Hodo Hopping is a Guiltorious Holiday tradition

I love creating and sampling Holiday Hors D' Oeuvres.

Maybe it's the fusion of flavors? Many a perfect marriage of sweet and spicy has been deftly delivered by an attentive waiter.


Maybe it's their remarkable beauty? Our chef's intricate handwork is breathtaking.

Or maybe it's their diminutive stature? Bite size is the right size.

With countless Holiday Parties on the horizon, it's my Executive responsibility to go Hodo Hopping and I am prepared to fully scrutinize the entire menu. It's my Guilty Pleasure. After careful consideration...

The grilled Lemongrass Shrimp is perfecto. The Forbidden Rice Cake topped with smoked Brisket is an East meets West classic.The Mini-Reuben sandwich is worthy of Ben's Deli. The Passionfruit Short Rib may have mystical powers.

Quality Control is serious business with deliciously delightful ramifications. Once again, I am Guilty As Charged.

Tempura is a very tempting Guilty Pleasure.

There are fried foods. There are deep fried foods. And then...there's our upscale Tempura.

It's our guilty gift to frying fanatics. It's so delicious, children wrestle on the living room floor for the last piece of Tempura Cauliflower. We are talking cauliflower here. Our chef's golden tempura batter is just that incredible.

Originally brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries, tempting Tempura has evolved into a New Age comfort food. To make sure my constant tempura cravings are fully satisfied, I have developed a batter-up game plan.

For starters, I enjoy a selection of Tempura Vegetables. Beautifully displayed, they are the perfect accoutrement to specialty cocktails. Throw in some Tempura Chicken and you are close to being Guiltorious. Include a variety of our Tempura Sushi or Ocean Rolls and you are now an invited guest in the palace of Emperor Guilty.

The Guilties have been waiting for you. What took you so long?

Heavy Cream has been hailed as a panacea by Guilty Pleasure experts.

It's menu development time in the kitchen and the Guilties are a glowing. It's one of my favorite times of the year as innovation abounds. We love to create great food.

When it comes to new food ideas, I certainly have my favorites. At the top of my Guilty scorecard is a visit to the dairy aisle. Is there any flavor more enjoyable than a delicious cream sauce? Whether it's Chicken au Poivre, Fennel au Gratin or Lobster Gnocchi, 40% heavy cream is always a panacea and a wonderful Guilty Pleasure.


Recently I was cooing like a baby with each scrumptious bite that I savored of our latest menu masterpiece, Veal Rocco. The hand-sliced veal was so tender it surrendered to my fork. The Chef's roasted shallot cream sauce was like discovering an epicurean pot of gold.

Wealth takes many forms on Guilty Way.

Hot Chocolate

What brings out the inner child more than rich and decadent Hot Chocolate! At Provence Catering we know the value of simple and wonderful pleasures! We take our Hot Chocolate very seriously!

This weekend at "FUEL The CURE" at the incredible fuel house in Olde City, we will be be serving our incredible Hot Chocolate Bar featuring white, dark and milk hot chocolate with an amazing array of toppings that includes white and dark chocolate chunks, chocolate syrup, peppermint candy sticks, whipped cream, marshmallows, cinnamon sticks and caramel.

On Sunday at the West Chester Bridal show, we will again be featuring this decadent station as an option for incredible fall and winter weddings or events.

What an incredible warm ending or sweet start that a Hot Chocolate Bar brings to any event! We at Provence Catering understand the value of life's Guilty Pleasures and take great joy in delivering these indulgences to our clients.

An All American Pleasure

Inspired by our good friend & incredible Wedding Planner Mark Kingsdorf's facebook post during his layover in Chicago,we decided to focus today's Guilty Pleasure on an All American Feast, The Hot Dog! Glorious in its own right, whether it be all beef, pork or a blend the Hot Dog is as American as it gets. Devotees of this amazing food are a very loyal bunch and each city, state and region has its own claim to fame.

Made famous by Nathans in Coney Island the popularity has continued to grow and the bragging rights increase with each summer. It is reported that the founder of Nathans hired men in white doctors coats with stethoscopes to eat at his carts to present the image that hot dogs were healthy and safe to eat.

Whether you choose to wander the nation's cities in search of a great dog, a fete I am guilty of, or just grill a few at home and top with your favorite condiment these quick bites bring as many questions as calories and mg of sodium: grilled, griddle or steamed? ketchup or mustard? chili or cheese? onions or relish? all beef or pork? Please let's not mention vegan or soy in this article!

A few of the great store bought products that you can choose from are: Ball Park, Dietz & Watson, Oscar Mayer & its ever popular Wiener Mobile, Hebrew National & Applegate Organic. A few of my favorites in city's throughout the country are: Superdawg in Chicago, Schnack in Brooklyn, Nathans in Coney Island, and Flo's in Cape Neddick Maine which are steamed & served with a great local relish. The question that greets each customer is how many? Never just order one or you will reveal yourself as a tourist.

Served with your favorite beverage whether it be Moxie in New England, Black Cherry in Philly or Root Beer in Chicago, this ageless creation is bound to warm the heart and fill the stomach. As far as my local favorites, my shout out goes to Johnny's Hots on Delaware Avenue, The Pretzel Dogs in South Philly on Oregon Avenue or our own Michael's Franks at Provence Catering.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese! Paired With Wines!

Thank you , Little Miss Muffet for teaching us early on the joy of cheese! After all, those curds were nothing more than Ricotta! Cheese is, after all, one of lifes simple pleasures but finding just the perfect cheese can be a daunting process!

Last night at Two Paperdolls in Wayne, I was fortunate enough to be leading the cheese portion of the Wine & Cheese presentation. The selected cheeses were perfectly matched with wines from Frank's Union Wine Mart in Wilmington and artfully explained by Karl Hornberger, one of their incredible wine masters.

We selected the always incredible Maytag Bleu, a Trickling Springs Creamery Cherve, a Bucks County favorite the Birchwood Farms Cheddar, and a personal favorite, the stinky, washed rhine Tallegio.

Cheese is one of life's oldest and grandest pleasures. Made by seperating milk in any form into curds and whey, then pressing the whey into a mold or desired form then salted, aged, matured & ripened to the many forms you see in the local cheese shop. The type of milk (goat, cow or sheep), the grasses they feed upon, the process, the enviroment, the aging area and nature all play subtle but important roles in the process of developing the perfect cheese. Maytag Bleu is from a very small and protected herd of cows in Iowa, while Taleggio is a sheeps milk product that aged after the rhine is brushed with wine or beer and a fermentation and mold development process is allowed to form on the outside and work in. The Cherve is a locally produced goat's milk product and the Cheddar, which was the big hit last night, is a artisanal Bucks County product made from Jersey cows milk. There is no simpler way to entertain with great taste than to host a wonderful pairing of cheese and wine. Let Provence Catering create a first or last course of cheese and wines for your next event!

Maytag Blue: Paired with Thamas Zinfandel ~ Livermore Valley, California

Taleggio: Paired with Don Pasquale Nero d' Avola ~ Sicily Italy (Produced from only grapes that grow in the Mt. Versuvious Valley & basin) (My Favorite!)

Cherve: Paired with Eugene Carrel & Fils Jongieux ~ Savoie, France (A Great and Light Wine)

Birchwood Farms Cheddar: Paired with Langa Rose Garnacha ~ Catatayud Spain

Guilty's Kriptonite

Pork Fried Rice from Brooklyn NY or Boston's Chinatown.  OMG!  I could eat this delicious rice dish at least once a day,

Moons of November. It's time to howl like a Hound Dog gone acourtin'.

October fades and the magical beauty of Autumn is in full display. The leaves are bursting with Terra Cotta and Burnt Orange. The fall colors are a breathtaking mosaic and it's the second best show around.


The top dog in nature's bag of tricks is the awe-inspiring orb illuminated in the sky. The Moons of November are remarkable and a celestial gateway to the galaxy. The autumn air is crisp and the moon's fiery glow lights the heavens with the brilliance of a White Diamond. Like the dreams we share for our children, the optimism garnered is endless.

While watching the Fightin' Phils win this evening with a breakout game from Ryan Howard at Yankee Stadium, stoke up the fire pit. Open your favorite single malt scotch. Howl like Hound Dog gone a courtin. It's time to unfurl the Guilty Flag. The lunar moment is yours and the time for Guilty Pleasures is at hand.

Vodka

An often misunderstood and confusing product that has many loyal followers, but often for the wrong reasons is the United States Domestic Vodkas. They are classified as neutral spirits (treated after distillation as to be without distinctive character , aroma, taste & color). These Vodkas are often only distinguishable by marketing & costs. My guilty pleasure is the premium quality Vodkas. The Russian & Polish Vodkas that are made as a symbol of National Pride for Russia, Poland & Swedish Countries alike.

Vodkas are distilled from many items including wheat, rye, potatoes and molasses. Russia distillers look down upon potatoes and prefer wheat, while Polish Vodkas prefer rye's and the Swedish & Baltic Countries prefer wheat or molasses. Each has a wonderful distinctive flavor & aroma unique to the region. Vodkas history dates back to 988 A.D. in the Kiev (Now the Ukraine).

There is a strong link to the growth of Christianity in Russia as a result of the churches allowance for Vodka consumption as part of rituals. Vodka grew throughout Poland & the Swedish Countries in the 15th century to become the drink of choice in the cold winters.

If you have not had a vodka tasting for yourself I suggest you sample a few premium varieties and see the difference. Better yet, book an event with Provence Catering and allow us to do a tutored tasting as part of your event. Ask about our free vodka tasting bars as part of your wedding or event.

When selecting Russian Vodkas be sure to look for the Wyborowy (Premium) or Luksusowy (Deluxe) label. Be sure to contact Provence Catering for beverage suggestions & specialty drink recipes. Our planners love to match premium spirits with our premium food and beverage. It's Martini Time!!!!!!!!

Liver, Bacon & Onions!

Yes, You read that right! A secret pleasure, one that is not indulged in often, but a pleasure none the less! I do not share this with non-foodies who would certainly shun me and turn away in disgust but I feel that on here, among so many other foodies I can confess. "I admit, I am powerless to Calves liver saute with bacon & onions"

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of trying some tender and rich Calves liver saute with bacon & sweet red onions. The Piper Tavern in Bucks County was the location and the meal was perfect for a beautiful fall day. Just close your eyes and imagine: Bacon rendered of its fat, sweet onions gently caramelized until golden in the rendered fat. Sweet calves liver seasoned to perfection and lightly floured then pan fried in the bacon fat & butter until golden. A hint of cream added to the pan to increase the decadence as the onions & bacon are added back to the pan. Sounds like heaven to me. For us foodies, these simple Guilty Pleasures are often the cornerstones of great memories and incredible feasts. This Guilty Pleasure may not be for everyone but for us foodies it is a joy and OFFAL pleasure!