Food is a sensory experience that should carry to the table setting. The menu, setting, and food should coordinate together to say exactly what you are serving. You want the food to present in an atmosphere that tells the same story.
Presenting your food is achieved by setting the proper tableware in the correct location for the meal experience. This provides for efficiency, geometrically pleasing, and effectiveness. Your simple table setting should be as follows:
Spoons and knife placed right of the plate 1″ from the edge of the table.
Soup spoon furthest from the plate
Teaspoon in the middle from the plate
Dinner knife to closest to the plate
Forks placed left of the plate 1′ from the edge of the table.
Do not distract from the visual appeal of the food
Textures can help with the sensory dining experience
When serving your dinner remember that it is a sensory experience from start to finish. The setting prepares the diners for a sensory dining experience.
Memorial Day is the first celebration of the summer holiday. Many spend their time at the poolside, beach, or picnicking. Food, family, and fun are key to this holiday.
This holiday celebration to honor those who have served and lost their lives protecting America. This holiday started shortly after the Civil War. We deeply appreciate the sacrifice of many and their families. This traditionally was known as decoration day. As a child I remember going to Almo, Idaho (a small town near the City of Rocks & Burly Idaho) to clean up the family cemetery and decorating the graves for Memorial Day.
Enjoying family traditions and recipes during Memorial Day weekend creates a connection between ourselves and those who went on before us. We all have those tried and true recipes that come with no recipe card. It is fun to create your own traditions and recipes for the holidays.
This Memorial Day our menu will include Ciabatta and Cherry Almond Bundt Cake. It is one last time before the summer heat to get a few great bakes created. Ciabatta is a great, simple bread to start learning to create your own loaves of bread. The bread created by Arnaldo Cavallari, a miller,in Verona, Veneto, Italy in 1982 as a response to the popular French baguettes. This is a perfect bread for transportation.
Place flour, yeast (on the right side of the flour), and salt (on the left side of flour) 1 1/2 cup water in mixer bowl. Begin mixing on low. When the dough begins to form drizzle remaining 1/2 cup into the bowl and raise mixer to the next level up. Mix the dough for 5-8 minutes. You will know it is ready when it is stretchy and smooth.
Place dough in a square plastic container (enough room for bread to rise) with side oiled with olive oil. The square container assists with keeping the bread the proper shape for baking. Place lid on top. The lid keeps the dry skin from forming while bread rises. Raise dough until double in size about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 hours at room temperature.
Dust a workspace well with flour (the dough will be sticky). Allow for it to naturally fall out of the container onto a floured surface. Coat the top of the dough with more flour. Handle the dough very carefully, don’t pat back down. You want to keep as much air as possible in the dough. Cut the dough lengthways into 4 equal sized loaves. Slightly stretch each piece lengthways and place on oiled baking trays. Let rest 30-45 min on a baking sheet.
Pre-heat oven 425 degrees. Baked bread 25 min. until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely on wire racks.
You can make your own maraschino cherries (make two days in advance)
1 pint of sour cherries
1 cup maraschino liqueur (possible substitutes are Amaretto, Grand Marnier, or contact your local store for assistance)
Bring liqueur to a simmer. Turn off the heat, and add the cherries, stir, let cool, and pour into jars. Refrigerate. Make these a day or two before using. Cherries last for months.
1 Cup all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsalted softened butter (do not microwave)
3/4 white sugar (pulse slightly in the food processor before measuring)
Zest of 1 lemon
1/8 cup plus 2 tsp. finely ground almonds
3 large eggs
Pre-heat oven 350 degrees. Fluff flour and baking powder until well mixed in a bowl. Add all ingredients except the cherries to the mixer bowl, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Lightly fold cherries into batter. Place in a well butter bundt pan. Bake 25-45 min. When cooled and cake starts to pull from sides of pan remove from pan to cooling rack. Finish with Ganache and toasted almonds (place sliced almonds in a warmed pan and toss lightly until golden brown) on top.
In a heavy saucepan, bring heavy cream to boil. Turn off the heat. Add chopped chocolate pieces and let it rest until melted (this is key). Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until all the pieces are melted. Pour it into a room-temperature bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate ganache until it is firm.
The weekend meal included trout almondine, roasted garlic green beans, ciabatta bread, and cherry almond cake. A nice pinot noir is served with the meal.
May your holiday be filled with great memories and remember your lifestyle is worth the best.
What is old is new again. We see this in film, television, summer fashion trends, and food. The concept of farm to table is beginning to take traction in America. The concept that food is healthy, increases energy and provides proper nutrients is a value many are finding for their lifestyle.
Modern Market
Anthony Pigliacampo, co-owner of Modern Market, decides in 2009 the time was like no other to step aside his corporate job and begin a change in food choices for eating out. The ability to find a healthy choice at a reasonable price was the basis for the restaurant. This was the beginning of Modern Market.
Modern Market
Modern Market brings the farm to table concept with a modern flair. The food is prepared from farm fresh ingredients in each location each day. The staff is trained and well prepared to cook each meal from scratch that nourishes the mind and body. The food philosophy is, “Have you ever noticed, when you eat great food you feel good?”
Modern Market Staff
Pigliacampo attends the soft opening of Ahwahnee’s Modern Market. He states, “healthy food, every ingredient we consciouslysource. “We actually find the vendor, negotiate with our vendors about the quality products. Arizona is a good location for farm to table. Many of our greens are literally 30 hours ground to our restaurant.” The philosophy is a holistic view on health, added sugar is the devil and good fats are friends.
Modern Market Dinner Plates
Modern Market serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and catering. The menu includes:
The evening was a delight. We enjoyed a warm cozy atmosphere. The menu is wholesome ingredients. The freshness was filled with savory flavors. Ray and I enjoyed:
Chicken Breast
Hormone and antibiotic free herb roasted chicken with chimichurri sauce
Macaroni and cheese
Roasted asparagus (the asparagus did not have the woody area removed)
The restaurant provides self-service for ordering & drinks, prices affordable and warm atmosphere. The menu was beautifully simple. Looking forward to a healthier choice when eating out.
Arianna Grande is Artist of the Year at American Music Awards awarded at the Microsoft Theater. This honor presented after a fan based voting earlier in the year. Grande graced the runway, performance, and award acceptance with her personal styling and beauty.
Ariana Grande AMAs Red Carpet
Grande arrives on the red carpet wearing Alexander McQueen white wide leg pants with a Sarrieri Half Cup Demi vintage bustier lace top. The season’s trend is adding that vintage period piece to your modern styling. This piece is a great choice adding sweet romance to the evening. The shoe for the evening is Ruthie Davis Cara Boots. This is perfect as the red carpet is damp from the rain.
Her make-up for the red carpet is simple neutrals with a bold matted purple lip. The jewelry designed by Irit Design. A perfect high ponytail (her signature hair) is a nice touch to the simple styling for the red carpet. Grande presents a great style with a strong confidence on the red carpet.
Ariana Grande Performance at American Music Awards 2016 Photo D’Orazio & Associates
Grande’s style changed from the sweet romance to the sexy jungle for her performance of “Side of Side” from her “Dangerous Woman” album. This performance with Nicki Minaj included half-naked backup dancers.
She kept the high ponytail wrapped with a Maxior hair gold cuff. Her outfit was a one-shoulder leaf printed crop top and mini skirt. This is custom design is from Baja East. The fish net stockings complete the sexy jungle. This styling added a strong sex appeal to Grande’s performance of sexual equality of bump and grind.
Ariana Grande Presented American Music Awards Artist of the Year 2016 Photo D’Orazio & Associates
The night closes with Grande receiving Artist of The Year. She kept with the red carpet styling theme. She added a vintage piece with her jewelry. Her sweet earrings and necklace from Doves by Doron Paloma are a classic timeless feel.
She wears a black crop top designed by Derek Lam. Herslouchy white pants designer Proenza Schouler. The pants have a flared bottom, but the top featured a wrap-around effect. She wears the same boots from the red carpet.
Her hair remained in her well-known high pony tailed wrapped in black. Grande’s makeup was the neutrals with a bold matted lip.
Grande dedicates the award to her fans. She thanks her fans for their continued support of her music and career. Her grandmother Marjorie Grande joins her for the award-winning evening. Congrats Ariana Grande on a successful evening.
Sunscreen is a must during the hot summer days at the beach, pool, and outside activities. Sunscreen is great for skin protection from burns, blisters, and skin cancers. Sunscreen is just as important to care for your hair during the harsh summer conditions.
Sunscreen is important for your scalp, this is covered by skin. Your hair needs this same protections as well. Wearing hats is always a good option in the summer for protection of your scalp and hair. Purchasing hats with a wide brim and sun protection is an exceptional protection.
Hair sunscreen is very important to protect hair. The wind, sun, chlorine, loss of moisture, and heat damaged hair. This damage causes brittle, dry, and lackluster hair. There are many products and remedies you can use to protect your hair during your summer fun.
Mix ingredients to a paste. Massage into hair and wrap in plastic shower cap, sack, or wrap. Leave on hair 15-20 min. Wash with warm water and gentle shampoo. Style as usual.
Exclusive blend of potent antioxidants and full spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreens.
Maily O’Neil, the owner at Mai Salon in Palm Desert CA, states at Style Fashion Week, “Remember the sunscreen for your hair. Lots of love for your hair.” Share your favorite summer beauty tips in the comment section. Have a great summer.
Antonella A Commatteo, the designer of Commatteo, takes the runway wearing an asymmetrical top with a peek-a-boo short underneath. The attention to her personal style concludes the runway with a strong influence line created in the collection. Lines bring this collection a perspective that creates a personal fashion statement.
The line creation for some dresses uses a slit to create a movement that is unique to the dress. The ability to vent the dress around provides a revealing sexy appeal in the movement. Taking the dart off the gown brings a free flow movement to the gown.
Dustin Quick Commettao Style Fashion Week LA
The empire waistline silhouette fits the bodice, but here is designed without the normally gathered skirt. The long loose flow provides more volume to the gown and places emphasizes on the bust line. The use of lines in different directions and angles provides a visual dimension and depth to the collection.
Commatteo Style Fashion Week Los Angeles FW17
The front of Ava Capra’s, model, dress as well as the gown was worn by Sibley Scoles, E! News Correspondent, creates a line with the placement of the geometric shapes. The back of Capra’s dress is sheer black. Continuing with the revelation of sensuality. The pleat lines below the waist provide a voluminous flow.
The dress worn by Capra the collar gives the illusion that it continues down the back. When the model turns around you see that the collar is round. Scoles’ dress uses a combination of traditional collars and necklines to create the height and depth. The various necklines in the collection combine traditional collars and neckline to create new shapes, dimensions, and illusions.
Net Chittangkura Style Fashion Week Los Angeles
“The runway makeup styling is natural especially the brow. We are going to see more natural brows this spring.” (Alejandra Barraza, TNT Agency) “The hair is soft waves with a little curl. This summer season does not forget the sunscreen for your hair.” (Maily O’Neil, Mai Salon El Paseo). The styling was slightly individualized with each look.
Heather Larose, singer-songwriter, and Meredith O’Connor, singer, and Anti-bullying activist, took the runway with a performance. They present messages about the ability to express individuality without bullying.
Commatteo states, “My inspiration for all my collections has always stemmed from my life’s journey. This part of my life was reaching the professional, ageless female, who loves fashion, constantly on the run, needing a mix and match pieces to change from day to evening.” The collection brings the ability for self-expression with the ability to combine pieces and use the lines for accentuating. The fall-winter 2017 collection brings self-expression to the forefront with elegance and beauty. See the full collection here.
Odair Pereira, Dair designer, creates collections that emphasize a personal identity. Dair’s fall-winter 2017 collection at Art Hearts Fashion Week at the Beverly Hilton is clothing that brings equality and beauty to everyone.
The season’s collection takes a turn from the bold spring summer colors. Fall tones and black with strong lines. We continue to see that there is more to fashion than fabric with the collections. There are an emphasizes on art, geometric, and movements.
The collections bring fusion of streetwear and couture. This provides a successful clothing line that has a modern edge allowing for a unique personal style. Pereira states, “DAIR emphasizes that all clothing needs to visualize your true identity, which makes you stand out at all times.” The styling continues with this vision.
April Love Pro Makeup backstage Art Hearts Fashion Week
April Love Pro Makeup Academy provided a geometric eyes makeup for the women with a couture abstract design. The shapes creations completed with Bdellium tools and Crown Pro makeup. Hair is very strong lines and dimension: high ponytails, square and circle buns on the top, men’s hair shapes with were specially created by Myo Lai in collaborating with CoCre8 powered by Sexy Hair.
Art Hearts Fashion LA
Singer-songwriter Jaki Nelson performs What We Want to Doopening the runway. She is wearing Dair giving us a sneak peek to the runway.
Pereira brings a strong design and styling to the collection. He states, “the main object is to make you feel the best version of yourself. All of this adds up together in our slogan: DAIR to be first, DAIR to be different, DAIR to be you! DAIR collection fits it all.” This collection presents beauty and equality. See the full collection here.
Carrie Preston Emmys® Creative Arts 2016 Red Carpet
Carrie Preston joins us on the red carpet at The Emmys® Creative Arts Awards. She is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series as Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife. This is her second nomination. She was awarded an Emmys® for her role as Elsbeth Tascioni in 2013.
Elsbeth is her favorite character to date. She says, “She allowed for me to be creative. She is not like anyone else on television, a character that is unexpected. She is the joker in the deck. When I saw her on the page I saw how I could make it work. It was a creative challenge.”
Carrie Preston and Michael Emerson Emmys® Creative Arts 2016 Red Carpet
Preston and her husband Michael Emerson, also an actor, are pretty down to earth as a couple. She said, “This is what we do, we are artists, remaining grateful and humble for the opportunities we get in this industry. We don’t see ourselves as any different from others. He is very sweet and supportive. He made me breakfast this morning and brought me flowers.”
Her key to a successful day for her is meditating and walking my dog. This allows for her to envision the day in her mind. She has a rescue poodle mix that is adorable.
Preston’s wore a gown designed by Rani Zakhem, earrings by Maxior and styling by Production Show Room. She is voted best dressed at the Emmys® Creative Arts day 1 by our staff.
The Good WifeEmmys® nominations are Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series, Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series, Outstanding Costumes For A Contemporary Series, and Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series.
Robert Duncan and wife Katie Emmy Creative Arts Red Carpet
Robert Duncan joins us on the red carpet at The Emmys® Creative Arts Awards. He is the composer for The Whispers main title. This is his fourth Emmys® nomination.
Duncan became interested in television themes while taking piano lessons at a young age. He would try to figure out the themes during his practice time. He enjoyed learning music by ear. His ear training leads to figuring out what the chords were for the theme songs of his favorite shows.
His teacher would ask, “Duncan did you practice your lessons?” He would respond, “no, but you can teach me to improvise.” Many of his piano lessons included improvising.
Improvising provides insight into working in the studio when composing music for television shows for Duncan. “The picture is the roadmap,” he says. The process is watching a scene or two from the show. He said, “I work through the score by sorting through what is good and throwing away the rest. I never know what it is going to sound like when starting the music composition. There is a lot of editing.”
Music, he goes on, to explain is the psychological connection for visual media. He looks for that common denominator when creating music for mass audiences. Music can make people feel certain emotions. Musical acupuncture notes and tones help with scoring music for specific scenes, themes, and moments.
He has composed for many series: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Vanished, and Castle. He is honored for the nomination in this category. It goes back to his childhood and the days of piano practicing and lessons.
Duncan just welcomed a baby 14 days ago. This is his sixth child. He success each day is sleep and a bit of panic to get going for the day. He loves being locked in his studio with Facebook off.
He loves working on set with the crew. The show is fun. It is about quadrupled with nothing in common and often get into trouble. He loves telling a story that this lasting and brings laughter. simmons says, “It is a lot of fun to get behind the camera to create the story.”
Simmons started with still photography, moved to music videos, documentaries, commercials, long-form television, and now multi-camera shows. He said, “the best advice to anyone starting out start with still photography.” His work includes: Richard Prior Hereand Now, Selma, Lord Selma, and The Tracy Morgan Show.
Emmy’s Creative Arts 2016 Red Carpet by 4Chion Marketing
He makes each day successful by not going to work. Simmons said, “It has always been fun. The collaboration with the crew, cast, and team members involved is like one big happy family. They moving towards one goal to entertain people, how it looks, and how the story is told. It is a wonderful opportunity.”
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn awarded one Emmy® for Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series. Congratulations Johnny Simmons on your Emmy.
See all the photos from the two-day event here:
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