At Home with Kim Vallee

ENTERTAINING, SPECIAL occasions | September 12, 2009

Designing a Cool Soft Drink Station

Dressing up a soft drink table for a party deserves as much attention than setting a regular bar. Both have to be pretty and inviting. This week provides delightful examples of what you can do to make it grand. That quest started by this Old fashioned soda bar featured on Project Wedding. The concept was to [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | September 9, 2009

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Square Glass Beverage Dispensers by Cal-Mil

I received several requests about the stylish square glass containers with the cucumber water that I shown you last June. I asked my friend Isabelle who works at Fairmont Hotels to find out where they bought it. She found that they are manufactured by Cal-Mil, a brand that cater the food service industry. Browsing their catalog, [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | September 7, 2009

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Say It with Food or Ice

I like the motto of Sillycone. This shows again that silicone has revolutionized the way we cook. You can use silicone trays to shape any food or liquid. You can perfectly shaped Jell-O, butter, chocolate, cheese, bite cakes, brownies, Rice Crispy treats and so much more! It opens a world of possibilities for entertaining like this [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | August 25, 2009

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How to Make the Best Iced Tea

First of all, you need to use loose leaves. No powder and no special machine. All you need to make the perfect iced tea is a glass jar, cold water, possibly a kettle, loose tea leaves, other ingredients to add flavor and garnishes. Chances are that you make iced tea with hot water but I prefer [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | August 1, 2009

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Ice Pops For Grown Ups: Margarita, Martini and Mojito Popsicle Recipes

Serving alcohol popsicles adds a special touch to a pool party. Instead of a digestive, keep the party alive and serve Havana Mojito popsicles as an after-dessert treat on the patio. Or great your guest with a margarita popsicle. This way, you will not lose time making drinks as your guests arrive. Plus, it will spread [...]

ENTERTAINING, OUTDOOR entertaining | June 25, 2009

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A Cool Trick to Make your Own Cucumber Water or to Serve a Summer Punch

I saw that trick yesterday at the Fairmont San Francisco. I had to share it with you. It looks great on the cucumber water and the lemon water as shown here. But it would be even better for sangria, punch and any other summery cocktails. The idea is that instead of putting the ice cubes directly [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | May 20, 2009

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Homemade Ginger Ale and a Cocktail recipe for my Gastronomic Wednesday

I told you last week about the importance of using freshly squeezed juice when making a cocktail. This week, I am going further and I propose you make your own ginger ale. Do not worry; it is simpler than it sounds. Creating a homemade ginger ale starts by making a ginger syrup. You add either seltzer [...]

DINING, FOOD + drinks | May 5, 2009

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Classic Margarita Recipe and More for Cinco de Mayo

The classic margarita recipe is hard to beat. No frozen margarita and no mix for me. The margarita recipe is so simple to make that you must rely on the real ingredients. Before I gave you my classic recipe, it is important to talk about the do and don’t of the margarita. It is necessary because [...]