Princess Ellie's Birthday Party

Princess Ellie turned 3 yesterday. She and her friends were entertained in her home by Flutterby Granny Rena and Flutterby-in-Training Miss Lizzie. We provided storytelling and a princess feast. The princesses and princes made mini-pizzas and sugar cookie crowns that they decorated themselves. Even the adults joined in the royal fun. Flutterby Granny Rena made fruit kebabs on field straw with all of the kids. Princess Ellie had a beautiful pink birthday cake that matched her ballet tutu. The princess pink theme didn't end there. We mixed up a pitcher of pink lemonade with strawberries and fresh mint from our garden.

We coordinated this children's party in Durham and made sure that the parents and guests had fun too. The adults nibbled on apricot meatballs, roast beef pinwheels, tomato and cucumber sandwiches, vegetable crudites and chicken wings.

Pictured: Miss Lizzie and Princess Ellie got to know each other before the festivities (left). Watermelon basket with fresh summer fruits (right). One of our little guests in a tiara (bottom left).

The Reinhelmer's: An intimate gathering; New Year's Birthday Celebration

An intimate gathering; New Year's Birthday Celebration

With snow still on the ground, we helped set the ambiance for Bob Reinhelmer's 60th birthday party. Patti (Bob's wife) and I had met a month earlier and selected a menu to take them through a three stage buffet dinner into the New Year's celebration.

It was an informal evening with a small gathering of family, friends and beloved pets in their beautiful home, which can only be described as "comfortably eclectic" and full of the wonderful collections they have amassed through their travels.

Our menu was truly comfort food. As we fried chicken legs for the entree part, our concern was the smell wafting throughout their home. It turned out to be a good thing as everyone walked through the kitchen, whiffed, sighed and kept coming back.

To begin our party, there were chilled bottles of wine set on the deck as well as champagne and iced vodka in the kitchen.

It was all self-serve, but Bob seemed to be the ultimate bartender.

We set an appetizer arrangement on a lovely table set with candles and magnolia leaves from their yard.

We served:

Deviled Eggs with Watermelon Pickles

Pimento Cheese in Veggie Cup with Celery sticks/crackers

Hot Collard/Artichoke Dip with Bread Sticks.

The main event was:

Mini-Bun Lexington style BBQ with BBQ Slaw

Hot 'Nuff Sauce

Fried Drumsticks

Mini Corn Muffins brushed with Honey and served with Hot Pepper Jelly

There were Ham & Black Bean Salad in Endive leaves and Potato Salad with a Vidalia Onion Dressing

My Assistant, Rena, made the fabulous Vanilla Cake with Butter Icing (topped with Lego candles). Late night noshes were Mini Pecan Tarts .

It was an evening to remember and a perfect party to bring in the New Year!

Zacki and Will's Birthday Celebration

Tina Staley, a "sister" of 31 years threw a combined B-day celebration for Nashville Country Hall of Famer, Will McFarlane and myself. Tina and I go way back to meeting in NYC, LA, Chicago, Aspen and now, Durham, NC. Our bash was at her charming Sunflower Cottage in old Trinity Park. Tina is the director of Pathfinders at Duke Oncology (www.cancer.duke.edu/pathfinders) as a liaison between patients and doctors.

 

We served our "Jesus Supper" from foods of the first century: unleavened bread, baba ghannouj (roasted eggplant), lamb, chicken kabobs with a minty honey and raisin sauce on top of Kashi grains of oats, barley and wheat. Part of our “Ancient Mediterranean Meal” was a mixed salad of bitter greens with a pomegranate molasses dressing. Old grape was the main beverage. Sliced melons, grapes, and mango were on the kosher menu until Will and Janet's grand kids marched in with two decadent chocolate birthday cakes and broke "the kosher law."

Will, despite laryngitis, pulled out his guitar and gospel singer, Jennifer's Evan’s lent her angel gospel voice. Everyone joined in the song fest. It was a most enjoyable evening with a close circle of family and friends.

Three Girlfriends

Once upon a time in the 70’s, there were three, almost inseparable, girlfriends: Zacki, Melody and Ginny (pictured left). Ginny (affectionately known as Ginger) was one of the first women on Wall Street. Melody went from being an art teacher in Connecticut to Wall Street and living with Zacki in the city. They found common ground in meeting at Jim McMullen’s Restaurant, where Jim (a Ford model like Zacki) never let "the blonds" buy a glass of wine.Later, another investment mogul, Bill Fleckenstein, known today for his book, Greenspan's Bubbles: The Age of Ignorance at the Federal Reserve came in from Seattle and whisked Melody away to a life of horses, tennis, an investment in a vineyard and 26 years of marriage that produced Jacqueline, Ginger’s Goddaughter and Nicole, Zacki’s Goddaughter.
Fast forward to the present: Last weekend, with Hurricane Danny being a nuisance, everyone is gathered in Remsemburg, Long Island, NY at Ginger’s fabulous country home for Mel’s 60th birthday and a reunion.
Below: Ginny's country home and table setting of hydrangeas from garden; Family Circle magazine photo shoot taken at Ginny’s house and styled by Zacki Murphy

For Starters, Zacki made:
Roasted Shrimp with Fig Chutney and Shrimp Cocktail with Zapper Sauce
Fresh Cantaloupe with Prosciutto
Toasted Baguettes with Goat Cheese and topped with Zacki’s Tomato/Ginger Jam
Local Cheeses and Grapes
Smoked Salmon with Honey Mustard/Dill/Lemon/on Whole Wheat
Ginny's Mom's Cheddar Cheese Wafers with Rosemary

Below: Brie & local, toasted baguettes/goat cheese/tomato and ginger jam, roasted shrimp with fig chutney

For the Main Course:
Ginny, with grill maser Bill, made Chilean Sea Bass that had been marinated in a Sesame/Teriyaki Sauce

Ribeye Steaks that were manna from Heaven

Roasted Corn/Tomato side (now on my menu this week)

Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil Salad

The Grand Finale:
To finish this meal off with a bang were the most beautiful Peach Pies I have EVER seen. A local farm stand prepares a baked Crust with Whipped Cream/Custard and tops with dozens of slices of fresh local peaches with a glaze. They were a mile high!

We had more wine, Champagne and then “roasted” Mel with a skit of our beginning of lasting friendship and mostly staged, where else, but McMullen’s Restaurant. It was a wonderful gathering of old friends, Godchildren, memories and new remembrances.

Above: Melody and Paul Perkins aka "Preppy," Bill Fleckenstein and my beautiful Goddaughter, Nicole

Week of August 31

Just coming back from a catering in quaint Remnesburg, LI where we also shot the above photo in the 90’s. This weekend we created new feasts from local farmer's and fishmongers...Now, back in NC, we are harvesting the last of tomatoes, basil, squash, cucumbers, mint galore from the “Secret Garden” in Hillsborough. We are offering delicious buffet, picnic food, beautiful custom baskets. Go to our website for other downloadable menus and our current blog: http://www.zackiscateringcreations.com/. Our corporate catering or family size specials are listed below.

Ginger's Island Roasted Corn/Tomato Salad – Pasta Primavera: $4-$6 – BLT Club Salad: $6 Choucroute Alsacaienne (Pork with Sauerkraut): $7
Eat your Veggies: Broccoli Casserole – Double Squash Casserole
Ernie Barnes's Lima Beans/Corn: $4-$8

Thursday: Sicilian Calamari and Shrimp Salad: $7

Lexington Style Hickory Smoked BBQ: $10 lb

“I’ve tasted lots of barbecue, but none as uniquely delicious as my friend Zacki’s barbecue and sauce.”
…Martha Stewart

Soups
Weight Watchers Diet Cabbage/Tofu Soup – Curried Carrot Dill: $4-$8

Dessert
Strawberry Cupcake: $5 – Mile High Peach Pie with Custard Bottom: $5 (whole Pie: $28) – Pineapple Upside Down Cake: $5 (whole: $22)

Drinks
Raspberry Iced Tea with fresh Fruit/Mint and Aspartame: $3

Corporate or Family Catering Menu Specials
(Order ahead. Take credit cards with PayPal.)

Trip around the World
(Inspired by places I have visited, dined or dreamed)

A Taste of the Mediterranean
Greek Moussaka
Layered Salad with Feta Cheese/Olives/Tomatoes/Celery/Lite Balsamic Dressing
Crusty Bread - Lemon Mousse: $12

Southern Borders
Chicken Enchiladas with Spinach/Black Beans/Sour Cream/Cheeses/Cilantro
or Chicken Tamale Pie - Mixed Greens with Oranges/Hearts of Palm/Lime Dressing
Choice of: Almond Custard or Cold Carmel Souffle: $13

Ensalada Mexicana
Spinach/Chicken/Pinto or Chick Peas/Guacamole/Red Onion/Mexican Cheeses/Tortilla Chips/Tomatillo Salsa
Choice of above desserts or sliced Mangos: $12

A Taste of Spain
Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken/Vegetables/Saffron Rice)
Gazpacho - Almond Custard: $12

BLT Turkey Club Salad/Blue Cheese in a basket/Zacki’s Potato Salad/Coffee Brownies: $11
Layered Vegetable Salad/Bacon Bits/topped with Cheese, Caesar Salad, Lime Squares: $11

Layered Tuna Nicoise Salad in a basket, Crusty Bread, Lime Squares: $12

Box Lunches of Egg Salad or Curried Chicken Sandwiches/Cous Cous/Orange or Fingerling Potato Salad/fresh Fruit/Homemade Cookies: $10
Picnic Basket: BBQ Chicken/2 sides/Dessert/Fruit/Tea: $18 pp with BasketOrange Glazed Cornish Hens/Sautéed Grapes/Asparagus/Brown Rice: $12 pp

Grilled Salmon/Lime &Butter/Asparagus or Green Beans with Sauteed Mushrooms/Fresh Garden Salad with Zacki’s Homemade Ranch Dressing: $14

Blueberry/Raspberry Cobbler /Strawberry & Rhubarb Cobbler/Lime Chess Pie or Apple/Cranberry/Bourbon Bread Pudding: $2 pp

German Feast

We created a “German Smorgasbord” at a private home in Chapel Hill. Everyone dressed up as if they were the Von Trapp family (from Austria). There was German music, icy beer and of course our feast:
Asparagus wrapped in Black Forest Ham, Fig Canapés with Mustard-Onion Jam, Sauerkraut/Potato/Smoked Ham Balls with Mustard Dipping Sauce, Sauerbraten with thick Gravy (that included, strangely enough Ginger Snaps) and boiled Red Potatoes, sides of Red Cabbage, Beets in Sour Cream and Sliced cucumbers from the "Secret Garden."
The finishing touches were two Kuchen's; German summer desserts of fresh fruit that resemble a cross of pie and cake. We did one with Granny Smith Apples and added Figs to the other.

Also, in case you’re wondering, here’s a brief history of Sauerbraten, or German pot roast.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Sauerbraten is a German pot roast, usually of beef (but other meats such as venison, lamb, mutton, pork, and horse are sometimes used), marinated before cooking in a mixture of vinegar, water, spices and seasonings. Sauerbraten is traditionally served with red cabbage, potato dumplings (Kartoffelklöße), Spätzle, boiled potatoes, or noodles. While many German-style restaurants in America pair potato pancakes with sauerbraten, this is common only in a small part of Germany.

Sauerbraten was originally made with horse meat but today it is almost always made with beef[21] The town of Eschweiler, Germany has a long horse butcher tradition, and sauerbraten is one of its culinary specialities.
Several sources believe sauerbraten was invented by Charlemagne in the ninth century AD as a means of using leftover roasted meat. Saint Albertus Magnus, also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, is also credited with popularizing the dish in the thirteenth century. Julius Caesar has been assigned a role in the inspiration for sauerbraten as he purportedly sent amphoras filled with beef marinated in wine over the Alps to the newly founded Roman colony of Cologne. According to this legend, this inspired the residents of Cologne to imitate the Roman import. While quite common, these claims are largely unsubstantiated.

Sauerbraten marinating

A solid cut from the bottom round or rump is marinated for three or four days, or as many as 10, before cooking.

Red wine vinegar, wine, and/or water typically forms the basis of the marinade, which also includes earthy aromatic spices such as peppercorns, juniper berries, cloves, nutmeg, and bay leaves and less commonly coriander, mustard seed, laurel leaves, cinnamon, mace, ginger, and thyme. The marinade may also include vegetables such as onions, celery, and carrots. The acidic marinade helps tenderize the (typically tougher cut of) meat before it cooks. Buttermilk is also used as a marinade in certain regional varieties. It is frequently advised to marinate the meat in an earthenware, glass, plastic, or enamel container so the acidic marinade does not react with the vessel during the extended marinating process.

After the meat is removed from the marinade and dried, it is first browned in oil or lard and then braised with the strained marinade in a covered dish in a medium oven or on the stovetop. After simmering for four hours or more, depending on the size of the roast, the marinade will continue to flavor the roast, and as the meat cooks, its juices will also be released resulting in a very tender roast.

After the roast is cooked, the marinade is strained and returned to a saucepan where it is thickened (often with crushed gingerbread, lebkuchen, or gingersnaps, flour, sour cream, brown sugar, and/or roux) which brings both body and flavor to the sauce. Before it closed its doors in 1982, Luchow's famous German restaurant in New York City used crushed gingersnap cookies to season and thicken the gravy of its sauerbraten, one of the favored dishes. This style was made popular in the U.S. after the publication of “Luchow's German Cookbook: The Story and the Favorite Dishes of America's Most Famous German Restaurant” by Jan Mitchell in 1952. In the popular Rhineland version (Rheinischen Sauerbraten), sugar and raisins are added to the gravy in order to give the dish some countering sweetness.