p ns ire I d! IN THIS ISSUE:
Ca k e A r t i s t : S t ev e K o n o p e l s k i PET-FRIENDLY WEDDINGS
We Love: A Local Welcome! SHORE GOURMET: SOFT SHELL CRABS
S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 | I S S U E No. 5
X the Eastern Shore’s PHOTOBOOTH EXPERIENCE!
X
PHOTOBOOTH INFO@PHOTOMATICBOOTH.COM | 410-690-3606
VISIT OUR NEW SHOWROOM! 4 0 0 m e lv i n av e n u e
|
q u e e n s t ow n , m d
v i s t u s : e b bt i d e t e n t re n ta l s . c o m 800-675-6053
PUBLISHER’S LETTER S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 | I S S U E No. 5
Experiencing a spring day is a little like being
include their four-legged friends in their special
in love—overwhelming in all the best ways. Every
day as “ring dogs” and furry guests. Our article
sense is enhanced, the feel of the air, a warm
on pet-friendly weddings highlights the policies
breeze, the sweet scents, the sounds. With windows
of our favorite Eastern Shore venues, even if you
and hearts open, we gladly say goodbye to winter’s
want to ride into your ceremony on horseback!
chill and welcome the warm months to come! At My Eastern Shore Wedding, these
Check out “Things We Love” to see our unique version of Eastern Shore welcome bags.
feelings become springboards for all kinds of
We love the idea of surprising your guests with
exciting things. Plans take shape for new articles
these locally-inspired gifts. Our bags feature a great
and blog posts, weddings fill our calendar with all
selection of treats the Shore has to offer. Even
their inherent possibilities, even our studio feels
the bag itself, with it’s fun custom-drawn map by
somehow more open and welcoming.
CinkArt Inc., showcases a Chesapeake theme.
And so we offer our fresh, new Spring/
Rounding out this issue are two real
Summer issue of Inspired!. We invite you to meet
backyard weddings, an information-filled column
Steve Konopelski, a Canadian by birth and now
by our fabulous contributor Carolyn Lasako
an Eastern Shoreman by choice. Steve’s cakes
and a yummy recipe for succulent soft shell
wowed us from the first time we saw them. With
crabs from one our talented caterers, Stewart’s
an artist’s eye, Steve creates sculptures in flour
Catering.
and sugar. Our little trip to his Denton kitchen left us in awe of his creativity and passion for his chosen career. And, with a great “backstory” as a Broadway dancer, you’ll love getting to know him! As pet lovers ourselves, we can’t resist the fun of seeing pets at weddings. So many couples
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Spring and summer give us the gift of light as well as warmth. With it, we look ahead to the 2016 wedding season!
Stay in Touch:
114 NORTH WASHINGTON ST., SUITE 1 • EASTON, MD | 410.690.3606 InspiredIdeas@MyEasternShoreWedding.com
Inspired! m eet
THE TEAM
publisher MELISSA GRIMES-GUY art director CARA SMITH marketing manager BETSY GRIEVES community manager VERONICA BERRY cover photo by MELISSA GRIMES-GUY PHOTOGRAPHY
contributing photographers JUSTIN DEMUTIIS MELISSA GRIMES-GUY PHOTOGRAPHY COPYRIGHT ©2016 My Eastern Shore Wedding Inspired!. All rights reserved. Copyright of articles and photographs of My Eastern Shore Wedding Inspired! remain with the individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission.
For more information, visit MYEASTERNSHOREWEDDING.COM
S T A Y CON N E CTE D
in a l l yo u r fav or ite pla ces
C D D
CD
MY EA S T ER N S H O RE WE DDI NG.CO M
table
of c o n t e n t s
S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 | I S S U E No. 5
18
54 In Every Issue 4
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
58
14
5 MINUTES WITH Jalan of The Crab Claw
Real Weddings
50
WE LOVE A Local Welcome
16
JESS & RICHARD Photography by Justin DeMutiis
66
SHORE GOURMET Eastern Shore Soft Crab
32
KATE & JAMIE Photography by Melissa Grimes-Guy
Features 8 52
BACKYARD WEDDING TIPS Planning your wedding at a private estate PET-FRIENDLY WEDDINGS How to include your fur-family
CAKE ARTIST Creating sculptures with flour & sugar
Krista Jones Photography
3 things you need to know about hosting a
backyard WEDDING By Carolyn Lasako
Backyard weddings will always hold a special place in my heart. It was only a few short years ago that my husband and I celebrated our marriage beneath a tent overlooking the cove of our first backyard. As much energ y as it took, we’d do it again in a heartbeat! It was relaxed; it was unique; it was us. That’s not to say it was without challenges, though. There’s so much to consider when hosting a backyard celebration. So here are a few tips to get your started!
1
You’re Building
a
Scene
f ro m t h e
G ro u n d U p
You’re essentially erecting a venue from scratch, which means no detail can be overlooked. You’ll be renting everything but the kitchen sink (and sometimes even the kitchen sink!). Think tent, tables, chairs, lighting, glassware, flatware, china, linens, catering equipment, restrooms, etc. And those are just the essentials! Working with vendors who are experienced in private home weddings is key—from your planner to your caterer to your rental company, and everyone in between.
Stephanie Ascari Photography
2
Less
is
Not More
You chose your backyard either for its scenery or its sentiment, but you can’t get by on either alone. Focal elements like backdrops, escort card displays, lounges, floral installations, bars and chandeliers go a long way in tying an outdoor space together. And a tent floor can elevate the scene even more, providing the perfect dose of indoors outside!
Krista Jones Photography
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3
Y o u H av e
to
Plan
for
Rain
When you commit to having an outdoor wedding, rain is always a possible inconvenience. While you can’t stop it if it decides to come, you can make sure to have a Plan B. That includes adding a ceremony tent onto your rental order at least two days prior to the wedding, finding a backup location for pictures, figuring out an alternative parking situation if you were planning to park cars on grass, and providing umbrellas for guests as they walk from their cars to the reception.
Also,
don’t forget to:
Katie Stoops Photography
Carolyn Swift Lasako is the studio manager at Kari Rider Events, a boutique event planning and design fir m serving Maryland’s Eastern Shore and beyond. Prior to joining Kari Rider Events, Carolyn worked in the publishing field, most recently as the managing editor of a regional magazine publishing group. She has a soft spot for genuine love stories (especially her real-life love story with husband Gary), red wine and her son Reid.
Spray for bugs and provide bug spray for guests Call Miss Utility to check for electrical lines before staking the tent Alert your neighbors if they aren’t invited so noise isn’t an issue
net
Tents for all events
STA RT PLA N N I N G TODA Y
410 - 725 - 0 784 | 301- 869-2054 | SUGARPLUMTENTS.COM
inspired catering
410.745.6260
•
St. Michaels Maryland
•
w w w. g o u r m e t b y t h e b a y. n e t
find us on
443 •786 •6616
SEASONALFLOWERS.NET 410-476-3255
www.xoxoceremonies.co m
5 minutes
WITH
TITLE: OFFICE MANAGER COMPANY: THE CRAB CLAW THECRABCLAW@VERIZON.NET
JALAN VANLOWE
410-745-2900
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE CRAB CLAW FOR 37 seasons!!! MY FAVORITE PART OF WHAT I DO IS meeting folks from all over the world and helping to plan their special event! I WORK BEST IN a high volume and busy atmosphere. MY INSPIRATION IS Sylvia Jones, matriarch of The Crab Claw for 51 years! I WOULD RECCOMEND THE CRAB CLAW to couples looking for a casual and fun rehearsal dinner! Located in St. Michaels harbor, we’re serving up the freshest seafood! You can even watch the catch from boat to table!
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Photography by Caroline Frost Photography
shore WE DD ING S
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JESS & RICHARD •
easter n shore tents
p h o t o g r a p h y by
&
events
•
JUSTIN DEMUTIIS
M ES W: What is the most important thing for couples to keep in mind regarding rentals when having a backyard wedding? ESTE: Space! It’s very important they have enough space for the tent with a nice flat surface for the tent. They also need to take into consideration parking or a shuttle service. Power, which we can supply, is also important.
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M ES W: With a backyard wedding, the ceremony and
my brides and grooms to come to terms with a Plan
reception are limited to the outdoor. How do you make sure
B‌it can be an additional ceremony tent or having
things still go flawlessly in the event of inclement weather?
the ceremony on the dance floor, there just needs
ESTE : As a company, we do a site visit and give the best options for flow. We measure to make sure everything fits and take the time to meet with our couples to help as much as possible to assure they have a perfect day. As far as weather, if there’s rain in the forecast we will set the tent up early so it’s dry underneath. During the planning process, I tell all
to be an alternative in place before the day of the wedding. As far as warmer months go, we provide fans, tent coolers and AC (although this may change the look of an outside wedding and reception). Heaters are also an item we rent in the early spring and fall.
M ES W: What was your favorite part about working with
the fact that their dog and their family’s dogs were a
Jess & Richard?
part of the day was amazing to me. Jess has a great
ESTE : The venue was a very special place to Jess and her family. Listening to childhood stories from the family was great! Being an animal lover myself,
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eye for decorating so executing her vision the day-of was simple‌It was a truly magical day!
M ES W: What's is your favorite thing about backyard weddings? ESTE : Building a little girl’s dream in a place that’s special to her!! It’s like I have a hand in helping make a childhood dream come true!
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v e ndo r s Photography | JUSTIN DEMUTIIS Rentals | EASTERN SHORE TENTS & EVENTS Day-Of Coordinating | AMY EATON Floral Design | FLEURISH Catering, Pies | GOURMET BY THE BAY Hair | STUDIO 2 Stationery | CULTIVATE DESIGN CO. Calligraphy | SHASTA BELL CALLIGRAPHY DJ | WORLD RENOWN ENTERTAINMENT Cake, Dessert | PEACE OF CAKE
shore WE DD ING S
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K AT E & JAMIE
•
ebb tide tent
p h o t o g r a p h y by
&
party rentals
•
MELISSA GRIMES-GUY
M ES W: What is the most important thing for couples to keep in mind regarding rentals when having a backyard wedding? E B B TIDE : The most important thing to keep in mind is weather. That is certainly why our clients start their planning by reserving a tent. Tents provide shade during the warm Eastern Shore summer months, cover in the event of rain, and even warmth in the fall and winter. We offer sidewalls, flooring with carpet, heaters, fans and more to ensure that the event goes on as scheduled. We watch the weather very closely to ensure that the events go on as planned!
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M ES W: With a backyard wedding, the ceremony and reception are limited to the outdoors. How do you make sure things still go flawlessly in the event of inclement weather? ETTPR : First, be sure you are using a qualified rental company that knows the details of the industry. When it comes to pristine quality and dedicated customer service, price should not be a deciding factor. Ebb Tide and the Comegys family have been in the area forever as we were all born and raised here on the Eastern Shore. We are very familiar with the weather, winds, locations and more, and we do not leave the area or travel during prime wedding season. We are always on call, as Willie is very hands-on and makes sure you are 110% satisfied with your event. Weddings are our top priority because with weddings, you only get one chance to make it perfect.
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M ESW: What was your favorite part about working with Katie & Jamie? ETTPR : Katie and Jamie are such a fun, easy going couple, so it’s difficult to pick our favorite part of working with them! We enjoyed every meeting, site visit and moment that we planned with them; their smiles, amazing personalities and love were so contagious. As with many couples, they did not know where to begin, so we helped them decide what rentals they would need for all of the fun details they wanted to incorporate into their wedding. One of our favorites was the use of different place settings for each guest and we just loved the Orange Crush bar! For something a little different, we added cafÊ lighting over the dance floor area, which created a beautiful, perfectly lit area for dancing the night away. We also loved the ceremony location. They chose a beautiful weeping willow as the backdrop versus having a customary arch. It was picture perfect! As soon as the vows were exchanged and they were pronounced husband and wife, the sky opened and a rain shower began. Where did the guests go for cover during the passing shower? Ebb Tide's 60x120 White Pole Tent of course!
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M ES W : What's is your favorite thing about backyard
being at new sites throughout the season and there’s
weddings?
not a single view on the Eastern Shore that is the
Backyard weddings are always a favorite for us, as the location usually has a great deal of meaning to the couple getting married! My favorite part of a backyard wedding is the fact that you are able to create your own canvas and draw your own original design at a location that has sentimental value. You become your own artist for your wedding. We love
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same. Each venue, private home, backyard is so unique! We’re so thankful to have been working and living here our entire lives.
vendors photography | MELISSA GRIMES-GUY PHOTOGRAPHY rentals | EBB TIDE TENT & PARTY RENTALS hair and mak eup | STUDIO 2 SALON day-of coordinator | PAIGE EVANS flowers | MURDOCH’S cake | ASHLEY LACLAIR catering | OLD SALTY’S
love we
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A L OCAL WELCOME
Still looking for the perfect welcome gift for your guests? Feel free to check that off your list with MESW’s custom wedding tote!! The outside of our gusseted canvas bag features a custom-designed Eastern Shore map by CinkArt. Many of the most famous Shore landmarks are highlighted in the artist’s special hand-drawn style. Personalize the bag with your names and wedding date! Inside we’ve included some of our favorite Eastern Shore specialties! First, a customimprinted crab mallet with a bottle opener on one end from Bay Imprint. We just had to pair the mallet with our favorite seafood spice—Old Bay Seasoning! You can’t have steamed crabs without that ubiquitous flavor. And who doesn’t love a cold beer with crabs? We chose one from local brewery, RAR, based in Cambridge! Wrap that beer in a coozie from the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum’s gift shop. The shop is a treasure trove of ES souvenirs! Celebrate the CBMM’s 50th Anniversary with their “Miss Freedom” shot glass and have one on us! We couldn’t NOT include some java from Easton-based Rise Up! Coffee. Our favorite is their Chesapeake Gold, plus sales of this flavor go to support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Your guests will enjoy their cup of joe in the cutest mug from the best little kitchen and bath shop this side of the Bay, Chef & Shower. For something sweet, we had Steve Konopelski, Patissier create a custom sugar cookie that tastes as good as it looks. Rounding out our local-love fest is a bag of Old Bay chips—the perfect snack! Your guests will love such a fun, thoughtful, and useful gift. And we’ll love knowing we’ve helped make your wedding story one that they’ll be talking about for years to come!
PET-FRIENDLY weddings C OU PLE S LOVE HAV I N G T HEI R F U R R Y F R I E ND S SHA RE T HEI R S P ECI AL D AY!
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LEFT TO RIGHT: Laura’s Focus Photography, Wendy Hickok Photography, Melissa Grimes-Guy Photography
For many couples, having their beloved pet at
Most of the time, however, it’s our canine
their wedding is a no-brainer. Their furry family
friends who are included. With that in mind, we have
member is not only important, but a must. Who
created a chart that shows the pet policies for all of
hasn’t seen a “ring dog” rush up the aisle to his
My Eastern Shore Wedding’s venues. While many are
humans or a tuxedoed “Mr. Barkley” bring smiles to
pet-friendly, we do suggest you check with your venue
guest’s faces?
to confirm the details of having your pet with you on
But, what if you’re rodeo participants and you want to make a big entrance by riding into your ceremony on horseback? Yep, that happened for Carly and Scott at their Worsell Manor wedding! “Our horses, Rex and Junior, go everywhere with us, and our wedding was no different. They’re part of our family!”, Carly says.
your wedding day. We’ve also included a few fun “dog-themed” items, from cupcakes to a dog-themed cocktails! And, to all this, we say a hearty “woof ” in congratulations! If your pet is a member of your family, then most likely, he’s going to be a guest at your wedding.
Y O R K I E PU P C U P CAKE S from Bay Country Bakery
T H E G O L D EN RE T R I E VE R from Wishing Well Liquors
2 PARTS PLATINUM 7X VODKA 1 PART PINEAPPLE JUICE 1 SPLASH OF PEACH BRANDY ENJOY! 54 | ISSUE N o . 5
PHOTO CREDITS: TOP ROW: Bay Country Bakery, Laura’s Focus Photography, Coty Jones Photography, Pete Redel Photography MIDDLE ROW: Laura’s Focus Photography, Melissa Grimes-Guy Photography, Carly Fuller Photography, Keyhole Photo BOTTOM ROW: B.O.B. Photography Hoofprints Inc.
VENUE
PE TS?
FE E
Bartlett Pear Inn
Y
Black Walnut Point Inn
N
Brittland Estates
Y
Chesapeake Bay Beach Club
N
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Y
N
St. Michaels Harbour Inn
Y
Y*
Harbourtowne Golf Resort & Conference Center
Y*
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
Y
$150*
Inn at Perry Cabin
Y
100*
Miles RIver Guest House
N
Miles River Yacht Club
Y
N
Osprey Point
Y
N
Point Pleasant
Y
N
Prospect Bay Country Club
Y
N
Silver Swan Bayside
Y
N
The Oaks Waterfront Inn
N
Tidewater Inn
Y
$75
The Winery at Elk Manor
Y
N
Worsell Manor
Y
N
Wye River Conference Center
N
Wye River Estate
N
K E Y:
RU L E S
$50/pet
Y*
allowed at ceremony
outside only
A DDITIONAL D ETAILS no size requirements, not allowed in dining areas
*Running Fox and Stepne Manor require $100 pet fee, allowed in River Lodge, not inside Brittland Manor
pets not allowed on busy festival days (check website) $50 for first pet, $25 for each additional *case by case basis, must fill out pet waiver form, cats not allowed *covers 6 nights, additional nights incur fee, must request a pet friendly room, dog bed and treats included *$50 for each additional, request pet friendly room, pet sitters upon request, “pet menu�, dog bed and treats included
guardian must take pet off property following ceremony and pictures, excessive barking is cause for removal current rabies vaccine and health certificate required
pet must be less than 50 lbs., may not be unattended in room, not permitted in any dining areas
must be leashed
may be unleashed
must clean up after pet
STEVE CAKE
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C A K EA RT I S T Steve Konopelski, P창tissier Creates Sculptures with Flour and Sugar
S to ry & P h oto g r a p h y
by
M e l i s s a G r i m e s -G u y
When Steve Konopelski was on Broadway in
stint on a cruise ship, he heard the siren song of New
“Gypsy”, he never dreamed that one day he’d be
York and moved there in 2001. And so, his musical
living in rural Denton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore,
theater career began in earnest.
the owner of an Inn and making some of the most amazing wedding cakes. Growing up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, (Rabbit Lake to be exact), he started dancing at 8 years old. By the time he was 16, he was accepted
Over the next few years, he’d appear in shows as diverse as Hot Feet, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street and Gypsy. He loved Gypsy in particular.
to the Royal Ballet School where he would remain for
“It was a phenomenal experience- so many
3 years. After a scholarship semester at BYU and a
wonderful actors! Arthur Larents wrote the “book”
60 | ISSUE N o . 5
and directed. He’d have all the young actors sit around
if you don’t know if you’ll be working next month.
a table with the more seasoned actors so they could
Maybe it would be best to “go out on top”?
watch and learn. That just never happens- it was like a big family. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
In 2011, he decided to hang up his dancing shoes. He wanted a career where talent spoke for itself, and
“We had a 30 piece orchestra,” he says. “Patty
needed an outlet for his creative side. “I asked myself,
Lupone played Gypsy. Steven Sondheim, wrote the
‘if I want a true, stable future, where can I find that?’
lyrics- one of the best scores in musical theater. He
I discovered I loved the creative aspect of the pastry
would sometimes come to rehearsals. You never knew
arts. So I shut the book of my earlier life.”
“ESSENTIALLY I’M MAKING SCULPTURES WHEN I’M MAKING A CAKE.”
what god was going to show up. Every piece of the puzzle was perfect.”
Steve was accepted at the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) and
Still, something was missing. It was during this
began a 9-month program. He was in some heady
time that he started to think about retiring from
company as such well known chefs as Bobby Flay was
musical theater. He chaffed under the confines of
a graduate, Ron Ben-Israel and Jacques Torres were
the long waits between shows and the uncertainty of
guest instructors and renowned French chef Jacques
auditioning for roles, never knowing when a part may
Pepin was an emeritus dean of the culinary program.
come his way. As for making plans? Very hard to do
He chose pastry over the culinary arts because
In 2014 they bought Turnbridge Point in
he felt it gave more room for creativity. “Essentially
Denton. They’d never even heard of the town before,
I’m making sculptures when I’m making a cake.” And, true to his high-achieving self, he finished at the
but the countryside is so similar to where Steve had grown up that he still sometimes feels like he’s home
top of his class.
in Canada. He and Rob loved the scenery and being
By this time, he’d met Rob, an attorney, and they’d begun to dream of owning their own business. “Having our own business really fulfilled the part of me that wanted to do all the things a pastry chef can do and not just be the ‘cake guy’, he says. “We had joked about owning a B&B when we retired but after finding so many for sale, they decided ‘why don’t we just do this now’?
in the middle of downtown. Most of his couples find him online or by word-of-mouth, and, he’s recently been named the “exclusive cake decorator” at The Inn at Perry Cabin, one of the premier wedding venues on the Eastern Shore. His recent appearance on Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Championship” also brought notoriety. After hearing that the network was looking for pastry chefs
62 | ISSUE N o . 5
HE LOOKS AT THE CAKE AS “ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE WEDDING PARTY”
for a new reality show, he sent his info off thinking ‘why
Now that he’s busy working with brides, he
not’? Several months of interviews, conference calls,
accepts the challenge of creating something beyond
and Skype videos later, he got the call to be a part of the
a client’s expectations. And, he’s happy to do a wide
show, “Pack your bags, you’re going to LA!”.
array of pastries from cakes, to cupcakes, a party
With his theater experience, he was comfortable
table, even stacked pies!
in front of a camera and speaking to an audience. In a
By the time many brides think about cake, most
show that eliminated participants weekly, Steve made
other details are in place. He looks at the cake as
it to the final three!
“another member of the wedding party”. He asks to
“It was a lot of fun. The actor part of me was able to step in, which may have been as important as making something that tastes good,” he laughs.
see pictures of the venue, the dress, what the wedding party will be wearing, the flowers— all the little details. “I want to get the feel for the entire event. My
feeling is that the cake needs to “belong” there. For
His favorite thing about designing a cake for
example, if the bride likes rustic but the wedding is at
someone? “I love making something from nothing.”
the Plaza, the cake needs to fit with both. People see
Every wedding is unique and deserves to have a cake
a cake on Pinterest, which is ok, but does that cake
created just for that event.
belong in the setting they’re creating?”
As a “couture” cake designer, he loves that
“The cake is another special moment and it
he’s able to offer high-end pastries in the relaxed
shouldn’t be able to fit anywhere else but with this
environment of the Eastern Shore. His cakes are a bit
couple, at this wedding”, he says.
of a centerpiece, a “showstopper”—something this performer can definitely understand.
CU STOM B A K E R Y C A K E S B E G I N AT $6/P E RS ON | T AS T ING S FE AT URE 3 C AK E FL AV ORS G U E S T R O O M S A T T U R NBRIDG E P OINT INN S T ART AT $13 0 /NIG HT T U R N B R I D G E P O I N T A C CE P T S BOOK ING S FOR RE HE ARS AL DINNE RS , B R I D A L SHOW E RS AND L UNC HE ONS . B E S T K E P T S E C R E T : W HE N G UE S T S C HE C K INT O T URNG BRIDG E P OINT , T HE Y R E C E I V E T HR E E OF HIS T RADE M ARK E D “ C ANOL IO” C OOK IE S
64 | ISSUE N o . 5
S TEVE’ S F AVO RITE FL AVO R COMBOS CHAMPAGNE CAKE, SEASONAL FRUIT, VANILLA BEAN MASCARPONE FILLING, VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM CARROT CAKE, APRICOT CONFITURE, SWEET GOAT CREAM FILLING, CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM DEVILS FOOD CAKE, ESPRESSO SOAK, PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE, CHOCOLATE GANACHE CINNAMON ALMOND CAKE, CHOCOLATE CHIP CANNOLI FILLING, CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM RED VELVET CAKE, CREAM CHEESE FILLING, VANILLA BUTTERCREAM COCONUT CAKE, COCONUT DIPLOMAT CREAM FILLING, RUM BUTTERCREAM
SHORE
gourmet
SOFT SHELL CRAB from the kitchen of S T E WA RT ’ S CAT E R I N G
A NEW TWIST ON A CLASSIC DISH 66 | ISSUE N o . 5
One Jumbo Soft Shell Crab, cleaned
1/8 cup green and red pepper, chopped
All purpose flour/ old bay(to taste)
Chopped sage and chervil
Applewood smoked bacon- Julienned
¼ cup chicken stock
3 Roma tomatoes
¼ smoked tomato puree
1/8 cup red onion, chopped
½ cup white wine
1/8 cup zuchinni, chopped
½ lb. unsalted butter
1/8 cup yellow squash, chopped
Canola oil
1/8 cup roasted corn
Kosher salt
1/8 cup lima beans (blanched)
Garlic
SMOKED-TOMATO PURÉE PREPARATION: Soak smoking chips in water, apple or hickory recommended. Season 3 Roma tomatoes, cut in half with kosher salt. Place in smoking vessel on grill. If smoking on stove, cover with aluminum foil. Smoke for at least 30 min. Tomatoes should retain shape and have nice roasted appearance. SOFT CRAB PREPARATION: (can be done while smoking tomatoes) Cut and remove face, lungs and underskirt of crab. Dry and place in refrigerator. SUCCOTASH PREPARATION: Roast corn in husk in 350º oven until it steams. Carefully clean by removing husk.
Cut off kernels and set aside. Remove lima beans from pod and blanch in salted boiling water. Chop remaining vegetables into ¼” cubes. Set aside. Chop chervil and sage finely. Cut bacon in ¼” cubes. (One strip is likely sufficient.) Set aside. After tomatoes are smoked, place them in blender or food processor and purée. Set aside. SAUCE PREPARATION: Add white wine to a saucepan on high heat and reduce by half. Add smoked tomato puree and reduce heat to medium-low. Sauce will come together to create a good flavor balance. Slowly whisk butter into sauce in small amounts to prevent sauce from “breaking apart”. Add salt to taste. Set aside. continued --->
SUCCOTASH: Render bacon slowly in saucepan on medium-high heat. Once rendered, add onion, zucchini, squash and peppers and sauté. Do not let vegetables turn soft and brown. Add roasted corn and blanched lima beans. Add one tablespoon butter and melt throughout. Add chicken stock to succotash and slowly reduce, giving sauce a nice buttery glaze. Season with kosher salt to taste and add chopped herbs.
coat pan with canola oil. Add enough oil to pan-fry crab. Be careful as crab will “spit and pop”! Cook carefully so not to burn the flour. Crab should be “crisp”. TO PLATE: Using sauce as base, spoon onto plate center. Add succotash mixture on top in center of sauce. Top with crisp crab. Garnish, if desired, with chopped herbs.
SOFT SHELL CRAB: In mixing bowl, combine flour and Old Bay to taste. Dredge soft shell crab in seasoned flour. Using heavy sauté pan, on high heat,
ENJOY!
s e e y o u n e x t t i m e! FALL/WINTER 2016
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Photography by Melissa Grimes-Guy