Come Together

Annnnnnnd que The Beatles!

Do me a favor and pretend that “Come Together” by The Beatles is playing in the background while you read this.

Would you like to know my favorite thing about food? It brings people together! Few things I love more than making a dinner and looking around at all the people I love in one room eating the food I made.

Food is universal. I follow a couple of food hashtags on Instagram and I come across some absolutely beautiful, delicious, and looking food. The post details are often not even a language I recognize and I think that’s a beautiful thing. The moral of my story? Food brings people together no matter how different they may be or even if you don’t know them. Political views? Outfit choices? Parenting opinions? I feel like all of that noise falls to the sides when food is involved.

And hey, if one of those things do happen to come up while enjoying a fabulous meal then at least…you have food to stuff in your face before you make the mistake of talking politics…

I’m always trying to push my own boundaries and I never want gatherings at my home to all feel the same even though it’s the same environment. For this past Sunday we celebrated Father’s Day and after all that time being apart coming together will never be taken for granted ever again. Once, a few years ago I covered my island in butcher paper and wrote what all the foods were. This time, I used chalk board paper. It’s a fun way to present food. I call it an “Island Party” full of appetizers. Feel free to make this a full blown island theme.

My point is no matter how you come together food is usually involved. And why wouldn’t it be? The next time you serve food switch up the way you present it!

Today is a two-for. I’m showing you a very fast and easy “Manly Campfire Cake” as I called it. Since it was Father’s Day I only thought it was appropriate.

what you need:

• cake mix of your choice

• icing of your choice

• red, orange, and yellow hard candy

• Pirouettes

• Marshmellows

  what you do:

  1. Put candy in a ziplock bag and smash it then on a foil lined baking sheet, put them in the oven on 350 degrees for about 6 minutes or so. Then pull them out and let them cool completely.

  2. Make your cake and ice it.

  3. I used a torch and lightly toasted marshmallows for the edge of the cake.

  4. Break up the Pirouettes for the “logs” and make them come to a point like a fire.

  5. Break up the cooled candy and arrange like a fire.

  That’s it! You have an adorable (and manly) cake that makes for a great centerpiece for a party. This would be a fun one to make with kids, too!

  Have a fantastic Wednesday! I hope you get to come together with loved ones this week!

Let’s Get Cheesy

Hello Friends!

If you know me then you know I love to entertain. Hosting parties is like my thing. I also love to pick on appetizers and sip my vino instead of sit down dinners (I mean of course there is a time and place for that). On today’s Perfectly Plated I’m talking about the anatomy of the PERFECT cheese plate. Recently, I had someone tell me I should do a post on doing a cheese platter like you would order in a restaurant. Well here you go! MK and I always stay in for Valentines Day, and usually do wine and cheese. There also might be steaks involved. But always wine and cheese.

When I started hosting many years ago,  I did soooo much research on how to make the perfect cheeseboard. One full proof thing I learned was “something old, something new, something goat, and something blue”.  That will always stay in my head when creating this appetizer. A board like this might be intimidating but I can assure you it isn’t hard.

How to Charcuterie:

Here is a list of what I used:

Meats: Pepperoni

Salami

Prosciutto wrapped around mozzarella

Sliced ham

Sweet Sopressata

Cheeses: Asiago (old)

Fresh Mozzarella  (new)

Brie

Goat

Gorgonzola (blue)

I added: Grapes

Gorgonzola stuffed olives

Walnuts

Honey

Raspberry Rhubarb

Fresh Rosemary

An assortment of bread and crackers. Make sure to mix up the texture and flavors.

I recently came to own cheese knives. Why they weren't already a part of my life before is beyond me. But, I thought it would go perfectly with this cheeseboard talk to break down what you use them for.

Spatula: This one is for cheeses like Brie or Camembert

Cheese Fork: Move cheese easily with this to plates

Heart Shaped: Best for hard cheeses like Asiago

Soft Cheese Knife: For Gorgonzola or Mozzarella

No matter what your V-Day plans are, I hope they include some delicious cheese and wine of course.

My Hosting 101

This will be Fast Fashionista’a last post of 2018. I’m going to take a much needed break and return fresh in 2019. Doesn’t that sound crazy? 2019. I feel like I’ve only just gotten used to saying 2018, haha. But here we are creeping closer to another year and the holiday season is upon us.

In honor of Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, being this week I thought I would share a few of my hosting tips. I throw a good many parties throughout the year and these tips can really help no matter if you’re hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas, a birthday, or even The Fourth of July.

1. Plan. Plan. And then plan some more.

   What I do is write everything out in a sketch book. What the party is, how many I anticipate coming, if I have a theme, and as I make my menu not only do I write everything down, I also write what that particular dish is going in (for example: these three appetizers on risers). Write and plan until nothing is left in your head.

2. You never have enough time. Ever.

   Sometimes I’ll catch myself thinking “Oh I've got plenty of time! The party is in two weeks.” Wrong. Time is no ones friend so in your sketch book on a different page make a schedule of what you’ll do each day leading up to the event. I’m a very organized person but even if you aren’t this will save your butt.

3. Have your whole house clean.

   Even if the party is only in your downstairs, a great practice to get into is having your whole house be clean. Not only does it help your head feel less messy it actually is less messy. Also, when you clean up the party nothing else needs cleaned after that.

4. Food shop as early as you can.

   Don’t torture yourself going the day before your party. If you list can be done 2 days before or even three then do that. You’ll breathe easier.

5. Make as much as you can ahead of time.

   For example, when doing Thanksgiving, I always make my desserts, rolls, and cold appetizers at least one day a head so on the actual day that's one less thing to worry about. Take a good look at your list and see what can be done ahead of time.

6. Prep.

   Along with making the dishes that you can ahead of time, also prep as many dishes as you can. Be it dicing veggies, peeling potatoes, or making the dish before it goes in the oven.

7. Pick an outfit in advance!

   I can’t stress this one enough. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an idea of an outfit in my head for a party I was hosting but then when I tried it one something didn’t fit right or it just didn’t work for whatever reason. Then you’re left sweaty, making your closet a mess (now your house isn’t clean), and flustered. Pick it out a week before and try it on the day before.

   Follow these tips and by the time your guests arrive you’ll be frazzle free with a glass of vino in hand ready to have a great time.

   Have a great Thanksgiving week everyone!