By Heidi Bouchard ~ Head of Style and Design

Finding myself on a bit of a roll in the “rustic department” I’m going to go with it and develop our next collection. At Pepper’s Fine Catering we are lucky to have wetlands and woods all around us not to mention extensive gardens to draw inspiration from.  I also just moved to a farm house that sits on over 600 protected acres and I have been taking long walks in the woods every weekend for inspiration.   

The name of our second collection is Winter Woodland, not to be confused with Winter Wonderland.  And although I am not exactly sure how the elements will be used or come together, the collecting will be most of the work and fun.  I’m not envisioning using these natural elements in a contrived or overly embellished way, but more in groupings that you would experience in their natural setting.

The first step started in my front yard.  I collected and dried black walnuts from a tree that must be at least 100 years old. To get the casings off I gathered them on big trays to be dried in the sunlight.  About a week later they were laid out onto our cobble stone driveway where I ran over them with a golf cart, the popping sound was fun.  I put on gloves and peeled away the casings.  They were still covered with a pulpy flesh.  I soaked them in hot water, rinsed several times but they were far from clean.  I remembered how my Mom once said that my Dad used to wash dirty golf balls in her washing machine….it was worth a shot……they came out perfectly.  

Wish I could say the same thing for my washing machine, 1 wash and 2 rinse cycles later - its fine.

Next I collected literally, thousands of pine cones, in all shapes and sizes. But this project is not over yet,   still tons more to forage for, stay tuned…

By Heidi Bouchard ~ Head of Style and Design

As beautiful as the classic look of fall flowers and greenery can be its fun to spice it up when possible. Several events each week need new table décor so working along with the Event Manager’s we get our creative juices flowing to create new designs that will excite the senses.

Beyond the typical pumpkins, gourds and fall colored leaves this year I experimented with lots of ornamental baby cabbages, vegetables and herbs in the purple color palette.  On an early September trip into the Boston Flower Exchange I was enamored with branches of oak leaves that had been washed in a chalky faded lavender colored paint.  They were funky and unusual and I used them as the base in several buffet pieces and as accents in smaller guest table arrangements.

The focal piece for an Apple Cider Donut Station at a recent wedding was white pine nuts with the husk peeled away and then bleached. These were used as vase fillers along with white winterberry which gave a stark contrast to the darker autumn hues of the station.

Thai basil which has purple leaves from our garden, purple kale, baby eggplants, mint flowering with tiny lavender flowers along with mini peppers and even baby beets all came together in a beautiful hostess gift for a very special client.  It was wonderfully textural, sophisticated and fun all at the same time.

By Heidi Bouchard ~ Head of Style and Design

Pepper’s Fine Catering owner, Susan Lawrence, recently came to me for help in designing stations for an Asian Inspired Gala.  She had a vision with some specific ideas.  One of them would be a major focal point set in front of the huge stage at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MA.  To say the Hall and Stage are grand would be a bit of an understatement. It would have to be big and impressive as not to look dwarfed by the majestic nature of the room.

The station was Asian inspired, 32 feet long and would have 4 Chefs cooking and serving guests. We would need 8 wok set ups.

The MENU

~Chinese Long Beans Stir Fried and topped with Crispy Five Spice Shrimp and Hoisin Sauce

~Handmade Pork Dumplings with China Moon Orange Sauce

~Vegetable Shoo Mai with Citrus Ponzu

Susan and I collaborated with the culinary team and concluded that guests would start in the center of the station and flank off to the right and left. Immediately I decided that the major focal point to display would be in the center. In addition to having to be large I decided to also raise the table to give the station even more presence.

Susan and husband and co-owner John have traveled to Asia many times over the years and have collected wonderful pieces that are displayed in our Tasting Room.  I often use them for very special events. The center arrangement soared to over 10 feet high and featured a huge gold hand-painted fan, dyed red Asian willow, bamboo and an oriental lantern.  The plates were set on glass covered trays filled with green bamboo rice and across the front of the tables were glass boxes with wheat grass and bamboo ferns.

Pin lighting was added by Revelation Productions of Worcester which brought life to the display. A culinary and visual feast!

Delicious and Beautiful……that’s what we do best.

Sparkling Venues, Private Holiday Parties

The air is crisp, leaves are blowing in the wind and time to think about holiday party plans. We are fortunate to have so many unique venues throughout the state, available for memorable & private holiday party planning.

Consider the built in décor & ambiance of venues as an added plus, making for a minimal investment to create that warm holiday feel. The Elm Bank in Wellesley as well as Tower Hill Holiday Party in Boylston both host horticultural festivals that include quite an array of decorated trees and wreaths, offering terrific eye-candy for your guests.

Speaking of eye candy. The Connors Center & Estate in Dover located in Dover pulls out all the stops when it comes to decorating for the holidays. This charming property offers warm ambience for chilly days and guest rooms to boot.   A Connors Center Holiday is a terrific holiday choice for a private & personal event.

The Russian Icon Museum in Clinton offers a world-class collection of priceless icons, displayed in a unique space that includes former jail cells. Perhaps a wreath set upon the doors of the two cells for a whimsical touch?

Tuckerman Hall in Worcester has been fully restored to its original 100 year old charm with copious gold accents and a full well positioned poinsettia would clearly set a tasteful holiday tone.

Décor ideas, you say ?

Peppers event designer, Heidi Bouchard recommends natural colors, classic décor, candles and birch wood accents. Let a monochromatic use of red or green simply pop among the natural background. She also loves to add hearty herbs such as rosemary & thyme and the juxtaposition of artichoke, petite decorative squash and fruit in her floral displays.

Cuisine plays such an important role in the memory of the great holiday gatherings. Go for abundant tastes & textures  and focus on small plates and hors d’oeuvres. Your guests have a blast with the choices and full control over how little or full they desire to be, but leave room for those petite squash tart Brule’s or classic chocolate or pumpkin buche noel’s prepared by our pastry Chef, linda Labarge. Recently we catered a wonderful wedding at the Worcester Airport and in lieu of a wedding cake, the bride chose simply, warm cider donuts.

Should you offer a theme cocktail ?  This goes without question. Have some fun. Eggnog & Rum, nah you can do better. Try this Pear and sweet spice cocktail offered from the NY Times: NY Times holiday cocktail recipe

Most of all, plan to have a relaxing time with your guests and put a little extra time into the pre-plan. You’ll be pleased with the outcome. Make Peppers part of your celebration planning, should you choose to relax and enjoy your guests.

~Happy & joyful holiday season to all of you from all of us~

By Sarah Blakeslee ~ Senior Event Manager

We recently had the pleasure of working with high-end Yoga and Fitness Apparel Company Lululemon to take their vision for their customer appreciation event and bring it to life. The exciting event took place at the Tower Hill Botanical Gardens, the perfect setting for a rustic fall garden look.

After the guests enjoyed yoga in the open air great hall they made their way into the reception room to be greeted by staff members presenting fun and healthy appetizers.  

Guests also got to snack on granola from the Granola Bar. They could choose from Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Granola or Chocolate Chipotle. All accompanied by various nuts and candy mix-ins. The Granola Station was truly a hit!

A Cider Station provided the beverages for the evening. Offering both cold and hot apple cider served in Irish coffee mugs. Wine Barrels provided a unique table to display the glassware for the station. Note:These can be rented from Peterson’s Rental Company.  

Before guests departed for the night they took with them Seed Bomb Favors presented on hanging branches by the exit.

By Sarah Blakeslee ~ Senior Event Manager

Choosing a theme for your wedding can be a big decision. You really want to pick a theme
that lets your personality shine through.

One of our most recent brides decided on a fun 70’s themed wedding. They transformed a
hall into a disco dancing 70’s club decked out with colored lights, fun linens and disco balls.
The guests enjoyed cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres in another room while having no idea what
they were about to walk into behind closed doors.

When the doors opened you could see the excitement on all of the guests faces as they
walked into the room. They picked up their cassette player escort cards and followed the
floppy disk table numbers to their tables. These were just a few fun touches made by the
bride and groom.

Pepper’s Catering own in House Designer adorned all the tables with colorful Gerber
daisies and created a truly spectacular blinged-out bar. Black spandex linens created a
unique look. Behind the smiling bartenders were Swarovski Crystal stands with various
shaped vases showcasing flowers and disco balls.

After Dinner was served, guests enjoyed the custom-designed hand painted flower cake.
Then danced the night away underneath the disco ball.

  Images by 'Le Petite Studio'

By  Amanda Yano-Litwin 

Pepper’s had another great event on Saturday! Working with repeat clients is always a pleasure, especially when our staff is allowed some creative freedom in putting together an event, and Saturday was no exception!

Saturday’s event was a Bar Mitzvah with a Dr. Seuss, 'Cat in the Hat' theme.As many of you can imagine the topsy-turvy world of Dr. Seuss brings out the inner child and imagination of everyone. 

Our team at Pepper’s is always looking for ways to stretch our imaginations and bring a client’s vision to life, and I think our Cat in the Hat evening was a great success!

 Images by 'Le Petite Studio'

By Liz O’Neil ~ Senior Event Designer

At Pepper’s Fine Catering, we have the pleasure of continually developing custom, creative menus for our clients, as each and every event is unique.  Some of our parties have themes, and as true culinary artists, our Chefs have put together some terrific catering menus for such special events.

Keep in mind, just because a party has a theme, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wear a costume (but that didn’t stop us, clown noses anyone?) Success can be achieved easily with some simple and tasteful themed décor, creative menu planning and some of our favorite catering recipes.

Recently, we had a client who was throwing a Carnival Themed Birthday Party for her daughter’s 6^th Birthday.

Together with our Chefs and Style & Design department, we put together a fabulous event with fun décor that didn’t break the bank. The menu was simple and delicious, incorporating Carnival Themed Food with some heartier options to appease all palettes.

~Sweet Potato Fries and Seasoned Potato Fries in a Specialty Cone

~Pop Corn in Carnival Themed Boxes

~New England Clam Chowder

~Hot Dogs

~ Mac & Cheese

~Pulled Pork Sandwiches

~Murrays’ BBQ Chicken

Remember, themes can come from anything—movies, culture, television, eras and trends. Just about anything that interests you or the guest of honor can make a great theme. So have fun and let Pepper’s help you plan a terrific themed catering menu for a memorable event.

Brush Embroidery Wedding Cake

I started cake decorating using the technique of brush embroidery when it was coming into style. As with many techniques, it was very popular for a few years and then faded away. Imagine my surprise when a bride came to my tasting with a picture of a lovely embroidered cake. Hooray!

The technique is somewhat time consuming, as you can see by the pictures, but the end result is very delicate and duplicates the look of needlework, a favorite hobby of mine.

The flower is etched onto the cake using a paper pattern. I use a pin to outline the pattern. Royal icing is piped along the outline and pulled into the center with a damp paintbrush. If you want additional depth you let the first layer dry and repeat.

This cake incorporates the brush technique with copious, fun miniature butterflies in a swag pattern. The lavender shades really compliment the stark white of the fondant. The final result is a lovely elegantly designed cake.

To see more unique and creative cake designs check out our CakeART gallery page.