THE DOVE'S NEST RESTAURANT COOKBOOK Grand Prize Winner for best self published book in America

THE DOVE'S NEST RESTAURANT COOKBOOK Grand Prize Winner for best self published book in America
Order our award winning cookbook $19.95 http://www.thedovesnestrestaurant.com/

Sunday, August 5, 2007

My blogging article on my blog.....


Blogging Makes the World Go Round
A Periodic Column by Cindy Burch
In our business of retail and food service I try to keep abreast of trends, by traveling, attending gift markets and antique shows, reading trade journals, and doing my favorite form of research--- dining out. But lately, I have found a surprisingly new source of information, in the form of blogs, short for web-logs. Even though I consider myself internet savvy, I had not really paid much attention to blogs on the internet. The talented ladies, who help me at The Dove's Nest, are die hard bloggers. They encouraged me to check out a blog titled Curious Sofa Diaries by Debbie Dusenberry. Curious Sofa is a retail boutique in Kansas City , Missouri . Dusenberry keeps an online diary about her shop, and the highs and lows of being a business owner, artist and stylist. She posts pictures of her store and talks about new items that are coming in. I immediately felt a kindred spirit with Dusenberry. She carries many of the same lines we have at The Dove's Nest, and merchandises her inventory in our look and style. I found it comforting to read about another shop owner who climbs the same hurdles in her business as I do. When I first read her blog, I noticed a list of links she titles, “The Anointed”. The list consists of shop owners and artists that have inspired her. As I navigated through her links, an incredible new tool of encouragement unfolded, as each blog linked to other inspiring artists alike. I was amazed at the raw honesty these entrepreneurs were willing to share about their businesses. I felt as though I was a member of a new sorority.You don't have to be in business to enjoy blogging. Women, especially, are connecting, sharing and motivating each other in numerous areas of interests and hobbies. You name the topic, and I guarantee you there is a blog about it. Hobbies like traveling, scrap booking, jewelry making, antiquing, and cooking, are just to name a few. There are political blogs, religious blogs, and even blogs about blogs. If a blog attracts enough readers, a virtual unknown writer can become famous. Take for example, Julie Powell, who on the verge of an emotional meltdown, decided to make all 524 recipes from Volume I of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child in the span of one year. Powell monitored her progress by blogging about it, thus attracting the media attention that ultimately led to the publication of a best selling book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. Another success story is Niall Harbison, a former chef for Microsoft owner, Paul Allen. Harbison started filming video of himself preparing recipes onboard Allen's 300-foot mega yacht, Tatoosh. He not only provided an interesting cooking video, but provided commentary on the different ports he and the crew visited along the way. The site became so popular that Harbison landed himself a fulltime job on ifoods, a professional cooking tutorial website that will launch in July. The best way to learn to blog is to blog. A hosted service is the easiest and quickest way to start. There are services like Blogger (by Google) that allow new users to set up an account for free and begin posting in a matter of minutes. I created my own blog for The Dove's Nest, http://thedovesnest.blogspot.com/ . It has been a great addition to our website because it allows me to post catering pictures the same day, talk about happenings in the store, and list new items on our menu. I also enjoy the feedback I receive from readers who may not have been to Waxahachie, but are able to get a taste of what we do, and order our cookbook online. Researchers say blogging is inspiring a new group of writers and creators to share their voices with the world. The simplest innovations are often the most effective. As we respond to ground swells of trends and change, blogging is bringing people together in a worldwide forum our grandparents would have never imagined.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

SUMMER WEDDINGS CONTINUE




Pulled off another big reception last night in Dallas, at the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park, where a fellow chef and friend, Jim Camp, married Allison Bearden. After all the rain we have had this summer, the outdoor ceremony went off without a drop and the gardens made a magnificent backdrop of lush green that complimented the corals and ivory we used at the reception.

CATERING CRAZY















I know...I know...it's pretty bad when I write an article on blogging, in the current issue of Living Ellis County, www.living-magazine.com/entertaining.htm and yet I haven't posted since April....sorry. We have had the busiest catering season in Dove's Nest history. The last two weekends have been double headers. I normally never take two large events on the same day, but the past two Saturdays it just worked out that we catered a 65th wedding anniversary at the civic center for 400 people and a wedding reception for 300 out on a ranch the same day. Then last night we had 160 in a loft overlooking Waxahachie's town square, at the same time we fed 185 in the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park in Dallas.....whew....I'm tired.

Colors this season have been full of corals and oranges mixed with turquoise or chocolate brown. It's been fun working with such happy shades and getting away from the traditional pink wedding.

These are pictures from the reception for Brooke Nelson and Bart Crow. They were married in Mexico the week before, and wanted the reception to reflect the Carribbean colors they had there. I used loads of tropical fruits and served smoked chicken quesadillas, pulled jerked beef with taco fixings, mango pico de gallo, smoked salmon, jicama lime slaw and mango margaritas.
















Wednesday, April 11, 2007

SCHMIDT JEWELRY




RICHARD SCHMIDT JEWELRY
About a year ago, I met a really nice couple in Round Top, Texas....Richard & Janet Schmidt. have a shop in La Grange, Texas, but twice a year, they set up a booth on the Round Top town square and sell their fabulous jewelry during "antique week". I bought a couple of pieces from them last year, and then got to thinking I would love to sell their jewelry in The Dove's Nest. Fortunately, they thought that would be a good idea too...and we have had a great year showcasing Richard's Texas inspired silver, gold and gemstone rings, cross pendants, and chunky stone necklaces. I love wearing their jewelry and we are excited to be selling it as well. http://richardschmidtjewelry.com

































Sunday, March 25, 2007

ROUND TOP ANTIQUE WEEK




My husband calls Round Top "Adult Camp"... we are like kids anxiously awaiting Antique Week in Round Top, Texas. Andrew and I have only missed "camp" once in seven years. I don't know which is more fun, besides antiquing... staying at the Outpost at Cedar Creek... or eating dinner at Royer's Round Top Cafe.

Here are some pictures of the Outpost...five miles from Round Top's town square, on a beautiful 48 acre compound, there are 13 guesthouses perfectly placed on the property. Owner, Lenore Prudhomme, is the ultimate innkeeper. The Outpost has been featured in most every magazine you can name, and recently won Best Inn in the Southwest & West. Not only is each guest house wonderfully appointed with the finest linens and plush down pillows, but each morning all the guests walk up to her great barn, called Rangers Lounge, and eat a fabulous breakfast with guests like Rachel Ashwell, Mary Emmerling, and other inspiring and well known shop owners & designers from all over the country.


RANGERS LOUNGE AT THE OUTPOST

But if you are thinking you might call and make reservations to stay at the Outpost this week....THINK AGAIN. It's probably easier to get a meeting with President Bush, than it is to get a reservation at the Outpost, during Antique Week. I feel like I won the lottery a few years ago when Andrew and I were eating at Royers one night during the show. We sat at a community table with a gal named Janice, who owns a garden shop in Phoenix. We had such a great time getting to know a fellow shop owner that I gave her a copy of our Dove's Nest cookbook, as we left that night. A year later, I took a chance and logged onto the Outpost website and put our name on the waiting list. Surprisingly Lenore recognized my name, remembering that Janice had showed her my cookbook when she returned that evening. Lenore responded almost immediately and said she just received a cancellation....I GRABBED IT and have never looked back. You don't dare check out of the Outpost without renewing your reservation for the next season.

We have stayed in several of Lenore's guesthouses over the years, but her Casita Bungalow is one of our favorites.....

CASITA BUNGALOW AT THE OUTPOST

A TRIP TO ROUND TOP IS NOT COMPLETE IF YOU DON'T EAT AT ROYERS....

Bud Royer is an institution in Round Top, Texas, and his family cafe is half the fun of going there. After spending hours in the fields, shopping for fun props and goodies for the store, or helping my husband, and his partner (RUG MAN) in Warrenton,the next town up the road....folks make their way to the town square and sit on bales of hay waiting for Bud to call their names for dinner. Even though reservations are a must, you still end up waiting out front and drinking glasses of wine or beer, on the honor system, until your name is called. A few years back Texas Monthly Magazine voted The Dove's Nest, and Royers, two of the top ten best small town restaurants in Texas. We also published our cookbooks through he same company...Favorite Recipes Press. The whole Royer clan works their tails off each night to serve hoards of people who have come to the antique show. Bud's wife Karen, daughter Tara, and sons Todd, Micah and JB help run the show.....and eating at one of Royers community tables can be the highlight of your trip...you never know who Bud is going to put you with and over the years we have made great friends with many of our nightly dining companions. Last year he sat us at the big round table with actress Mary Steenburgen. You just never know who is going to show up in Round Top, Texas...population 72, on most days, but during Antique Week, literally thousands of people come to shop at what has become the largest antique show in the country. I just can't tell ya how much fun it is...it's one of those things you have to experience to believe.


BUD ROYER AND DAUGHTER TARA HOLDING THEIR FAMOUS PIES


AN ASIAN SHINDIG

Andrew and Mark rolling at the sushi bar

We catered a great party in the backyard of Dr. Jeff Kosoris...for his 50th birthday.... his wife, Susan wanted to do something fun and different...for Waxahachie at least. So we used bamboo folding chairs and square white plates with black folded napkins, and tucked the chopsticks into each place setting. As guests arrived we were rolling sushi and shaking up mandarin martinis, at the bar. After cocktails, almost 70 guests were seated in the backyard and we plated sesame lacquered beef on a bamboo skewer with coconut rice and snow peas in a wonderful mango ginger sauce. The grand finale was a dessert sushi made for us by a great new bakery in Dallas, called Petit Fours Cakes. We thought we had hired an Asian woman to come read tea leaves, but a palm reader showed up instead...oh well, apparently everyone was happy with their fortunes and danced till the wee hours of the morning. As usual, I don't ever have time to take pictures AFTER the party starts, but here are some shots before guests arrived....











Monday, March 19, 2007

SPRING AT THE DOVES NEST










The store looks so great with all the new spring coming in. We have bunnies, Easter cookies, egg soaps, nests, cute little birds sitting on shelves. Several new card lines have arrived and we stocked again with our private label candles. French marsailles soaps are in as well in lavender, verbena and rose.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

CASSIE GREEN'S RECEPTION AT THE GREENERY

THE BEAUTIFUL BACKYARD FOR THE GREEN RECEPTION
THE GUEST TABLES
CHEESE AND FRUIT WITH FRESH FRUIT TOPIARIES
CHARLESA SIMS WONDERFUL CAKES
A DOVE'S NEST BUFFET DINNER

A GREEN RECEPTION

Yesterday was one of those spring days in Texas that we live for. The sunshine was perfect, the high was 72 degrees and the outdoor wedding reception could not have been better. The Green family, in Waxahachie, owns a beautiful nursery and garden shop http://mygreeneryplace.com .... appropriately called the Greenery. Cassie Green, and her mom, Debra, landscaped Cassie's outdoor reception on their grounds, and did a fabulous job. Teresa Choate and Renay Reed, with Envisage, http://www.weddingplanningindallas.com coordinated a beautiful setting and Courtney King, who owns Villa Flora House of Blooms, out did herself with the flowers. We set up the food stations with fresh topiaries, cheese and fruit, a Mediterranean station with hummus, lavosh, olives and pita..then provided a dinner buffet with roasted lamb chops, chicken on bamboo skewers, fresh asparagus with grilled cherry tomatoes and a salad of fresh field greens tossed in our basil lime dressing with bacon, cotija cheese, and toasted pecans.

MICAH AND BRANDON KING'S RECEPTION

KING RECEPTION IN THE ODOM LOFT
GROOM'S BROWNIE FAVORS
BAMBOO WEDDING CAKE BY TABBY ASHMORE (brides mom)
SESAME NOODLES
GRILLED SHRIMP
BROWNIE FAVORS FOR THE GUESTS


another busy weekend of catering...

After 3 Aleve, 4 Unisom and 9 hours sleep, my body is finally beginning to work again. Friday night we catered Micah & Brandon King's reception. Micah is the sister of our chef, Mark Ashmore. They had a beautiful marriage ceremony on Palm Beach last Sunday and we catered the hometown reception for 200 guests Friday night. The historic Odom Lofts on our town square of Waxahachie, Texas, were transformed into a tropical reception serving sesame noodles, Caribbean pork gorditas, talapia fish bites, tropical cheeses, grilled shrimp on bamboo skewers, mini crab cakes and smoked chicken quesadillas.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

THE ULTIMATE RECEPTION

our chef Mark Ashmore...carving the baron of beef
GROOMS CAKE
(replica of the NYC Crysler Building)

CLEAR TENTS SEATING 400
BRIDE AND GROOM

KATE STROUBE AND BRIDESMAIDS