Queen's Pantry

Ending of 2009 season

2009-12-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

We're bad ... bad bloggers. We've been way too busy repackaging the Pantry into our own flirtatious images to write about anything. Fortunately the new personality is a good fit, and the festival clientele has responded beautifully.

It's been 5 days since the show closed for 2009, and we're already cutting holes in walls, and applying for permission for a structural change that will make the kitchen much more efficient for the fact that we're hand-building most of our items, rather that simply reselling purchased items.

The kitchen itself was/is a combination of 2 old shops, a courtyard, and the space between the shops. This makes for a terribly inefficient layout indoors. It's been one shop for more than 20 years, but the bones of the old structures are still apparent.

We're in recipe mode ...

2008-08-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry we haven't had many updates ...
We've been in the kitchen, playing with recipes for Scottish Bridies (a traditional hand-held pastry, filled with meats or sweets). We're happiest with our Chicken Caesar, and our Sweet Potato with Apple varieties so far.

We've also worked up an awesome dip for our new Tartan Tempura. Tartan Tempura is a mix of fresh veggies, lightly battered in tempura, and then fried to a golden brown. We'll serve a big dish of it, with a slightly-spicy dipping sauce. (Hmmm, I need to name this sauce ...)

Does this look yummy?

2008-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

This is a cherry chocolate brownie in the foreground, with fruit tartlets in the background.

We're working on the adverts that go into the Festival program. Where do we begin? Currently we're looking through our pictures, trying to decide which few will communicate the booth well, and we just get lost watching the slideshow.

Organic Iced Coffee with Cream:

Yummy yes, but does it LOOK yummy? That is the question ... or, should we post pictures of the staff, enjoying a cupcake in our festival group photo?

On the move again ...

2008-03-19T07:50:00.000-07:00

doing the detective work for you TRF gourmands.

We went to New York City for the International Food Show from March 9th until the 11th. As if a trip into NYC were not already a gastronomic cacophony; the Javits Center was overstuffed with beautiful foods from around the world.

Sugar Art sculpture contests, Barrista contests, even the National Pizza Toss added to the excitement of tasting samples of everything from chocolate, to cheeses, to artisan breads, to wine sorbet. (Okay, we didn't really need to taste the wine sorbet, but it was good, and we liked it.)

Two days of intense effort on our part led to many exciting discoveries and surprises ... to be awaiting you when the Texas Renaissance Festival opens on October 11th.

We are in the early stages of adding some of these delights to our menu. Check back for updates, email us or post here with suggestions, and feel free to provide feedback while at the festival.

See you in 205 days!

Counting the hours,
Rhonni

Scottish

2008-02-29T17:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, we're the Scottish booth, and our dialect and menu will more closely communicate this in 2008.
While we know we're adding Rhonni's famous Apple Pie Porridge (or parritch in dialect); we're looking for more opportunities to roll our RRRRRRs while describing the shop's offerings.

Coming up with new items is hard work, but we're on the trail for you.

March 9th through the 11th, we'll be at the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show in NYC

April 7th and 8th we'll be taking classes at the Great American Dessert Experience Show in Atlanta, GA.

June 29th through July 1st, we'll be attending and (we won't lie) enjoying the heck out of the NASFT Fancy Food Show in NYC.

Och aye, a Scot's work is ne'er doon.

Group Photo Time!

2008-01-31T18:45:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants in on the cupcake action. When we were getting ready to take our QP Crew shots for 2007, these four Festival Guests had to get pics too.

As for the official group shot. I'm still having trouble choosing. Most have at least *one* hysterical feature. Today my favorite is this one:

Icing smears weren't too terrible, except for a few crewmembers on the back row that got out of hand.

Ornament Contest 2007

2007-11-27T17:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just *WAY* too much fun ... Brittany and Charlotte entered the vendor's ornament competition. It was to be a hand-made ornament for the festival's tree.
This is a pic of their gingerbread castle. They baked the gingerbread, and the spires are made of fondant cake icing.

Of course they won first place.

Celtic Christmas weekend 2007

2007-11-22T17:30:00.000-08:00

If it didn't feel like the holidays yesterday, the combination of cool weather and this view of the kitchen would probably do it ...

Snowmen, ornaments, bows, snowflakes, Poinsettias, and Christmas trees ought to get everyone ready for the season.

We look forward to sharing them with you!!!

Better Late than Never

2007-11-19T16:49:00.000-08:00

Okay,
so we have had an incredible festival season, and all of our changes (some might say *improvements*) have been well received.
Unfortunately we have not thought to chronicle the mad-fun we've been having designing pastries and cupcakes for the themed weekends at the Texas Renaissance Festival.

We'll post some of the pics that we *do* have during the off-season, and try to keep you all informed of what is going on with us in our food-travels. (Market-research ... gotta love it).

I know we've created more than a few addictions this season ... I guess I should be sorry .

But really ...
For those of you looking to purchase the delicious Fair Trade and Organic Coffee we've been selling, here is a link to Cafe Campesino ... the blend we use is "Mad Poet". They roast it for us weekly.