Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Whew! It was 96 degrees, but the event went off without a hitch! The ceremony was lovely and the bride & groom made each other cry with their vows. They are such sweet kids. I received several compliments on my BBQ sauces (one from eGullet, a South Carolina mustard/vinegar sauce, and a random recipe I made up for a sweet bourbon BBQ). The salads held up well in the icy washtubs, and the cake lasted long enough for a photo and the cake cutting. Boy I'm glad I put the extra supports in it. Even though the icing was melting fast, the cakes sliced well and people were impressed (no one around here ever gets homemade wedding cake.). I overheard one kid ask his mother, "Why don't you ever make cakes like this?"

The bride & groom came to our place for a champagne toast and then we all hit the hay. I really don't know why I was up at 5:30; we didn't get to bed until midnight! I'll post some photos if I can find the camera. Now for the fun part, the clean up...

Darcie,
I'm happy to hear all went well. Good thinking on the extra supports for the cake.

Glad to hear Darcie. Echoing Fitzie that you are a good friend.
We had Canada Day here on the 1st, had 5 families over with kids and made souvlaki with the penzey's greek seasoning I picked up a month ago. Served with a tomato/cucumber/feta salad (evoo/red wine vinegar and a sprinking of seasoning), pitas, chopped tomatoes, tzaziki and green beans. A few hotdogs for my friends' kids who wouldn't touch souvlaki. A friend brought a tabbouleh salad, another two brought desserts.
Then we set off the jumbo package of fireworks from Costco.

Darcie,

Congrats!

Once you recover, I want the recipe for the bourbon BBQ sauce. I'm still looking for a better one ...

Fuzzy, I'm afraid there is no recipe; I just dumped some stuff together in a saucepan. The ingredients are quite pedestrian but it was still tasty. Based on my probably faulty memory, following are amount approximations:

1 1/2 cups ketchup (Hunt's)
2-3 tablespoons yellow mustard (French's)
2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 to 2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark molasses (sulphured)
1 tablespoon Penzey's medium-hot chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Penzey's granulated garlic
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
salt & pepper to taste
generous slug of Bulleit bourbon

Simmered for about 10 minutes to thicken.

It was the Aleppo pepper. Everything is better with Aleppo pepper in it. Congrats on the wedding. It's a lot of fun helping people get hitched.

Congrats Darcie -sounds perfect!

I've added Pasta Salad, prosciutto and carrot bundles and fresh fruit to the menu, most to be served to our guests tomorrow.

Nancy, sounds fabulous. When should we come over?

Glad to hear it went so well Darc! Although, I must say given you were doing it, I'm not surprised.

Amy

Amy, it would be a given if YOU were doing it. I'm just a dilettante, but I am relieved it worked out. However, next time I do an outdoor summer cake, it will have fondant. The homemade stuff isn't quite so awful tasting, and it doesn't melt quite so fast.