An Amazing Letter

This is an email that I received from a friend, and also someone who was at the catered event. I will leave her name anonymous, but know that she is someone I have an amazing amount of respect for.

"I just gotta tell you how proud I am of you in what you and Jason are doing together - the commitment to each other, to your families, and to yourselves shows all over you. You are an incredibly talented couple - the culinary school will only hone some excellent skills you already have. I've been pondering your question about critique of Saturday's repast. Honestly, I can't think of a thing! (And I AM a truth teller.) Your happiness exudes from every pore. Enjoy!"

An Amazing Letter

This is an email that I received from a friend, and also someone who was at the catered event. I will leave her name anonymous, but know that she is someone I have an amazing amount of respect for.

"I just gotta tell you how proud I am of you in what you and Jason are doing together - the commitment to each other, to your families, and to yourselves shows all over you. You are an incredibly talented couple - the culinary school will only hone some excellent skills you already have. I've been pondering your question about critique of Saturday's repast. Honestly, I can't think of a thing! (And I AM a truth teller.) Your happiness exudes from every pore. Enjoy!"

BREAD

Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures. It is not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life.
-Lionel Poilane

BREAD

Bread deals with living things, with giving life, with growth, with the seed, the grain that nurtures. It is not coincidence that we say bread is the staff of life.
-Lionel Poilane

What a RUSH!

So I tackled my first catering job last night. It was amazing. For those of you that know me, you know I am organized. I had different tasks for prepping on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then last minute things on Saturday. That organization made all the difference in the world. I learned a good number of things through this process, but one of them being the prepping is the hardest work. The actual "performance" the day of the event was a breeze, but I'm sure that is because I had everything organized and ready to go. It was almost like packing for camping. I had to assume I would have nothing but what I brought, and that was key. But it all felt really natural and just right. I'm in my element here.

The real RUSH came when I heard people a few feet away talking about the food and the presentation. Lots of people came up to me, some multiple times, to tell me how great everything was, from the organization to the presentation to the amazing food. People were really blown away. Obviously this was an amazing first experience.

DREAM NOTE: to have my own kitchen somewhere not in my house, where I can cook and store all of my "stuff". Oh wait. That's my lunch restaurant. : )

If you are interested, this was the menu, and it was for 44 adults.

APPETIZERS
Fresh Vegetable Tray with Blue Cheese Dip
Broccoli, Carrots, Red-Orange-Yellow Bell Peppers, Cucumbers Blue Cheese Dip
Tortillas and Mango Salsa
Cheese and Cracker Assortment
Carr’s Assorted Water Crackers
Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
Goat Cheese with Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

MAIN DISHES
Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts
Basil Pesto
Grilled Salmon Filets
Fresh Dill Sauce
Grilled Hamburgers
Caramelized Vidalia Onions
Assorted Cheeses (same as appetizer)
Water Rolls
Sliced Tomatoes, Mixed Greens and Sliced Vidalia Onions

SIDES
Mixed Greens Salad, Vinaigrette, Goat cheese and Sunflower Sseeds
Red Potato Salad with Bacon and Spring Onions
White Bean and Corn Salad with Fresh Lemon and Cilantro

DESSERT
Fresh Strawberries, Blueberries and Homemade Whipped Cream

What a RUSH!

So I tackled my first catering job last night. It was amazing. For those of you that know me, you know I am organized. I had different tasks for prepping on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then last minute things on Saturday. That organization made all the difference in the world. I learned a good number of things through this process, but one of them being the prepping is the hardest work. The actual "performance" the day of the event was a breeze, but I'm sure that is because I had everything organized and ready to go. It was almost like packing for camping. I had to assume I would have nothing but what I brought, and that was key. But it all felt really natural and just right. I'm in my element here.

The real RUSH came when I heard people a few feet away talking about the food and the presentation. Lots of people came up to me, some multiple times, to tell me how great everything was, from the organization to the presentation to the amazing food. People were really blown away. Obviously this was an amazing first experience.

DREAM NOTE: to have my own kitchen somewhere not in my house, where I can cook and store all of my "stuff". Oh wait. That's my lunch restaurant. : )

If you are interested, this was the menu, and it was for 44 adults.

APPETIZERS
Fresh Vegetable Tray with Blue Cheese Dip
Broccoli, Carrots, Red-Orange-Yellow Bell Peppers, Cucumbers Blue Cheese Dip
Tortillas and Mango Salsa
Cheese and Cracker Assortment
Carr’s Assorted Water Crackers
Vermont Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Pepper Jack Cheese
Goat Cheese with Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

MAIN DISHES
Marinated Grilled Chicken Breasts
Basil Pesto
Grilled Salmon Filets
Fresh Dill Sauce
Grilled Hamburgers
Caramelized Vidalia Onions
Assorted Cheeses (same as appetizer)
Water Rolls
Sliced Tomatoes, Mixed Greens and Sliced Vidalia Onions

SIDES
Mixed Greens Salad, Vinaigrette, Goat cheese and Sunflower Sseeds
Red Potato Salad with Bacon and Spring Onions
White Bean and Corn Salad with Fresh Lemon and Cilantro

DESSERT
Fresh Strawberries, Blueberries and Homemade Whipped Cream

Getting Ready

Today is my first catering job! I am really excited and can't wait to get the show on the road! Going to pick up my rolls... they were baked this morning (by someone else). Yay!!

I am so grateful for this opportunity to -literally- serve others.

Getting Ready

Today is my first catering job! I am really excited and can't wait to get the show on the road! Going to pick up my rolls... they were baked this morning (by someone else). Yay!!

I am so grateful for this opportunity to -literally- serve others.

Tears of Joy

So, P and C, are you happy? You made me cry it out at the event tonight. I can't thank you enough for inviting us to the fundraiser. What an amazing opportunity for me. An opportunity that I would not have had without your love and support.

Tears of Joy

So, P and C, are you happy? You made me cry it out at the event tonight. I can't thank you enough for inviting us to the fundraiser. What an amazing opportunity for me. An opportunity that I would not have had without your love and support.

Down to Business

Today I bought the domain www.LeafandLoaf.com and ordered business cards. Here we go!!!

Down to Business

Today I bought the domain www.LeafandLoaf.com and ordered business cards. Here we go!!!

MY NEW LOGO!!

My amazing husband put this together for me. It's exactly how I want to represent myself and my food. Humble, simple, organic, yummy... My little lunch place will serve fresh soups (hopefully farm to table), fresh salads (again, farm to table) and fresh baked breads.

MY NEW LOGO!!

My amazing husband put this together for me. It's exactly how I want to represent myself and my food. Humble, simple, organic, yummy... My little lunch place will serve fresh soups (hopefully farm to table), fresh salads (again, farm to table) and fresh baked breads.

Camping

This weekend we went camping at an amazing campground. We swam in the lake each of the three days we were there, encountered friendly and loud cicadas, fish swimming and nibbling on our toes, hawks, someone who thought our dinner rolls were worth a nibble, a few ant bites and a dead scorpion in our laundry- Post washing machine. YIKES!

Camping

This weekend we went camping at an amazing campground. We swam in the lake each of the three days we were there, encountered friendly and loud cicadas, fish swimming and nibbling on our toes, hawks, someone who thought our dinner rolls were worth a nibble, a few ant bites and a dead scorpion in our laundry- Post washing machine. YIKES!

FLOUR

Today was the first day of Summer classes. I had Intro to Baking and was floored at just the number of different types of flours. Lots to learn! My instructor is wonderful. She's organized, detailed and funny. My kind of instructor!

FLOUR

Today was the first day of Summer classes. I had Intro to Baking and was floored at just the number of different types of flours. Lots to learn! My instructor is wonderful. She's organized, detailed and funny. My kind of instructor!

Farm to Table

Wonderful, loving and very giving friends of ours have invited us to an event at Serenbe. First of all, Serenbe is one of my all-time favorite places and now it's hosting an event for Sustainable Living with a bunch of amazing chefs. AND I'M GOING!!! I've already started my research on what these chefs have done, where they went to school, etc. I would like my lunch place to be a farm to table establishment, and that is what this is all about!!

http://www.georgiaorganics.org/events/event.php?id=1226

Thank you again, C and P, for such a wonderful opportunity.

Farm to Table

Wonderful, loving and very giving friends of ours have invited us to an event at Serenbe. First of all, Serenbe is one of my all-time favorite places and now it's hosting an event for Sustainable Living with a bunch of amazing chefs. AND I'M GOING!!! I've already started my research on what these chefs have done, where they went to school, etc. I would like my lunch place to be a farm to table establishment, and that is what this is all about!!

http://www.georgiaorganics.org/events/event.php?id=1226

Thank you again, C and P, for such a wonderful opportunity.

My First Proposal!!!

I just spent the afternoon pricing food and various menus to meet my (potential) client's budget. HOW EXCITING!!! It was really fun putting the menu together and coming up with options. I don't know if Catering is where I want to go, but all of this is certainly really great experience to figure out where I belong!!!!

My First Proposal!!!

I just spent the afternoon pricing food and various menus to meet my (potential) client's budget. HOW EXCITING!!! It was really fun putting the menu together and coming up with options. I don't know if Catering is where I want to go, but all of this is certainly really great experience to figure out where I belong!!!!