Governor Angus King Garden Party

Former Maine State Governor Angus King and his wife Mary Herman were the proud hosts of this year's Maine Writers & Publisher's Alliance Garden Party at their summer cottage in Georgetown, Maine.

Belle Fete provided a menu of classic summertime garden fare.

MENU

Smoked salmon on cucumber rounds with dill crème

Chicken salad pate choux

Strawberry Soup Shots

Mini Heart shaped scones served with Devonshire cream

Date and goat cheese pate served on pastry with a candied pecan

National Audubon Society Testimonial

Cliffside Lodge Appreciation Dinner

The management of Camp North Star wanted to create an extra special evening to show their appreciation for all the hard work their staff put in for the season.

Belle Fete worked closely with the owners to create a continental menu that would please the palates of a staff that came from literally every continent on the globe!!

The clients were young and metropolitan, so we chose to go with bright colors and clean lines for our decor.

With the "Around the World" theme in mind we created the following menu:

Stationary Appetizer

Bruschetta Bar - A beautiful presenation of the following dips served with crackers, pita chips and crostini: roasted red pepper hummus, garlic herb boursin, artichoke and spinach crème and classic tomato brushetta

Passed Appetizers

Brie Stuffed Strawberries
Black Bean and Pineapple Quesadilla
Lemongrass Soup Shots

Entrées

Beef Bourguignon
Served over Buttered Egg Noodles
Cashew Mango Chicken
Chicken Simmered in a Sweet Mango Chili Cashew Sauce, Served over Rice
Roasted Vegetables in Phyllo
Roasted Seasonal Vegetables Served with Local Goat Cheese Wrapped in Phyllo
Pan Seared Chicken Served with Rice and Seasonal Vegetable

Mocktinis
Mango Spritzer
Served in a martini glass

Dessert
Chocolate and raspberry mousse
Served in a martini glass

Wedding Cake

An amazing wedding cake by Belle Fete Events & Catering!!

Lincolnville Wedding

Belle Fete was thrilled to be involved in a wedding at the Ducktrap Retreat in Lincolnville, Maine last weekend.

The bride and groom were so wonderful and their wedding day was a true reflection of who they were. They wanted to create a beautiful environment that was both elegant and fun at the same time.

They achieved this with the help of the amazingly talented florist Alda Stich who helped them create an "elegant picnic" type environment. Alda's husband, Bo, brought in birch trees that were covered in white lights to line both the tent and main dancing room.

Wildflowers in shades of gold and yellow with blue accents were used for the centerpieces. We used simple white linens with blue overlays on the bar along with floral arrangements in antique cobalt blue containers.

The menu was chosen very carefully ensuring there was something for all palates.

Passed Appetizers

Cajun Seared Scallops - Served with a red pepper aioli

Cucumber Slices with Dill Creme and Smoked salmon

Sundried Tomato with Basil Stuffed Mushrooms

Plated Mixed Green Salad - Served with dried cranberries, apples, candied pecans and gorgonzola cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner Buffet

Summer Pasta with Chicken

Penne Pasta Served with Vegetables and Sauteed Chicken - Served in a light wine sauce

Teriyaki Marinated Sirloin Steak Tips

Seasonal Vegetable Medley

Rosemary Focaccia

The highlight of the evening was the grooms cake. An amazing recreation of their dog "Quinn" a beautiful black lab complete with his favorite toy!

Cupcakes- Vanilla, chocolate and lemon with lemon blueberry creme filling

Cliffside Lodge Reception

This was a very special party that was put together by the bride & groom to celebrate their marriage which took place before the groom's deployment to Iraq. Now that the groom has returned from Iraq, they wanted to celebrate with their friends and family.

The groom and his groomsmen are part of an elite mountaineering corp which will soon be redeployed to Afganistan.

Belle Fete was truly honored to be a part of this special occasion for people who serve our country.

The decor was sage green and brown and rustics signs highlighted our country's highest peaks.

Portland Magazine Sept 2009

Some more press coverage of our Animal Refuge Leage Event.

Check out Lori & Audrey in the Sept 2009 edition of Portland Magazine!

Coastal Wedding - Phippsburg, ME

Belle Fete catered an amazing coastal wedding this past weekend in Phippsburg, ME. Held at the Bride's family cottage, the guests were delighted by the incredible vistas of open ocean.

The bride and groom were from Manhattan and wanted to create an elegant formal affair that highlighted their love of fine food and wine. Guests arrived by bus and walked down the point to the ceremony site which took place on the very tip of the point on the ocean. The bride wore a gorgeous strapless silk gown and the groom and his groomsmen wore handmade Thai silk vests in a beautiful blue green.

They chose a very simple color palette of blue and white. The flower arrangements were predominantly white with subtle green accents and were absolutely stunning! They were designed by Emily Carter who came to personally setup the reception site. The tables had a simple blue overlay that perfectly set off the colors of the flowers. Guests names and table numbers were written in navy blue ink on white clam shells that the bride and groom had gathered.

The Menu

The menu was carefully planned. The bride and groom wanted to highlight Maine's fresh seafood. The bride who is a vegetarian wanted to be sure that there were plenty of delicious non-meat options available to her guests.

Cocktail Hour

Garden display of fresh fruit, vegetable crudite, lemon goat cheese pesto dip served with assorted crackers

Maine lobster cakes with citrus aioli

Polenta cakes with the following toppings: black olive, pinenut and garlic; fig and goat cheese; sundried tomato, garlic and basil; and red pepper and goat cheese

Seared tenderloin on crostini served with fried leeks and horseradish creme

Dinner

Mixed green salad with gorgonzola cheese, cranberries, candied pecans tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette

Homemade foccacia with carmelized onions

Choice of the following entrees:

Honey butter haddock

Beef tenderloin served with an au poivre sauce

Grilled vegetables wrapped in phyllo with herb butter and goat cheese

Dessert

The bride and groom chose to do something extra special for their dessert highlighting both Maine and NYC. We created a display of miniature whoopie pies, black and white cookies, our signature Belle Fete Brownies and Shortbread with green tea glaze.

The wedding cake was a very simple three tier lemon cake naturally frosted with buttercream and decorated with flowers.

Bridal Shower - Cornville Maine

We recently catered an intimate bridal shower in Cornville, Maine.

The client was looking for an elegant display of light summery foods that featured some of their favorite ingredients.

Belle Fete chose to go for a look of silver and cut glass accented by wild flowers to create a feminine and indulgent feel. Blues and creams added to the dramatic look while pictures of the couple added a personal touch.

THE MENU

The menu featured Maine seasonal summer foods and incorporated the bride's love of artichokes.

Bruschetta Bar - Homemade crostini served with a trio of toppings: Traditional Tomato Bruschetta with Fresh Mozzarella, Portabella Balsamic Topping with Goat Cheese, and Artichoke Spinach Topping with Creme Fraiche.

Fruit and Cheese Platter - Featuring domestic and imported cheeses with exotic and local fruits accompanied by honey yogurt dipping sauce.

Caprese Flatbread - Served on rosemary foccacia with homemade pesto

Chicken Salad Stuffed Pate Choux - with a hint of cumin

Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Pasta Salad with whole wheat penne pasta and a sun-dried tomato balsamic vinaigrette.

Mixed Green Salad of Oranic Mesculin greens tossed with dried cranberries, candied pecans, and crumbled goat cheese. Served with balsamic vinaigrette

Desserts included:
Mini Whoopie Pies
Lemon Bars
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

August Shower Testimonial

Dear Belle Fete-

Thank you for the wonderful job you did on Kirstin’s shower! I was truly impressed. The food was absolutely incredible and the presentation was beautiful. I wanted this to be a very special day for my best friend and everything exceeded my expectations. Thank You, Thank You,

Thank You!!!!

M. D.

Phippsburg Wedding Testimonial

Dear Lori,

Since we first discussed our wedding on the phone, practically a year prior to the date, I felt fully assured that we would have a beautifully catered day, and the result exceeded my expectations. After calling around to various caterers, I felt immediate relief after discussing the day with you. I believe you truly got us as a couple, and understood exactly what we were looking for right from the get go.

The wonderful food aside, your and Audrey's knowledge of the industry is very apparent. You truly were a caterer/wedding planner extraordinaire, and thought of so many details that we would have otherwise overlooked. Perhaps the best indication of your professionalism is that Whit and I were able to have a completely stressfree day and enjoy the company of our family and friends. From what I have heard from others, it is very rare for a couple to be able to enjoy their day as we did without the hectic panic of planning getting in the way. Ours was truly a seamless operation from start to finish and we have you to thank for that.

Of all the rave reviews of the food we received, most were about the honey butter haddock and the lobster cakes in particular. From decorating the cake with organic flowers, getting us to sit down and eat our dinner, to ordering the band pizza, you truly went the extra mile and I'm sure we will never fully know all that went into making our day so perfect.

Thank you, Thank you!! Best to you and Audrey.

-The Mitchells

Wassamki Springs Wedding Testimonial

To Lori and Belle Fete Employees:

Just a few words to express my gratitude and appreciation for your wonderful services! First of all, the food was wonderful. No, no....exquisite. Everyone there thoroughly enjoyed their meal and immediately went for seconds. The presentation was beautiful, the service smiling and everything overall was splendid! My guests were happy, so I was happy. My new husband was especially happy, and who could ask for more than that?

I will be a walking advertisement for your wonderful establishment, and send many, many thanks to those who were present at the wedding and did such a great job.

Second, our wedding cake was out of this world! I couldn't have asked for better, Audrey it was perfection!! Thank you for the kindness of making an extra tier, which is happily waiting in the freezer for 2010 to be eagerly devoured by an even more in love couple! (God, I'm sappy!!)

Lastly, Lori you are awesome! You made the whole experience that much more wonderful for a new bride and groom. I thank you for your professionalism and integrity, as well as your pizazz!! I look forward to more endeavors, and wish all of you well in this late, but amazing summer!

Thank you,

Patrick and Jocelyn L.

New TV Segment - Rock Star Party!

Lori Kinkade of Belle Fete Events & Catering was featured on the WCSH6 207 show.

Click here to view video

Small Point Phippsburg Wedding

The bride and groom chose to get married at a family compound in the Small Point section of Phippsburg. It was an amazing location with an even more amazing sunset. One of the guests commented that it was the most beautiful spot to watch a sunset in the entire world!

To accomodate the rocky terrain, three individual tents were setup. Two for eating and one for dancing. Music was very important to the couple and they had Sly Chi a nine piece band come up from Portland http://www.slychi.com/ The bride and groom's main goal was to have fun! Two hours before the ceremony, the bride and her attendents were hanging out in the main cottage relaxing while the groom and his attendants went swimming off the dock! The bride wore flip flops, there was no assigned seating, no formal toasts. Rather than alot of formally posed photos, the B&G wanted photographs to be captured in the moment. For this, they chose Cunningham Photography http://www.cunninghamphoto.com/

Appetizers

Fresh fruit and cheese display
Chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce
Blueberries and cream cheese en croute
Maine lobster cakes with citrus aioli

Buffet
Mesculin salad tossed with gorgonzola, candied pecans, cranberries and tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette
Honey Butter haddock
Beef tenderloin served with au poivre sauce
Garlic herb roasted red potatoes
Chilled balsamic marinated grilled vegetables
Fresh bread and herb butter

Wedding Cake

A naturally frosted three tier cake decorated with native Maine flowers.

For more information about Belle Fete Events & Catering visit our website at www.bellefetegroup.com

Harpswell Festival Peach Blueberry Pie

We were recently asked to make a homemade pie for a community fundraiser for the Harpswell Festival.

This pie really captures the best that summer has to offer, fresh peaches, wild Maine blueberries all in a yummy homemade crust..... Served warm with a dollop of homemade vanilla ice cream and it becomes a decadent dessert that will be long remembered even after the warm days of summer have faded!

INGREDIENTS

Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice-cold water

Filling:
1 1/4 cup Maine wild blueberries

3 1/2 pounds peaches
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup flour
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (for brushing)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the crust: Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse the machine on and off to combine. Add the butter and shortening; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add the ice water, pulsing the machine on and off, until the dough holds together. Divide the dough in half and form into 2 disks; wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

2. Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Remove one disk of the dough from the refrigerator. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to form a round, 1/8-inch thick and 2 inches larger than the pie plate. Using a spatula to help lift the dough, fold it loosely in half and then into quarters. Gently transfer it to the center of the pie plate. Open up the dough and press it lightly in the plate to fit. If the dough should tear, just press it lightly together. Place in the refrigerator to keep cold.

3. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

4. Prepare the filling. Cut an "X" in the bottom of each peach. Drop the peaches into a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Slip off the skins. Use a potato peeler if skin becomes difficult to remove. Cut the peaches into 3/4-inch slices and place in a large bowl. Toss with the lemon juice (to prevent discoloring).

5. Add the blueberries, vanilla, brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar and the flour; toss well. While spooning the filling into the pie shell remove some of the excess liquid.

6. Lightly brush the bottom crust all over with the egg white; spoon in the filling and dot with the butter.

7. Cut the top crust into strips 3/4-inch wide and make a lattice cover over the filling. Crimp the edges decoratively.

8. Brush the lattice crust and the rim with the cream. Sprinkle the surface with sugar.

9. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake until it is golden and the juices are bubbling, about 50 to 60 minutes. If the top is getting too brown cover with tin foil. Remove from oven and let cool on wire cooling rack.

More Rock Gardens Inn Wedding Pictures

All photos courtesy of Andree Kehn, Maine Wedding Photographer

For more photos & information about this event:

http://bellefete.blogspot.com/2009/06/rock-gardens-inn-wedding.html

For more information about Belle Fete Events & Catering visit our website

http://www.bellefetegroup.com/