Our son's Bar Mitzvah is a wonderful guiltless pleasure...

The Bar Mitzvah weekend of the Year is about to begin. Family and friends from around the globe are flying in to share in our happiness. It's a family experience unlike any other and the vibe is amazing.

As the caterer, we are there for many special family moments. Of course, it's vastly different when it's your own reception. There is so much to take care of on many levels. As the host, we are blessed to know the true joy watching your children shine in the limelight. It's an incredible experience.

Our son has been preparing for a year for this milestone event and he is ready to seize his moment. As parents, Thin Mint and I could not be more proud of both of our remarkable children. Being blessed with good health, great friends and good fortune is a wonderful guiltless pleasure.

Guilty Pleasures From Duportail House

Kate Frey, the Sales & Event Director at the incredible Duportail House in Chesterbrook, shared with us her two guilty pleasures which are as beautiful a marriage as one that occurs at Duportail House.

Maryland Crabs & Victory Beer! Her favorite haunt is Cantlers in Annapolis for the super fresh & perfectly seasoned Cheasapeake Bay crabs. The winner of Chesapeake Bay Magazine Best Crabs 2009 and featured in many articles, they season their crabs with a special house blend that can intruige even the most diificult taste buds. Combine those with any of the great beers & ales from Victory Brewing and you have a marriage made in heaven or at least Duportail. With 18 beers currently on the list and a development program that is always seeking to be a leader, they are the perfect match for so many foods. From the "Menacingly Delicious" Hop Devil made with whole American Hop flowers to the "Seductively Smooth" Festbier, there is one for every taste & style.

Kate loves the strong & rich flavors that compliment the spicy flavors of crabs. If you are not familiar with Duportail House, you need to explore this incredible venue for your next special event. The historic home which pre-dates Geoerge Washingtons encampment at Valley Forge features incredible grounds, beautiful fireplaces, and a site rich in charm and history. It is minutes from Routes 202, 422, 76 & 476 making it accessible from all directions. In addition, it is convenient to the many hotels of the Valley Forge area. Provence Catering would be happy to introduce you or assist you in planning your next special event at Duportail House.

A Kosher Corned Beef Sandwich is always on the Guilty Pleasure Guest list.

I love a great Kosher corned beef sandwich. It's the favorite Guilty Pleasure of my people. Add in a little Cole slaw and you are in Guilty Town wearing a Yarmulke. That honor is quite appropriate since this tasty knosh is often the most invited guest to any Bar/Bat Mitzvah luncheon. Lean and flavorful, a corned beef sandwich piled-high, is the cornerstone of any life affirming Deli experience.

Over the years, I have had many revelations at the Deli counter. Fantastic Kosher deli food in America has it's epicurean roots in the lower East Side of New York City and an amazing hot corned beef sandwich with a spicy mustard is a right of passage. Didn't you just love the movie "Crossing Delancy?" We learned that the Pickle man was a good catch and that Jewish soul food could share the spotlight with Amy Irving.

While a trip to the famed Carnegie Deli is always a worthy part of a Guilty Pleasure excurison to Manhattan, we have many fantastic Deli's in Philadelphia that are also desrving of recognition. GrubStreet Philadelphia is a terrific online resource and they always have a good opinion on where to dine. Here is their take on the local corned beef landscape.

"Here in Philadelphia, the deli question's an interesting one. We're going to take the contrarian view and say the best Jewish deli sandwich in Philly, bar none, is the Restaurant School special at Koch's Deli. For a little under $10, you get corned beef, honey turkey, brisket, hot pepper cheese, cole slaw and Russian dressing on rye. The sandwich is a killer — and it's great.

Then there are other Jewish delis. Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen, Steve Stein's Famous, Kibitz in the City, Hershel's in the Reading Terminal Market, Hymie's Merion Deli and all the other suburban outposts...."

If you are going to New York City, you might want to check out the New York Times, NYC dining guru Frank Bruni pursuit of corned beef nirvana. There's more to sample in the Big Apple than just the Carnegie Deli. Bruni recently reviewed the new 2nd Avenue Deli. In his Diner's Journal blog, Bruni followed it up with an eloquent rant on Jewish Deli food and tradition.

Guilty while skiing!

We have a post from a reader!

"this one is from my son:

he will never let us pass a Waffle Hut on the ski slopes. fresh waffle withchocolate drizzled all over......

It's got to be eaten outside in the snow or it just isn't right......"

Please continue to send us your guilty pleasures. We love to hear from our readers!

If you have a guilty pleasure that you would like to share, please send it in to jessa13.guiltypleasures@blogger.com. Thanks!

Guiltless Pleasure of Helping Children

Please note this touching story by a fellow hospitality professional! Provence Catering is proud to support the troops & their loved ones.

"Just after 911 my husband went over seas. I missed him very much and so did his kids. When I heard that the USO is collecting teddy bears to give out to the families of deployed soldiers I knew I had to get involved. The teddy bears (or other stuffed critters) are distributed to the loved ones when a family member is deployed. they are instructed to hug the bear every time they miss the deployed soldier".
"This display of affection is a way for the loved ones to find some peace and comfort."

She has set a goal of collecting 2,000 teddy bears by January 1, 2010.
Karen can be reached in her office: The Chestnut Club: 610-962-0111 if you have any questions.

Please help and send a brand new teddy bear or other furry friend to:
Karen Pecora
PO Box 188
Berwyn, PA 19312

No Matter what your views on world politics & the Military we cannot ignore or forget those who risk their lifes for our safety & their famalies! We are Provence Catering appluad their efforts & scarafice! Please do what you can & please always remember to sat Thank You to a Vet!

Apple Cider Guilties

Sound the trumpets. Blow the Shofar. Pump the jam. It's Apple Cider time and roadside produce stands are bustling with excitement. Refrigerators can expect to be opened much more frequently as people savor the taste of happy.

No one knows more about the process pf pressing of apples into cider than our own Thin Mint. Her Apple mash knowledge is legendary. Maybe it was her college experiences in upstate New York? In a region known for their Cortland's, Rome's and Macintosh's, no one could polish an apple better than Thin Mint. That Skinny Chick can really shine.

Preservatives are not allowed in Apple Cider. They are verboten! It's all natural or nothing. Sadly and thankfully that eliminates many products. Finding a great apple cider is a guilty pleasure. Add in a great sandwich from John's House of Pork and it's almost a mini-stacation. A second glass is for sharing is required.

Tailgating in September is always a guilty pleasure.

There is so much to enjoy in the month of September. The weather is usually incredible. Temperatures in the 70's make everyday a marvel. The food is fantastic. The vibrant menus of summer give way to a merging of seasonal delights. Indian Summer cuisine is wonderfully different and unique.

While dining at a new hot spot like the Chifa Restaurant on Chestnut Street is a magnificent fusion adventure, some of the most creative recipes anywhere are found in the parking lots of Lincoln Financial Field. Many tailgating fans are fantastic chefs and their gourmet concoctions can be sensational. A walking tour of the parking lots is a gastronomic fantasy and a sensory ride worthy of a final meal.

I love the festival atmosphere up and down each row of cars. Surveying the local landscape and soaking up all the majesty is always a time-tested guilty pleasure. The wide variety of food smells wafting in the air is intoxicating, the loyal fans are stoked and the flavors are remarkable. Great or not-so-great football needs Gluitorious food when tailgating and the Eagles fans always deliver.

Little Hodo's of heaven...

There are so many delicious hors d'oeuvres to enjoy. I have my favorites and they are too numerous to mention. They are each candidates for the small nosh Hall of Fame.

Today I sampled an old friend on the comeback trail, cheese steak eggrolls.



It's China Wok meets South Philly. It's S. Broad St. meets Race St. They were fantastic and a definite nominee for the Yumback Hodo of the Month. It's a brave new world and merging cultures is always a guilty pleasure.

Opulent-Minded Events

The Grand Opening of The Elkins Estate on September 12 was a huge success! Opulent-minded events start with a beautiful, majestic venue like The Elkins Estate. Providing the most lavish display of food and elegance was definitely a guilty pleasure for Provence Catering and hopefully for all the guests!

photos courtesy of kevin york photography

Did someone say hot chocolate?

I love hot chocolate. It's a creamy delight of Guiltorious proportions. I tried to include a hot chocolate bar on a menu for a high-profile event this coming weekend and I was overruled. Their reason was some nonsense about the temperature still being in 70's. What does that have to do with my pursuit of guilty pleasures. Drinking hot chocolate filled with a myriad of mixins like pepperment and chocolate chunks the perfect way to welcome in the splendor of October.

We have a sensational Hot Chocolate Bar and it's a true guilty pleasure no matter what time of year. How could you resist...

White and dark hot chocolates accompanied by Mini-marshmallows, crushed peppermint candy, white chocolate chunks, dark chocolate chunks, whipped cream and cinnamon sticks.