After selecting the location and date of your wedding, the next most important decision is the design of your invitation. The invite should clearly illustrate the mood, atmosphere, and overall theme of your wedding. Before deciding on a look for your wedding's invitation, be sure to browse plenty of invites to figure out what kind is right for you and your fiancé. To inspire you, I've rounded up a bunch of my favorite invites. To check them out please click on the "Start" button.
Posts for April 17th 2008
Yummy Link: White Bean, Roasted Red Pepper, and Arugula Salad
Now that Summer is just around the corner, I've started eating lots more salads. This salad with white beans, roasted red peppers, and arugula is at the top of my to-make list. It looks fresh and delicious. — We Heart Food
Noteworthy Nibbles — April 17-23, 2008
- Washington, DC: Rhone Renaissance — April 17
- Biloxi, MS: Crawfish Festival — April 17-20 and 24-27
- Dallas, TX: Côtes du Coeur International Fine Wine Auction and Celebrity Chef Dinner — April 18
- Harrisonburg, VA: Virginia Beef Expo — April 18-20
- Springfield, MO: 9th Annual Rock'n Ribs BBQ Festival — April 18-19
- Faunsdale, AL: 2008 Alabama Crawfish Festival — April 18-19
- Salisbury, MD: Pork in the Park BBQ Festival — April 18-20
- Santa Barbara, CA: Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival — April 18-21
- Alma, AR: Spinach Festival — April 19
- Cary, NC: Uncork The Fun — April 19
- West Memphis, TN: Gumbo Fest — April 19
- Mundelein, IL: Spring Wine & Food Festival — April 19
- Jackson, MS: Sante' South Wine Festival — April 19
- Celebration, FL: Great American Pie Festival — April 19-20
- St. Augustine, FL: Food, Flowers & Fun — April 19-20
- Lancaster, CA: California Poppy Festival — April 19-20
- Sugar Land, TX: Grand Wine & Food Affair — April 23-27
Come Party With Me: Passover — Drinks
Wine plays an important part of the Passover dinner known as the Seder. According to the tradition of the Haggadah — the book you read throughout the meal — one is supposed to drink four glasses of wine, which should be kosher. Besides kosher wine, offer guests sparkling or still water. If you prefer to serve a signature cocktail — steer clear of alcohol made from grains — and use a plum brandy or potato vodka.
To check out my Kosher wine recommendations, read more
Top Chef Quiz: Tailgating Chefs
We've discussed the ups and downs of last night's Top Chef, but now it's time to see if you were paying attention. Do you know how many beers there were and how much they had to spend? To find out the answer to these questions and more, take our weekly Top Chef quiz!
Photos courtesy of Bravo
Take the QuizName That Dish!

Not Your Regular Nachos: Nacho Bites
This week I had my banker over for dinner and I decided to wow him with a Tex-Mex-inspired meal. Naturally, nachos were on the menu. Since I wanted something a little healthier than chips and melted cheese for the main course, I served the nachos as appetizers. To make them bite sized, I used Tostitos scoops. Each chip bowl is filled with a classic ground beef taco mixture and topped with cheese. The mini edible bowls are broiled until the cheese is melted and the chips are crispy.
These nachos are incredibly scrumptious and this recipe is easily adaptable, so feel free to get creative! The scoops would be wonderfully delicious with grilled chicken or black beans. For more details on my variation, read more
Would You Drink Raw Milk?
While there are many proponents of raw milk, there are even more folks against it. Recently a family vacationing at a working farm ran into complications from drinking raw milk (they're going to be okay, but had contracted a bacterial food poisoning because of it). Raw milk sales are actually prohibited in many countries as well as 25 states and DC.
California is one of the states that allows it and I was able to pick up this jug at Whole Foods. The flavor is much richer and strong, I would even consider it somewhat "grassy" tasting, as if you could tell what the cow had fed on. It's nothing like store-bought milk — especially the lower fat versions. It's wonderfully smooth and, for lack of a better word, milky tasting.
So tell me, would you drink raw milk? Or do the health concerns worry you?
Out of Hell: Jason Swears He's Not Sexist
This week Gordon Ramsay asked Jason to hang up his chef's coat and leave Hell's Kitchen. Jason's obnoxious attitude towards females has bothered me since day one so I wasn't too upset to see him sent home. However, it was incredibly interesting to speak with him after the fact. He felt relieved to be out of Ramsay's hellish kitchen and continues to work at a restaurant off the strip in Vegas. To see what he had to say when we chatted — he swears he's NOT sexist — read more
Is It Acceptable For Cafe Owners to Take Tips From Servers?
Is It Acceptable For Cafe Owners to Take Tips From Servers?
The owners of a Philadelphia cafe think it's OK to confiscate tips meant for servers, and explained their actions as being for the good of the community. They said they were collecting tips in order to help pay for restaurant renovations that would benefit everyone, including customers and employees.
