Author: cmgdev

Vicki, the owner or Crown Point Catering is such an avid gardener (and the girl that has everything!) So she was thrilled to receive from the CPC team exactly what’s she’s been wanting for years but just didn’t know how to get started!  Really she loves this!  And we wanted to share her new found love for worms with you too.

A worm composter (aka vermicomposter). It’s the ideal method to not only use up your “browns” & “greens”, but the wigglers can be so beneficial to your garden.  Everyone who decides to go green travels there on a different road.  And worm composting was one of Vicki’s ways.  Vermiculture, the product is vermicompost and only the name is complicated. It’s a process that can be done on an industrial-sized scale or very small scale (as in your own garage.) Essentially, on a small scale, you construct a worm hotel with perpetual room service, and you let the worms take it from there.

Composting is the controlled natural decomposition of organic material such as leaves, grass, fruit, and vegetable remains.  In addition to these items you can also compost hair, manure, tea bags, coffee filters and grinds, egg shells, straw, paper, and cardboard.  Micro organisms break down the materials into nutrient rich soil called compost or humus.  Essentially it is nature’s way of recycling.  The most important part of a successful compost is the ingredients that go into it.  The four components are greens, browns, water and air.   

**Some of the information in this article can be credited to the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, Encinitas, CA

We were lucky enough to cater this beautiful wedding at a private home in Mission Hills.   Both the bride & groom looked gorgeous and carefree dressed perfectly with a So Cal vibe complete with a ring of fresh flowers that adorned the bride’s head.  This was a vibrant celebration of love.  And the food as always was fantastic!

We served our authentic homemade Mexican yumminess including stuffed pasilla chiles with fresh papaya-mango salsa; locally caught white seabass fish tacos; carnitas; roasted poblano corn pudding; smoked chicken enchilada mole verde; pico de gallo; beet & blood orange salad; avocado-feta salsa (of course!)

Thank you La Vida Creations Photography for the beautiful Photographs.

The age-old question remains: What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing. Traditional wisdom holds that stuffing is actually cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked separately and served alongside.   Makes sense, right? But in my experience, it really comes down to geography. From the East Coast, never stuff the bird.  Further South, and everything is “dressing.” No matter your locale, you don’t have to stick with a traditional recipe.  Stuffings and dressings are getting a lot of love these days using all sorts of traditional and exotic ingredients.  Here are a few of our favorite recipes, from Sadie Rose Baking Company, right here in San Diego. Visit their blog for full the full recipes.

Sourdough Bread, Cranberries, Granny Smith Apples & Italian Sausage Stuffing

Multigrain Bread, Butternut Squash,Brussel Sprouts & Apple Stuffing

French Bread, Cornbread, Bacon, Leeks, Pecan Stuffing

Rye Bread, Kale, Mushrooms & Pumpkin Seed Stuffing

Just like the rest of the world we can’t help but plan and get excited for the upcoming Holiday Season.  It’s not even Halloween yet and we start to feel the excitement and joy of Christmas getting inspired by cute idea’s for our own tablescapes for our holiday food stations.

Check out these adorable little gingerbread houses that are super cute and would be a perfect embellishment for a hot cocoa station.  We also thought the idea of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” as a theme for a hot cocoa bar, with all the fixin’s was clever.

And not only are these melting snowman cookie’s cute, they taste amazing too.  What an adorable addition to a holiday sweets table.
For 15 fabulous Hot Cocoa recipes check out this link from Shabby Creek Cottage http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/2013/12/15-yummy-hot-chocolate-recipes.html

And for perfect gingerbread dough check out this recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gingerbread-house-recipe1.html

Fusion cuisine is cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions. This type of cuisines is not particularly categorized according to any one particular cuisine style but plays an important part in creative and contemporary food innovations.  It’s sometimes the best way to interpret an old classic into something fresh and modern.  Or to combine the best of 2 worlds into one fabulous and interesting dish.  Today there are entire restaurants & food trucks built around this concept.  We’ve found several fun and innovative food blogs that also highlight the art of Foodie Fusion, here are some of the tastiest we’ve seen.   Try your own culinary chemistry experiment of these food mash-ups!

A twist on the classic chicken and waffles! Infused with chicken, garnished with crispy chicken skin, chives, and syrup drizzle, by Canard Inc. in New York.

Taco shells made from rice flour and sushi rice, filled with tuna and salmon, and sprinkled with sesame seeds, by Encore Catering in Toronto.

Cheeseburger spring rolls filled with ground beef, onion, three cheeses (American, cheddar, and Swiss), and béchamel sauce, by Delicatessen in New York.

And for Dessert!  A chocolate brownie-cookie hybrid filled with vanilla panna cotta, by Pinch Food Design in New York.

Last Thursday was the the official kick off of the 2014, NFL Regular Season.  No more pre-season hype.  The REAL DEAL with a game crushing win by last year’s Super Bowl Champs, the Seattle Seahawks over the Green Bay Packers.   While we all have our favorite teams and are own way of watching, it usually involves some tremendous eats and knocking back a few cold ones.  We thought there was no better way to celebrate one of our favorite times of the year, than with some recipes for some unique and yummy appetizers to start the season off right.

These are not your average poppers, but have added bite with mac & cheese stuffing & crispy Cheetos.
http://foodnessgracious.com/2014/08/jalapeno-poppers-with-mac-and-cheese-cheetos/

Are you sick of wings?  We are too.  Try these BIGGER than life bites using chicken drumsticks.
http://abachelorandhisgrill.com/2014/07/bacon-wrapped-and-beer-honey-glazed-chicken-drumsticks/.html

And for dessert check out these Football Whoopie Pies, adorable and delicious!
http://thecakeblog.com/2013/02/recipe-football-whoopie-pies.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+HalfBakedTheCake

Whether you love football or hate football, you’ll probably find yourself at some point this season surrounding a flat screen, chatting.  Eating.  And hoping that your team gives you something to cheer about.

Go Chargers!

We were thrilled to learn that Jess & Clint’s coastal inspired wedding was featured on MarthaStewartWeddings.com. Jess and Clint tied the knot on March 15, 2014, almost 10 years after the day they first met. Both are professionals living in San Diego, Jess now an attorney and Clint an officer on a submarine in the United States Navy.

Jess wasn’t the only one in white at the coastal celebration; Clint donned his Dress Whites, the Navy’s ceremonial uniform. Vibrant color was added to the brides bouquet of anemones, Juliet garden roses, peonies, Campanella roses, viburnum berries, sweet peas, umbrella fern, and lilac, designed by florist Twigg Botanicals.  The bridal party carried stunning bouquets of freesia, roses and sweet peas.

“Our vows were the most special thing of all,” Jess says. “When you have been together as long as we have, it was really nice to have a moment to think and share with all of the people who are important in our lives how much we really love each other and how thankful we were that everyone was able to join us and celebrate our love.”

Guests enjoyed the coastal views during cocktail hour and passed appetizers included shot glasses of tomato bisque, spanakopita cigars, and smoked chicken-and-leek purses with sweet onion marmalade, all prepared and served by Crown Point Catering.  Dinner menu’s were tucked into patterned napkins at each place setting outlining the evening’s meal: bibb lettuce salad, pan-seared sea bass, chicken in champagne sauce, grilled filet of beef, roasted tomato Provencal, and a duo of potatoes au gratin and locally-grown oven-roasted vegetables.

Jessica wanted the overall feel of the reception & wedding to be very intimate, much like the backyard wedding from the movie, “Father Of the Bride.” From the votives to the linens, to the flowers, to the table name signs, everything came together so beautifully.

The Long wooden tables were set with patterned linens, golden vessels and votives, and painted signs made by Peanut Press. Each table was named for a different island in the Bahamas where the couple met on spring break. Jess was there with her Clemson University friends, and Clint with his Naval Academy buddies. One of the girls asked one of the guys to take a group photo of them, and the rest is history.

For dessert Hey There, Cupcake! Created a tiered confection of lemon cake with blueberry curd filling.   And mini sweets, like raspberry & salted caramel cupcakes, were also set out for dessert.

Guests dined under the stars and string lights, in the background a perfect ocean view.  The couple exited to the song “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night.

Check out more about the participating vendors by visiting their websites.
Catering: Crown Point Catering
Photography: Jacqueline Campbell for Birds of a Feather
Location: Martin Johnson House
Event and Design Coordination: Amorology Weddings
Flowers: Twigg Botanicals
Stationery: Peanut Press Creative
Cake and Cupcakes: Hey There, Cupcake!
Rentals: Found Vintage Rentals
Transportation: La Costa Limo; Rolls Livery