by Style & Design

It's not too late to add some Pepper's magic to your holiday party! We're still taking bookings for the end of the year, so dazzle your guests with delicious appetizers, entrancing entrees and decadent desserts! With custom flower arrangements, sparkling decor, and glowing candle light, we promise you a magical end to 2014!

 

by Caitlin Spaulding

Style & Design

Peterson Party Centeris one of Pepper's favorite places to rent all of our beautiful linens, china, and flatware that can take an event from lovely, to spectacular. They have recently asked us to design a table for their show room, and we decided to embrace the start of the holiday season. With a graphic gold pattern as our starting point, we added a gold sequin runner for a little sparkle. Then there was the question of the centerpiece, when a table is set for over two months, that means fresh flowers are not an option. So we got inspired by sputnik mid-century designs and created these big impactful gold spheres as our main focal point.

With a mix of white and grey graphic china, Peterson's new modern gold flatware, a striking green glass, and pleated napkins, we were almost done! To add a personal touch, we hand made calligraphy place cards (which Pepper's now does in house!) and matching tags for our delicious truffles made in Pepper's own bakery.
                      Now we feel ready to take on the holiday season! Are you?

 

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~

 

Temperatures are dropping, and the leaves will soon be changing from green in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. Halloween will be here before you know it. Halloween is a much loved holiday, by young and old alike. For the kids, it’s the one day every year when it’s okay to dress up like a superhero and make off with pillowcases full of candy, while for adults the end of October signals Halloween party season.

Make your Halloween party a hit by following these simple tips:

Plan ahead - Pick a date early and send out those invites! Parties just don’t happen, especially when they involve time-consuming costumes. You want to give your guests plenty of notice so they can prepare. The more time you allow for them to come up with costumes, the better those costumes will be, and your party will be more memorable.

Decorate! - When you walk into a Halloween party you should know it immediately. Halloween has got one of the most recognizable color schemes and décor—orange and black, dark and creepy. Your guests will likely be going the extra mile to be imaginative with their costumes, so should you with decoration. Go above and beyond the simple orange and black streamers and paper goods. One quick and extremely effective mood changer is a one night replacement of your regular light bulbs with red or green bulbs to give the party rooms an eerie glow. Put out creepy crawlies and Jack O’lanterns. Cob webs, fog machines, strobe lights and scary music are also great additions. It’s not just a party on Halloween, it’s a Halloween themed party! Your imagination is the only limit!

Make it fun - Halloween is a day to let your inner child free! Silly, cheesy games and art projects that would often be scoffed at on other days can be a lot of fun to play on Halloween. Plan some events throughout the night to keep things light and interesting. Crafts and games are always a good idea to keep people laughing and mingling all night.

No matter what the theme may be, Halloween or otherwise, theme parties work well because they wow guests and take them out of their usual ho-hum. Themes are a great way to get people to open up, and generate conversation between guests who may otherwise have little in common.

Halloween is the ultimate theme party, because it’s sort of a “pick your own theme” theme party. By planning ahead, making your place look the part, and mapping out a fun game plan for the night, you can make your Halloween party one to remember.

And if spooky foods are in the fortune tellers cards, dont hesitate to call Pepper's for a terrifyingly fun and delicious night!

 

Photo credit: wwarby@flickr

The plants and flowers are coming out of hibernation and so should you! What better way to celebrate spring than with a fun, St. Patrick's Day themed party. Below are some party planning ideas to spark your creativity, so gather your friends and go “green” on March 17!

FOOD:

Who said you only need to serve corned beef and cabbage? Think beyond traditional foods and incorporate the color green into your menu.

As party caterers, we're used to working with a variety of foods in a whole range of colors. Below are some of our green picks that fit the bill for both scrumptiousness and color!

• Spring Pea Soup Shooters
• Smoked Salmon-Wrapped Asparagus Tips with Preserved Lemon and Dill Crème Fraiche
• Edamame Puree in Cucumber Cups with Toasted Sesame Seeds and Drizzle of  Thai-Garlic Chili
• Spinach and Feta Phyllo Triangles

DÉCOR:

What’s more green than a lush, full lawn?

Use pieces of sod (available at garden or home stores) for table runners, centerpieces or even cut into place mats.

ENTERTAINMENT:

Make a playlist with old favorites such as “Danny Boy” by Bing Crosby mixed with contemporary artists whose music has an Irish flair, likes the “Dropkick Murphys."

Put together a holiday trivia game. Include questions about Irish culture, geography, celebrities, movies, sports, songs and the history of St. Patrick’s Day. Divide guests into teams and have a spirited competition.

BEVERAGES:

In addition to Irish beer and ales, how about an Irish whiskey bar with several varieties to taste and compare? Have comment cards/pens available for ratings.

For non-imbibers, steep fresh mint into brewed ice tea or lemonade. Or, include a hot tea station with decorative tea cups.  

Special event planning should be fun and reflect your sense of style. With a little effort and some creative thinking, you can put together a memorable and delicious party.

“Irish” you all a wonderful St. Patty’s Day!    

By Liz O.

Holiday Parties are in our past and winter has settled in. All the more reason to break up the cold, gray days with a Mardi Gras celebration for you and your friends! Call up your Krewe, dial up the fun, and laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) because Pepper’s is going to take you through the steps of throwing a spectacular Mardi Gras-themed party with these helpful special event tips:

1)      Use traditional Mardi Gras colors of gold, purple and green on your invitations. Encourage party-goers to wear the colors, and even ramp it up a bit by offering beads hats and masks for your guests upon arrival. Use these same colors when decorating your home—the more dazzle the better.

2)      Bring the French Quarter to your home by offering Cajun and/or Creole Cuisine. The difference between the two is highly debated, but is delicious no matter which way you spice it. Think Gumbos, Seafood dishes, Jambalaya, Rice and Beans and Sausage accompaniments. If you want to really bring The Big Easy a bit closer to home, go for Muffulettas (a sandwich-type food) and King Cakes (a sweet pastry baked in a ring with royal icing). We recommend consulting the online resources on Southern Living to assist in concocting the perfect southern-flavored menu.

3)      Go like special event catering pros and offer a signature cocktail. This will help simplify your menu and ease the amount of items at your bar. For a southern twist, consider offering Hurricanes, Bourbon Spiked Lemonade or Mojitos—any of these will bring to mind images of southern porches and big floppy hats.

4)      Be sure to have great music playing. Consider the southern styling’s of big brass bands, or go softer and throw in some notes of jazz. Music is an important cultural piece for an event such as this, selecting the perfect musical accompaniment will go a long way in creating your party’s theme.

Don’t forget to plan your evening so you aren’t spending the whole time in the kitchen heating things up! Most people plan terrific parties, but don’t spend time with their guests because of disorganized planning.  Developing a good plan goes hand-in-hand with developing a great menu—after all, parties should be enjoyed by the host/hostess as well as the guests!

Will you be throwing a Mardi Gras party this February? Share your party photos with us on our Facebook page! We’d love to see them!

Photo credit: DoctorWho

By Michele L.

The Super Bowl is the game of the year—the one time when eating in front of the TV is encouraged and you may be able to coax your sports-detesting child into joining you on the couch to take in the game.

Whether you’re a sports fan, a commercials fan, or just a fan of food—Super Bowl parties have a little bit of something for everyone. So why not include everyone in your Super Bowl celebration?

Don your Brady jersey, invite your family and friends, and make a play for Sunday, February 5^th –we’re going to show you how to score a touchdown with your Super Bowl party!

#1: Keep it Simple

The game and the guests will be high energy—don’t add more complications into the mix, keep it simple!

• Use paper goods instead of china or glassware
• Stick to beer, wine and soda as opposed to stocking a full bar.
• Don’t feel as though you have to deck the house out with paper footballs and blue and gray streamers, food and festive atmosphere will go a long way in creating your party mood and the less is done, the more you get to enjoy the game too!

#2: Get Creative

If you want to decorate the home, there are easy do-it-yourself projects that can pep up your house for the game and get the kids involved in a fun craft. When it comes to decorations, a little creativity goes a long way!

• Make a football field table cloth for the food table by taking a green table cloth and adding in numbers and lines to create the field using white felt or paint. A decorative party touch-done!
• Send out homemade Super Bowl invitations shaped in the various symbols of the sport—flags, footballs, jerseys, ticket stubs—the possibilities are endless!
• Hang felt flags on the wall and make jerseys out of construction paper numbered with the jersey numbers of your favorite players. To add to the décor, hang a home-made score board on the wall so everyone can keep track of the game.
• Use interesting serving trays/bowls/platters. Try serving chips out of a (prop) helmet or serve hors d’oeuvres and desserts from a pelt of fake grass.
• Make centerpieces for the table out of helmets filled with either fresh flowers or finger foods like chips and nuts. White PVC piping makes a great field goal post and mini-footballs or football shaped candles also make great table accents, too!

#3: Tailgate at Home

Do you have a small house or apartment? Don’t let it stop you from playing host. Consider tailgating right at home! Tailgate in your driveway to pump up the festive mood—and where the comfort of the indoors is just a few steps away. Have everyone bring lawn chairs and blankets and bring it all outdoors for the big game. If your lawn is big enough, you can re-enact the action with an impromptu game of your own!

#4: Food/Drink

When selecting your beer or wine, get creative! Pick selections from the competing teams’ home cities/states—offering a selection of beers from Sam Adams and Brooklyn Brewery, for instance.

Think about food the same way--seafood to represent New England and pizza to symbolize New York. If guests ask what they can bring, have a list ready to assign them dishes to prevent doubles or ending up with a bunch of chips and dip.

#5 Catering

Special event catering is also a great option for your Super Bowl party. At Pepper’s, our special events catering expertise makes us a valuable resource for fantastic ideas relating to both food and décor.

Caterers have the advantage of being able to whip up innovative and party-specific food options that will make your party a winner whether the Pats take home the trophy or not!

Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday and GO PATS!

(…or Giants for those of you rooting for New York!)

photo credit: clevercupcakes

By Liz O.

The countdown begins!

The pressure always seems to be on for New Year’s Eve Party hosts.  You’re trying to create a memorable experience for your guests, a celebration worthy enough to usher family and friends into the coming year—and that can cause party planning stress.

New Year’s celebrations should be the icing on your holiday cake, so from all of us at Pepper’s Catering, here are some Event Planning Tips to help your Auld Langs Syne celebration yield wonderful memories.

Ten, Nine, Eight…

Entertainment! Nothing goes better with a New Year’s Eve bash than entertainment.

• For music, consider a band or DJ—or create a play list on your iPod that includes holiday and dancing tunes.
• Activities or fun games always add fun or games.

Here’s a fun game idea: everyone writes down his or her resolutions on a slip of paper (no names), toss them into a hat, and randomly read them aloud. Everyone has to guess which resolutions belong to whom.

Seven Six, Five, Four…

Plan a fun and festive menu.

• If your party starts later in the evening, a nice selection of hors d’oeuvres and sweets will hit the spot.
• Serving alcohol? If you’re like most of us, we never know how much to buy. Event Planners like me, use on-line Drink Calculators to solve the mystery, such as E-Vite’s: http://www.evite.com/pages/party/drink-calculator.jsp
• Do you have a bit more room in the budget this year? Hire a local special events caterer who can design a party with cuisine and décor that will suit your personal taste and budget.
• Don’t forget about New Year’s Day. Save some champagne for mimosas in 2012.

Three, Two, ONE!

 What to wear? The age old question for NYE parties!  

• How about a costume party? Themes set a tone, and provide a common focus.
• Not in to costume parties? Be sure to swing by your local party store, like iParty and pick up hats, noisemakers and party horns for your guests to have fun with

HAVE FUN! You’ve planned and prepared, so sit back, relax and enjoy the festivities!

Let’s face it – dads love to grill!  Applying a dry rub, paste or marinade is a great way to enhance the flavor of meat, fish or poultry.  So give the special grilling enthusiast in your life some great seasonings to help him create the perfect meal!

DRY RUBS are a combination of spices that are massaged into food before cooking.  Along with enhancing the taste of your food, rubs also seal in flavor and form a savory crust.  Apply a rub thoroughly and evenly.  If cooking chicken or other poultry, spread seasoning both under and over the skin.  When working with vegetables, coat them first with a bit of oil to help the rub adhere.  After coating, wrap the food in plastic and refrigerate to help them absorb the flavors. Fish fillets and shrimp should be refrigerated for at least 30-45 minutes before cooking and big cuts of meat should be refrigerated overnight.  Two cups of dry rub is usually enough to flavor a couple of briskets or a half a dozen slabs of ribs.

Sweet Sensation Rub
These spices match the sweetness and succulence of tender cuts of pork, such as tenderloin or rib roast.  Yields about 1 cup.

• ¼ cup ground allspice
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup onion powder
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Mix spices thoroughly in a bowl.  Store covered in a cool, dark pantry.

PASTES are a wet version of a rub - a combination of spices bound together by a liquid or fat.  They add both flavor and moisture and work best on lean meats or delicate fish or seafood.  Pastes should be thick enough to adhere to food but thin enough to smear, and, like rubs, massage them into every surface and then refrigerate to let the flavors soak in.  Pastes with fresh herbs lose their potency after a few days, but others can keep for several weeks when refrigerated.

Thunder Paste
Superb on chicken and shrimp. 

• 1 small onion, chunked
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 teaspoons ground anise seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the paste ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until the onion is finely chopped and a thick puree forms.  Refrigerate the paste, covered, for up to 2 weeks.

MARINADES are a combination of acid, oil and spices used to bathe food before cooking.  They are a great way to complement and enrich the food’s natural flavor.  Marinate right before cooking and do not reuse with other raw foods.  If you plan on using a leftover marinade to mop or baste, or as part of a sauce, boil it first to kill any harmful bacteria.  Aluminum can react with acids, so marinate your food in glass, stainless steel or plastic.  Two cups of marinade will flavor about 2 lbs of meat.

 

Red-Eye Marinade
Great for pork or beef.  Makes about 3 cups.

• 2 cups strong brewed coffee
• 1 medium onion, chunked
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup dark unsulphured molasses

Blend all ingredients in the blender.  The marinade is best the day it is made.

Reference:
Jamison, Cheryl Alters, and Bill Jamison.  Smoke and Spice Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue on Your Charcoal Grill, Water Smoker, or Wood Burning Pit.  Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 1994.