A Cup Of Glee - Weekly Newsletter - Under the Big Top

Welcome to the Blog for Fancy That!
We happily call our blog “A Cup of Glee.”
Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy!

When you hear people talk about "Under the Big Top" you first think of the circus or other wonderful time under the top of a grand tent. This week, we thought we would drop a few hints about tenting for your wedding, your celebration, or just because you want to have an event out of doors.


In some of our fav links below, you will get great info about planning your tenting event, and other ideas surrounding the hows, whys, and wheres to put that tent.



Our three main hints are:


1) Cut the grass about four days before your event, and before the tent goes up. That will prevent grass staining of your shoes, the tent, your children, and anything else that may touch the grass.


2) Remember that a tent is only for protection against the sun, some wind (light winds) and light rain. If there are going to be monsoonal downpours, blustery winds, or just wild weather, have a Plan B! The tent will not only afford you much shelter, it won't be all that safe!


3) You don't have to have your chairs sink into the ground! Drake Corporation has come up with the solution: Chair Lawn Feet.


Enjoy the other links (and don't forget to stop back here after you get lost in the cyber world of tenting hints!)!!


Choosing that right tent for your event can be as simple as eeney-meeney-miney-moo, or reading this great hint from ezine.

Of course there are steps that eveyone could follow. Wouldn't life be much easier if we had a check list of the "five things to do" for this and that? Well, the "wedaholic" blog site has a great "five key steps to correctly planning a wedding tent." Now that you have your checklist, life has just gotten easier, right?! :)


And for decorating your tent, you can be as formal as you wish with grand chandeliers, or as country casual as you wish. While dreaming about your decor for your tent, check out this link from BHG.com!

Until my next post, please remember:
Suggestions tolerated, compliments always welcomed. Tell your friends, and visit often.
acupofglee.blogspot.com

A Cup Of Glee - Weekly Newsletter - Sweetness at the Center

Welcome to the Blog for Fancy That!
We happily call our blog “A Cup of Glee.”
Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy!

This week is all about the center of the table – well, the SWEETNESS at the center of the table. Centerpieces can make or break a tablescape. There is no discussion about that. Centerpieces don't have to be elaborate to be fantastic! At a party we had in April, our centerpieces were mini desserts on a three tiered server.

Here are a few ideas that I love:

I recently came across a company called Candy Spirit. What a unique spin on a well-known candy treat. These candy centerpieces run from below $21 each to well above that - and are fun to look at. Talk about "eye candy" :)

Topiaries, Towers, Truffles:

And as Truffel Sensations says on their web site:

"All the truffle centers are made with Callebaut white, milk, or dark chocolate as per your request and may be additionally flavoured with several choices. The truffle exteriors may be enrobed in your choice of white, milk, or dark chocolate as well. As a result, several flavour combinations are available. Nut free and alcohol free are available as well."

This week's tip? Keep your centerpieces fun and sweet!

Until my next post, please remember:
Suggestions tolerated, compliments always welcomed. Tell your friends, and visit often.
acupofglee.blogspot.com

A Cup Of Glee - Weekly Newsletter - Invitation for Taleggio, Grappa and Grapes

Welcome to the Blog for Fancy That!
We happily call our blog “A Cup of Glee.”

Thank you for stopping by. Enjoy!

Let's say you are invited for “Taleggio, grappa and grapes.” What to do? What to wear? What time to arrive?

WAIT!

What on earth is Taleggio not to mention grappa?

Let's start with Grappa.....Not to be confused with cordials.


Grappa is a fragrant, distilled grape liqueur from Italy. Also called a grape-based pomace of between 37.5% and 60% (75 to 120 proof in the USA) alcohol content. It is often said to be similar to the Spanish orujo or the Portuguese aguardente. Grappa was originally made in the northern Italian town of Bassano del Grappa and some contend that this is the origin of the name, rather than from the Latin graspa ("grape-stalk").

Most grappa is clear, indicating that it is an un-aged distillate, though some may retain very faint pigments from their original fruit pomace. Lately, aged grappas have become more common, and these take on a yellow, or red-brown hue from the barrels in which they are stored.It can be found in high end liquor stores. Some examples to get you started are:

$325 a bottle for Antonella Bocchino Grappa (click on the name for a direct link)

or Grappa Piave 1 litre bottle for about $29

or a nice floral-type of grappa which can double as a desert drink like Inga Grappa di Moscatot

Oh! Almost forgot. Taleggio is a wonderful washed-rind semisoft cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy. It’s taste is a little musty, but when paired with a fruity grappa like the Grappa Di Moscato and grapes, it makes for a wonderful sandwich. Read on! (There’s a great recipe that follows!)

Table Talk
(Manners and TableTop Tips)
Don’t be vexed over not knowing how to serve your grappa :) Here’s some tips:

Grappa should be served neither too cold nor too warm. The ideal serving temperature is:
Between 48 and 55F for young and aromatic young grappas.
Between 60 and 64F for aged grappas.
When in doubt, it is best to serve grappa at a lower temperature: if too cold, it can always be warmed up by holding the glass between the palms of the hands and checking its aromas as the temperature rises.


The ideal goblet for serving grappa is a pot-bellied, tulip-shaped glass made of crystal or sonorous glass, with a neck that should not be too tight, and a capacity of between 3 and 5 oz.
Though very charming, it's best to avoid the use of cognac glassware or balloon-shaped goblets with a very narrow neck.

As with all stemware, holding the glass should be by the stem, and not by the body. Carefully holding the stem (unless warming the grappa) shows that you are ready to enjoy your drink and not ready to slug it down in one gulp (although if you wish, you may slug it down! :) )


The Butler

(Host and Hostess tips and Helpful Hints for planning your event)

Now you are itching to throw a party and use the grappa glasses you have, or the ones you just rented from Fancy That? (see the “Flying Saucer” section below). Here’s the simplest way to throw a party:

Email invites to your closest friends and tell them you are having a grappa, taleggio and grape party, and all they have to do is bring their appetite.

Get your Panini maker out, set up your rented grappa glasses, pre-make this wonderful Taleggio, grappa and grape sandwich, and as your guests start arriving, start cooking the Panini’s while you are handing them their grappa glass! Add a nice spinach and balsamic salad, and let me tell you, it won’t be an evening to be forgotten any time soon!

The Flying Saucer
(What’s new at Fancy That!)
At Fancy That!, we are all about adaptive re-use! Why not use the grappa glass for mimosas at a bridal or baby shower? You could mix the mimosas in a pitcher and pour the drink into the grappa glass, adding one maraschino cherry for color. Or, wouldn’t a lovely pink punch go great in these little crystal grappa glasses? How about a delicious dessert drink or aperitif? (here's a great article I posted last year on the aperitif: "To understand the importance of the aperitif, an American writer looks to Europe")

We've just acquired a fair amount of these wonderful titanium-crystal grappa glasses (imported from Germany), and they'll soon be ready for rent. We are so excited about this newest addition to our rental inventory! I haven't had the chance to take a good photo yet, but below is a shot taken from the warehouse:

Until our next post, please remember:
Suggestions tolerated, compliments always welcomed. Tell your friends, and visit often.
acupofglee.blogspot.com