Oldies but Goldies

April 2, 2018 by Kellee Douglas

As we roll into another new year I find myself thinking about things I can add to the Chairman of the Breadboard repertoire. ‘New’ dishes are all very well and good – they help zhoosh-up a menu and get the creative juices flowing – but I sometimes think that ‘new’ and ‘innovative’ are overrated. This happens when, as each new year come and then goes, I see some old favourites remaining as popular as ever.

As it happens, I glean a great deal of pleasure from preparing and serving these ‘oldies but goldies’ for reasons that are very close to my heart. And what could be closer to a girl’s heart than her mother, right?

It’ll be no surprise to hear that my mum was an entertainer and homestyle cook of some repute. She left me with volumes of recipe books that I dip into all the time for Chairman of the Breadboard catering. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree because Mum was also a chronic over-caterer, a habit I just cannot seem to shake! Some of her best recipes are also the ones I get asked to include on menus for returning customers, such as:

Chicken Cannelloni, a creamy elegant main meal dish that’s a joy for me to make and a staple in my repertoire year in and year out. It’s a great way to use leftover BBQ chicken meat and combined with a luscious French mustard, cream & parmesan laced sauce (weight watchers of course!) it is super easy to make and universally enjoyed.

Spicy Tomato Relish is always a smash-hit particularly when served with the Arancini balls. It’s uses can be varied, from the best salsa for Nachos you have ever tasted, to a sensational base for a chicken pasta – just ask my adult nephews who have independently created this dish! Their grandmother would be proud.

A very Queensland Salad with prawns, mango, macadamias and snow peas. One of my Sydney-based clients (who’s a Brisbane girl) has served this salad at her Christmas functions three years running. Must remind her of home. It certainly reminds me of my dear mum.

Yours in good food and great events,

Kellee

The Surprise Wedding

February 1, 2017 by Anna Blackie

Chairman of the Breadboard recently catered a surprise wedding. Yep – you heard right. The nuptials were a surprise to all the guests apart from the bride and groom, the party organiser (in this case the bride-to-be’s sister), me and my helpers on the day.

I’m not sure how long the lady who engaged us as the caterer at this event (originally billed as an engagement party) had been in on the secret. My guess is a lot sooner than we were told about it, which was pretty much at the last minute.

I can’t say I blame them for late notice, though. It seems any time one mentions the words ‘bridal’, ‘wedding’ or ‘marriage’ the price of everything jumps by at least 30 percent. And the fact that this was to be a wedding instead of an engagement party really didn’t change the menu or the serving scenario at all. All we had to do was keep mum and not spoil the surprise for the guests.

It went off without a hitch – the guests were suitably taken aback yet delighted at the surprise and the happy couple were clearly more interested in getting married than staging an expensive, stressful wedding. And as I watched the brief but love-filled ceremony I was reminded of Billy Crystal’s line from the movie When Harry Met Sally:

“I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Here’s to more surprise weddings, I say.

Treacle Tart

May 20, 2016 by Anna Blackie

Preparation Time – 10 minutes (the day/night before baking) 10 minutes (assembly on the day of cooking)
Cooking Time – approximately 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Egg
150 ml of Thickened Cream
1 cup of Golden Syrup, warmed slightly (microwave for 30 seconds)
1 1/2 cups of Fresh Breadcrumbs, finely processed
1/2 cup of Almond Meal
1 Lemon, juice and zest
1-2 sheets of Shortcrust pastry, (depending on size of tin) – 1/2 packet of Careme Vanilla bean shortcrust may also be used.

Method:

Whisk egg and cream together in a medium size bowl.
Whisk warmed golden syrup into egg mixture, along with bread crumbs, almond meal and lemon zest and juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Line tart tin (with a removable base) with pastry.
Pour treacle filling into the pastry case and place in preheated oven (180°C). Cook for 50 mins.
Cool a little in tin before removing, and serving with either fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8-10

Perception is Reality

February 4, 2016 by Anna Blackie

A mate of mine who’s worked in PR for years always says ‘perception is reality’ and when it comes to how an event looks she’s so right! Theming an event – even if it’s simply choosing a colour scheme – can really set the tone, formal or relaxed, festive or sedate. Beautifully dressed tables and decorated spaces speak volumes about the reason you’ve gathered everyone together and the thought that’s gone into ensuring everyone enjoys themselves.

Here’s a few tips to help you achieve the look you’re going for:

1. Fresh flower arrangements on each table are always a good idea – just make sure they don’t get in the way of cross-table conversation.

2. Novelty place cards work well too, like these green apples we used at a Tasmanian-themed birthday party recently.

3. If you’re going for an intimate romantic look, small votive or eternal candles at every place setting can achieve this very easily.

4. Go the extra mile by decorating the backs of the chairs in your chosen colour scheme or choosing a fancy style of chair for your event. It’s a great way of pulling the whole look together.

5. Make sure there aren’t too many tables and there is plenty of room for your guests to push their chairs back and stand up. There’s nothing worse than guests feeling trapped at their table!

And if you’re planning to have speeches or presentations, schedule them for early in the event and try not to have them drag on too long. That way the speakers can enjoy themselves without having to worry about getting up to present. Your guests will thank you too – they can enjoy the food and conversation – and any after dinner entertainment, like dancing, can take place in a timely fashion.

Yours in good food and great events,

Kellee