cream if you desire.

Tasting Chocolate Can Actually be Good for you

Robert Vidra — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:44:32 +0000

We don’t know who said it but we like how they think: “There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles.”

There is, quite simply, nothing like tasting chocolate to make guests feel special. Women particularly are fond of it and if you are catering to a large number of women, chocolate anything is almost sure to go over well.

Looking for an occasion? Well, it’s your lucky day. Or month. Because February is actually National Chocolate Month. Cruel irony, huh? Such an august holiday has to share the limelight with National Heart Month. Like your heart stands a chance against the opportunity for tasting chocolate…

But wait! Tasting chocolate doesn’t have to be unhealthy or decadent. In fact, some say chocolate does have some health benefits, including some for the heart. Studies show that who eat small to moderate amounts of dark chocolate just twice a week are said to cut their heart risk substantially. No wonder the Mayans believed chocolate was a gift from Heaven!

More recently, dark chocolate has been touted because it is:

rich in antioxidants
an aphrodisiac for some
lifts the spirits of others

But even dark chocolate has its dark side. In its purest form, it is supposedly as addictive as heroin and, of course, a lot of chocolate leads to an expanding waist line.

So when thinking of chocolate for an event, what should you consider? Well, if health is a concern, the darker the better. Of course, the darker or more pure the chocolate, the more bitter it can be. So you want to serve it with something sweet. Fruit is absolutely ideal.

One 3 ounce square of chocolate has about 100 calories, about half the calories of peanut butter. So it’s not only mighty tasty, it can be a healthier alternative. The trick is, however, to serve it in ways that don’t promote over consumption.

What does that mean? Well, when it comes to serving chocolate for your next health conscious event, think of tasting chocolate presentation tricks. In other words:

Drizzle
Swirl
Dip

Presenting chocolate drizzled over fruit or served on the side for dipping is much healthier than simply serving chocolate on its own.

Not all chocolates are created equal and some types are better for certain circumstances. Here is a quick “tasting chocolate” primer to let you know what kind of chocolate is what.

Baking chocolate – also goes by the names Unsweetened chocolate and bitter chocolate. There are also commercial baking chocolate brands that are sweetened. They will likely be marked as semisweet chocolate or sweet chocolate. Unless your recipe specifically requests sweetened chocolate, unsweetened should be fine.
Unsweetened cocoa — It comes in powder form and is low fat, low sodium, and preservative free.
Chocolate chips – they are usually Semisweet and will often hold their shape even when baked. Chips come in different flavors, all of which are wonderful. Bet you can’t have just one.
Milk chocolate – much like its name implies, milk chocolate has cream or milk added to it. It is a Sweetened chocolate and cannot be used in place of baking chocolate.
Mexican chocolate — Cinnamon, vanilla or almond is added to Sweetened chocolate. It is often used in Mexican food and hot chocolate.
Chocolate syrup — you’d think you could substitute it for melted chocolate in recipes but you can’t. Chocolate syrup is cocoa combined with powdered sugar or corn syrup. It is often served with dessert (ex over ice cream) or to give milk its chocolatey goodness.
Liquid chocolate – It can be easier for baking because it doesn’t have to be melted prior to use, but it has vegetable oil and not cocoa butter, meaning it lacks what some look for texture-wise in some recipes.
White chocolate – It’s a trick! It actually doesn’t contain chocolate liqueur and doesn’t even taste much like chocolate, so most of its chocolatey goodness is really just in its name.

Chocolate isn’t always easy to cook. It burns easily on the burner so has to be watched constantly, stirred frequently on low heat or in a double boiler over hot water. It can also be microwaved.

Anything with chocolate in it should be stored in a dry, cool place. The better your chocolate, the better your recipe will turn out.

Let’s face it. Life is short and so is February, which might be all the reason you need to indulge. Enjoy this classic chocolate mousse recipe from Chef Tony, who puts his heart into every dish he creates.

The Hot Breakfast Meeting

Sharon Barwick — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:44:09 +0000

You either love it or hate it, the breakfast meeting. Mostly it comes down to whether or not you’re a morning person and how good the food is. We seriously can’t help you with the first part but we’ve totally got your back on the second.

Two words for you: Hot Breakfast. And we’re not just saying that because it’s National Hot Breakfast Month. I mean, it’s also Responsible Pet Owners month, and nowhere here will you see a recipe for goldfish. That’s just how we roll…

Breakfast meetings can be a great way to energize a group and get a great deal of work done before the regular work day begins. But not if your group is lagging and barely functioning. What you’re saving in serving a breakfast meeting menu vs. what you’ll spend by having a nice lunch menu is moot if the group resents being there or just isn’t engaged.

And yes, you’ve heard before but only because it’s true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It jump starts your metabolism, regulates your blood sugar and otherwise gets the blood going for the day. As an aside, if you’re trying to lose weight, you have a better shot if you eat breakfast than if you don’t. But don’t tell your guests that. They’ll just think you’re having a breakfast meeting because you think they’re fat. Maybe you do. But that’s none of our business.

Yes, you will save money by having a breakfast meeting instead of a lunch meeting. But when you are cutting into people’s sleep time or otherwise asking them to give up their personal time, you really need to show them that you respect their time and are giving something in return. A good hot breakfast is a strong signal to your group that they are valued and that their time and energy is respected.

Pastries and an assortment of cold cereals can be part of it– but you will stimulate more brain power through hot breakfast options. Crepes and waffles are always popular. Scrambled eggs, sausage and traditional breakfast entries generally serve well and keep meetings well fueled – and for a twist, serve traditional meals with a Mexican or other ethnic flare.

Coffee, both regular and decaf, is a must as are other hot beverages, including various types of teas. It may not be sexy but try having hot oatmeal on hand. Chances are good some of your managers are of a certain age where heart health is important – and frankly, it’s never too early to take preventative measures. The health benefits of oatmeal are such that a single serving per day can actually prevent some of the possible damage from bad cholesterol consumed throughout the rest of the day.

You might also serve elements from a traditional Japanese hot breakfast for your breakfast meeting. Steamed asparagus, sautéed tomato and mushrooms make a fresh alternative to more bready options and are a wonderful way to start the day.

While most people recognize that breakfast is important from a health perspective, they primarily eat it for enjoyment. If your breakfast meeting has hot food that is both delicious and healthful, your meeting is bound to be more productive.

Now go get your cat spayed if you haven’t already. Let it not be said we didn’t do anything for Responsible Pet Owners Month.

Chef Tony’s Baked Brie Wheel

Chef Tony Dunstan — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:23:56 +0000

A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou…keep the thou and the jug – but we think we can do one better with this baked brie wheel. Savoury and sensual, it’s the perfect food for a romantic occasion….

Ingredients

125 gram         Brie wheel
1 package        Frozen puff pastry
1                         Apple, Granny Smith (or your preference)
¼ cup              Blueberries
¼ cup             Pecans
1 Tbsp             Lemon juice
2 Tbsp              Brown sugar
1 tsp                Cinnamon
1 large              Egg white

Gourmet flatbreads, crackers or baguette.

Method

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350° F
Roll out puff pastry, if necessary, into two circles of 4 or 5 mil thickness (some brands such a Pepperidge Farms are pre-rolled).
Place the brie in the middle of one of the circles. Peel, seed and slice apples.
Toss apples with lemon juice to prevent browning. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and toss until well coated.
Place apple slices on top of Brie in a circular pattern.
Fill in middle with blueberries, and top with pecans.
Place other puff pastry circle on top and crimp around edges. Vent the top with a few small slits using a paring knife. At this point you may want to decorate the top with puff pastry shapes cut out of the excess.
Brush entire wheel with egg wash.
Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper or coated with cooking spray.
Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, transfer to a stoneware plate or cutting board and serve with flatbread, crackers or baguette.

Say Cheese Canada

Sharon Barwick — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:22:31 +0000

Why say cheese Canada? Because cheese is an aphrodisiac, or so says Pizza Pizza who last Valentine’s Day tried to position their product as a sort of “love pie.” They claim that cheese “contains phenylethylamine, or PEA, a natural amphetamine that the brain manufactures in response to the feelings of love…In fact, cheese contains 10 times the levels of PEA normally found in chocolate.” Perhaps it’s true. After all, pizza can be an excellent source of love handles…

Pizza marketing aside, there is something traditionally romantic about cheese. Canada, loves the stuff, so much so, there is even a Facebook page for Canadian cheese-lovers. And why not? Cheese is sophisticated and earthy all at the same time, international, yet homey, making it perfect for a private party or a big event.

To appeal to every palette, you’re best to serve a variety of cheeses. White mould cheeses like brie and camembert always move quickly, so you may well want some extra on hand.

Blue mould cheeses, which, in case you hadn’t guessed, include blue cheese aren’t for every taste but those who like cheeses of the blue variety tend to be passionate about them. Fair warning. Never stand between a blue cheese aficionado and her Roquefort. For something more than a very intimate gathering, you might want to serve a variety of blues in varying strengths.

Cheddar is always a safe bet but even within the cheddar family, there is a huge variety. Toronto cheese lovers (hey, thanks for stopping by!) will want to check out The Art of Cheese, a fabulous shop run by Bill and Larry, two guys who really know their cheese. When they can get it, they carry scotch infused cheddar nicknamed “hockey pucks of Canada” in honour of those who love cheese, Canada and our nation’s favourite game.

With any of your cheeses, it’s always fun to select from various parts of the world – but don’t forget to include some cheese Canada style. BC and Quebec are particularly known for their cheese and Alberta has its fair share of wonderful cheese artisans. The Alberta Cheese Company is a family run business that makes all of their cheese on site.

Serve your cheese at room temperature which translates roughly to 18 degrees. Your best bet is to take it out of the fridge approximately 30 minutes prior to serving it. It’s a balance, though. You don’t want to take it out of the fridge too early and have it get runny.

Cheese can be paired with many fine things, including, of course wine. Stronger cheeses can pull off a sweeter wine – but don’t go blindly into pairing a wine with your cheeses. Your caterer should have a knowledgeable sommelier on staff to help you with your selections.

Great cheese paired with the perfect wine will impress your guests with your attention to detail and excellent taste. So go ahead and have cheese, Canada, at your next special event. It can be a simple, fast cornucopia of tastes for something informal or the perfect food to serve to those with the most discerning tastes. And speaking of special occasions, here is a baked brie recipe for two, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Family Day Cookies

Michelle MacNair — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:17:47 +0000

There are all kinds of fun things you and your family can do on Family Day. Skiing, ice skating, snowboarding, checking out a movie, visiting relatives, just hanging out at home – the list is pretty much endless. But the best part of it is that you get to spend some extra special time with your family.

These are the kind of days that memories are made of, folks…

Whatever you choose to do, we’re sure you’ll have a great time. After all nothing is more cherished and important to all of us than family.

And why not take part of this day to do something fun in the kitchen together? Nothing says “quality family time” like making a batch of blueberry muffins together, or blending up some tall glasses of tasty and healthy fruit smoothies, or how about baking some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?

A healthy and delicious alternative to high-sugar, high-fat cookie recipes, oatmeal is high in fiber and a good source of vitamin E, iron and protein. But wait, there’s more! Not only are these oatmeal cookies full of healthy whole grains, antioxidant-rich Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips, they also, get ready for it – have less sugar than most cookies. It’s win-win here, people!

In the cookie kingdom, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies reign supreme. And it’s understandable: These cookies are not only nutritious – they’re also pretty darn delicious.

Wait, didn’t we already say they were delicious? Oh, ha, why yes, yes, we did… Well, it’s worth saying twice!

So should the mood strike you, we just happen to have a simple to make and healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe handy that you and the family can make together.

From our family to yours, here’s wishing you all the best this Family Day.

Recipe

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup quick cooking oats
raisins (0ptional)
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli chocolate chips or Hershey’s special dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine egg and vanilla and soak raisins for 30 minutes. Beat butter and sugars with electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until well combined. Stir in oats, then chocolate chips. Roll dough into golf ball sized bits and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes.