Monday, December 12, 2016

The Altamira Pastry Competition

Chef Mariana Ramirez, Winner of the Altamira Pastry Competition


We love to support our local clientele and vendors, and this years Altamira Pastry Competition was no exception, especially since the theme was “Falling for Chocolate”, Valrhona chocolate, to be exact.
Held at one of our Vail favorites, the Marriott Resort Vail Mountain was host to Altamira’s high-end food show of the Rockies on November 7th and 8th. The 6th annual Pastry Competition was held on day two and 10 Strawberry Street donated 5 different platters and bowls for each pastry chef to plate their creations for the the panel of judges. 

Each Chef had to prepare a plated dessert, a 55 piece bon bon offering, and a petit four display show piece at least one foot tall in a 2 hour window on stage with the help of an assistant. The plated dessert and show piece could be finished 80% in advance.

After 6 hours of molding, casting, melting, spraying, gluing, and tasting all things sugar and chocolate, the winning trio was awarded to Chef Mariana Ramirez from the Colorado Convention Center.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Top Three Must Have Sides for the Holidays!



The debate over exactly what sides are going to be served for the Holidays isn't always a passive one. There are so many perfect options, but sometimes one or two of them have to go. Feelings and hungry stomachs may be disappointed in the process but here are 3 sides you simply cannot forget when serving up that special meal!




We're going to put our money on the table and call it. Brussel Sprouts! It's no surprise, just about every body has some type of vegetable out for the holidays. We feel like this year Brussel Sprouts has been an unsung hero of the food pyramid. 




We definitely recommend using bowls from our Dimple Porcelain Serveware collection. The Dimple Collection is a welcomed departure from smooth surfaces, adding some texture and interest to your tabletop with a new collection of hammered porcelain aesthetics!




This one is a wild card of sorts. It could be switched out with a million other sides and you probably wouldn’t be wrong. However, we still think Mashed Potatoes is your best bet. You’re guaranteed to have a bird, and stuffing but… where’s that creamy starchy goodness? How you prepare the Potatoes is a whole other top three list (insert Tolkien reference), but regardless of how you make it, Mashed Potatoes just feels like a necessary component in any major Holiday meal!



And you’re going to need a lot! We recommend serving up that piping hot, gooey delight in our Whittier Square Rim Bowl! Embodying the distinction between placing and presenting, our Whittier bowls showcase their contents with soft, flowing shapes that project a progressive elegance, delighting chefs and guests alike. A necessity for any buffet or table, and perfect for some Holiday Mashed Potatoes!


Lastly, we have rolls and biscuits. When it comes to special dinner, you can have as little or as much as you want but you have to have the rolls. Now, rolls and biscuits can be interchangeable here depending on what you’re working with, but there’s nothing better that scooping up every thing on your plate in a nice buttery roll, dipping it in some gravy and taking in all the flavors of the Holidays at once. We all do it, we all love it, biscuits are our edible shovels that get us through piles of food and once the turkey and mashed potatoes & gravy are set you gotta have rolls on deck!




To be honest, you could probably cart out the biscuits in an old wheel barrel you find outside and people would still go mad over them. However, you might violate a couple of health codes doing that! So we recommend our 12” Whittier Serving Bowls. Embodying the distinction between placing and presenting, our Whittier bowls showcase their contents with soft, flowing shapes that project a progressive elegance, delighting chefs and guests alike. A necessity for any buffet or table. And hey, if your establishment is hosting big parties this is the perfect bowl to pass around and guarantee the entire table gets a roll!


Monday, October 31, 2016

Eat Dessert First!


The Holidays. What’s not to love about them? Families come together -or at least make an initially sober attempt to, everyone’s in the giving spirit, and the energy is a positive and optimistic one. However, with all these feel good moments going on we can sometimes tend to be a little overly indulgent. Specifically when it comes to food. And who can blame us? From Diwali to New Years we’re packed with tons of beautiful holiday observances that result in some amazing food, how could you not have had another plate of stuffing and mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving day? So it makes sense that by the time dessert comes around, a lot like the turkey we just ate, we might be a little over stuffed!


But no matter what the Holiday is, you gotta at least take a stab at some dessert right? So why not showcase that dessert beautifully? 

Cue our Whittier Coupe Slant Bowl. 


By now you know our Whittier Collection is our rock star collection. Every piece of the collection can stand on its own as an essential addition to your establishment’s artillery. Our Whittier Coupe Slant Bowl is no exception. Their oblique shape affords your pastry chef an elegant vessel. They welcome flourless chocolate cake, dessert crostini, caramelized apple tart, or even just a slice of something delicious!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Top 3 Cocktails

It's getting cold out, so of course it's only right that we take out Top Three series to talk about things that can warm us up! 

Naturally, the first thing that came to mind was cocktails. And while we're talented at throwing them back, we probably don't belong mixing drinks behind a bar... so we went the super exclusive Boys and Girl's Club at the Halcyon here in Denver. The result?


3. The House Martini Service

Right off their "Standards" menu, the Boys and Girl's Club's know how to serve up a Martini. Botanist Gin, House Vermouth Blend, Lemon Flake Sea Salt, Castelvetrano Olives, and a hint of Olive Oil make this Martini the right way to start off any night.


2. Vieux Carre

This French Quarter inspired drink is for Brandy lovers looking for something a little bit stronger to the taste. Old Overheat Rye, Hennessy VS Cognac, Bitters, Lemon Oil and a little more make this a fast way to "warm up." 



1. New Money

Of course we save the best for last. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, smoked vermouth, Nardini Amaro, and house bitters are all it takes to fall in love with this fabulous cocktail from our friends over at the Boys and Girl's club! Sweet with a beautiful scent we can't wait for the bartender to serve us up another round!

Normally we'd say if you're interested in learning more about the Boy's and Girl's club check out their website... but it's a very secret and very exclusive night club, so unless you plan on finding yourself there someday you can always make your own version of their drinks to tie you over!

The A-Team

AO Left, AH Right
Ah yes, The A-Team. A relic from the past. A show focused on a bunch of guys getting the job done. Not quite the good old days, this is the 80's we're talking about after all, but none the less a distinct memory that came in handy.

Andrea Hayes (pronounced ON-dria) and Andrea Olson (AN-dria) are the gears that make the Hospitality Division run smoothly and seamlessly here at the Strawberry. They are the lady bosses that get things done, or as we call them The A-Team of Customer Service. They handle every aspect of the PO’s, back-orders, product information, inventory, tracking, and customer service queries. 

You can't hit the road without a flood of the nicest compliments about the A-Team.  Our partners in the industry are dying to hire them, but what would we do without them? When you hear about how we have the best Customer Service in the industry, it's all due to these ladies!

Andrea H is coming up on her 5 year anniversary at 10 Strawberry Street. She loves shrimp and steak and her favorite pastimes are reading, going to church, and spending time with her two grown kids, Monae & Theo, and her 4 year old grandson, Caleb.

Andrea O also, coincidentally,  just celebrated her 5 year anniversary with the Strawberry team.  She puts down raw habanero and jalapeño peppers with ease for her lunch and in addition to being a wife and mommy to her 21 month old daughter, Audrey, she enjoys spending time in Wyoming with her family.

Want to know more? Give us a call! Chances are they'll be standing by anyway!

Friday, September 2, 2016

What's Hot?



10 Strawberry Street is synonymous with having an unparalleled assortment of large porcelain pieces without the oversized price tag. This collection is a bit like a Swiss Army Knife. Oslo is the perfect example of that. Some great pieces to pick from, all appropriate for just about any occasion and with the holidays coming up it's no wonder why these are flying off the shelf! 

Friday, August 19, 2016

Boys and Girl's Club


Ruby's at it again! This time she's snuck into a speakeasy in Denver called the "Boys and Girls Club." Hidden away in a Cherry Creek hotel in the heart of the tony neighborhood, Boys and Girl's Club is a private below ground club with 1950's style eats. The idea is to start on the rooftop for cocktails by the pool, hit the “Departure” restaurant for dinner, then cap off the night right with the private club in the basement. 



If you decide to check it out, be sure to be on the lookout for our Iriana and Cairo collections being put to use! As well as some of our Vatican wine glasses and decorated mugs!