Stylish Event Tip: Olives From Spain

I love the fall and all of the parties that come with it. Taking a break from Bridal Fashion Week, I got to indulge in Spain's tastiest exports at the Spain's Great Match event in Manhattan. I was able to explore the various wine regions of Spain and the rich wines, sherry, and Cava they produce. The big star of the event? Olives From Spain. I never knew they were so versatile.

Rushing between photo shoots, I was ecstatic to try the delicious offerings at the Spain's Great Match event. I am currently planning a huge party at the end of the month and searching for great nibbles that are appropriate for Halloween. I needed food that looked good, tasted better and easy to prepare. The most surprising bite of the event was the combination of black olives, oranges, and fresh mint. Not only did these have seasonal colors, but the flavors were also terrific and paired perfectly with Spanish wine.

Olives are an ancient food whose domain spans Europe, Africa, and Asia. It is not a surprise then that a significant range of global cuisines use olives. They encompass a full range of tastes in salty, sweet, bitter and sour for the perfect umami element in your dish. I learned that olives are generally classified by when they are harvested and how they are processed. There are many varieties of olives, but only a few types are actually eaten as a table olive instead of being pressed for olive oil.

I loved all the Spanish cheeses of the event, starting from Manchego to Iberico. Another tasty combination that paired well with Rioja wines were the big green olives tossed with marinated red peppers and stuffed with Cabrales cheese. Stuffed olives are one of the easiest hors d'oeuvres you can put together for your event. You can stuff them with cheese, pimientos, anchovies or really get creative with them. The Olives From Spain site has an extensive list of recipes from top chefs, most of them are easier than they look.

If you need a bit of escapism this week, grab a bottle of wine and a lovely board of cheeses, Jamon Iberico, and delectable olives from Spain to make a night of it. If you are coming to my next party, you know what will be in store!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Olives from Spain.

To learn more about Olives from Spain please visit their website at http://olivesfromspain.us/

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Ms. Fabulous Hosts A Cherry Blossom Boozy Brunch

 Is it spring? Ms. Fabulous and Stretch n' Flow Yoga hosted a boozy brunch to celebrate the city's blooming cherry blossoms. The dress code was garden party chic, hosted at the gorgeous Hudson View Gardens Lounge. 

June Li Lo, director of Stretch n' Flow Yoga conducted an artisanal dumpling demo based on the recipes of her father's restaurant in Philadelphia (see recipe below). Of course, she made it look easy. The skills needed to include finite knife skills and delicate finger manipulation of the delicate wrappers and pleats. Shockingly, the prettiest dumplings were made by designer Byron Lars, who admitted later it "wasn't his first dumpling rodeo." Other guests included other fashion and media colleagues from AMC Networks, First Look Media, Macy's, Gwynnie Bee and Victoria's Secret. 

modern doll cocktail lab enhanced drinks

Cocktails are always a part of a Ms. Fabulous event. Today, they were hibiscus and berry teas spiked with "The Vicious Purple", floral cocktail bitters from Modern Doll Cocktail Lab. There were also mimosas using "Bitter Mandarina" and espresso martinis made with "Cocoa Canelle" a chocolate and cinnamon liqueur.

My outfit for the day was a pastel flared dress by Byron Lars. My pink petal headband is from Weng Meng Design Studio (my design).

Mr. Lo's Pork Dumplings:

1 lb Ground Pork

2 Bunches of Scallions (finely chopped)

2 oz. Bamboo Shoots (finely chopped)

2 oz. Nappa Cabbage (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. Oyster Sauce

1 tsp. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Ground pepper to taste

1 (50 ct) package of Dumpling Wrappers 

1 egg (optional)

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients except the wrappers and egg together in a large bowl.

Place either the egg (beaten) or water in a small dipping bowl. Scoop 1 tsp. of the pork mixture into the middle of a dumpling wrapper held in the palm of your hand. Dip a finger into the water or beaten egg and rub along the edge of the wrapper to act as glue. Gently fold wrapper in half, but do not close it. Use two other fingers to create 3 light pleats along one edge, then pinch the edges closed to create a half-moon shape.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and add your folded dumplings to the pot. When the pot boils again and the dumplings rise (approx. 2-3 minutes) add an additional cup of water to the pot. When the pot boils a second time, repeat with adding an additional cup of water until the pot boils again and the dumplings rise.

Remove the dumplings and serve!

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Taittinger Uncage My Heart

How romantic a holiday can it be without a little bubbly? Taittinger champagne knows that and has all the right vintages for every nibble and occasion. I attended a romantic themed "Uncage My Heart" event to sample all of their lovely offerings. They created a sexy lounge of seductive bites for Valentine's Day.

It was very obvious that the key to setting a sexy mood with food was to inject lots of chocolate with the champagne. Taittinger's Champagne Rose was the right bubbly for a romantic atmosphere. Truffles, handmade marshmallows, caramel popcorn drizzled with chocolate and little cakes that looked like breasts set the tone. All bite-sized and easy to pop into your lover's mouth (the treats, not breasts).

Decor wise, lots of red and pink was right for the holiday. Floral arrangements combined lots of different flowers and textures in different shades of pink and red. The flowers were loosely tied so it seemed less formal, more romantic and carefree.

Chef Camille Becerra in rustic French chef fashion demonstrated a heavenly chocolate mousse recipe. To watch her make it, it seemed simple. To make it on your own?  That might be labor of love. Try it for yourself:

Camille Becerra's Salted Chocolate Mousse

11 tbsp. bittersweet Chocolate

11 tbsp. butter

Pinch of sea salt

4 eggs, separated

6 1/2 tbsp. plus additional 3 tsp. of sugar

Beat the egg yolks with a mixer with 100g of sugar until they are light yellow in color and fluffy.

Melt the chocolate, butter and salt in a double boiler over low heat. Stir occasionally. Remove the chocolate from heat immediately after the last solid piece of chocolate is melted. Fold in egg yolks.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with 15g of sugar until soft peaks form. Do not over beat.

Fold in half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then incorporate the second half. Chill for an hour before serving.

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Summer Sparkle With Taittinger Champagne

Who is ready for a crisp, cold bubbly? The festive folks at Taittinger Champagne demonstrated the proper way to celebrate the holidays in July. The Champagne party took place at a gorgeous East Village townhouse featuring a fantastic collection of temporary art and elaborate moldings.

For those of us who don't have a multi-story townhouse filled with art, there were certainly other party tips to be replicated. There were big golden paper circles that were stuck all over the walls, a budget-friendly way to make the stuffiest location fun. The champagne "tree" was achieved with lots of bottles with an acrylic circle in between. If you don't have the budget for that, you can substitute some bottles with water, wine, etc.

The purpose of the soiree, of course, was to taste and learn about Taittinger champagne. Their "basic" party bottle was a Brut La Francaise which was anything but. It is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. It was a perfect summer sparkler with peach, vanilla and white flower notes. I loved this with the divine shrimp rillettes of the night (see recipe below).

Their Taittinger Nocturne was introduced as their holiday party vintage. The bottle looks like it was carved out of a disco ball (see the top photo). It tasted sweeter and paired well with rich desserts like champagne truffles and French macarons.

The prize of the evening was the Taittinger Comte de Champagne, Blanc de Blancs. I was told to taste the one "in the funny bottle". This Cuvee was exceptional. It was aged 8-10 years. I learned that Blanc de Blancs means the blend is 100% Chardonnay grapes. This particular champagne is made in smaller batches. When the bartenders cracked open fresh oysters on the ice next to my flute, I was in heaven.

Serve up the Shimp Rillettes with your next bottle of Taittinger Champagne:

Ingredients
1 T. canola oil
4 shallots, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh
1 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined
½ c dry white wine
Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper
3 T unsalted butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice plus 1 t lemon zest
1 T chopped chive

Method
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and bay leaf. Cook until
translucent, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and wine. Season with salt and white
pepper and cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Remove and discard bay leaf; let cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor with
metal blade.
Add butter and cream cheese. Puree until smooth. Add the lemon zest, juice, and
chives. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to a non-metallic bowl. Press plastic wrap on surface of rillettes. Cover the
bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours.
Pipe onto toast or crackers to serve.

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Ms. Fabulous' Green Garden Brunch

Leaving spring, starting summer. I wanted to host another Ms. Fabulous boozy brunch and invite my favorite people to it.While Meryl Streep's line "Florals for spring, groundbreaking " echoed in my head from The Devil Wears Prada, for a June brunch,  I couldn't think of anything more appropriate. I also wanted to be as green and eco-friendly as I could.

First, brunch decor consisted of upcycled tissue flowers made from papers retrieved from fashion events from the last month. Tissue flower DIY here.  I bought a few bunches of flowers and remixed them into vases I had in the cupboard. When you have a total mishmash of vases, I tied them together with washi paper I had lying around and raffia for a more cohesive look.

Keeping with the floral and green theme, my outfit of the day was a green print with butterflies blouse by Byron Lars and skirt by AllSaints UK. My shoes were cut-out butterfly heels by 9W. 

I'm kind of lazy with nail art, so I took a toothpick and just dotted a combination of my favorite colors this week. I left some negative space towards the bottom for a bit of an ombre effect (also helps with the manicure grows out).

For serving, I was introduced to Repurpose party supplies. These were cups and plates upcycled from corn sugar non-toxic.  It has an earthy look (you can totally decorate for your theme. My girlfriend joked that they were even edible (not quite ).

I was particularly proud of my tulip appetizers which were actually goat cheese stuffed tomatoes. 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomato Tulips:

1 box grape tomatoes
1 4 oz log of fresh chevre goat cheese

2 oz. Cream cheese
Half of a shallot bulb (very finely minced)
A few sprigs of Thyme
Freshly cracked pepper
Fresh Chives

bamboo skewers

Mix the herbs, shallot, and cheeses together in a bowl and then fill a piping bag (or zip lock bag) and chill.

Take your bamboo and push them through the chives. If the chives are too narrow, I split them lengthwise and wrapped them around the skewers like a spiral. The moist side of the chives actually help them stick to the skewer.

Cut the tomatoes cross-wise about 3/4 of the way down and spear the tomato with the bamboo skewer.

 Pipe the goat cheese mixture inside the cut tomatoes and then place in a vase to serve. Voila!

Now for the "boozy" part of the boozy brunch. My girlfriends never disappoint. Nyree brought a liquor soaked chocolate bundt and June brought a white wine pasta salad. The cocktail of the day was a green garden-themed Gardener's punch as a variation of an iced tea.

Gardener’s Punch

Ingredients

1.5oz Jägermeister

.5oz Fresh Lemon Juice

.5oz Earl Grey Tea

1 teaspoon Maple Syrup or Agave Syrup

1 teaspoon Citrus Marmalade

Orange Slice to garnish

Method

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and give it a few good shakes. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with orange slice. Of course, this is just for one serving. I made a big pitcher for the gals to sip all afternoon until everyone was feeling very nice. 

Happy Summering!

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Viniq Hosts a Ruby Spa Day

Day Two of Ms. Fabulous Cocktail Week. I was treated to an indulgent afternoon at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa in Midtown Manhattan. The host was Viniq Ruby, a gorgeous blend of vodka, berry, Moscato and citrus.

The theme of course, was ruby red. Ruby is my birthstone. Macarons looked like they were encrusted with crushed rubies. Sparkly jello shots made with Viniq looked like little jewels. We were treated to a multi-course cocktail tasting to feature the flavors of Viniq. I personally love the original in purple and the now the new Ruby version in red in the bottle itself. Its' signature look is an iridescent shimmering texture in the bottle as a result of mica being added. This is a sparkling additive usually found in candy and pastry but this is the only brand that featured it in the drink. I'm

The Red Door Spa is one of my favorite places in the city. The posh treatment rooms were like a maze of relaxation. Mini massages got everyone into a zen mood. Guests took turns receiving manicures in different shades of red. The final treatment was to get a fabulous braid creation.

If you're ready to indulge at home (and I will) here is a recipe for the "A-List" cocktail that I am grabbing for up top:

2 oz. Viniq Ruby
3 oz. champagne
Lime

Pour into a champagne glass and served chilled.

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Chocolate & Cocktail Tasting NYC

I admit, this post is not about fashion or beauty. It does include artfully styled cocktails and desserts though. I just had a great time at The Cocktail Guru's Chocolate and Cocktail tasting event and wanted to share.

The event was hosted at URBO in Times Square by my Top Chef crush, Johnny Iuzzini. He looked very sexy in his vest and tattoos, but when you watch him demonstrate a luscious dessert on the Kitchen-Aid, that's when I lose it. Food Network cutie Zac Young was also on hand to entice guests with treats from David Burke Kitchen and Pierre Ferrand Cognac.

Top pastry chefs around the city either paired desserts with liquor or incorporated the libations into them. Of course, actual chocolate flavored cocktails were on hand for tasting as well. Van Gogh Vodka has a huge range of infused vodkas. I was already a fan of their blueberry, but here they had both Dutch Chocolate and Dark Chocolate, as well as Caramel. Their chef, Abby Lavin of Jam Jar bakery paired them with little hot fudge pies.

My other favorites include Hudson Whiskey's infused brownie and mango parfait. Also, have you ever tried chocolate mousse stuffed inside a hibiscus flower? Heavenly. Now I crave something I didn't even know existed. Valrhona chocolate was the key ingredient in many of the event's creations, but you could sample their artisanal chocolates in their pure form.

So now I am inspired to repeat this themed tasting party for myself. My tipsy tea party crew will have to indulge me (my girl Nyree has already nailed this with her amazing liquor drenched cakes).

Check out 7 Ways to Pair Chocolate & Liquor for recipes you can try at home:
by Mariana Leung at Mode

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Academy Award Party Tips with M&MS

It’s the Academy Awards again! Admit it, how many of you think the real winners are on the red carpet instead of picking up the statue? I have been hosting Oscar parties the last few years now. The best events have lots of treats and a lot of styles. An easy treat to celebrate American cinema is the classic candy of M&M’S. I use them to bring color and texture to desserts. You can totally pair them with your outfit or movie theme.

If you are walking your own red carpet, make sure to wear a color that flatters you. If you can’t do a custom gown, the key to making a dress look expensive is one that fits you well. One of my all-time favorite looks was Viola Davis at the 2012 Academy Awards wearing a custom green Vera Wang gown. This dress looked so great on her because it worked with her skin tone and the bodice highlighted her face. Just for fun, I re-interpreted this look with the famous Green M&M’S.

I also made boozy chocolate cupcakes. I used chocolate liqueur, which gives the cake a moist texture and chocolate buttercream. I topped it with a crispy M&M to match Viola’s dress. Have fun with the recipe:

Chocolate Liqueur Cupcakes: (Makes 12)

3 oz.  High-quality dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
3/4 cup brewed espresso
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons Chocolate Liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with the paper cup liners (I like the foil ones for glam events).
Pour hot espresso over a large bowl of the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Set aside the bowl.
Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla into the cooled chocolate until the mixture looks smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake tins. Bake for approximately 17-19 minutes, until just firm to the touch. Cool on rack for 10 minutes, and then remove cupcakes from pan to cool completely.

Chocolate Liqueur Buttercream 

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 to 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 to 3 tablespoons Chocolate Liqueur

Cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Mix until combined. Add chocolate liqueur. Mix at high speed until light and fluffy, adding more sugar and/or liqueur until desired consistency is reached. Add your buttercream to a piping bag (I like to add a star tip) and frost.

Top with a crispy M&M for crunch!

To make your guests feel like VIPs, make sure you have good lighting. An inexpensive flood light in a flattering hue or even lots of tea lights can make that happen. If you have a screen (or sheet) you can project the Academy Awards onto, it looks very impressive.

If  you need more tips for impressing on the red carpet, these little guys can help you out. What are your favorite tips for hosting an Oscars party?

Presented by M&MS.

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EasyThanksgiving Decor & DIY Foodie gifts

 Are you getting your waistbands ready for Thanksgiving? Whatever your plans are, you probably don’t have time for intricate décor or homemade DIY hostess gifts. That doesn’t mean you can’t pull off a DIY rustic chic theme for the holiday.

I was positively spoiled at a recent luncheon hosted by Top Chef’s Gail Simmons and Camille Styles with Pure Leaf Iced Tea. The event was held in a gorgeous stone cottage at the New York Botanical Gardens. These modern domestic Goddesses don’t have time for lengthy projects either and showed guests easy tips for the holiday.

Witty, warm Gail Simmons led us through the easiest DIY gourmet gift ever. Tea pickled radishes was delicious with the shaved vegetable salad at lunch, the pickling juice was used as a base for a flavorful dressing. If you have a mandolin to slice the radishes, it is SUPER quick. You can even make this gift while your significant is getting dressed for dinner (see recipe below).

Camille Style’s décor tips were also easy.  For a quick, woodsy place card, Camille just uses a gel or metallic pen and writes guest’s names on a leaf.

For an elaborate centerpiece, find some kind of vase/urn/amphora. Then arrange some kale and fall vegetables on top. After Thanksgiving, just eat the veggies!

If you are stuck with the Turkey, you can also make a dried orange garland.  Just cut large oranges into ½” thick slices. Bake the slices for about 6-12 hours (overnight) in a 200 degree oven. When the slices are dry, string right through the center of the slices (there should be a natural hole). Then just drape the garland along your table, windowsills, wherever. 

Shaved Fall Vegetable Salad with Tea-Pickled Radishes

By Gail Simmons

Serves 4

FOR THE TEA-PICKLED RADISHES:

1 cup Pure Leaf Sweet Tea, warmed but not boiling

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup apple cider vinegar

8 small radishes, thinly sliced or 4 large watermelon radishes

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine the tea with the salt; stir to dissolve. Add the vinegar along with the radishes, garlic and peppercorns. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour or overnight. Drain the pickled radishes, reserving ¼ cup of pickling liquid for use in vinaigrette. Set aside.

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FAB Exclusive: Nadia G's Tips for Halloween Style

Its Halloween week!  I always host a party to celebrate Hallows Eve.  I also sneak in some Gothic, scary style.  One of my favorite people who masters all of the above is Nadia Giosia (A.K.A. Nadia G.) the punk glam diva and chef of the Cooking Channel’s Bitchin’ Kitchen and Bite This with Nadia G.  Ms. Fabulous was able to grill her on macabre fashion and creepiest recipes:

Ms. Fabulous: We are big fans of your fashion style on the show, so we want to know what are you going to be wearing for Halloween?

Nadia G: Man! You know what I want to do this year; I’m a big fan of dressing up scary for Halloween. It sounds obvious, but a lot of people use it as an opportunity to kind of dress slutty. It’s cool, but where’s the scariness

What I’m going to do, I always loved those vintage nylons that have the seam running up the back. I’m going to be doing that as an open wound with stitches. It’s going to be pretty cool, essentially I don’t know how to describe exactly what I’m going to do, but I’m going to turn some of my favorite fashion elements and turn them into disgusting wounds.

Ms. Fab: Here at Ms. Fabulous, we always love your nails makeup on the show.  What are your best tips on looks for Halloween?

N. G: Well, you know, a style of nails that I have been doing a while, which is the half-moon around the cuticle. I think it’s cool for Halloween to use black nail polish with a white or blood red half-moon around the cuticle. 

Ms. Fab: We always appreciate that you have great cocktails on your show.  What do you suggest for an   elegant and spooky drink for a party?

N.G.: The idea is to come up with a cocktail that’s creepy and tastes great.  The issue with Halloween is that people tend to use a lot of coloring. In food, they use lots of fondant to make it look creepy but it doesn't taste good.  So for a cocktail, wine cocktails are really popular these days.  I like to make something called a Witches Brew. 

Essentially, you use Once Upon a Vine Chardonnay, pear nectar and savory thyme.  You have a drink that’s a little sweet, the pear contrasts with the thyme and it’s really delicious.  To make that creepy, I fill up a surgical glove with water and pop that in the freezer.  Remove the glove when it turns to ice and have this hand floating around the punch that adds a scary touch, but in a drink that’s sophisticated.

Ms. Fab: Speaking of Halloween food that looks scary, juvenile or doesn't taste good, what do you suggest for party hors d’oeuvres that actually taste good, a little Goth, but appropriate for foodies?

N.G.:  I love to make coffin-shaped grilled cheese sandwiches. It’s easy to cut out the coffin shape.  You can use pumpernickel bread for a darker look.  I stuff them full of Tallegio cheese, which is like an Italian brie, which is one of my favorite cheeses.  It melts so nice and gooey, add some caramelized onions and fresh apple slices and there you go.  You know you have a treat that’s coffin shaped, but not juvenile and tastes fantastic.

Ms. Fab: Is there a way to pair wine with Halloween candy?

N.G.: Oh sure! Red wines are notoriously great with chocolate.  What I like to make is bacon chocolate. That’s always delicious and easy to make as well. You can pair that with charming Pinot Noir.  It has the flavor of ripe cherry, black currant and red wines are just fantastic for chocolate.

Ms. Fab:  What are some easy, tongue-in-cheek décor elements one can use to decorate for Halloween?

N. G.: Get creative with it! There’s nothing I hate more than that cheap pharmacy décor where people end up spending a fortune on it, and then everyone ends up with the same stupid ridiculous skeletons.  What I like to do is think of things that are actually creepy, like decapitated doll heads; really old broken dolls that are pretty scary.  You can use pictures of your ex with a knife through them… Things like that, just think outside the box about what can be creepy for Halloween.

Ms. Fab: Did you do a lot of Trick or treating as a kid?

N. G.: Yep, I have the fillings to prove it!

Ms. Fab: Thank you so much for chatting with us!

Witches Brew

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oz Once Upon a Vine ™ Fairest Chardonnay™

• 2 oz Pear Nectar

• 3 Sprigs of thyme

• 1 oz Lime Juice

• 1/2 oz Simple Syrup

DIRECTIONS

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into chilled glass.

For more cocktail recipes and treats, visit Once Upon a Vine's Wine Bar.

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