Down South Delights's Blog

New Year Promotion for 2012 Brides!

downsouthdelights — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:32:55 +0000

January of each year we offer brides a great promotion that is in addition to our complimentary cake cutting and great prices! This year Down South Delights will be making a lot of wonderful changes including adding several fabulous new event managers that are experts in wedding receptions.

If you visit our booth at the Pink Show January 8th at the Convention Center make sure to sign up for a chance to win a FREE Rehearsal Dinner valued at $1,500.00 along with other great promotions just for the show attendees.

Our first promotion is FREE FOOD & BEVERAGE LINENS FOR YOUR TABLES WHEN YOU CHOOSE DOWN SOUTH DELIGHTS TO CATER YOUR RECEPTION!!!

Just mention this promotion when you email us for your quote or consultation.

We have many choices in linens to compliment your reception theme/colors.

Gorgeous Fall Modern Reception @ One Eleven

downsouthdelights — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:02:30 +0000

In September we had an amazing time working with Details by Margaret to assist with Nikki & Jeremy’s reception at One Eleven. The couple picked an eclectic menu that was perfect for the space and for hungry guests. Beautiful displays were very important to them both and so they opted for heavy hors d’ oeuvres in lieu of a dinner buffet.

MENU

Passed Hors D’ Oeuvres for Cocktail Hour-

*Veggie Shots w/ Green Goddess & Roasted Garlic Ranch Dips

*Roasted Red Pepper & Black Eyed Pea Hummus w/ Crispy Herb Infused Pita Chips

Main Reception-

*Butter Pecan Chicken w/ Tequila Apricot Dipping Sauce

*Sweet Potato Biscuits filled w/ Virginia baked Ham

*Jack Daniels Glazed Pork Loin Skewers

*Fried Green Tomatoes w/ Remoulade

*Saladtini Station- Mixed greens, artisan cheeses, nuts, fruits, vegetable accompaniments all shaken, not stirred together by our salad chef and served up in martini glasses. Our signature salads: Greek salad, bacon ranch garden salad, mandarin sesame salad, & apple cranberry mesculan salad.

* Gourmet Mac & Cheese Station- Served with our house made sauces: Smoked Gouda & Roasted Garlic & Tomato Cream. Then top it all off with their choice of toppings- crisp bacon, scallions, shredded Cheddar, diced tomatoes, sautéed ham, crispy onions, roasted red peppers, or buttered mushrooms

The florist they chose was from Nikki’s hometown of Jackson and her creations really WOWED all of us. They also had a really cute family tree in the lobby: a real tree with twinkle lights that had their family photos hanging, loved this idea.

We chose a modern contemporary design style for their display that would match the clean lines and minimal feel of the venue space.

Thank you to Nikki & Jeremy for letting us be a part of your reception plans. This was also another great reception with Details by Margaret who we LOVE working with!

Garden Inspired Splendor at Lost Rive Cave

downsouthdelights — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:59:43 +0000

In early June we had the pleasure of catering one of the loveliest weddings at Lost Rive Cave that I had worked in all my years of catering. The cave is a great venue for summer receptions as it is always 59-60 degrees! Also, it needs little to no decor and there is a massive crystal chandelier in the center of the reception area along with the draping that you see in the photos. You can have your reception and ceremony at the cave as they have a beautiful area by the water that seats up to around 150 guests. Another great deal is that if someone is renting it a day before or later than you then you and the client can split the table/chair rentals!

This particular reception pictured below was for 50 guests and they really captured the natural beauty of the space. The family created some of the cutest DIY elements ever. Everything from the linen napkins wrapped with twine/antique buttons, burlap runners, mason jar/moss candle holders, and the exquisite floral arrangements. The cake was displayed on a natural stump and adorned with coordinating elements of the decor.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the create your own smores station and the way it is displayed.

They chose a great menu with Kentucky Hot Browns, Pulled Pork on Butter Rolls w/ sauces, fruit with French cream fruit dip, artisanal Flatbread pizzas, Spinach & Berry Salad w/ Green Goddess & Blush Wine Vinaigrette, country ham biscuits, and a refreshing Cucumber Dill dip with Sundried tomato French bread.

My absolute favorite element of this reception was the favors! Each guest had a potted fresh herb plant to take home: Lavender, Dill, Rosemary, and Mint. It matched and complimented the entire design element of the reception.

Thank you so very much to the Mann family for letting us take part in this amazing reception.

If you are planning a reception in the Bowling Green, KY area or even Nashville, you need to check out Lost River Cave.

Spring & Early Summer Displays

downsouthdelights — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:41:13 +0000

Clients often ask us what menu items display the best. Fruit & Veggie Displays offer the most bang for your buck and look great whether the design is country chic or modern contemporary. They fare well at outdoor receptions or an indoor affair.

Any item that is colorful and in season works great for your wow factor. They are naturally eye appealing and do not require a lot of garnish or added decor elements to be added. Produce is at it’s peak during spring/summer so you have a fantastic variety available. For brides on a conservative budget they are a great choice as you can scale down the florals needed if you have all the vibrant colors from the displays on the food tables. For the luxe bride we can create extravagant displays that offer exotic items like fresh lychees, Asian mangoes, stuffed apricots, champagne injected strawberries, and other unique touches. Grilled vegetable displays are a great choice in addition to traditional crudite as they offer a heavier item and can be served at room temperature. This gets the grilled veggies out of the chafing dishes and presented in a beautiful display. We always like to suggest these items for cocktail hour as they offer a snack without being overly filling for the main event.

Below are some of our favorite displays from recent receptions.

April @ Houston Station

downsouthdelights — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:33:51 +0000

Unlit Martini Display

In late April we had the pleasure of working with Emily of Simply Yours Weddings. The couple chose a fun menu and I LOVE the color scheme. Turquoise, Black, & White with chandelier elements made a great statement in the space. For the mashed sweet potato station I implemented several vintage light fixtures that I have really been wanting to showcase. I added the LED lighting inside so that when the lights dimmed it would showcase the station. The vibrant colors of the salad and canapes really made the displays POP! We used primarily modern serving pieces with a few hints of silver and lucite. They had a coffee hour in the coffee bar with the personalized beans as the favor, LOVE IT! They create the roast/beans to match the couples personalities which is so unique.

*Mashed Sweet Potato Station with caramel, cranberries, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, marshmallows, and candied pecans

*Chef’s Spring Assortment of Canapes- cilantro shrimp, homemade apple butter with spiked cream cheese, artichoke pesto, apricot walnut, and pepper relish with Boursin

*Butter Rolls with house smoked pulled pork and sauces

*Maryland Crab Muffins with Spicy Ranch & Remoulade

*Spinach & Berry Salad with Blush Wine Vinaigrette & Cinnamon Sugared Croutons

*Grilled & Fresh Cut Veggie Display with red pepper hummus & garlic ranch

*Kentucky Bourbon Chicken

Lit Martini Display

Easter Ideas

downsouthdelights — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:41:22 +0000

I am so so happy that spring is finally here! Our gardens are in full bloom and our wedding season has officially begun. We always have a large Easter party with family, friends, staff, and local neighborhood business friends. There is a large egg hunt for the kids, Easter pinata, full candy buffet, colorful decor, and a huge feastly spread for dinner. Below is my inspiration board I created for the party. Hopefully , the weather will be sunny and warm. The party will be out on my front lawn under the magnolias with long gathering style tables. Our new florist, Todd will be creating several masterpieces to accent the tables. Stay tuned for pics from the party and see how well we utilized the board. I am still tweaking the menu a bit, but a molasses and citrus glazed ham is a must for sure! HAPPY EASTER!

Oh, check out this watermelon salad that I found online. This has really caught my interest and I am going to make this with a Down South Delights twist. It is a great way to blend sweet and savory with an appealing display.

Watermelon Patchwork Salad

New Creations for 2011

downsouthdelights — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:13:48 +0000

This past week we finally had some time to create some fun new items for 2011. I love super fresh fruits and veggies that offer a wonderful palette of colors in addition to tasting fabulous.

The mini orange salads are my favorite and would look so amazing on a huge display of hors d’ oeuvres or a plated dinner option. The cucumber salad is a throwback from my days in culinary school, but it is truly a cool classic to a traditional house salad.

My assistant Todd creating this simple rustic bouquet from several spring blooms before the trees get their summer green leaves. I love the simple beauty of this arrangement and the roses we picked up were just picture perfect in every way.

Mini Salads served in orange cups with candied pecan, blackberry, cinnamon almond, Romaine, and a Brandied Vinaigrette

Mini Orange Salad Closeup- Too pretty for just one pic!

Seared Shrimp w/ Cranberry Chutney served on a bed of tri color sushi wraps

Tasting Plate of Blanched Green Beans, red pepper hummus, artichoke chutney, lemon, cilantro, basil chiffonade, steamed potato dumpling.

Tasting Plate Closeup

Another View of the Shrimp- I love these colorful wraps that we just acquired. They are going to be fabulous for sushi displays and hand rolls!

Cucumber Stand Up Salad w/ Honey Dijon

The Stand Up Salad is a composed version of the traditional tossed house salad. The Dressing is displayed around the salad which really makes for a great conversation piece at dinner.

Rustic Spring Bouquet with Vintage Roses and various items from our gardens

I got these roses in 10 days ago and they are still perfection! Our floral importer has these roses in over 20 colors

Various Dark & White Chocolate Dipped Berries- coconut, toasted peanut, classic drizzle, and dark chocolate. The classic drizzle is injected with Grand Marnier and champagne.

Rosemary Biscuits filled with country ham & orange honey. Our baker creates the best, moist buttermilk biscuits that I have ever tasted.

Embellish Your Food Table Displays!

downsouthdelights — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:19:28 +0000

Here at Down South Delights we pride ourselves on being one of the best in the business for creative displays that are unique for each event we cater. Our warehouse is full of thousands of display pieces that match any reception- rustic, contemporary, classic, southern, etc. The only thing not included in your display is floral arrangements. We now have an amazing designer, Todd Gray that is able to create magnificent florals for your food/beverage tables! Simple designs begin at $150 and can go up to $500. So if you are wanting your tables to really POP email us for more info on how to include arrangements in your designs. We would love to create something spectacular to coordinate with the beautiful display that we will be designing for your catering.

Here are some of the recent designs that he created for a recent bridal show that we participated in that was in Louisville. Our booth actually won best overall booth at the show by other vendors and brides.Also, a few designs that he created before joining our team.

Our Fave New Trends for 2011 Menus

downsouthdelights — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 04:50:37 +0000

With the 2011 season gearing up we’ve been researching and creating some neat ideas to embellish your reception menu. Last year was all about sliders, anything in a shot glass, and stations. Those items have carried over from 2010, but here are some creative ideas to offer your guests. Let us know any of these items that you LOVE and we can add it to your new or current reception menu!

Spring/Summer Inspired Beverage Bar- Fresh squeezed lemonade, vanilla bean house made cream soda, & vintage style bottled sodas with custom labels to match wedding colors. Served with unique mix ins for guests to create their own unique beverage. Fresh Fruit ice cubes in mango, kiwi, watermelon, blueberry, & passion fruit. Strawberry, Blackberry, Ginger, & tangerine fresh syrups to stir in. Add coordinating colored straws with initials and this is outrageously cute! LOVE IT

Gourmet Popsicles- Ice Cream Stations are still in demand, but the customized Popsicle is def on the rise. Decadent flavors like strawberry/raspberry cheesecake, blackberry/vanilla bean, and fresh fruit flavors make this a hit for a hot summer day. Rent a cute ice cream cart that is placed by the cake or vintage metal coolers full of treats for guests to enjoy.

Watermelon! Yes, watermelon is a popular addition to hors d’ oeuvres, salads, desserts, and beverages this year. It is popping up on reception menus in many forms, matched with both sweet and savory dishes. The natural bold color makes any did pop and in summer is a refreshing element to include on your reception menu.

Gourmet Pies- All food trend articles have hailed pie as the new cupcake. Mini pies are a cute addition to any dessert table or as a grooms cake or favor. They come in so many varieties, chilled or warm, natural/rustic or modern/composed that they can fit into any receptions decor/theme quiet easily. A cool lemon ice box or key lime coconut would be amazing or how about a yummy smores pie with torched marshmallows on top ?

Nostalgic Treats- Trying to come up with a unique tasty favor or snack for your guests? Retro treats are all the rage! Anything from whoopie pies in flavors like Red Velvet with mini milks, gourmet fluffy marshmallows, or hand made pop tarts with fillings like blueberry/lemon or chocolate hazelnut.

Customizing your reception with food is a great way to show your guests a fun wedding menu while offering a taste of your unique style.We are working on several new photo shoots with great new ideas to embellish your reception! I hope these ideas have inspired you to add your own creative touch to your special day.

January Reception @ The Fly in Shelbyville

downsouthdelights — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:45:23 +0000

We had a great wedding reception at the Fly Cultural Center in Shelbyville. This was my first visit to this venue and if you are looking for something close to Shelbyville this venue is GREAT! It is large enough for 300 guests and needs little decor as it is beautifully rustic with a large stained glass mural, beautiful wood floors, and cool art. Maleah was a fun bride to work with and gave us creative freedom with the food displays. The guest count was close to 300 and the couple chose a traditional hos d’ oeuvres menu. There menu included- a fresh vegetable display w/ a variety of dips, fruit display w/ French cream fruit dip, garlic cheddar biscuits w/ baked ham, Caesar salad bites, grilled chicken skewers w/ dipping sauces, hot spinach artichoke dip, cheeseballs with crackers, assorted tea sandwiches, Tuscan pasta salad, gourmet coffee/hot chocolate bar, lemonade, and fruit tea. We provided all of the linens and chair ties that really accented the rustic beauty of the space. When you have a great venue that really needs little in terms of decor it is a good idea to stick with complimentary colors as Maleah chose- black, champagne, ivory, with a few hints of fuchsia.