from Cassandra
This summer has flown by with many weddings and events in the books! My last wedding, of what I officially call the final day of summer—August 31—was one that incorporated countless but well-thought-out details. I knew set-up would be something special to document.
When I started in the wedding industry, I worked in photography, and my only insight to all the glorious wedding details came through “final vision” in pictures. I saw beautiful details, from invitation suites and …
from Jennifer
Earlier this month, I posted a blog about my journey becoming “mostly” vegetarian. I said that I eat vegetarian about 90% of the time. When I “cheat,” it has to be for a good reason. Billiken’s Smokehouse in downtown Fredericksburg is one of those reasons.
The chef is a former sous chef at Stevenson Ridge, Casey Foster. When I heard he was running the kitchen at a BBQ joint downtown, I had to go check it out. …
from Kellyn
When we can’t stare at the computer screen for another minute, when that project just has to wait and we find our patience wearing thin… we just need a moment.
So, what do you do?
Personally, I keep a stack of essential oils next to my computer. If I’m feeling low or in need of focus, I’ll drop some oils on my skin and breathe deeply. I’m almost always listening to music, and the right playlist can be …
from Chris
We get a lot of great blue herons that visit Stevenson Ridge’s ponds, but recently, we had a visit from a bird we’ve not seen nearly so often: a great egret.
Egrets are actually pretty common, but in all honesty, none of us could remember the last time we’d seen one at the Ridge.
Egrets are closely related to herons and have the same tall, thin build. They prowl the shallows in search of small fish—although in this …
from Jennifer
Vegan. Vegetarian. Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Low Carb. These terms used to bug me. I used to think these dietary choices (unless dictated by a health condition) were pretentious and especially annoying when it came to catering. However, today, I write to you as a convert. Last November, I tried eating vegetarian for a whole week. I made it through the week without cheating only to celebrate at the end with a menu tasting for my step-daughter’s wedding—a gluttony …
from Chris
I don’t know much about wild mushrooms, but I find them fascinating because of the wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors they come in.
These ones, which sprung up near the Post Office, are called parasol mushrooms:
The caps on the big ones are each as wide as my spread-out hand. They have gills underneath, which places them in a category of fungi called “gilled mushrooms” (creative, huh?).
…
Sean Tarallo is the co-owner of Olde Virginia Gourmet & Gifts and Stevenson Ridge’s wine consultant. He also works for the Ridge as one of our banquet captains.
There are no truly “correct” answers when it comes to pairing food with wine. I say this because there are so many factors involved. The most important factor is an individual’s taste buds. Everyone’s are different! What may work for one, might not for another.
The most basic tenet of wine pairings …
from Chef Moe
Hi everyone it’s Chef Moe here once again with one of my very favorite foods to make and eat: chicken wings! I love them so much, especially when it’s the beginning of football season. (Go Cowboys—whooo!) Wings are party favorites for any occasion and will most definitely be a hit no question. There are many different styles and methods of making fried chicken wings or what most people call “Buffalo wings” because they were invented in …
from Chris
We had a visitor flutter in for a stay at the Log Home the other day.
We’re fortunate to have a lot of butterflies flitting across the property every day. This species is called a Northern Pearly-Eye. You can find out more about them at butterfliesandmoths.org.…
from Cassandra
In the wedding industry, it seems that our first focus is the bride. What is the bride wearing? Where is she getting ready? What colors has she picked out? The groom tends to take a backseat to all the planning.
So what do grooms do the day of the wedding?
I wanted to shine a little light on what the guys can look forward to before they say “I Do.”
Let’s start with where you are getting ready: …