Paloma Blanca at Love Couture {Trunk Shows}

Strawberry Basil Balsamic Daiquiri {Signature Drinks}

Yesterday we told you about the fab vinegars at Sapore. Well, now we're going to share a delicious drink recipe that uses them! Cheers!

Strawberry-Basil-Balsamic Daiquiri

8 ounces dark rum
1 cup halved hulled fresh strawberries
4 whole strawberries for garnish
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 pint strawberry ice cream
2 cups ice

In a blender, combine all ingredients except the whole strawberries and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and garnish with the strawberries.

Sapore! {Local Finds}

Another one of our fabulous gift finds this year were the gourmet vinegars and olive oils from Sapore. Sapore is owned by two of our industry friends, Renee and John Farr, and is located in Capitol Hill. We adore their selection of really fun vinegars (dark chocolate balsamic anyone?) and olive oils and they will even do petite versions for wedding favors.

The signature Sapore bottle is definitely one of our "favorite finds" for 2012!

Tiny Pies!

We continue with our wrap-up of favorite holiday gift finds. We fell in love with these sweet mini pies from Tiny Pies. They come wrapped in cellophane bags or in petite Mason jars. I did a wee bit of sampling and can personally say that the apple cranberry, sweet Texas pecan and the chocolate brownie pies are delish!

They also make adorable wedding favors (and you can customize your pie flavor)!

Ho Ho Ho!

thimbleanna

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Visions of Sugarplums!

Credit: David Sawyer

"… while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads." The famous sugar plums spoken about in Clement Clark Moore's beloved poem, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" were actually sugar-coated coriander. Later the recipe changed and included other spices and dried fruit.

Bags of sugarplums would be such a cute favor idea for a Christmas wedding!

This recipe is based on the confection we know today. Sugar plums tend to absorb the powdered sugar, so redust just before eating, if you like.

2 cups whole almonds
1⁄4 cup honey
2 tsp. grated orange zest
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. ground allspice
1⁄2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup finely chopped pitted dates
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool, then finely chop.
2. Meanwhile, combine honey, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Add almonds, apricots, and dates and mix well.
3. Pinch off rounded teaspoon-size pieces of the mixture and roll into balls. (Rinse your hands often, as mixture is very sticky.) Roll balls in sugar, then refrigerate in single layers between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Their flavor improves after ripening for several days.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #39

The Sweetest Gift!

Each year we look for the most fun, creative gifts to use in our weddings. One of our favorite finds this year was this delicious jewel box designed to look like a delicate French macaroon. What a perfect place for bridesmaids (or brides) to store their rings!  We love this as a gift for female attendants or perhaps a sweet way for a groom to propose. And we adore all the colors!

The Personal Touch {L&S at Woodend}

 When I first met Leslie, we had a common bond.  We both love acoustic acts that play at local bars.  Leslie and Shawn had planned an amazing celebration at Woodend Sanctuary before they left for Thailand to start their lives together helping refugees.  It was a daytime celebration starting with a beautiful morning ceremony in the grove.

The guests then moved up to the portico and the lawn for some yard games of bocci ball and a bride and groom themed cornhole.  They were serenaded by the sweet melodies of Timmie Metz, who Leslie and I both knew from playing Tuesday nights at Clyde’s of Georgetown!  I loved that she went with an entertainment act who was a personal date night favorite of the couple!

Ridgewells provided an amazing spread for the guests to graze on.

The bride decided to forego the traditional floral centerpiece and opted for using a personal touch instead.  Her grandfather was a scientist and had a big array of beakers left over from his lab.  We filled these with water and food coloring to keep in her blue and green theme!  Guests heard about her grandfather’s experiments over the toasts!  

The best man and maid of honor gave toasts that had me doubling over with laughter- and I had just met the couple a few months earlier!  The maid of honor found an old email that the bride wrote her after her first date with Shawn-- epic!

DJ Dan Goldman kept the party going inside while DominiqueAttaway Photography  shot the couple enjoying their family and friends!  The couple had rented a section of Irish Times for their post party to keep the celebration going all night long!  

Thank you to my amazing vendors and my assistant Olivia who helped this daytime celebration go off without a hitch!

xoxo  Amanda

Venue: Woodend Sanctuary Bethesda, MD

Caterer: Ridgewells Catering

Entertainment: Timmie Metz and DJ Dan Goldman, Bialek’s Music

Photography:  Dominique Attaway Photography

Cake: Sticky Fingers Bakery

Sneak Peek {Shawn & Leslie}

Love this image from one of Amanda's weddings by Dominique Attaway. More to come on this charming Woodend wedding!

Sample Sale at Love Couture!