Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I hope that you all have been able to relax and enjoy family and friends during this holiday season.

We are grateful to our wonderful staff who have worked hard to create so many fabulous parties and weddings this past year. We also appreciate our families who have been so tolerent of our catering craziness!

We have enjoyed meeting our fabulous clients who continue to inspire us.

We look forward to keeping our creative juices flowing in 2010!

Happy, Healthy 2010 full of Great Taste,

Linda

Inspiration to Reality Winner!

And the winner is.......

Our team has selected "Ampearsand" as the winning board for Style Me Pretty's Inspiration to Reality Challenge. We loved the colors and the contemporary feel.

Stay tuned to see these inspirations come to life!

Inspiration to Reality Challenge

Style Me Pretty has just announced the latest in their Inspiration to Reality Challenge and we are thrilled to be a part of it! Followers submit design boards for consideration at http://www.circle.stylemepretty.com/. Then our team, along with Abby, creator of Style me Pretty, selects the winning board and it is turned into a real life photo shoot!

We are excited to collaborate with some of the best creative minds in the area!

FASHION: White Dress by the Shore
PHOTOGRAPHER: Steve DePino
INVITATIONS: Stonington Paperie
MAKEUP: Dana Bartone
FLORAL: Jessica’s Country Flowers
CATERER/EVENT PLANNER: A Thyme to Cook
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Buzz Media

The winning board will be chosen this Friday, December 18th from the winner's circle on Style me Pretty. If you'd like to submit an Inspiration Board, you can get the details here, just make sure your board is labeled "Inspiration to Reality Challenge #8."

If you haven't seen the Style Me Pretty website yet, what are you waiting for?

Finally on Facebook!

Yes, we have finally taken the plunge and become part of the social networking industry.....we have a facebook page! Check it out and Become a fan!!

First Bride and Groom to "Run Down the Aisle"

From running down the aisle following the garden ceremony to the vintage retro decor, Erica and Collin's Wedding was unique and very special.

These fabulous photos are courtesy of JP Wedding Photography.

To read more about Erica and Collin's Funky Wedding at The Webb Barn in Wethersfield visit Brides.com where it was recently featured.

Green Tie Gala 2009

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center recently held its "Green Tie Gala 2009" at the stately Branford House at the Avery Point Campus in Groton. The 20th annual event benefits the DPNC Environmental Education Programs and Services. "Green is the New Black" was the theme for this years event.

We were excited to provide an array of local resourced foods to fit the "green theme". Chef Bill's famous "Pretzel" Rolls were "Hot on the Rocks" and a huge wooden bookcase held a variety of "Club Plates".

"Live Tree People" wandered throughout blending into the natural ambiance.

A Thyme to Cook goes Live on Stage

A Thyme to Cook took center stage at The Katharine Heburn Cultural Arts Center with a dramatic pre-opera Brunch at The "Kate" in Old Saybrook.

The four-course brunch began with a fabulous house made cheddar, apple, cranberry turnover; and finished with an almond bavaroise with brandied white chocolate hollandaise. After brunch, guests took in the Metropolitan Opera's Turnadot on the big screen.

The recently renovated Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is truly a wonderful addition to Southeastern Connecticut. Check out there website for upcoming shows and events!

Wedding Style Overlooking the Mystic River

Following Sheryl and Greg's Riverside Ceremony guests were greeted with the bride and groom's signature cocktail...vodka, lemon verbena syrup and cranberry juice garnished with an orange peel and a sprig of rosemary served in a martini glass. Cheers!

After cocktails guests were guided inside the Mystic Art Center where the festivities continued with a wonderful meal, cake and dancing.

The brides gown was absolutly gorgeous...truly a work of art!

Thank you to our friends

Dan and Nicole at

Linked Ringed Photography

for sharing these amazing

photos!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert..."Fashionable Food"

A Thyme to Cook applied it's creativity to some fashionable creations for the runway. The fashion show was part of it's recent Business After Hours/25 Year Anniversary Bash.


Just as you should start each day with breakfast, our fashion show began with a little snap, crackle and pop modeled by our own, Lexi. Her ensemble of "Breakfast" was made with a variety of cereal; colorful fruit loops and kix, and was accented with a blueberry necklace. "Careful with that milk Lexi".

A queen with a three carrot tiara. A fresh harvest of kale provided the base of the dress for Holly, who modeled "Lunch". Her outfit featured radishes, cucumbers, carrots and fresh red pepper flowers as part of its accessories.

Mia was sporting the "Dinner" look, an Au Couture of green and saffron rice, clam shells and New Zealand Mussels. Mia was heard saying "who knew Paella was an Asian Dish!".

"Dessert" was brought to the runway by Stephanie. Coffee, tea bags, sugar packets, cookies and spun sugar made up her outfit for the finale. Stephanie's hat weighed in at 4781 calories.

Thanks to DJ Doug for the lighting, runway and inspirational music!

Thanks to Gina for designing and producing a fun and entertaining show!

A Thyme to Cook Celebrates its 25th Anniversary

A Thyme to Cook celebrated its 25th Anniversary with an incredible Bash as well as a Business After Hours in conjunction with the Mystic Chamber of Commerce and the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. Linda Sample and her creative team featured Hors d'oeuvres from "The Past, Present and Future". An abundance of fabulous cuisine and spirits including a specialty "Black and Blue" Cocktail with A Thyme to Cook's African Blue Basil and Maple Lane Farm's Black Currants was delicious. Several outstanding wines from Jonathan Edwards Winery were also available for our tasting pleasure.

Highlights from the evening included a Food Fashion Show featuring Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Coffee, Tea and Dessert designed by our own Gina Barber. DJ Doug of Power Posse Productions entertained the guests with a fabulous array of music, a plasma TV showcasing the history of A Thyme to Cook, as well as the superb lighting on the runway and throughout the tents from Liberty Rental.

Special recognition and many thanks also goes out to the following friends;

Campbell's Farm for the beef, Stonington Seafood Harvesters for those wonderful scallops, LoPresti Farm for all their wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits, Handy House for the portable restroom, Arrow Party Rental for the china, flatware, glassware, linens and tables, Konow Electric for the power, Joshua's Limousine for the shuttle transportation, and Photo Booth Planet for the photo booth service...that was so much fun!

Check back for additional posts and more photos...coming soon.

What an entrance!

Theo and Jenni made a spectacular entrance to their July 25th wedding….by water! Guests greeted the bridal party dockside as they arrived from the water onboard a beautiful boat.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the dock featured tray passed bites with a tropical flair and Wisconsin Cheeses – a nod to Jenni’s home state. After a seated meal and wedding cake (Coconut with Lime Curd Filling – yum!), guests danced the night away under the stars.

The waterside reception was held at the CT River Museum is Essex. Sperry Tents provided a spectacular sailcloth tent with lime green and light pink paper lanterns. Hot Petunias provided the floral décor and Butch Gray provided the tunes.

Special thanks to our friend, photographer Robert Norman for the beautiful pictures!!

Connecticut River Museum (860) 767-8269 http://www.ctrivermuseum.org/

Sperry Tents (888) 825-7542 http://www.sperrytents.com/

Hot Petunias (800) 553-4468 www.hotpetuniafineflowers.com

Robert Norman Photography (203) 502-0103 http://www.norman-photography.com/

ATTC Featured in Special Events Magazine

We are part of a great article in the July/August edition of Special Events Magazine: Cool Dessert Ideas for Summer.

The article featured treats from frozen to fruity. Our sweets are highlighted along with confections from two other caterers - Bar Tartine in San Francisco and Grace in Los Angeles.

Check it out by going to: http://specialevents.com/caterers/cool-dessert-ideas-for-summer-special-events/

A Note From Our Chef

Just returned from this years CaterArts: The Art of Catering Stimulus for the Senses. Held in Louisville, Kentucky and sponsored by ICA and Sullivan University, CaterArts is the only culinary symposium for catering chefs in the world.

It was a great opportunity to network and share ideas with catering chefs from around the country. We were asked to bring along our Most Valuable Kitchen Tool for one of the seminars....I brought along a photo of our kitchen team, which generated lots of conversation!

Amazing food was non-stop starting with the opening gala with a twist to dining out on "Kentucky" cuisine, prepared by an award winning chef at "Limestone" in Louisville; an old fashioned Kentucky BBQ out in the country; lunch and learn sessions put on by fellow catering chefs; ending with a closing gala dinner "Twisted Classics," with custom food and wine pairings.

Sullivan University hosted two educational classes, Pastry Made Easy, where we played with dead dough and worked with isomalt, and Charcuterie and Butchery. Both classes were hosted by very talented instructors with the help of some very enthusiastic students.

And last but not least, how can you go to Louisville, Kentucky and not take a trip to the Makers Mark distillery! We were treated to a lesson on mixology which confirmed how good kentucky bourbon can be.

Shawn Bittman

Executive Chef

A Thyme to Cook on Fox 61 News

Tune in to the Fox Morning Show on Tuesday, July 21st for a special segment with CT Bride Contributing Editor, Ronnie Fein.

As a tie in to an article in the current issue of CT Bride, "Choosing a Menu," Ronnie will be talking with Linda about what she has learned from caterers about alternative menu choices for weddings today - with a focus on dessert.

Linda and Hillery (one of our Senior Event Chefs) will be there with a bunch of desserts for the news crew to taste.

If you miss it.....you might be able to see the segment at the link below. We are not sure exactly what time it will be on.....but it will be LIVE!

http://www.fox61.com/news/morningnews/

Refreshing Summer Cocktail

The sun is finally shining!

Time to sit back and relax with a refreshing cocktail.

Pineapple Papaya Mojito

Makes 8-8oz glasses

12 ounces white rum

5 ounces simple syrup

15 ounces club soda

24 ounces papaya nectar

1/2 fresh pineapple

(pureed and strained for 8 ounces juice)

Mix all together in large pitcher. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint and pineapple.

Special thanks to Maggie Conley for the beautiful picture

from one of our Harkness weddings!

Featured Wedding

Mystic Art Center was decked out in crisp black and white for Kate Johnson and Zak Kolsky's Wedding on June 13th. Beautiful orchid/candlelight centerpieces provided the perfect amount of color and light to the room as to not take away from the art exhibit. Leather couches, bistro tables and cocktail tables on the terrace provided comfortable seating with a water view.



Guests were greeted with a "Raspberry Sparkler," named in honor of the couples 4th of July proposal. Some highlights of cocktail hour include Demitasse Cups of Lobster Bisque with Fresh Chervil, Lotus Root Chips with Seared Tuna and Wakami and a Mediterranean Station. A served meal followed with a paired plate of Seared Local Bomster Scallops with Cucumber, Scallion, Chili Ginger Salsa and Sarawak Pepper Crusted Medallion of Beef Tenderloin with Black Olive Vinaigrette. After dinner, a cheese sampler was presented featuring local Cato Corner Farms cheeses and local honey. The square tiered wedding cake was elegantly dressed with black satin ribbon around each tier and scattered orchids. As a late night treat, a made to order Pizza Station was brought out on the terrace. The Scotch and Cigar Bar was a big hit as guests finished the evening under the stars.



A Thyme to Cook was happy to work with the following collaborative team:

Tent and Table Rental - Liberty Rentals

China and Chair Rental - Rentals Unlimited

Bar Beverages - Cask & Keg

DJ - Power Posse Productions

Photographer - Ken LePardo

Florist - Adam's Garden of Eden

Wedding Cake - Torra Dolce

TRU-ly Organic!

How cool is this....eco-friendly alcohol!

We are excited to offer this new "green" liquor
from TRU Organic Spirits.

Some of what makes TRU "green" include:

Recyclable plastic corks;

Biodegradable labels of corn-based paper with soy ink;

Distilled from organic wheat;

The 620 gram bottle weighs less that your average booze bottle - which burns less fuel in transit!

TRU-ly Organic!!!

Can't get any fresher than this!

Check out the Asparagus that was just delivered from Campbell's Farm in Voluntown. 60 pounds for a wedding this weekend.....gorgeous!!

Linda and Steve took their annual trip to Gilberties Herb Gardens in Easton, CT for this season's crop of herbs. Doug, our resident gardener is busy planting today!

Gilberties Herb Gardens have been growing for over 85 years with over 400 kinds of herbs available this year. They use 100% organic fertilizer and are 100% pesticide free.....maybe that is why they are the best herbs in the world!

Highlighted in this years A Thyme to Cook garden include Horehound, Evening Primrose, Silver Thyme, Lovage, Mountain Mint, African Blue Basil, Red Bush Basil and Pineapple Sage. You are sure to see them on your menus!! Our chefs literally step out the door to pluck what they need to ensure the freshest flavor.

If you are near Easton, swing by Gilberties - walking through their green houses is quite an experience!

http://www.gilbertiesherbs.com/

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

There couldn't be a better time to start our ongoing posts about going green! We all know it ain't easy being green, but every little thing you do will help create a more sustainable world for us all to live in. Think of it as "Shades of Green." These posts will share some Eco-Smart Choices...start small and before you know it, you'll be ready to take on the "greenest" challenges.


Shades of Green #1

GREEN
Minimize your consumption of bottled water. Save your money!

GREENER
Always drink tap water at home. Get your water tested and install a filter if necessary.

GREENEST
Eliminate all bottled water. Purchase and carry a reusable bottle filled with tap water.

Get Active....sign up for Clean Water Action's email activist list at www.cleanwateraction.org and check out www.cleanwaternetwork.org for updates and opportunities for taking action to help your water supply.

If you could eat only one type of cuisine (or food) for a year, what would it be?

Linda: Italian as it has the most variety and freshness—from tomatoes and capers in Naples, pappardelle with boar and beans in Tuscany, truly aged parmesan, lardo (yes , there is such a thing) and horse—which was one of the finest meats I have ever consumed )in Parma, Squid, octopus and treviso in Venice, speck and Lagrein wine in Alto Adige----I think I need a fix----desperately-

Gina: I would pick Italian…..well, “Americanized” Italian (I don’t like rabbit that much!). Give me pasta any day, although I would probably have a year of heartburn with all the tomato sauce!

Lori: Hors d’oeuvres – A year of snacking…mmmmm

Alicia: Definitely Italian – pasta and bread, how can you go wrong??? But there’s so much more to Italian than that…antipasto, braciole, roasted peppers – too many things to name…yum!!!

Emily: ….I would have to pick Thai cuisine – yum! The stir-fry possibilities are endless, but I am definitely partial to Pad See Ew. There is something about the rice noodles, garlic, and sweet soy sauce that I can’t pass up!

Chef Shawn: Bacon—it makes everything taste better!

Chef Bill: Lean Cuisines. Love it!

Joe: American. I live on hamburgers.

Jesus: Mexican, Yo lo como todo el tiempo de todos modos!

April Fool's Night!

Just returned from the Eastern CT Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours at the Coast Guard Alumni Center. A very pretty site for events overlooking the Thames River - too bad it was raining tonight!

As one of the participating caterers, and in honor of April Fool's Day, we thought we'd bring out our "Head Table" for the night.

Brian, our featured head for the evening, welcomed guests as they realized things aren't always as they seem.....

Sweet = Savory

with a Curried Chicken Kiddie Cone with Red Pepper Sprinkles

and

Savory = Sweet

with our CATIE Award Nominated Spaghetti and Truffles -

Chocolate Truffles and Sweet Spaghetti on a Silver Fork with Raspberry Coulis Sauce.

Other caterers sharing their nibbles included: Flanders Fish Market, who had yummy bruschetta and seafood tortillas; Mike from Aspen Restaurant with Seared Tuna on a Wonton Crisp with Micro Greens and Wasabi and Peppercorn Turkey and Boursin wrapped Asparagus; and Cloud Nine with Honey Mustard Kielbasa and Pumpkin Bread with Mango Cream Cheese (delish - I had 2!) Chef Tim Grills from Catering to You was cooking up a loaded Pasta Bar to order; and Tim from Gourmet Galley was serving up Shrimp and Grits...he has to work on his southern accent a bit, but the Sweet Southern Tea made up for it with the shot of Southern Comfort!

Thank you to the Chamber and Sue Fage at the Alumni Center for letting us participate!

We were very excited to collaborate with White Dress by the Shore and Stonington Design + Paperie for a special book signing reception on March 21st.

Acclaimed author and event designer Michelle Rago's new book, Signature Weddings, was featured as the beginning of an ongoing event , "Be Engaged - a series of conversations with wedding experts," hosted by The White Dress by the Shore. The kick-off event was attended by vendors and event planners from Connecticut to New York.

To really WOW everyone, we put our creative heads together and put our thinking caps on......which are made of food, of course! We literally made hats out of fresh produce for our staff to wear. It was a bit of trial and error...which was fun. (The kale looked like a hairstyle from the 70's!) Here are the three that made the cut: Radishes; Artichokes; and Key Limes.

We also thought outside of the box for the uniforms. A list of hors d'oeuvres was printed on the front of t-shirts and a little "Eat Me" button moved up and down to show what was being served.

We can't wait to enter this event in the 2009 CATIE Awards as part of the Best use of Food as Decor Category.

Cake Tasting Week

Last week was Cake Tasting Week at the Cookery and we are just coming off the sugar rush! Our bakers prepared a sampling of wedding cakes and 74 brides & grooms and moms & dads came to taste the sweet confections. Any guesses on the most popular flavor?

The top two cakes flavors selected were Chocolate Mocha with Chocolate Ganache and Kahlua/Amaretto Marble with Chocolate Filling. Red Velvet and Butter Almond were a close 3rd and 4th.

We have some very creative brides! Most of the cakes will be original masterpieces designed by the bride & groom. The perfect way to add a personal touch to their wedding day.

Linda and A Thyme to Cook Featured on "The Food Schmooze" Today at 3:00

Tune in to Faith Middleton's NPR radio show "The Food Schmooze" on 89.1 FM or 89.9 FM today at 3 PM.

Linda is a featured guest, discussing current trends, A Thyme to Cook's recent CATIE Award, and behind-the-scenes catering stories.

If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to it at any time at https://www.cpbn.org/program/faith-middleton-show, scroll to the bottom and click on the 3/4/09 Episode: The Food Schmooze: Fantastic flavor combinations for your next meal!

WE WON!

A Thyme to Cook won a CATIE for Most Innovative Mixology! The Shooting Stars (shown top right) are Liquor Lollipops, the winning libation. The awards ceremony was held last night in Las Vegas with a big bash at DreamVision Studios.

Everyone is headed back to CT tomorrow.....can't wait to share all the creative ideas!

VEGAS!!

The gang is in Vegas for the International Catersource Conference this week. The greatest gathering of caterers in the world!

With educational sessions, ICA roundtables, interactive events and a huge tradeshow....we always come back with hip, new, creative ideas to pass along to our clients. Plus this year, Linda is part of an ICA panel of speakers presenting a seminar: "Must Know Industry Trends."

A Thyme to Cook is excited to be a two-time finalist for the 2008 International Catering Association's Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence Award (CATIE). Both nominees in the Most Innovative Mixology category to be announced on Wednesday evening.

Also - A Thyme to Cook is a 2009 finalist for an Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE) award. The ACE awards showcase the best caterers from across the US and internationally for their innovative ideas and contributions to the catering industry.

What happens in Vegas will NOT stay in Vegas! We can't wait to share everything with you!

Welcome to our new blog!

A Thyme to Cook is celebrating its 25th Anniversary!

As part of our new "look," we have added a blog to our website. It's about time we became part of the cyberspace scene!

We are excited to have this resource to post featured events, interesting recipes and news from the Cookery.

Keep checking back for weekly updates!

Cheers!
The A Thyme to Cook Team