Category News & Events

Parties That Cook Connects with the Land at Cooking Farm to Table


Last Saturday was Parties That Cook’s first-ever Cooking Farm to Table Class. It was such a fun event that we are now even more excited for the possibilities of future Cooking Farm to Table team building events than we already were! (Who knew that was possible??)

The folks at Canvas Ranch were great. Farmer Deborah gave an in-depth tour of the farm grounds, including the chicken coop where the free-range chickens dwell and the pasture where guests mingled with cashmere goats! Talk about getting “hands-on”, guests were then able to pick the veggies to be used in the evening’s meal. After whipping up a delicious menu that included Crostini of Goat Cheese and Tomato Jam, Balsamic Marinated Skirt Steak (or Portobello) with Herbed Breadcrumbs, Summer Squash Gratin with Salsa Verde and Gruyere, Strawberry Potpies with Buttermilk Whipped Cream, and more, guests enjoyed the “fruits of their labor” from the best seats in the house (below). What a great view!

Amongst the crowd were a couple of PTC MVPs, including Director of Event and Office Operations, Rosie, and our Warehouse Manager, Melissa. We even invited our newest Event Planner, Christina, who was eager to see what Parties That Cook events are all about! We were so glad to hear such positive feedback from her, “I had such a blast yesterday — a perfect summer afternoon surrounded by new friends and delicious food at Canvas Ranch.” The rest of us in the office were quite jealous of their weekend farm adventure – you might just see some other PTC faces at the next Cooking Farm-to-Table Class on September 17th! Keep on the look out for a SEATTLE Cooking Farm to Table Class currently in the works!

Parties That Cook Eagerly Anticipates La Cocina’s Street Food Festival 2011

It’s baaaaaaack!

Here at Parties That Cook, the anticipation for this year’s San Francisco Street Food Festival is literally eating at us. La Cocina has done it again, bringing in the best of the best food vendors to the city. Mouthwatering aromas from mobile carts and brick-and-mortar establishments will fill the streets of the Mission District this Saturday, August 20th, 2011.

But WHY, you ask? (Does it really matter? It’s FREE!) La Cocina, “a non-profit incubator kitchen that provides affordable commercial kitchen space and industry-specific technical assistance to low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs who are launching, growing and formalizing food businesses”, is hosting 3rd annual Street Food Festival to celebrate “the taste, the heart and the commitment” of the diverse group of nearly 70 vendors. In fact, most of the revenue from this event goes straight to the vendors, providing their businesses with much-needed capital.

Our question to those near San Francisco: Why NOT stop by and support your local merchants this Saturday?

Check out the festival on Facebook, and keep an eye out for more updates to come after this weekend – including a recap of the 3rd annual Street Food Festival GAME!