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Laughing Chefs
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Tag: Laughing Chefs

29 Articles
Laughing Chefs December 13, 2018

SOUTH AFRICAN APPROVED SIMPLE CHRISTMAS LUNCH MENU IDEAS

Since I was a little girl I always dreamt of a white Christmas. Not because I like the snow – it’s not bad, it’s just that I hate getting cold. I wanted a white Christmas because that is what you saw in the movies. Families huddled together around a tree, with the fireplace crackling in the background, drinking hot chocolate with little marshmallows in. Wearing those “ugly Christmas sweaters”. You see, I live in sunny and warm South Africa. Even in winter our temperatures seldom drop below 0C. And December in SA is HOT! From about mid-November, we are lucky to have a day where the maximum doesn’t hit the mid to high 30C, and most of the time we turn just below 40C. So our Christmases’ are sweltering hot. What upsets me the most about the whole temperature and lack of snow situation is that most South Africans want to serve the “traditional” Christmas lunch. I say “traditional” because it has never been a tradition here, it is something that people got from the movies. We do not serve stuffed turkey and glazed ham, with mashed potatoes etc. for Christmas lunch. And if you do, you shouldn’t. It’s hot! People want to have something that is lighter, more refreshing, and more South African. Seasonal, local, and fitting the climate. That is what a Christmas lunch should be. Add to that easy, effortless and quick and you have the beginnings of a winning menu. I am not saying that you shouldn’t eat turkey or ham, just that you shouldn’t blindly follow other countries or cultures’ traditions, make your own.

Our Christmas lunch usually centres around salads. For starters, we will usually have some sort of bread table, with lots of fresh breads, butter, preserves, cheeses, cold meat, fruit, and spreads or pates. Then for mains, we will do some sort of poultry, a braaied meat like leg of lamb, and maybe gammon – that is served cold. This is paired with interesting salads, and maybe roast potatoes. For dessert, you can play around as long as there is ice cream in some form. If you would like to move away from the “traditional” menu this year, here are some suggestions:

 For starters:

  1. Prawn and tomato bruschetta
  2. Smoked mackerel and trout pate parcels
  3. Brinjal and ricotta stack
  4. Smoked snoek pate
  5. Smoked salmon and avo stacks

For mains:

  1. Christmas gammon glazed with brandy and coke
  2. Whole leg of lamb on the braai
  3. Salmon with a cranberry and thyme crust
  4. Roasted Pork Belly Recipe With Cream Cheese Coleslaw
  5. Roast potatoes with biltong
  6. Peach, lime and chilli salad
  7. Fig, rocket and walnut salad
  8. Samon en crout
  9. Roasted turkey roulade
  10. Broccoli antipasti
  11. Onion and brie tarte tatin
  12. Rolled turkey breast with nectarine and pecan stuffing
  13. Sautéed Brussels sprouts with caramelised garlic, lemon & chilli
  14. Spicy slow roast leg of lamb
  15. Charred watermelon and marinated feta salad
  16. French beans with almonds and garlic
  17. Kale, Pomegranate & Caramelized Parsnip Salad

For dessert:

  1. Tower of ice cream with berries and meringues
  2. Pomegranate panna cotta
  3. Peach and pistachio pavlova
  4. Cape Brandy pudding
  5. Rooibos malva pudding
  6. Amarula malva pudding
  7. Quick Cassata
  8. Peppermint crisp tart
  9. Nectarine tart with thyme and honey butter drizzle

We like to keep it simple, with one starter (or a bread table), 2 meats, 2 salads and 1 side, and then followed with 1 dessert. What does your Christmas meal look like?

Money saving tips for weddings, www.laughingchefs.co.za
Laughing Chefs August 20, 2018

Money saving tips for weddings and other special functions

Money saving tips for weddings, www.laughingchefs.co.za

  1. Have a weekday wedding, or at least a Friday instead of a Saturday
  2. Get married in the winter months instead of the summer
  3. Go digital with your save the dates
  4. Go digital with your invitations, doing printed invites only for your parents, grandparents and yourself as a keepsake
  5. Use a printable invite
  6. For your printed invitations, stay with one colour design
  7. Go for a buffet meal to cut down on the cost of waiting staff
  8. Cut down on your guest list
  9. Favours are unnecessary. Want to give something? Give something edible
  10. Opt for more candles instead of more flowers
  11. Go for fairy lights to help create mood and effect
  12. Choosing rectangular tables means you can have smaller centrepieces
  13. Don’t skimp on your food or the photographer
  14. Have a wine table instead of wine on each table
  15. Don’t have an open bar – rather buy a number of drinks that guests can help themselves to
  16. Rent a house in an exotic location, use it as the venue and double it as accommodation as well as your honeymoon!
  17. Use a venue that does not force you to make use of their suppliers or vendors
  18. Have your reception in a restaurant
  19. Do your own flowers
  20. Use paper or cloth flower alternatives
  21. Instead of posies have bridesmaids carry something different e.g. a lantern or small handbag
  22. Have the maid of honour carry a small handbag instead of a flower posie; she can then carry all the items needed in your emergency kit
  23. Buy your decor instead of hiring, then sell it afterwards
  24. Go for wooden tables so that no tablecloths are needed
  25. If you have to cover your tables, only use a tablecloth and skip a runner or overlay
  26. Don’t do printed programs
  27. Skip the wedding car
  28. Don’t spend too much on your chapel flowers and decor
  29. Food served family style means you cut down on centrepieces and table decor
  30. Weigh up hiring a wedding planner versus doing it yourself
  31. Have a budget and stick to it!
  32. Choose a venue that already includes some things e.g. the tables
  33. Do a menu board instead of individually printed menus
  34. Have more guests per table, meaning fewer tables in total
  35. Go for a morning or brunch wedding
  36. Use what the venue already have
  37. Make it personal so you can use things you already have
  38. Reduce the “plus ones”
  39. DIY as much as you can, from the table numbers to the signs
  40. Use seasonal flowers
  41. Go green! Foilage instead of flowers
  42. Borrow your jewellery
  43. Let bridesmaids pick (and pay) for their own dresses
  44. Maybe skip the champagne for a toast – guests will already have a drink to toast with
  45. Don’t pay for something that most guests won’t even notice
  46. Skip the 2nd bouquet for the tossing, rather use the bridesmaid’s posy or a single flower
  47. Skip the carpet down the aisle, rather go for flower petals
  48. Combine the post-ceremony snacks and starters, or choose one and make it great
  49. Don’t do destination or out of town
  50. Outside ceremony can mean more money – keep it inside
  51. Don’t invite kids
  52. Make sure kids are charged differently
  53. Don’t go over time – most venues charge per hour after 00h
  54. Make your own cake or order a dummy cake and make the rest yourself
  55. Skip dessert and just serve cake
  56. Skip cake and do a dessert bar
  57. Make your own photobooth
  58. Skip the crazy lights and smoke machine
  59. Skip signature cocktails
  60. Don’t do pairings
  61. Go with 1 white and 1 red wine, that is enough choice
Laughing Chefs August 13, 2018

Themed weddings: Star-studded

Theme: Star-studded

Inspiration: Celestial
Trend: Shimmer and shine, crystals, dark rich colours
Colour: Shades of blue
Venue: Planetarium, or somewhere outside under the night sky
Dress: Corset-style with a ballerina skirt. Coloured shoes!
Groom: Dark suit
Flowers: berries, lilies, hydrangeas, baby’s breath, gip
Decor: lights – fairy lights, bulb lights, copper wire lights, oh and candles
Cake: naked cake with berries, fresh fruit, meringue and other toppings
Favours: Matches, or sparkles
Entertainment: star-watching, sparkles, a firework display
Take inspiration from the night skies with a wedding any star would be comfortable at. Lots of lights, candles, and heavy textures. Long dark tablecloths or wooden tables with velvet runners, floral arrangements that dwarf the table, or that hang from the ceiling. Candles on the floor and surrounding the dance floor. Food bars and interactive stations, with a dessert buffet that includes s’mores and a chocolate fountain. Opulence and over-the-top is key!
Laughing Chefs August 06, 2018

Themed weddings: Wonderland weddings

Theme: Wonderland

Inspiration: Alice in Wonderland
Trend: Pop of colour, balloons, relaxed and fun
Colour: mint green, rose pink, burnt orange
Venue: anywhere!
Dress: romantic and flirty
Groom: informal suit
Flowers: “veld” flowers, roses, baby’s breath, lisianthus, ranunculus, anemones
Decor: paper flowers, assorted glass vases with single stem flowers
Cake: romantic yet fun, go for an inventive flavour like naartjie with passion fruit buttercream, pecan praline with mocha ganache, etc.
Favours: macarons, small bags filled with biscuits, adorable sugar cookies. A mini pie or tart!
Entertainment: magician, caricaturist, or a sketch artist
Nail this ever popular theme by incorporating fun and unique elements. From paper flowers and home-made confetti to different runners on each table, use your imagination and start dreaming! For the food, think interactive starters bar with an assortment of canapes and salads, and for dessert a pie station with different kinds of pies stacked on top of each other. Designing a personalised cocktail specially for the night is another fun idea to make sure your guests see you and your partner in every detail. play croquet and lawn games during the couple shoot and remember this is the perfect theme to use should you wish to make your four-legged friend part of your special day.
Laughing Chefs July 28, 2018

Themed weddings: Polaroid weddings

Theme: Polaroid wedding

Inspiration: Vintage style photos
Trend: cosy, deep rich colours, velvet
Colour: eggplant, olive green, dark
Venue:
Dress: elegant and timeless
Groom: dark suit
Flowers: succulents, penny gum, blue gum, romantic blooms
Decor; lots and lots of photos! Use polaroids for your guestbook, your escort cards (seating chart), cake topper, etc.
Cake: plain white with polaroids of the couple as the topper
Favours: you guessed it – a photo booth that prints as polaroids
Entertainment: photo booth – try a GIF booth! Sparklers and fireworks
A polaroid inspired wedding takes less inspiration from the look, and more from the feel – think nostalgic, comforting and cosy. Play around with different styles, colours and textures until you have created the perfect picture. Incorporate photos as much or as little as you would like, but some nice ideas include using old snaps as your escort cards, using photos of numbers as the table numbers, a photo of the 2 of you as the cake topper, asking guests to take snaps of themselves and paste that into the guestbook, and more. You can make the mood romantic and moody by using darker colours, or more light and airy by using lighter colours. Incorporate fairy lights, candles, and lanterns, and end the evening with a firework display (remember to get the necessary permission!)
Laughing Chefs July 21, 2018

Themed weddings: Namib weddings

Theme: Namib wedding

Inspiration: Desert love
Trend: cactus, desert, macrame
Colour: dusty pink, grey-green, sand
Venue: outside, a greenhouse, or a blank canvas venue
Dress: something different, short and lacy, no sleeves!
Groom: chinos with a light jacket or a light suit
Flowers: succulents, cactus, proteas, penny gum
Decor: pots of flowers, hanging arrangements
Cake: a variety of small semi-naked drip cakes decorated with succulents
Favours: potted succulents, potted cactus wrapped in burlap or cotton
Entertainment: guitarist, food bars or food trucks
Take inspiration from the Namib desert for an effortlessly chic wedding, combining an elegant mix of natural elements and textures for a sophisticated boho vibe. Have your ceremony in front of a wooden arch, decorated with macrame pieces and hanging cacti. Stand on a carpet or rug, surrounded by candles for a dusk ceremony. Keep your colour palette neutral with only a pop of colour, incorporating something like proteas or cornflowers, or even aloe flowers. Use natural textures such as leather, wood, and wool on your tables to create interesting and dramatic tablescapes. Fill copper dishes with sand and place dessert plants in as part of the table decor, and splurge on candles!
Laughing Chefs July 17, 2018

Themed weddings: Elegant weddings

Theme: Elegant

Inspiration: The Royal wedding
Trend: understated elegance, sparkle and shine, crystals
Colour: shades of white, lots of glass
Venue: somewhere elegant, or surprising like an industrial loft
Dress: ballgown, with silver detail
Groom: formal tux
Flowers: tulips, roses, lilies, lisianthus
Decor: crystals, glass, candles
Cake: white buttercream with no trimmings
Favours: macarons or a candle set for each couple
Entertainment: string quartet and a prosecco bar
A wedding the Queen would feel at home at. White floor length tablecloths, tapering candles, white cloth serviettes. Although such a wedding can seem stiff and formal, you can make it a bit more relaxed by changing the venue from the expected ballroom to an industrial loft, a warehouse, or any other space! Keep your food simple, with either plated or silver service, and remember a dessert together with the wedding cake. Add a few personal touches such as silver picture frames with special photos on the tables, large crystals to catch the light, and you will have a drool-worthy wedding!
Laughing Chefs July 10, 2018

Themed weddings: Rustic weddings

Theme: Rustic

Inspiration:
Trend: wood details, rich colours, textural runners
Colour: Wine red, copper, deep green
Venue: woodsy venue, or a venue that you can create a woodsy effect in
Dress: airy and plain, with short fluttery sleeves
Groom: dark suit
Flowers: lisianthus, proteas, sprays, baby’s breath, berries, lots of penny gum and blue gum
Decor: lots of candles, low arrangements with foliage runner
Cake: layers of coconut and chocolate brownie cake with salted caramel ganache filling and vanilla buttercream. Fresh flowers cascading down the cake to complete the look
Favours: something edible like fudge or cookies, a lipstick bar for guests to leave you a note
Entertainment: craft beer and gin bars, late night snacks for dancing into the night
Same as with barn and farm weddings, rustic weddings also have a bad rep of late. Again we are unsure why maybe because of the copy and paste look some of these weddings have, or because they are usually associated with the shabby chic movement. Rustic, although relaxed and earthy, can be just as beautiful and elegant as a more classic wedding. So if you want your wedding to be understated and effortless, and the rustic look appeals to you, go for it. Make use of wooden tables, runners in dark colours, lots of greens in different shades, candles everywhere and enough flowers to make any budding botanist jealous. Wear a soft, plain dress and complete the look with a flower crown or comb and a cascading bouquet. To pull off a magical rustic wedding, elaborate is the keyword!
Laughing Chefs July 03, 2018

Theme weddings: Farm/barn weddings

Theme: Farm/barn

Inspiration: fields of sunflowers
Trend: Green installations, high floral arrangements, relaxed and informal, metals – red and yellow copper
Colour: sunshine yellow, copper, deep green
Venue: a barn! Or a farm
Dress: understated elegance, plain and simple dress, or even a suit!
Groom: khaki chinos with a vest
Flowers: sunflowers, lots of ferns and other foliage
Decor: copper bowls with lemons, copper vases with sunflowers, textured runners on naked wooden tables
Cake: plain and simple – decadent sponge with an exciting flavour, covered in white buttercream with huge sunflowers on top
Favours: seeds that guests can go plant themselves
Entertainment: caricature artists, a blues or country band
Farm or barn weddings have lately received a bad rep. We don’t know if it is because they were all the rage a few years ago, or because they became synonymous with low budget DIY weddings, but we feel the negatives associated with this theme is uncalled for. Some couples just want to share their love of family, farm and each other with their guests, and no better way than to host their nuptials on a farm. The farm can be theirs, their family’s or even a rented venue, doesn’t matter, as long as the ceremony and reception is handled with class, attention to detail, and a bit of practicality. Remember to think of the guests’ comfort and safety when making certain decisions. If you want to have hay bales as seating, remember to make provision for a cushion or blanket to cover the seat. Nobody wants to party the night away with straw in their bottom! Keep in mind the venue might be cold at night, even in summer, and remember to ask guests to pack in a shawl or light jacket. Have a big dance floor, and serve the food directly from big fires as it is ready. And for dessert, do passed cake bites (your wedding cake cut into bite-size pieces and then passed around on platters for guests to take as they wish). This way they don’t have to stop dancing to enjoy dessert!
Laughing Chefs June 26, 2018

Themed weddings: Whimsical wedding

Theme: Whimsical wedding

Inspiration: Airy, breathy, windy beauty
Trend: Single stem flowers in clusters of vases, feathers, relaxed formal, green installations or runners
Colour: Shades of blue
Venue: family home, library, botanical gardens, clubhouse
Dress: understated elegance, textural details such as a woollen shawl, ballerina skirt
Groom: Navy suit
Flowers: airy and breathy. White with pops of colour. Baby’s breath, gip, daisies, asters, lilies and carnations.
Decor: clusters of vases with single stems in, interesting tablecloths with texture, glass and feather elements
Cake: Naked cake with chocolate drip, lots of fresh flowers
Favours: bags of meringues or angel kisses
Entertainment: lawn games to start the day with, and a champagne bar throughout the night
Whimsical. Light, fresh, and fun. Not to be confused with rustic, informal or simplistic. The look that you are going for is coordinated elegance, a streamlined effect with pops of blue, grey, and dirty pink (or whichever other accent colour you choose). Think lace and knitted runners, soft tablecloths, sparkling glass vases, lush greenery and single stems to give height to your tables. Luxurious cloth serviettes, polished wine glasses and silverware already set on the tables. The feel is of almost accidental grace, of effortless style. Guests must feel relaxed, but in no way question whether they are at a wedding or merely another get-together. Lots of champagne, plated food, and a cake with elaborate tiers and cascading fresh flowers complete the look. Cake flavours that will go down a treat include blueberry with tart lemon cream filling, caramelised toffee with raspberry jam or almond praline!
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