It's Spice Season

Those long-fabled, long-fantasized about crisp and cool days of fall are here again. Here in the Northeast, we've been thrown straight from the sultry days of late August into the often harsh days of November without so much of a fall break in between. The past few days have been the kind of days to chill the bones.

Thankfully, it's also spice season....pumpkin and apple spice, that is. Traditional staples designed to cut through these bitterly cold days and warm you from the inside out. Spice season is the time of year that says, "I'm ready for fall, but not quite ready for winter and hot chocolate just yet."


When I'm feeling particularly guilty, I indulge in Chaddsford Winery's Spiced Apple Wine, mulled and served hot with cinnamon sticks. Savored fireside while the football season heats up and the temperatures drop, this savory treat officially kicks off the start of fall.

This guilty pleasure is about savoring the early days of fall before they become the snowy days of winter.

Hankering for the Blues

No Mas! No Mas!

I am sure you must have noticed how much we are bombarded by an onslaught of radio and television ads from the insurance industry? It's like a right cross to the relaxation mode. From Geico to Progressive to State Farm to Allstate and beyond, there is apparently no shortage of money when it comes paying for primetime promotions. While managing risk is a wise policy, perhaps there ought to a limit to their outrageous premiums.

However, it's not their price gauging that disturbs me the most, it's their noise. These multi-national corporations disrupt every sporting event, newscast and comedy with talking lizards and witless shills. You cannot even walk through an airport, train station or a mall without seeing a very insurance-savvy Caveman living the life.

Enough already with the assault on our senses. To quote the immortal Hands of Stone, Roberto Duran, "No Mas! No Mas!"

My Guilty Pleasure is turning off the TV, turn down the lights and listening to tunes in the dark.

Crisp and Cool Days Are Here Again

The fresh days of fall are now upon us after a long summer of luxuriating poolside. As steamy as those summer days were, we’re now happy to have these forgiving days us again. The crispness of these early fall mornings is matched only by the crunching leaves on the ground outside.

The kids have reluctantly gone back to school, and football season is now in full swing. Now is the season to come back home and reconnect with the family around the table and rediscover that connection we’ve been missing all summer long. The Harvest Moon will be rising soon, and there is no better place to watch it than surrounded by friends and family.

What can be more enjoyable than a Labor Day weekend blessed with family, sensational weather and great boundless energy. The past few days have been unforgettable with temperatures in the 80's, low humidity and lots of Guilty Pleasures. From attending College Football on Friday to watching the Phillies on Sunday to dreaming big on Monday, it was a dazzling conclusion to a memorable summer.

Sultry romance is always a Guilty Pleasure.

How much do we love smooching underneath an August moon. There are three full moons when the day's are long and the weather's is steamy. The last orb of the summer welcomes the change of seasons as there is romance in the air

No matter whether I am going out on the town or hangin' at home, it's always delightful sharing a special moment with the one you love. . Guilty Pleasures come in many forms. Mine, on this sultry summer evening, is savoring my Thin Mint and being more in love each day.

Compliments of the Chef

We love to go over for dinner. Enjoying great food and receiving a complimentary sampling from the Chef is always a fantastic experience. We love being spoiled and respected. Sampling the menu with the Chef as our guide is one of my favorite Guilty Pleasures. Being in the hospitality business has many wonderful perks.

We were out to dinner at Dettera in Ambler three weeks ago and one of our former Sous Chefs was there doing what he does best and better than most. He was working the line with grace and flair. His grill was work extraordinary and vibrant sauces sublime.

Visit and try the Gnocci. It is incredible. The corn soup is worth fighting over. Order your own.

Embrace the Cake

Oh, these lazy, hazy days of August. Where the heat just settles all around you and swallows you up. But just because it’s hot doesn’t mean things are slowing down around here…quite the opposite, actually. The kitchen is just as steamy as the weather outside as we continue to cook up culinary gold right here in Jeffersonville. All the hard work and heat has each of us looking for a little relief.

This week, I’m choosing to cool off with a bite into some cheesecake. But not just any cheesecake – cheesecake with thin caramel swirls running through it. It's the kind of treat best enjoyed with friends mid-week - it's simply not guilty enough for a weekend treat. But surrounded by friends on a steamy Tuesday night in the middle of summer, cheesecake with caramel swirls is a refreshing summer pleasure.

The best thing about cheesecake is that it lingers without getting heavy. It’s the dessert equivalent of an unexpectedly cool breeze on a sticky, hazy summer day. In fact, these hot and hazy days of August are the best days to enjoy a slice of delicate cheesecake. Just one bite into this creamy treat and you’re initiated into the Guilty Pleasures Club, because you suddenly understand what guilty pleasures are all about. Embrace and indulge in the guilty cheesecake lifestyle.

Campfire Indulgences

It’s been a hot, busy summer here at Provence Catering. We lit up World Team Tennis with our refreshing menu selections, and we sizzled for our newlyweds at three weddings in July. Now we’re taking a step back and looking to indulge in—you guessed it—some guilty pleasures.

We’ve now earned a well-deserved breather, and we’re kicking back and putting our feet up on the patio furniture to indulge in some rest and relaxation. After all, it’s hard work sizzling every day in these equally-sizzling temps. While we’re relaxing on the patio furniture, we’re also starting up a campfire to get that twilight chill out of the air. And with that campfire comes that summertime staple of guilt, the s’more.

The s’more is the perfect treat for anyone who likes to lick their guilty pleasures off their fingers. Chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers form a team of deliciousness that prove guilty pleasures don’t always have to be complicated. They also prove that guilt is best enjoyed in the company of family and good friends.

We’re supportive of any food that has “more” in the name…it just suggests decadence. So indulge in some s’morey goodness this summer…you’ve earned it, Guiltorious One.

Four Culinary Superstars and .....

We are celebrating the one year anniversary of the Guilty Pleasures Club and the vibe is good. Real good. The expansion of our kitchen is underway. Our food is better than ever. And the buzz on the street is amazing.

It's only going to get better. We now have Moroccan Chef who brings a entirely new menu focus. His food is incredible. When you add Chefs C, J & M to the team, magic happens.

Four Culinary superstars and not one ego. Check out this photo from a recent VIP staff luncheon at Penn.