After quite a
bit of time away from my Part Time Caterer duties, the events have come rolling
in like the tide. A few weeks ago, I
provided hors d’ouevres for my sister’s wedding between the wedding ceremony
and the formal reception dinner. Life
was finally getting back to normal when I got an email from a church friend
asking if I could make a cake for her parents’ 50 year wedding anniversary. Of course!
I love to make cakes and need an opportunity to freshen up my skills. I responded and offered several ideas of
potential cake designs. A few days later
she emailed me back and asked if I would be interested in preparing hors
d’oeuvres and/or a buffet as well… for 75 people.
EEKKK!!!
First things
first, I had to consult my husband who is the keeper of the calendar. Of course, the weekend in question, he was
going to be out of town for a Half Marathon in Atlanta. (The Hotlanta Half Marathon… in August… in
Atlanta, Georgia… that is HIS own brand crazy there.) I immediately started working the family
phone network to enlist some help for that weekend. After a few calls, my sister agreed to come down
and distract play with the baby so I could work. Crisis averted!!
Next, I turned
to my good friend Pinterest for assistance on developing a menu of “upscale traditional
southern cuisine” that I could transform into hors d’oeuvres and a buffet. I picked out a bunch of things, conferred
with my client, and we agreed on a menu. For dinner; Shrimp and Grits, Barbecued Chicken, Fried Green Tomatoes, Macaroni and Cheese, Bacon Wrapped Green Beans, Salad, Watermelon, Biscuits and Cornbread. For the Apps, Okra, Pimento Cheese Cups, Jalapeno Corn Dip and Ham Biscuits. And the cake. Her mom and dad couldn't decide, so I made the bottom layer chocolate with chocolate ganache, and the top two layers white cake with raspberry filling and almond icing.
Mid week, I
received an email from my client stating that the RSVP list had grown from 80
guests to over 100 guests. Oh
dear!! Back to the grocery store I
went. I decided to add another tier to
the cake, as well, to make sure there was enough for everyone.
By Thursday, I
had been to the grocery store three times, Target and Michael's twice each and
to the discount club once. The cakes
were baked, BBQ sauce and pimento cheese had been made, filling for the cakes, and
several trial runs on new recipes have been completed. The week was already moving too fast!
On Friday I had
to kick things into overdrive…corn was cooked, and, once my sister came, green
beans were wrapped in bacon. She says she never wants to see green beans again.
Lol! I didn’t get everything on my list done on Friday, but I was able to send
the girls to the In-Laws, so I didn’t have to entertain them while I was a “man
down” over the weekend!
Saturday, Nick
gets up at 4:30 AM to go to Atlanta. I wait an hour or two and get up. My
sister is addicted to enjoys a cup of coffee in the morning, so we go to
the grocery store, pick up the last of the expected items, and grab some
Starbucks. Back home, we chop, mix, bake, sauté, and in general, run around
like crazy people in the kitchen, all while tag-teaming playtime with the baby.
He won’t be this little forever! I had AJ cut the requested watermelon into
hearts with cookie cutters, so they looked all cute! (Everyone loved it!) And
of course, at the last minute, I decide that my cake looked like crap, so I go
to the store to buy new cake ingredients. Of course, I forget to get more milk
and have to go back (again) on Sunday. And cheese. And cheese again. That’s
something I need to work on, the “oh no, I need more ____“ shopping trips.
Sunday… ok,
crazy time! Finish fried green tomatoes, make like 1,000 biscuits, start on the
cake decorations, cook the grits, and bake the beans. I had bought some gold
paint for the cake, but I tried putting it on (in the middle of the biggest
tier, so it would be covered by the other cakes), and it looked
Zero Hour…So my
sister LEAVES. How dare she! I take Alex to a friends house (with tomatoes in
the oven) and tell her everything he needs/likes ie. Why he has my shirt in his
diaper bag (he likes to sleep with it. Awe!)
I come home,
magically fit everything into my car, and head to Cary. I carry the cake bits
in and get some help with the rest. I realize that, though they have a full
kitchen (oven, fridge etc.) they have no oven mitts. WHAT? This is a first for
me! So everything I put in the oven, I have to take out with washcloths. Oh
well, it worked! I am frantically putting together ham biscuits, and I keep
looking out the window, willing Nick to get there! My client had one of her
friends help out in the kitchen, so she was able to put together some things
while I did others. Thank goodness! Nick arrived shortly after the hors
d’oeuvres started, and, though tired from a 13 mile run and 6 hour drive, he
put on his button-up shirt and asked what needed to be done.
Once dinner
started, I realized, I need to put the finishing touches on the cake, and, you
know, stack it! So Nick and Dee kept the dinner flowing, and I started putting
the cake together and putting the gold dragees on it (edible ball-bearings, as
the 10th Doctor calls them). Of course I spilled them everywhere,
they kept showing up whenever I’d move something. I wouldn’t be surprised if
the venue was still finding them today! Nick was so nervous, he didn’t want me
carrying it, and wanted me to put it on a cart. Dee and I convinced him that
the cart looked crappy a little beat up, and it wouldn’t portray what we
wanted it to. So, Dee walked ahead of me, and we had to go outside to avoid
tables. There were people sitting outside, too, and they started applauding as
we walked past! A girl could get used to that! As I set it down, a little boy
said “that doesn’t even look real!” I am taking that as a compliment!
After the cake
was served, the dinner was put up, and we’d taken half the stuff to the car, my
boss convinced us we needed a break. We sat on the patio and just talked! From
toilet paper to SNL to hair color. It was nice! But we needed to get home, and
pick up the Critter. So we packed up the rest of our stuff, and headed out.
So, after all
was said and done, I pulled it off. Even
though Nick abandoned me to go and run a race 6+ hours away, he pitched in to
help wash the mountain of dirty dishes when he got back home. We were both completely dead on our feet (for
very different reasons), but after 10 years of marriage, we still work really
well together.
