Events: Tol Party at the Beach

This summer not only we have been catering wedding and BBQ outdoor functions, a couple from Vermont (Korean and Jewish) who also has a beach house in Long Island, New York. It was the first time our staff has experienced this type of first birthday celebration (Tol Party).

On this beautiful sunny afternoon, we set up three large tubs chilled with beer, wine, juice and soft drinks for kids and teenagers. Afternoon activities were softball game and biking by the beach. Chef Simon grilled chicken marinated with lemongrass and herbs, with assorted vegetables from local market such as baby eggplant, summer squash, Portobello mushrooms..

Two Additions to our Saffron 59 Family

Lile Maria with Aunty Irene

Cute Son of Momoko (our pastry chef)

Seasonal Flowers

Flowers do wonders for the soul, especially for your special day or just a great pick-me-up.  We always have fresh-cut flowers in our offices that never fail to put a smile on our faces. For the most bang for your buck, use fresh seasonal flowers when they're at their prime blooming season. Great fragrant blooms available now are bursting Peonies, delicate Sweet Peas, tissue-layered Ranunculus, hyacinth and many more.

Pink Peony in Springtime

Even better still, seasonal flowers come in any profusion of color, no matter what the season.  You can coordinate your flowers for your wedding or special event with any color, theme or even symbolic flowers.  Here are a few examples:

Stephanotis: Good-luck flower for the bride

Pimpernel: Change & innocence.

Calla Lily: Rebirth.

Forget-me-nots: True love.

Ivy: Friendship, fidelity, and matrimony.

Mixed Bouquet

This is also a great time of the year to enjoy growing your own fresh seasonal herbs.  You can always freeze or dry your herbs to enjoy all year long.  They will taste better than anything you buy in a bottle! Mojitos, anyone?!

Not Just Weddings!

Summer is finally here and so is the wedding season. We do a lot of weddings in the summer but we also plan and cater many Bat/Bar Mitzvah and birthday parties as well. Last weekend, we did a Bat Mitzvah Party for the lovely Abigail Poteshman at Midtown Loft. The weather was perfect for an outdoor cocktail reception. Upon arrival, guests headed up to the rooftop to enjoy cocktails and Hors D’Oeuvres, then a buffet style lunch was served down on the main floor.

Abby's Friends

We were very lucky to have Mr. Dan Hurley, the creator of 60-Second Novelist join us to entertain the guests. Dan brought his own manual typewriter, mingled in the crowd and asked guests a few questions about their lives to get the sense of who they are. He would then make up an imaginative and funny short life story about the guest, typed it out so the guests could take it home. This is such a great way to get people to start up a conversation, share their amusing life stories and get to know each other better.

60-Second Novelist: Dan Hurley types out guest's life story in 60 seconds

In a small corner, a red carpet photo booth was set up so that Abby and her friends could

How To: Preserving Wedding Photos

This post is for all of you, the newlyweds.
Over the past years I have received so many of your compliments for the weddings we have worked on along with the memorable wedding pictures that now reminds me how we all can preserve the collections in various ways.

Here in our studio  at Saffron59,  my parents and their siblings pictures in black and white of their travels and weddings. I treasure  them immensely  as its hung by the dinning room and classic to have these pictures showing the contrast from the modern ones.
 
Recently with my new apartment, I like to have something new and something old.  Alexa worked on my long narrow hallway wall with collage.  She scanned and archived these old pictures and touch up with Photo Shop...which has enable for me to have a wall full of these memorable pictures of our us growing up in Burma in black and white....and a colorful collage wall with my nieces and nephews....

Alexa in our studio, touch up with photo shop

  Irene's Aunty Jen's wedding

  Irene's Mom

Cooking Workshop Party

Hosting a Cooking Party is one unique way that can spice up special celebrations.  Instead of seated dinner or cocktails, you and your guests can casually prepare fun, fabulous meals and enjoy the party; it will also bring more closeness between friends and strengthen bonds and team efforts amongst colleagues in a more informal way. 

Depending on the guest count and theme, food can be from specific regions or distinctive cooking style; your party can be a demonstration style or the 'hands-on' that require guests participation. Whether small intimate group of bridal shower with light hors d'oeuvres or birthday party learning to prepare nice juicy rib eye steak with Korean red bean marinate to tasting great Rhone wines.  

It is important to plan ahead the ingredients and the cooking utensils. Don’t forget to clear clutter in your kitchen for an adequate space for everyone to prep; and assemble your finished dishes.

I like having a Polaroid camera that prints instantly the capture the moments ..

Double Espresso Chocolate Mousse with logo

JWT Office Cooking Party

Grilled Steak Argentinian Style with Chimicurri Sauce

testing the rare Steak

Roof Gardening: Spring starts in March at Saffron59 Kitchen

Cleaning up the tool shed, sowing the seeds and watching the crocus sprouts are the sign of spring as we get the last frost bite. Here at Saffron59, we started germinated the seeds from last year’s favorite black prince heirloom tomatoes to lemon basil.  Celery, rutabaga and purple beets are planted in 4” deep soil and first crop of radishes are ready to be dug out for our kitchen in two weeks.

                                           Germinating Seeds Indoor
If you have an urban garden like ours, with at least six hours of sunlight, you can germinate the seeds near your window then transfer to the rooftop. Hungarian peppers and cilantro plants can take a few weeks to sprout. If you plant tomatoes, put seeds 1/4″ deep indoors, six to eight weeks before last frost, transplant into garden one to two weeks after last frost or when soil reaches 65 degrees F. As for Peppers you can plant the seeds indoors 1/4″ deep 10 to 12 weeks before last frost.

                                                     Transferring Sage plant into larger pot before Summer
Parsley need to start seeds 1/4″ deep indoors 10 to 12 weeks before last frost, transplant seedlings into garden. (Our kitchen crew can’t get enough parsley for all the pesto sauce for the popular juicy thick Rib Eye Steak Chimichurri we feature here at Saffron59).

Once you see a shoot, transfer into a pot and can be exposed outdoor once the freezing temperature disappears.

                                                                     evergreens and heather plants for outdoor
Yes, we all agree it has been dark, cold, brutal winter. Perk your environment by refreshing it and be ahead of the weather by staging hardy heather plants in your living room or entrance. A bunch of pink cherry braanches or bright colorful red camellias can even bring and transform your room into a summery mood.

So go to your local green garden center and see what a plant can boost you.

Recipe: Happy Lunar New Year: Gong Xi Fa Choi!

Double Happiness Bowls

Growing up in Myanmar, we celebrated Chú Xī, commonly known as Lunar New Year. Along with my parents, brother and sister, I would go to the night market and shop for the New Years decorations and sweets. My parents bought new outfits for all of us, and I would help my mom to stuff the red envelopes to give away, while she prepared feasts for the start of the New Year.

This year, I thought I'd ask my friend Grace Young, author of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge (the James Beard’s award winning author) what she and her family cook for the New Year.

According to her:

The New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important meal of the two week New Year’s celebration and of the entire year. Today many people choose to go to a restaurant because it’s more convenient but my family always gathered for dinner at home. Every family’s meal is slightly different while still being designed around meaning-laden foods.

Travel: Nicaragua: Trip to the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

The past few weeks was just the right time to be in Central America; Nicaragua, although only the size of Colorado, has 28 volcanoes, 14 of which are active. One of the treasured destinations in Nicaragua is the Ometepe Islands where the famous twin volcanoes are located: Vulcan Concepcion and Maderas.

The weather is perfect for hiking and enjoying the peaceful scenery of the lakes and craters and of course discovering the authentic local cuisine.

Nicaragua is rich with tropical birds, howler monkeys, high pitched cicadas, pin sized frogs, and countless marvelous native species.

Papusa with cornmeal, pepper, onion with braised meat

One of the typical traditional dish of the country is papusa; a banana leaf wrapping, generally stuffed with pork or chicken with cornmeal, sliced onion and pepper,wonderfully comforting even in this snowy cold weather here in New York. 

 San Jorge Ferry Port, to Ometepe Island

Juicy Fresh Star Fruits dropped in front of our cabins

Fundraiser: Friends Without a Border: Annual Photo Auction for Charity

Every year for the past 11 years, internationally acclaimed photographer, Kenro Izu, who founded Friends without a Border, has hosted a photo auction at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York.

Over 250 photo collectors, artists, photographers, and friends, among others, mark their calendar for the first week of December for this Annual Photography Auction .

I am proud to have been a participating sponsor for the past eight years along with my crew, creating different menus and themes for the reception, year after year. Along with the talented and tireless Mr. Izu and many friends of the organization, it now includes the third wing at Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia as a donor.

Because of these donations the facility is now able to treat not only children but whomever needs their help. With their extensive programs in New York City and many dedicated members around the world, this nonprofit organization is able to provide healthcare for over 350,000 out-patients every year in the surrounding villages.

Being part of this collective global aid action continues to be a heartwarming experience, and I am happy to be on the committee to assist this growing organization.

Happy New Year to you all.

Kenro Izu, Founder of Friends Without a Border

Saffron59 Staff passing Roast Peking Duck Rolls

Sold! More support Angkor Children Hospital.

Live Photo Auction

Mi Casa Su Casa: Entertaining at Home

Entertaining at home with style without losing the intimacy shouldn't be too intricate. 

For the past years, we have done numerous holiday parties at private homes, with friends, colleagues, and family as guests in comfortable homes, with superb service, personalized menus, especially in this cold winter...

Asian Tapas Style with Burmese Fish Curry and Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Wild Mushroom Puffed Pastry with Goat Cheese

2007 Domaine du Banneret Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Party Ideas: Chino-Latino Theme Parties

 
This is our third theme-oriented blog post, served with a Latin twist. If you're planning a company holiday party or an upcoming wedding, Saffron 59 offers Latin-influenced delicacies such as chicken adobo marinated in dark vinegar with pearl onions, Cuban-style pulled pork with paprika, scallop ceviche with lemongrass coconut dip, and Argentinaian-style grilled beef with parsley garlic pesto. Other great flavors include spicy chocolate mole, sangria with blood oranges and fresh peaches, rich and creamy dulce de leche, and exotic cocktails made with Patron tequila, rum, and ginger. We offer cocktails such as Kalamansi Saketinis and Lemongrass Ginger Cosmopolitans. The décor can be full of bright, warm colors and inviting, rich textiles to accent your tabletops and walls.

After your guests have eaten such sumptuous cuisine, they can take part in Latin dancing such as salsa, tango, and rumba—at one recent gathering, we hired a vibrant band Ola Fresca, led by Jose Conde and they filled the room with bright sounds and Cuban rhythms. We can hire professional instructors for these sensual dances. Let your guests loosen their hair and limbs and get down on the dance floor. (Just remember to stretch first!)

There are several empanada recipes here: From Argentina With Love, and you can take a look at Nika Boyce Studios website, full of sensual and richly detailed photos lovingly taken of Latin food.

Themes: Bollywood

One of the most fun events we cater and plan here at Saffron 59 for our diverse New York clientele are theme parties. A popular theme is Bollywood, as it is flavorful in every way, from the heat of Indian spices to the gorgeous saris. 

One of our clients contacted us about putting together a Bollywood wedding. We hired two energetic dancers and got the guests warmed up with sensual Bhangra music after the sumptuous dinner.

From having our staff dress in luscious attire and menu consisting of signature dishes of Saffron 59, such as flavorful spicy Goat Rendang with coconut curry, pan-roasted chicken with lemongrass and ginger marinade, and ratatouille with mustard seeds and tom yu broth.

Finally, nothing gets a party going like great drinks, such as spiked chai lattes and tamarind coolers with dark rum cocktails, all reminiscent of Bollywood.

So get started on planning your next party - Bollywood style!

Theme: Philippine Food & Spa

For the past few years that I have traveled to Asia whether in Central Vietnam or Boracoy Island in the Philippines, Aman resorts and Six Senses spa is what I look for after serving my clients.

Recently a request celebration called for a spa theme and Saffron 59 was perfect collaboration for this event along with Jerry Sibal of Design Fusion.  

Grilled Shrimp and Pork Adobo

Menu such as Gazpacho shots with Cucumber, Garlic and Mint; Filipino Classic Lechon Roast Suckling Pig; Barbecue Shrimp, Pork and Chicken on skewers, and dessert such Crispy Banana Turon with sweet caramelized dipping sauce. 

And we served such welcome drinks like Kalamansi Mojitos and Watermelon Cooler with our staff dressed in Vietnamese Aoi Yai style dress to greet the guests.

Filipino-Spanish inspired desserts Fresh Berries, Mango Pudding, Caramel Flan

Eat Locally Think Globally

Instead of dining out, I had a few friends over on our rooftop. This Friday night, I pan-seared okra from our local Union Square Farmers Market, with tomatoes and holy basil leaves that I have been nurturing in my urban, rooftop garden since April. 

Okra is a very simple, nutritious and lots of fiber vegetable and of course it is appetizing too! Popular as the ladies fingers in South Asian, Okra is abundance at this time of year in Northeast America as well. It’s perfect for summer refreshing vegetable dish option.

Most people don’t fancy okra is because of its slimy taste, I find if it sliced and seared gives a nice snappy texture and eliminate the liquid. 

Recipe: Seared Okra with Tomato and Cumin Dust

Ingredients:

1 lb Okra (sliced diagonally)

Vegetable oil for frying

1 medium onion, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups (450g) chopped tomato, fresh or canned, drained

1 serrano chile, sliced

2 teaspoon finely minced ginger

2 teaspoon finely minced garlic

Spice mixture

¼ cup cilantro stems and sprigs

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoons ground paprika

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper

1/8 cup of water

Instructions:

In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high flame, heat 2 to 3 teaspoon oil. Add enough okra to cover pan in a single layer. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining okra, adding more oil as needed for each batch to prevent sticking.

In the same pan wiped clean, over medium-high heat, add onion till lightly brown, add in garlic, ginger, stir in cumin paprika.

Continue frying over medium high heat, adding water, stirring frequently, until tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes.

Add reserved okra and stir very gently with chile to combine with tomato and cilantro stems. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until okra is cooked through…

Garnish with cilantro sprigs

*add in cooked shrimp or fish if desired!

Hudson Valley Travels: Route 7, Copake Falls, Ellsworth Hill Orchard, Sebastian Beckwith, Stone Wall Dairy Farm

This weekend, for Mr. Z's birthday, his wish was to hop in a car and get lost with no plans whatsoever. Cruising along Hutchinson Parkway and off on to the winding country Route 7 along the scenic the Housatonic River, all one needs is a couple of cold bottles of water if you decide to get on the Appalachian Trial. This time of the year there is an abundance of fresh produce available from local farms and roadside stands--plenty of choices to satisfy and whet your appetite.


2 ½ hour from New York City we stumble upon Copake Falls for a cool dip after a 45 minute hike and were surprised to find only a handful of locals. Refreshed and tranquil with the gushing waterfall and especially on a 90 degree scorching hot summer afternoon.

A quick detour for summer peaches and cherry pies at a roadside stand nearby the old quaint town of Cornwall. As dusk approached, dinner hour was quickly upon us, so at nearby Ellsworth Hill Orchard, we picked up pattypan squashes, zucchinis, Italian frying peppers and sweet white corn for our first night's dinner at my old friend and In Pursuit of Tea guru, Sebastian Beckwith’s cabin surrounded by 103 acres of lush green pine trees and a 14 foot deep pond.

For lunch the next day, we were recommended to Toymaker Cafe at Village Falls for fresh salads and sandwiches to bring for a picnic at the fall and then continued on to the vibrant city of Kent for spinach panini and expresso gelato along with a book fair.

On the way home we bought fresh unprocessed raw milk and eggs at Stone Wall Dairy Farm, where the land has supported this dairy farm for over 150 years. Perfect for stocking up our fridge back in the city.

July 4th: Personal & Country Independence Day

This year marked the 30^th Anniversary of my family arriving in America. I remember being at John F Kennedy Airport seeing all ethnicities at immigration and the overwhelming crowd.

So different from my small city of Yagon, Myanmar.             

Scorching hot summers, sprinklers on the fire hydrants along the highway, as my mom’s friends picked up all eight of us and drove along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

Given how time flies, I thank my parents for bring us this far and see how all of us has accomplished. Now they have nine grandchildren. Yes, July 4th is also our personal Independence Day! This year and the past 30 years--never fail--it's been our annual big cook-out feast. The largest hit was BBQ Rib Eye Steak..

Ingredients:

•  8 lb. rib eye steak -1 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons sake (or rice wine or sherry)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 scallions (green onions), minced
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved. This can be prepared and marinate a nite before.
Preheat the grill to 450 degree.Charred the steak for 2 min. each side.  let cook and sliced 1/4 inch thick...
served with basil parsley garlic pesto sauce. 

A Hop and a Skip Away: Day Trip to Brandywine, Pennsylvania

New York City does not have the corner on fine dining. Some of my favorite places to visit and dine at are only about two hours away. 

Last year we visited my friend Patty in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where we had the chance to try the delicious tapas of Iron Chef Garces at Chifa and a few other restaurants he owns with his brothers. 

This year I went back to visit the Brandywine area of Pennsylvania and visited the Simon Pearce Glassblowing Workshop; Restaurant located in West Chester, PA. You can learn how to blow your own glass or enjoy a tasting of wine in their beautiful riverfront restaurant. Chef Karen Nicolas (who used to work at Gramercy Tavern) does her magic with seasonal and local ingredients. The meat and vegetables are supplied by local farms and served by a knowledgeable staff. I had tender octopus salad and pan-seared striped bass with artichokes.  At the end of the night, I was given a loaf of nice warm olive bread baked right out of their kitchen. 

Festive brunch with homemade and local ingredients

The Salt Debate

It’s great that our Mayor of New York City, Mike Bloomberg cares about our health with his campaign to reduce salt content used in food products and restaurant chains.

Fortunately, great flavors (and health) can always be achieved with spices & herbs so that one can do with very little salt. I tweaked this fish dish from a Khmer Amok recipe I picked up in Cambodia in 1998.  It is low in sodium but nicely spiced. My Godmother Sonja, loves this dish and has had this recipe posted on her fridge since it was published in NYT’s Dining & Wine section. This delicious dish is also a great picnic and summer-time staple since it’s served at room temperature and portable.  Enjoy!

AMOK

Adapted from Irene Khin Wong, Saffron 59 Catering

Time: 45 minutes

1 pound monkfish or cod fillets (or any white fish/chicken)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon curry powder, optional

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh Thai chili pepper, seeds included

2 teaspoons Southeast Asian fish sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

12 baby bibb lettuce leaves

1 tablespoon shredded fresh kaffir lime leaves, if desired.

1. Cut fish into 1/2-inch chunks. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, ginger, garlic, chili pepper and fish sauce. Mix well. Add fish pieces, and toss until well coated. Let marinate 15 minutes.

3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oil, and add onions. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add fish mixture, and sauté until fish is opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool to room temperature.

4. Spoon into lettuce cups, and place three cups on each of 4 plates. Garnish with kaffir lime leaves, and serve with steamed red rice or brown jasmine rice, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings.

Spiked Fish with coconut and low salt

Baking with Kids

Whenever my nephews & nieces visit, we walk to the local greenmarket at Union Square and pick up what we are going to make for lunch that day. They always cook in the kitchen with me. There’s nothing as satisfying as being able to create something from scratch.

So when my nephew Sidney and his friend Josh needed to raise some money to support their soccer team for new equipment and transportation, we decided to bake a few types of simple delicious cookies for their fundraiser. So we gathered a few kids for an impromptu baking session with our pastry chef, Momo.

josh and sidney

Not only does learning a new skill boost self-esteem, it fosters a sense of worth and creativity. They also learned a few tips about running their own business: how to sell their goods, pricing, packaging, profit margin, inventory, even creating a blog with pictures.

As the smell of freshly baked goods wafts through the studio, we all happily shared a victory cookie from our cache of goodies.

Here’s one of the recipes from that day. Enjoy!

Sammi with Cookie Crumbs

Vegan Vanilla Almond Cookie

Servings: around 30 large cookies

1 cup Sugar

½ cup Vegan Butter

1/3 cup Soy Milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup white rice flour

1/3 cup coconut flour

2 tablespoons potato starch

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup almond slices

In a mixing bowl or mixer, sift all the dry ingredients together, except for the almond slices. Create a well in the dry mix and slowly incorporate all the wet ingredients. When thoroughly mixed, add almond slices. Form dough balls into desired size or use a mini ice-cream scooper like we did on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown at 350F degrees.

Chef Momo