Garden Party: Part II

Tea Sandwiches

Back at the garden party, we had three kinds of tea sandwiches available, Curried Chicken Salad, Cream Cheese & Cucumber, and Egg Salad.



Cucumber & Cream Cheese Sandwiches

One of the few things keeping me from veganism, besides my unfailing love for cheese, is eggs. Egg Salad keeps well in the fridge, takes barely any skill to make, and isn't just for sandwiches. I sometimes dip potato chips in my egg salad, or scoop a bit on top of a salad; garnish a piece of cheesy toast, or simply eat by the spoonful.

A tip I got from working in the food industry is to use a cheese grater to shred your eggs once they've been hard-boiled. This is a huge time saver, and makes for a great texture throughout. Also, the restaurant I work at throws in a few capers, with some juice, right at the end. It's surprisingly and will seriously raise the bar on your egg salad.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

EGG SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 extra large eggs
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tsp. grainy mustard
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh dill
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• *1/4 cup capers

MY DIRECTIONS:

 

Step 1.

Hard-boil eggs according to a recipe you are comfortable with. I start my eggs in COLD water and allow them to reach a boil, then let them boil for another 5 min. Then I turn the heat off and let them sit for another 20 min. Cool eggs in an ice bath before peeling (the longer the better).

 

Step 2.

Shred eggs with a large hand cheese grater.

 

Step 3.

Add all other ingredients and mix just enough to distribute everything evenly. 

Optional: Strip in capers at the end.

Garden Party: Part I

 

 

    Since my first catering adventure was a success, my sister suggested to my mother that,  together, we cater her upcoming 'Garden Party'. What is a Garden Party you ask? It's a party where your friends come over and walk around your garden. My mom used to have a party where guests walked around and admired her Christmas decorations, but she got tired of that I guess... This would just be a casual, open house-type of event, with people coming and going. Close to eighty-five formal invitations were sent; Then you add verbal invitations to close friends, and consider some people would bring their children... My sister and I would prepare an outdoor spread for close to 100 people.

 

I apologize if this photo is offensive to Vegetarians

 

 

Now, since I was not cooking for a vegan crowd, there were a few protein options not suitable for this blog. Including barbeque pulled pork sliders which I was actually very proud of. All of our sandwiches were served on freshly baked bread from Bread Bar in L.A., and we garnished our platters with edible flowers for a true touch of Spring.

 

The first recipe for the Garden Party comes, in fact, from the last course. Strawberry Fools are a perfect dessert for Spring or Summer because they are fruit-filled, chilled, and easy to make ahead. My sister got the idea from a friend, and I got some very cute baking cups from Sur La Table to add some color to the table.  

 

 

 

STRAWBERRY FOOLS

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces strawberries, halved
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
• 1/2 cup crème fraiche
• 12 edible rose petals (fresh or candied)

Directions

Step 1.

Puree strawberries, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until mixture is slightly chunky. (I actually pureed this pretty good).

Step 2.

Whisk heavy cream, crème fraiche, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. (This takes a while). Fold in strawberry mixture until just swirled through. Divide among 12 glasses. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (We put them in the freezer for about 2 hours).

 

 

Step 3.

 Garnish each fool with a rose petal (we used a variety of edible flower petals) just before serving.