NACE Twin Cities Chapter

In this issue

President's Report
Calendar of Events
Welcome New Members
Membership Drive!
Thank You Last Month's Sponsors!
Photos of the last event
Industry News

Recipe of the Month

Ricotta and Honey Tart Recipe

Honey and lemon zest flavor this tart made of ricotta cheese. A crisp crust and crunchy almond topping sandwich the creamy filling.

Game plan: Drain the ricotta of excess moisture by placing it in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, weigh the cheese down with a heavy object, and refrigerate overnight.

INGREDIENTS

For the crust:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon loosely packed, finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the filling:

1 pound ricotta cheese, drained overnight (see "Game plan" note above)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup clover honey
1 tablespoon loosely packed, finely grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS For the crust:

Place melted butter, sugar, zest, and salt in a large bowl and stir until combined. Add flour and stir just until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute.
Evenly arrange small pieces of dough over the bottom of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, press the dough to form an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, flouring the cup or your fingers as needed.
Cover the tart shell with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
When the shell is chilled, prick it all over with a fork and place it on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown all over, about 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

For the filling:

Place drained ricotta, eggs, honey, zest, and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Process, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 1 minute.
Spread the filling in the warm tart shell and evenly sprinkle almonds over top. Bake until the center is just set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

Quote of the Month

"Strength is the ability to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of those pieces"

- Judith Viorst

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May 2010

President's Report

Greetings Catering and Event Professionals!

The Spring Membership Drive is nearly over. If you or someone you know can benefit from event and catering education, networking contacts and professional development then you cannot miss out on this opportunity. Until May 21 you can join with $100 off the membership fee and get a $25 credit to the NACE Store. It is a great deal - so get off the fence and join up! We currently have seven brand new members who have joined during the drive. More questions - contact Allison Munsell or Jennifer in membership.

Here is the summer scoop on the meeting calendar. We will be having a Members appreciation free networking event on June 2 at W Hotel. We will then be taking off the the month of July due to the National NACE Experience Conference in Austin, Texas from July 25-28. If you have the opportunity to attend you must do so - it is not too late to register. It is well worth it and I promise you that you will come back rejuvinated in your professional drive and ahead of the event trends. So there is no local meeting in July. We will regroup for our next OPEN meeting for members and guests on August 4th. The programs group is working on a strong line up to finish out the year.

Special thank you to Lisa Brenna and Mintahoe for hosting the May meeting at Minneapolis Central Library. Mintahoe, in my opinion, is one of the leaders and always on the cutting edge with station presentations in our region. They showed why they are HOT STUFF at this event. The topic was beverage pairing stations and alcohol food infusion - a great option for upselling beverage to clients with a twist. These stations are fun and interactive and if you are not offering them now get on board! My particular favorite was the slider action station with three slider options and beverages for each, but many liked the short ribs station (well, a little too much!) We also enjoyed a couple of beverage distributor speakers who sponsored beverages - The Patron Spirits, Quality Wine & Spirits and Passport Beverage. Passport showed us a new non-alcoholic organic product line that is trending - check it out! Jean Peine with Studio 6 hosted the linens and Jay, with djay Sound and Light, a new member, played perfect music as we wrapped up the evening. Yes, some danced - all networked and all left with some new ideas - as always. It was a great night. Thanks Mintahoe! (Keep reading to see some the beautiful shots Susan Austin took...)

Wishing you all a great summer! See you at the June 2 Members event or August 4th for the next open meeting.

Terrie Bulanek - Chapter President 2010

Calendar of Events

Members Only Networking Event!

W Hotel -The Living Room

821 Marquette Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55402

June 2, 2010

5:00 to 7:00 PM

A free event, in recognition of our full time NACE members!

Complimentary appetizers being provided by Manny's Steakhouse(Parasole) and Complimetary first drinks will be provided by NACE

Welcome New Members

Welcome New and Returning Members!

Angie Bartingale-Combes (Crowne Plaza, St. Paul)

Wendy Bechtold (college of Saint Benedict)

Julie Broders (Westin Edina Galleria)

Ryan Davis (Ramada Minneapolis NW Hotel)

Wendy Holly (Prom Catering)

Don Johnston (Swank Audio Visuals)

Julie Johnston (The Know)

Juli Kannenberg (Adventures Restaurants and Catering)

Matt King (Shamrock Group/Ace Ice Company

Janice McLean (Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport)

Robin Rosenberg (Linen Effects)

Lonna Olson (Eurest Dining)

Membership Drive!

Don't Miss out! Join NACE today! Campaign Ends on May 21!

Save $100 on Membership dues!

Join online at www.nace.net using code SPR10

The Fine Print

1. Offer valid for new members. Renewals are only accepted as part of this offer if membership has lapsed for more than one year.

2. Offer not valid with other NACE discounts or promotions. Discount applies only to professional members, young professionals are excluded.

3. The offer will not be available to campaign participants prior to March 22, 2010

4. If no local chapter is in your area, your membership will be designated as "At-Large".

A membership in the National Association of Catering Executives provides you with an instant network of more than 4,000 professional friends and colleagues, who are leaders in the industry, experts at their craft and more than willing to help. Talk about a social network! NACE practically invented the concept. In addition, NACE gives you regional and national educational workshops and webinars, the Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) certification, chapter programs and networking, sponsorship opportunities and business partner advantages. And that's just the start of it.

During March 22 through May 21 you can join NACE at a discounted rate of $295. In addition, we are throwing in a little something extra, a $25 discount to the NACE store, where you can pick up CDs from past events and merchandise that lets everyone know you are a member of the best professional association for catering professionals and event designers.

Here's what NACE brings to the table:

The Experience!^TM annual conference
Local chapter networking and education programming
NACE career center just for industry professionals
The Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) designation
Access to NACE national business partners
National and local sponsorship opportunities
Industry-wide awards recognition program
NACE's membership discount program, the "NACE Advantage"
And much more

And your career, your business should be no exception.

Membership in the National Association of Catering Executives brings immediate rewards, including job leads, career and business advice, industry certification, training and networking with leaders in the catering and events field, both regionally and all across the country.