A Pleasant Little Wedding Brunch

Post and images by guest blogger, Rebecca White, of A Pleasant Little Kitchen. 

Visit her full blog or find out more about her here. 

There was a season of my life where it seemed like several weekends out of the summer involved parties celebrating the nuptials of dear friends. A few lucky times, I would be one of the friends who got to throw the get together.

The more I hosted, the more I realized being a good hostess is an art form and it takes practice to perfect it. Hosting is hard. But once you’ve figure out the ins and outs, it becomes a blessing not a burden.

Shower after shower my group of college girlfriends and I developed a systematic and successful approach to hosting. A few of the techniques we discovered that made the party successful were:

Delegate responsibilities to the proper hostess. For instance: the outgoing hostess should greet, the organized hostess should manage checking off the list of day-of requirements, the creative hostess is in charge of table arrangements, etc. Having everyone at the post they feel most comfortable makes for a more relaxed gathering.

If possible, have two hostesses greet at the door to offer to take purses, jackets and gifts. One can direct the party goer to the gatherine while the other puts up the belongings and gifts.

Make sure there is plenty of seating for everyone attending. Cluster the seating in groups of three or four to encourage conversation.

Prep the night ahead if possible-- Arrange flowers, set-up the food and drink stations, etc. It makes the day of celebration less stressful.

Add fresh flower arrangements randomly throughout the party rooms. These bursts of color make for a romantic and beautiful touch. Market Street's floral department is full of beautiful prearranged bouquets that make the perfect touch to any gathering. If you're on a budget consider purchasing a few different types of flowers and make your own bouquets.

Aim to have everything set up 30 minutes before the party starts. This way all hostess should be able to catch their breaths AND be ready to smile and celebrate.

Have a blend of homemade and pre-made food. Market Street has an excellent concierge service that will help you throw a tasty party. The concierge will assist you in selecting a few tasty add ons from their variety of menu items. If you go with a fresh fruit tray place it on a beautiful platter that you've picked up from one of my favorite spots, the Dish Department.

These days with small children it seems as though the opportunities to host showers, whether wedding or baby, are getting fewer and fewer. However, I have now taken this same approach of shower hosting to dinner party hosting and it still applies-- albeit there is only one hostess versus the five or six that’s offering a helping hand.

Celebrate your loved ones’ milestone with a party that is filled with intentionality, beautiful touches and delicious food.

The next time you’re throwing a wedding shower let A Pleasant Little Kitchen be the hostess that arranges the food menu. And as always, these recipes are all make-ahead friendly which is critical to success when it comes to party throwing.

Watermelon Rose Granita

Gougeres

Fresh Fruit Tray

Chive and Cheese Frittata

Arugula Salad

Cherry Tarts

Watermelon Rose Granita

Author note: Another way to prepare this recipe is to pour the mixture into mason jars, cover, place in the freezer and shake every 30 to 45 minutes.

Ingredients

4 cups of fresh watermelon juice (about 6 cups of cut watermelon, that’s been juiced)

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon of rose simple syrup (click here for recipe)

juice of 1 ½ limes

mint for topping

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a long glass pyrex and stir to combine.

2. Place in the freezer, and every 30 to 45 minutes scrape with a fork until broken up. (About 3 to 4 hours)

3. Continue this process until the juice has turned into a slushy delicious mess.

4. Serve in individual glasses and top with mint.

Gougères

Author note: Gougères are French cheese puffs. It is one of my favorite ways to make homemade rolls and feel fancy. These little cheese puffs are freezer friendly. Once baked, cool to room temperature and store in a freezer safe plastic bag. Reheat in the oven at 35o degrees for about 5-8 minutes. If you’re feeling fancy, you can pipe the dough into decorative shapes using a pastry bag. I prefer a spoon for a more rustic look.

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of paprika

1 cup flour

3 eggs

3/4 cup grated gruyere

3/4 cup grated white cheddar

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a sauce pan, combine the milk, water, butter, salt, nutmeg and paprika. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Stir occasionally.

3. Quickly pour the flour into the saucepan and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Continue to do this until the dough pulls away from the pan and forms a ball. Stir until the dough begins to slightly stick to the bottom of the pan (about two minutes).

4. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.

5. Add one egg at a time to the batter, stirring constantly. The dough will get a somewhat shiny gooey exterior.

6. Add the cheese and stir well to combine.

7. Spoon the dough into 1 1/4- 1 1/2 inch rounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Baked for 22-25 minutes, or until the gougeres are lightly browned.

Chive and Cheese Frittata

Author note: I used to resort to the “flip” method of frittatas until I read Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Hazan preferred the “non-flip” method that simply leaves the frittata in the oven until it is completely cooked. I have since resorted to this method. Also, I don’t find it necessary to have a non-stick pan to have a successful frittata. With enough butter or olive oil to coat the skillet, the frittata comes out nicely. Finally, don’t be afraid to eat this anytime of the day– breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s great with crusty bread and a nice salad.

Ingredients

5 eggs

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup chives, chopped

¼ cup shredded mozzarella

¼ cup grated parmesan

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, place the eggs and salt in a medium size bowl and lightly beat.

3. Next, add the chives and cheese. Lightly beat to incorporate. Set aside.

4. In an 8-inch skillet, melt the butter on the stovetop. Once melted, swirl the butter around the pan to coat the bottom and sides.

5. Add the egg mixture into the skillet and then place in the oven.

6. Cook for 16 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked all the way through. Run a spatula carefully around the edges of the frittata to loosen it from the pan. Slide onto a cutting board, slice and serve.

Arugula Salad

Author note: This salad is incredibly flexible. Add whatever bits of herbs and vegetables you have lying in the fridge. Nuts or a boiled egg would turn this side dish into a protein rich meal. Gruyere, manchego, goat cheese or feta also work very well with this salad.

Ingredients

6 cups arugula

2 shallots, chopped

3/4 grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Add the arugula, shallots and cheese into a large bowl.

Top with the vinegar, oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss well and serve immediately.

Cherry Tarts

Ingredients

for the filling

3 pounds fresh cherries, pitted

pinch of kosher salt

3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cinnamon stick

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients. Stir and cover. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove the lid, stir the mixture and increase the heat to medium or medium-high. Cook for 35-45 minutes (the cherries should maintain a steady boil). Stir frequently to prevent burning. When the mixture is reduced, thickened and coats the back of a spoon it is finished cooking.

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge.

Ingredients

for the whipped cream

cup cream

1/2 cup crème fraiche

3 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Place a mixing bowl (stainless steel preferred) in the fridge and let chill for 15 minutes.

Once the bowl is chilled, remove it from the fridge and place all ingredients into the bowl.

With an electric mixer whip the cream mixture on medium until peaks form.

Place in an airtight container and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Ingredients

for the tarts

pastry shells

cherry filling

whipped vanilla cream

Directions

Follow the pastry shells baking instructions. Let cool.

Add the cherry filling to the baked shells. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Serve chilled.