{Farmer's Market Baby Shower} Waiting for little Mr. Mills

Hello All! I know I have been MIA for a little bit on the blog but it was for very good reason. I’m having a baby!!!!! I’m well into the third trimester and my friends and family just threw me the most amazing baby shower. So, I wanted to share the beautiful pictures with my extended friends and anyone who has been following my journey.

 My husband is not only a designer but extremely resourceful and creative. He really took a lead in the planning, because he knows my passion for events. Along with my best friend Jessica, and my two sister-in-law’s, Erin and Trish (along with  the  rest our friends and family) they all pulled together the most adorable party for me and our little baby boy.

The theme was Farmer’s Market and I think they nailed it. Besides the rain and the absence of my Mom who was recovering from Brain surgery at the time, the day was absolutely perfect!

I would like to say a special thank you to a few friends , who also happen to be amazing event professionals as well.

Catering by Keith Rudolph

Photograhy by Amanda of Love Me Do

Rentals by Maggpie Vintage Rentals

Cannoli Cart by Viso’s Cannoli Girls

Cake and Cake Pops by @ninathemidnightbaker

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoy the pictures!

recipe: Stuffed Blossoms

Sunday Morning Brunch - Whole Foods Blossoms

Pick your blossom, zucchini or squash ! No matter which one you pick or I should say are lucky enough to find, this recipe (authentic papa DeMarco recipe) will help you achieve stuffed blossom perfection. Growing up this was an absolute summertime staple in my house, and it never occurred to me until recently that some people out there might not know about these little gems. Not to be confused with actual "little gems"  Sorry foodie joke! 

Sunday Morning Brunch - Whole Foods Blossoms

So, I have made these a few times this summer and I've been posting pictures on social media. And some folks have been asking me how to make them. So I really wanted to share these with you all. The only difficult thing about this recipe is finding the blossoms themselves. I have harassed every farmer's market stall from Philly , to the Jersey Shore to Lancaster county. But alas, I was fortunate enough to have a visit or two from the blossom fairy.. Aka, my Uncle Sal and Whole Foods Glen Mills (shout out)! 

Top left: 1st blossoms of the season. Sort of small, but very yummy Bottom Left: piles of giant blossoms from the Great Chef's Event. Right Side: Uncle Sal in his Garden. 

12 zucchini or squash blossoms
1 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large organic egg
1/4 cup of grated parmigiano-reggiano

1/4 cup grated mozzarella
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3/4 tsp of sea salt
2/3 cup of all-purposed flour
1 cup of soda water or beer 
1 1/2 cups of vegetable or canola oil

Prepare the stuffing: 

Step 1: Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, chopped basil, egg and sea salt. Place mixture in refrigerator, while you prep the blossoms.

Prep the blossoms: 

Step 1: Slice the green stems off the flowers. Gently wipe them with a damp paper towel, to clean off any dirt.

Step 2: Gently open the petals. It may take a few tries as they can be entwined. Remove the pistil by snipping it off with some scissors.

Fill the blossoms:

Step 1: Gently pipe or spoon about 1-2 tbsp of filling into the flowers.

Step 2: Twist the top of the petals together to close the flowers. Keep in mind that when you twist they will swell, you will need to wipe up the excess and try not to overfill to the point that they are bursting. This will cause you filling to leak into the frying oil.

Set the flowers aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. ( Optional ) Turn on the oven to a very low heat to keep the cooked blossoms warm.

Fry the blossoms:

Step 1: Dip each flower one by one into the batter. Hold it over the bowl to let the excess batter drip off. 

Step 2: Cook the flowers until they are lightly crispy for about 2-3 minutes. 

Remove flowers from oil with slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet , (salt them immediately ) . At this point you can place them in the oven while you cook the remaining flowers. Once all the flowers have been cooked, serve immediately. I like to serve with either homemade marinara or balsamic vinegar.  

Let me know how they turn out! hashtag me #newoldfshndfood tag me @thenewoldfashioned or shoot me an e-mail with questions.

xoxo Anna

Catering for Bra Making with Madalynne

{mini blog} I can't really stand to wait another moment to share this beautiful photo gallery of pictures from the most recent bespoke catering job that The New Old Fashioned did. For anyone who does not know, a Bespoke service is something that is made to order! Over the past few years I have been working with friends and friends of friends exclusively on custom event food and beverage, alongside the workshop production and event styling services. It's becoming harder and harder to resist taking on catering inquiries from new people , but the time has come. Although I don’t see myself ever becoming a full-time caterer, I do enjoy a small collaborative event from time to time. There is something about trying to capture the feel of an event by incorporating the season, the location and the type of event into the menu, that really excites me! Stay tuned for a future post I'm working about entertaining and throwing parties ( big or small ) at home! Please contact me at hello@newoldfshnd.com if you would like to work with The New Old Fashioned on your next event menu.

These amazing photos were shot by Jessica Maida Photography for The Bra Making with Madalynne workshop. Special shout out to the talented Meredith Langer of Merelymere for her perfect calligraphy and signage.  

{new series} teacher catch ups - Maddie Flanigan of Madalynne

  Our final installment for now of the “Teacher Catch-Up” series is the one and only Maddie Flanigan of Madalynne.com. Maddie and I together for about 6 months planning this very big and detailed event. We talked about how Maddie wanted the event to feel and the day to flow and Maddie set to work making her immaculate curriculum while I did what I love to do.. plan a menu and event worthy of the instructor. Maddie is a very talented blogger, seamstress, and photographer, as well as MANY other things. But the focus of this event for her had to be on her talents as a teacher. It’s one thing to know something and quite another to teach it. Over the years, as The New Old Fashioned has grown Maddie has been a really big supporter of mine and has taken many beautiful pictures at our events. So, when it came time for Maddie’s event, I felt a strong need to go above and beyond to make the day perfect for both her and her students. For this event we were extremely lucky to work with Love Me Do Photography ,  in their gorgeous studio no less!! We also worked with Meredith Langer for signage, Bekuh Browning for florals, mini beauty treatments by Parlour Hair and Skin, handmade award medallions by Buttonetta and of course those beautiful desserts by Nina The Midnight Baker and Doux + Sel  Thanks again to all of you, for making this event the wonderful hit it was!

Here is some very exciting news! If you missed Maddie’s premier Bra Making workshop, you can stop kicking yourself. Just head on over to Madalynne.com and choose from one of the Three dates she has coming up! How exciting is that? You can also look forward to a little New Old Fashioned catering as well!

Choose from June 27, August 22 and November 7

Purchase your tickets soon, because it sounds like all three are close to selling out already! Students will be attending from Singapore, Australia in addition to Atlanta and California? Maddie has a lot of surprises and guests coming in from around the globe. Hope to see you there! Buy Tickets Here.

Medals by Buttonetta, Flowers by Bekuh B and Photo by Love Me Do

NOF:  What was your favorite thing about the workshop you collaborated on with The New Old Fashioned?

Maddie: I had a clear vision of how I wanted my workshop to be - the environment, the setup, the food and all the other accoutrements. Anna not only executed seamlessly, but also got my students excited before and after the class so that it would be a memorable experience they will never forget. 

NOF:  Why do you love instructing and sharing your passion, as opposed to just working on your craft  and creating only the finished product to market? Why share your knowledge?

Maddie: Mother Teresa said, “It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Because I was a college dropout, it took other people believing in me and giving me a chance to get me to where I am today. When those people gave me the opportunity, I promised that in return, I would give other's the opportunity as well. But not just give back, I would give back whole-heartedly with all the same amount of love I have for sewing. 

NOF: What are some of the things you would like to learn how to do? (crafts, hobbies, anything at all)?

Maddie: Rather than learn a new craft, I want to push my craft, bra making, further. 

NOF:  What are you working on right now that you are most excited about? (writing a book, selling new products, or working on a big project or event)?

Maddie: In addition to continuing to make lingerie, I'm really excited to publish my book, Portrait of a Seamstress, later this year (hopefully). 

Thank you Maddie for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to catch up with us!

Visit Maddie’s website at http://www.madalynne.com/  or follow her on Instagram at @mmadalynne 

{NEW SERIES} TEACHER CATCH UPS lindsey buck

Image by Love Me Do Photography 

Next up in our “teacher catch ups” series is Lindsey Buck of The Hive Studio. Last year we had the opportunity to produce a truly unique workshop with Lindsey. Our beautiful two day calligraphy brunch workshop, featured a Friday evening Calligraphy 101 class and a more intensive Saturday afternoon class that focused more on Calligraphy for events ( chalkboards , and digital images etc.). The catering was done by The New Old Fashioned Food  {details on that coming soon}. 

Image by Love Me Do Photography  Cookies by Nina The Midnight Baker

Image by Love Me Do Photography Catering by The New Old Fashioned

Planning and executing Lindsey’s workshops was really exciting. This was the first time that we would do a two-day event or a specialty workshop for event planners and professionals. Being that calligraphy is only one of Lindsey’s many talents she was  able to work with us on concept and we really wanted to help realize her vision for the day. She traveled from Ohio to join us for the weekend and worked tirelessly alongside us on every beautiful detail.  The images and video from that workshop provided by Love Me Do were seriously adorable. Thank you once again to Doris from Nina The Midnight Baker for the gorgeous cookies we surprised all the students with, and to Sarah K. of Heart and Dash for your assistance that weekend. We had some amazing and fun students and the photo booth pictures are proof of how much fun we had! Here is a little snippet from the chat we had with Lindsey recently:

NOF:    What was your favorite thing about the workshop you collaborated on with The New Old Fashioned?

Lindsey: The atmosphere, location, support from super fun hosts, & yummy food. I can't pick just one :)

NOF:    Why do you love instructing and sharing your passion, as opposed to just working on your craft  and creating only the finished product to market? Why share your knowledge?

Lindsey: Because I feel calligraphy is a way to add nostalgia back into our fast-paced world--with cursive leaving the school systems, now, & everyone in the whirlwind of emails & texts, it's a skill I think needs to remain to help all of us slow down, appreciate the skill of the handwritten art, & loveliness of the handwritten letter. 

Image by Love Me Do PhotographyImage by Love Me Do Photography

NOF:     What are some of the things you would like to learn how to do? (crafts, hobbies, anything at all)? 

Lindsey: I would love to learn how to create some pretty wall hangings (weaving), how to keep my plants & greens alive (not exactly the greenest thumb over here, but I'm trying), & maybe something related to ceramics or pottery. I took a couple of classes in college, but would like to brush up on my skills & create something for my studio!

NOF:    What are you working on right now that you are most excited about? (writing a book, selling new products, or working on a big project or event)?

Lindsey: I am currently creating new products for my new wholesale line (gift wrap, prints, postcards, & some new items!), & have some exciting calligraphy workshops on the horizon this year!

Image by Love Me Do Photography

Thank you Lindsey for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to catch up with us!

Visit Lindsey’s website at http://thehivestud.io/  or follow her on Instagram at @thehivestudio 

{new series} teacher catch ups - Alexis Siemons

Teaspoons & Petals with Alexis Siemons (photo by Love Me Do)

Over the next few weeks I hope to bring you a really fun update series from some of our past teachers and let you know a little about what they are up to. Sort of like a "Where are they now" but without the rehab and jail time. WE HOPE! Just kidding. Truth is that most of these talented ladies are still very much in touch with NOF, so we really just wanted to updated our friends and former/future students (yes fellas we haven't had a male instructor yet). We would love to work with you talented guys out there! Email us hello@newoldfshnd.com So, first up on our teacher updates.. we have the lovely Alexis Siemons  of Teaspoons & Petals. 

We enjoyed working with Alexis so very much. She is passionate about tea and super knowledgeable. She really made our job very easy, because she was prepared, professional and very open to our ideas. We try to surprise each of our teachers with a little unexpected gift for their class, and for Alexis we picked cute little hinged glass jars with chalkboard paint on them.  I really enjoyed watching the students pick from the beautiful assortment (pictured above) that Alexis brought for them and filling the jars to take home. I think everyone left delighted with so much excitement for their new hobby ( and thoroughly caffeinated too).  Here is a really casual interview we did with Alexis recently:

NOF: What was your favorite thing about the workshop you collaborated on with The New Old Fashioned?

 Alexis: Ah, do I have to pick just one? That's difficult since I loved so many aspects of the workshop. My favorite thing about my tea infused workshop collaboration with The New Old Fashioned was sharing tea infused snacks that offered a new way in which to enjoy tea. And that NOF transformed the space into a beautiful room that inspired such a creative afternoon.

NOF: Why do you love instructing and sharing your passion, as opposed to just working on your craft and creating only the finished product to market? Why share your knowledge?

Alexis: Tea is meant to be shared, so it lends itself to workshops and classes. Also, the interest in and love for the steeped leaf is growing at a rapid pace in the US and my hope is that I can help educate people about their tea experience to make it the very best it can be. I love the moment when a guest of my workshop learns how to properly brew tea (paying attention to water temperature and steep time) and then reaches out to me after the class to let me know how much they are enjoying their teas now. 

NOF: What are some of the things you would like to learn how to do? (crafts, hobbies, anything at all)?

Alexis: I really would love to learn how to sew, speak Italian, cook Persian dishes (I'm really excited by the flavors of that cuisine)....and continue practicing embroidery.

NOF : What are you working on right now that you are most excited about? (writing a book, selling new products, or working on a big project or event)?

ALEXIS : I'm getting ready to release my first issue of with tea, a self-printed quarterly journal of seasonal tea-infused recipes and stories. Each journal will be wrapped in a vintage handkerchief to help set the tone and scene for enjoying a cup of tea while reading the recipes.

Thank you Alexis for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to catch up with us!

Visit Alexis' website at http://www.teaspoonsandpetals.com/  or follow her on Instagram at @teaspoonsandpetals

RECIPE: Quinoa Tabbouleh with Feta/APRIL 17TH 2015

View fullsize

The lunch spread at The Bra Making with Madalynne Workshop January 31st at Love Me Do Studio in Philly

Beautiful Signage by Merelymere.com 

I really loved how the food looked served in my Falcon Enamelware collection. 

photo by Anne Buckles Insta @delores_and_bee 

You just never know which food is going to be the “big hit” at a party or an event. I guess I wasn’t really giving the Quinoa Tabbouleh the respect it deserved! Lesson learned! I eat this side dish (sometimes as a main course) so often that I forget how amazing it is and how unfamiliar the combination of ingredients might be to some Americans. My dad worked with a very sweet women named Lidia in for a long time in Las Vegas, NV. She was originally from the Middle East and she used to just knock his socks off with her recipes. He loved how simple and fresh her food was, and he encouraged her to make her family recipes for their lunch customers. Needless to say, her Tabbouleh was a “big hit” every time. I never did get my hands on her personal recipe, but I love to cook from memory. So I’m happy to share this delicious version with you!

You will need:

1 cup quinoa

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (5 scallions)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and medium-diced

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem

2 cups medium-diced feta (8 ounces)

1.  Pour 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and 1 teaspoon of salt, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and open (they'll have little curly tails).

2.  Drain, place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

3. In a large bowl, combine the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt* and 1 teaspoon of pepper.

4. Add the quinoa and mix well. Carefully fold in the feta and taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Make-Ahead Plan: Prepare the salad without the feta, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Fold in the feta and serve.

For Vegans: Serve the feta on the side.

Adapted from Ina Garten

RECIPE: Herb Egg Salad Tartines

First of all … Tartine {fancy word for open faced sandwich} ! Phew! That was close. We aren't going to sit here and say we invented egg salad, or even herb egg salad for that matter. But we definitely think that our version was a delicious elevation on something that needed very little improvement to begin with! It’s possible when you see all the herbs this recipe calls for, that you might think it’s a lot. However, we suggest you think about how easy your base of egg salad will be and how interchangeable the herbs can be. We served this vegetarian dish on both traditional and gluten free bread and everyone seemed to agree that gluten free or not, it was Eggcellent!! Sorry, we had to! They were topped with radishes, basil and watercress from The Farm at Doe Run , a personal favorite of ours. Hope you enjoy!

Here’s a helpful tip: When you come home from the grocery store with all your fresh herbs, we suggest that you “prep” them out. This means you remove them from their original packaging, wash them well (and make sure that they are dry). We used the salad spinner to get out all the excess water. Then you can pop each variety in its own zip lock bag with a clean paper towel. The paper towel will help pick up extra moisture and help keep them from drying out too much. These steps will make assembling the egg salad so much easier.

Serves 4

12 large eggs

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise (add ¼ at a time)

1⁄4 cup minced chives *

1⁄4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon zest

coarse salt

black pepper

Bread vessel of your choice ( we used 7 grain and slider sized sandwich flats)

20 basil leaves, washed and dried

4 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cup watercress leaves

* Feel free to vary the herbs, substituting fresh tarragon, dill, or chervil for the chives.

1. Start with perfect hard boiled eggs {Insert your favorite method here}.

2. Transfer the peeled eggs to a medium-sized bowl. Add the mayonnaise, chives, shallots, mustard, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mash the eggs with a potato masher, and mix the ingredients well with a large spoon (you should have about 3 1⁄4 cups salad).

3. Dollop a quarter of the egg salad onto each slice of bread and top with a quarter of the basil leaves, a quarter of the radishes, and a quarter of the watercress. Serve.