Can’t get enough of this rustic venue tucked in the California Desert near Joshua Tree!
Albeit remote, the venue is easy to get to and a great location for a celebration. With the natural beauty of the native joshua trees and other desert plants married with the expansive mountain views, the space and the little touches are just icing on the cake. With wonderful little cabins that make up the accommodations along with vintage airstream trailers, it is a fun and funky place.
This past weekend Hillary & Angela tied the knot surrounded by loving family and friends with the beautiful backdrop of nature. The menu was fun and included tray-passed gazpacho shooters and grilled cheese sandwiches; chicken and waffle bites; and vibrant layered bruschetta with homemade lemon ricotta, olive tapenade and roasted tomato jam. Dinner was casually delicious with hearty salad, pulled pork sliders and beef sliders, grilled vegetables and creamy 5-cheese & beer mac n’ cheese. To finish the unpretentious fare, an array of tiny desserts embraced the naked tiered wedding cake that was sure to delight everyone.
Thank you to Hello Gem Events for all the great work you did on bringing the elements together for Hillary & Angela! HELLO GEM: http://www.hellogemevents.com
This Palm Springs celebration had a lot of little personal details peppered throughout with the Bride & Groom’s detailed approach to creating the intended vibe. With the welcoming display as guests entered the Dining Room at Frederick Loewe Estate, the Photo Booth to capture a “visual” guest book, and intimate Ceremony in the Rose Garden, Signature Cocktails on the Deck, and on to dinner that celebrated the coming together of two families surrounded by friends. The delicious menu consisted of refreshing tray-passed hors d’oeuvres including Caprese Bites, Watermelon & Feta Salad Skewers, Swedish Meatballs served in wonton soup spoon, and a Mini Ahi Taco; moving into a classic family-style dinner, guests enjoyed platters of Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak and Korean-inspired Fried Chicken (a recipe from the couple’s favorite LA restaurant) accompanied by yummy side kicks!
A FEW WORDS FROM THE HAPPY COUPLE: Chef KK- We just wanted to send you a note thanking you for the incredible evening at the FLE! Everyone loved the food!! We got people complimenting us left and right on the fried chicken! People loved it! Thank you for all the hard work in making our night a success.
It’s that time of year when family and friends come together and share in great food, share stories from the past and make new memories to carry with them.
For Chef KK this is one of her favorite holidays – especially when it comes to preparing a delicious meal to be enjoyed by everyone. Starting from scratch with the basics, the culinary journey begins with deciding on what to serve. Shall it be a traditional faire, or a feast unlike no other? Getting back to basics is always a wonderful place to start with an added little twist to the celebrated traditional favorites, if you like.
Roasting the perfect Thanksgiving turkey doesn’t have to be the daunting task everyone fears – even a simply roasted bird can be an inviting centerpiece to any thankful gathering. Chef KK starts with brining a beautiful organic turkey and then she does an air-dry marinade with sage, parsley and whole rosemary…she also tucks sprigs of Rosemary inside the bird. Time for the rubdown…. generously rub butter and sage over the entire turkey then roast “covered” and then uncovered towards the end of roasting to get that golden brown skin everyone fights over.
There are so many variations and options when it comes to the ever-popular stuffing from traditional to a unique fusion of flavors that elevate the stuffing to a whole new level. It gives the chef the opportunity to infuse family tradition or new ingredients into this savory wonder. For Chef KK, it is the traditional cornbread stuffing with celery, sage and chanterelles’ that makes it to her table.
With creamy potatoes and savory sweet potatoes as strong co-stars, the traditional fare continues to grow. Chef KK makes a killer Roasted Garnet Yam & Carrot Souffle with creamy butter and nutmeg.
There are a wide variety of vegetable dishes that make their annual debut on Thanksgiving including green beans, brussel sprouts, and the list goes on. Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with pancetta, shallots and crumbled bacon join the Thanksgiving spread at Chef KK’s table. She also makes delicious Petite Green Beans with orange butter, fresh basil and toasted almonds.
She loves making fresh homemade Cranberry Relish with candied orange peel, cooked cranberries, cognac and a hint of vanilla as a side kick dish. A must have with every celebratory dinner are her Grandmother’s from scratch version of the Parkerhouse Dinner Roll…fondly referred to as “G’s Fluffy Rolls”. It’s those little details that create the memories that are carried on through the years.
As if the tablescape of delicious dinner is not enough, we have the icing on the cake, or better said…the whipped cream on the pie still to come! Whether a traditional pumpkin pie with homemade cinnamon whipped cream, southern comfort pecan pie, sweet potato pie, or an American favorite, Apple, dessert is a great way to finish the meal. This year on the Sweet Treat menu, Chef KK is prepared to tickle the palette of everyone with her Signature Pumpkin Chiffon Pie, her ever-famous Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Pumpkin Bars with White Chocolate Buttercream, and homemade Apple Hand Pies!
So, whether you travel to a distant place for this thankful holiday, or nestle down at home surrounded by loved ones, we wish you the very best of holidays!
Nothing says Summer like a great barbeque and fruit pies!
Coming from the Pacific Northwest, Chef KK grew up with fresh berries and other fruits all year long. What better to do with all that fresh fruit than to make pies and other delicious goodies. Following is a little fresh inspiration from Chef KK’s kitchen…. Some favorites include: Apple Brown Betty | Strawberry~Rhubarb Crisp | Apple~Pear Pie | Peach Cobbler — all of which can be created into individual little gems to selfishly enjoy with a cool scoop of awesome vanilla ice cream!
NOW for some wonderful burgers off the cue! Don’t be shy — you can use any protein to create your own signature burger! It’s about coming together and enjoying great food and great company. Here are some favorites: the Classic King Burger with Signature Cowboy Mustard and Barbeque Sauce | King’s Castle Burger with Signature Onion Jam, Bacon Marmelade, Cowboy Mustard | King’s Slider Bites with the same yummy goodness as its BIG brother, but not as filling | King’s Signature Burger with Bourbon Bleu Cheese Butter | On the Ridge Burger with Succulent Beef Burger nestled on a “ridged” potato chip and finished with lettuce, tomato and a pickle spear.
I don’t know about you, but I am hungry after looking at these delicious photos!
Summertime is all about fresh fruits and vegetables – taking advantage of the local fare and creating wonderful sweet and savory treats to be enjoyed now and in the future. It’s a great time to make one of my favorites…fresh strawberry jam tickled with candied orange peel. Jams and preserves make wonderful gifts for the holidays too — family, friends and special clients enjoy receiving something made with a personal touch…not to mention delicious. They also make a perfect Hostess Gift or addition to a signature basket of goodies.
Homemade chutney is another favorite, which brings back fond memories of my grandmother. In the spirit of celebrating some of those great memories, my Apple-Pear Onion Chutney is in order! Using the freshest of ingredients and a little assist from mustard seed and dried cherries, we have the perfect complement to a grilled chicken or pork dish. Maybe not as healthy as it could be, but try this sweet chutney on a Chicken Fried Pork Chop – yum! The Savory Sister of my Apple-Pear Onion Chutney is a colorful Heirloom Tomato Chutney with sweet Walla Walla onions, fresh dill and zing of lemon zest that is the perfect dressing to grilled white fish.
Whatever the fresh fruit or vegetable you have at your fingertips, combining other fresh ingredients provides an abundance of options and flavor infinities!
In honor of Summertime, here are a few burger photos to get you revved up to fire up the grill and do some barbequing! There are so many different options available from beef, pork, veggie, salmon and more — you can get creative with the ingredients. Caramelized Onions, Crispy Bacon Shreds, Spicy or Gourmet Mustard, a full range of cheeses, and so much more. So gather your family and friends and celebrate SUMMER and get your Grill On!
katherine king catering & special events 