Le Chic Fête: March 2012

Anyone who knows me well knows that I die over my favorite event design muse: Preston Bailey. Preston was born in Panama where he was surrounded by tropical lush that inspired him to not be afraid of color or texture. He moved to New York City and made his way into the event industry by starting as a florist. Now, his floral work is notable worldwide. I can usually always guess when its a Preston Bailey design by the incredible details and signature work he does.

20 years into his company, Preston has done events for luminaries such as Liza Minnelli, John Galliano, Oprah Winfrey, and royal families around the world. Can you imagine the detail it must take to wow someone like John Galliano? He has planned celebrity weddings such as Donald and Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Catherine Zeta Jones. My favorite thing about his work is the creativity. He isn't afraid to experiment with anything. His work definately gives you the impression that if you can dream it, he will make it a reality. I find it hard to believe that he says no to any concept. He literally word for word makes dreams come true.

He makes very dramatic statements with his details so his work definately isn't for the simple, low key type. Then again, his expertise requires atleast $500,000 budget. With that kind of a budget, nothing will be simple. Look at his ceremony spaces:

Talk about making a HUGE statement! Mr Bailey is the author of four best selling books. The pricetag on the books is a bit hefty at around $70 per book but as a proud owner of them I can tell you it is worth every penny knowing I can stare and dream at his work all day long while reading all about his inspirations. Mr Bailey inspires people in all types of fields from floral to architecture, design, and events. Need a creative bar for your event? Check out this one....its no big deal :P

ohhh Mr Bailey...how I envy you!

Here are some more inspiring and incredible photos of his work for you to oooo and aaaa over...

A starry night in Indonesia....I literally die over this...

This is Ivanka Trumps wedding..her cake was featured in my cake blog it was done by the great Sylvia Weinstock and was the all white cake....stunning!

most beautiful tent i have ever seen...

dream on ladies...dream on

Okay so I'm not really Irish..but thats usually everyones line on St. Patricks Day after a few beers! So if you're feeling festive this year and looking to host a party, here are some cute recipe and fun ideas..

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Let's start the night off right! Traditional mini Guinness floats upon welcome can set the tone for a really fun gathering. Serving small versions can be done in a cosmo glass(the stemless martini glass) or even a shot glass that is slightly bigger than the traditional half ounce size. This is really simple all you need is some ice cold Guinness, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. If you want to get fancy, you can fold in some Baileys and whiskey into softened vanilla ice cream for a delicious kick! Put a small scoop in the glass and top with the Guinness and whipped cream. If you can find some chocolate bitters, add a dash or two.

Next up...festive bites! A traditional Irish dish is a warm and comforting Shephard's Pie. Now it would be sloppy and ugly to have some pies sitting around and have people cut off slices so the cutest way to do this would be...drumroll..MINI'S! If you have a favorite recipe for this dish, you can feel free to use it and just follow the instructions for the pie pastry. I cam across these little guys and they looked absolutely delicious..i would say the piping of the mashed potato on top is crucial to making these stand out.

Mini Shepherd’s Pies:
Ingredients:
24 mini (3″) frozen pie shells
oil, for frying
1 large onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1 large carrot
1 lb chopped meat (I used beef)
1/2 Tbsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 broth or stock (I used vegetable)
4 potatoes, boiled.
1 stick margarine
salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Finely dice onions and sautee on medium flame in oil until translucent. Mince garlic and add to onions. Dice carrot finely and add to skillet. Add salt, pepper and thyme. Continue to cook vegetables until they are tender.
Remove vegetables from pan. Add more oil. Increase the heat and brown meat, stirring frequently with a fork to break meat into small pieces. When meat is browned, turn the hear down and add back in the vegetables. Stir to combine. Add flour and stir well, cooking until completely mixed in. (You shouldn’t be able to see the flour at this point.) Add the tomato paste and stir until mixture is thick. Add broth and simmer until broth is mostly evaporated.
At this point, the meat mixture is fully cooked, so taste it and adjust seasoning as needed.
Fill pie crusts right to the top with meat mixture and set aside.(this is where you can fill it with your own recipe)
Preheat oven to 375.
Melt the margarine (either in a microwave or in a small pot). Pour melted margarine over potatoes and mash until potatoes are creamy. Add salt and pepper, seasoning to taste.
At this point you can spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat, but if you want to go for the “wow” presentation with surprisingly little additional work, place the mashed potatoes in a pastry bag fitted with a wide tip (I used a 1M tip) and pipe rosettes over the meat.
Place the pies on a baking sheet in the oven and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until the pie crust edges appear brown and the mashed potatoes are just turning light brown on the top.
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Another fun recipe is a twist on the classic pizza. To turn this into an Irish inspired dish, you simply add corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. Now this recipe can take some time and there are definately ways to make this feasible for any home. If you're looking to cut the prep time, feel free to buy pizza dough crusts or you can even buy dough from your local pizzeria. You dont need the pizza stone..just be sure to have a round pan that is oven safe or the wood paddle wide enough.

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 teaspoons sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl
3 cups all-purpose flour, or 2 3/4 cups plus 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon fine salt

For the toppings:

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
3 cups sliced green cabbage
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pickling spices, tied securely in cheesecloth
1 large potato, peeled and thinly sliced
Freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
6 ounces sliced corned beef

Directions

Make the dough: Whisk 1 cup warm water (105 degrees) with the sugar in a bowl; scatter the yeast over the top and set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.

Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a rough, shaggy dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. (Add more flour to prevent sticking, if necessary.) Form the dough into a ball; place in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the toppings: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, season with salt and cook until just soft, about 5 minutes. Add the pickling spices and just enough water to cover. Simmer over low heat, covered, until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the cabbage and set aside (discard spices).

Place a pizza stone in the oven, if you have one, and preheat to 500 degrees. Toss the potato with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer on a baking sheet until golden, about 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll one into a 14-inch round (keep the remaining dough covered). Place the round on a floured pizza peel (if baking on a stone) or a large oiled pizza pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter half of each of the cheeses, corned beef, cabbage and potatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully slip the pizza onto the hot stone, if using, or place the pan in the oven. Cook until golden and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

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You should always have something in mind for vegeterians just to be safe. Check out this St Pattys Day inspired grilled cheese.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons softened butter
8 slices pumpernickel bread
8 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 large dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise
8 slices Emmentaler Swiss cheese, folded in 1/2

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Spread butter on 1 side of all 8 slices of bread. Spread Dijon mustard on the opposite side of 4 slices of bread. Top the mustard coated bread slices with a folded slice of Emmentaler. Top cheese with slices of pickle and set tops in place with the buttered side facing up. Place the sandwiches in hot skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, toasting and crisping the bread. Cut the sandwiches corner to corner and serve.

The fun thing about a holiday that is mainly celebrated with the festive color is your recipes dont necesarilly have to be Irish. You can make anything festive enough for this day by dying it or adding green ingredients. How about making some pesto raviolis and put them on sticks to be served as appetizers..

How about some sugar? Irish Coffee Cupcakes are sure to be a great hit! This recipe yields 15 cupcakes.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons instant-espresso powder
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
For the Frosting
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon whiskey
- Instant-espresso powder, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour water over espresso powder; let cool. Combine espresso with milk. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso-milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (batter may look broken).
Fill 15 cups (of two 12-cup muffin tins) three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool; turn out cupcakes from tins.
Make the frosting: Whisk together cream and confectioners' sugar until medium peaks form. Add whiskey; whisk until slightly stiff peaks form.
Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting; dust with espresso powder

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You can also use any traditional recipes for desserts. How about doing a red velvet recipe but instead of using red dye, use green! Turn them into some festive cake pops..Or make some vanilla cupcakes and dye them green. Sprinkle with lucky charms for a festive touch! Check out these cute recipes from various bloggers