Parties That Cook’s Complete Mother’s Day Guide

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in General, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , May 3rd, 2011 @ 4:25 pm

Mother’s Day is this Sunday.
It’s Tuesday.
Believe it or not, you’re ahead of the game.

In case you’re still feeling panicked (or it is no longer Tuesday) Parties That Cook has your Complete Guide to Mother’s Day eats, gifts and activities!

Start the Day Off Right:
-Breakfast in bed is a classic. You can’t go wrong with a meal made with love. Unfortunately, if you no longer live with your mother, it could get a little awkward… Yeah.
-A great alternative is a lovely brunch at a local café or her favorite lunch spot! Popsugar has a detailed list of Mother’s Day Brunch specials around Chicago! Tablehopper offers her own extensive list of Mother’s Day Dining Options in San Francisco!
-Looking for something a little more hands-on? Check out our Mother’s Day Brunch Cooking Class in San Francisco! Spend the day with mom sipping sparkling wine and learning new cooking techniques as you prepare a gourmet brunch together.

Spend Time with Mom in Other Ways:
-Go for a stroll in the sun! Those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area can take her for a special bike ride, walk or run through the Mission during this week’s Sunday Streets event.
-Whether she likes Hugh Jackman, Elvis Costello or The Little Mermaid, the night offers a variety of fun events, too!

Gifts That Would Make a Mother Proud:
-Flowers. In fact, today’s Living Social deal is $35 of flowers for $15! (But you only have HOURS left!)
-Jewelry (that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg). This oh-so-cute cupcake ring(above) might show your mom how sweet she is, but so would every other item from Polina & Sergey Muha.
-Mama’s Nuts. Peanut Brittle handmade in Chicago! Remember, when presenting these old fashioned treats, its best not to say, “Just like you!”
-Organization. We know she’s a super hero, but this oversized dry-erase calendar wall decal will make saving the world that much easier.

Have your own ideas for a great Mother’s Day? Let us know! Leave us a comment with your favorite brunch item, Mom activity or gift idea!

Parties That Cook’s Corporate Event Secrets: How to Throw a Successful Cooking Party

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Entertaining, General, News & Events Tagged with , , , , , , , , , April 26th, 2011 @ 3:14 pm

Need help planning your next corporate team building? Follow these helpful tips from Parties That Cook, and your event is sure to be a success!

–Get Competitive: Adding a competition component to a cooking party definitely changes the event’s dynamic. If you think your guests can handle the heat of competition in the kitchen, fire it up! In the end, everyone wins by building teamwork and camaraderie; though rewarding the winning team with a prize is an extra incentive for guests to try their best! Competitions make particularly good corporate team building activities because they also challenge guests to make the winning presentation. Ever seen your company logo recreated as plate garnish?

–Stay Current: Keep current trends in mind as you plan your bash. Are cupcakes the “It” dessert on the menu this year? Throw a cupcake-themed event, like Cupcake Wars, in which guests are armed with a base recipe of their choosing, and teams select their toppings and flavorings from a pantry of secret ingredients. Whether guests play it safe or head into uncharted territory – did anyone say bacon cupcakes? – presentation is critical as the judges decide which team takes the cake!

–Be Accommodating: If guests have dietary restrictions (vegetarians, food allergies, etc.), don’t just banish them to scraps. Offer to have a special menu item available for them, or reserve a portion of a recipe that can be adapted to fit their needs. If there are 5 vegetarians, remember to have at least one of them on the team making the vegetarian option. They need to be represented, too!

–Get Outdoors: Take advantage of the warmer spring weather, and move your party outside. A corporate scavenger hunt is a creative way to incorporate the outdoors into your cooking party, and Parties That Cook’s Amazing Kitchen Race does just that. Part scavenger hunt and part cooking competition, this event will challenge your guests to think on their feet (literally) as they hunt for clues and work together to earn advantages in the kitchen!

–Get Everyone Involved: Do you have an unenthusiastic guest? Put them in charge of a recipe, and they will be more invested in the outcome. If someone doesn’t want to cook, make them a team runner (have them grab ingredients, cooking utensils or drinks for their teammates) or let them design the final plate presentation.

Check back for more fun corporate event ideas soon. In the meantime, let us know if you have any fun tips!

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