A “Rosé Before the Big Day” Bridal Shower

We had such a fun weekend celebrating our brother Michael’s bride-to-be, Laura.

While many of you know that Mallory and I live across the street from each other, you may be surprised to learn that Laura also only lives a few short walkable blocks away. She is the younger sister of one of my brother-in-law Chris’ best friends and attended the same elementary school that my children do now. We are talking less than one degree of separation here. As a result of her proximity and simply because we love her company, Mallory, Laura and I have spent many an afternoon and evening sipping glasses (notice the plural use of the noun) of rosé together. Consequently, we decided that “rosé” would be a fun theme for Laura’s bridal shower that we cohosted with our mom and her dear friend Leslie.

Mallory dreamed up a Rosé Bar for the shower, complete with our favorite bottles of rosé (Tranche, Mr. Pink and Chateau St. Michelle’s Le Rosé) and two rosé-based cocktails – A Spicy Perspective’s Rose Sangria and @chateaustmichelle’s Rosé Spritz.

Rosé Spritz

• 1 ounce Aperol
• 1 ounce Grapefruit Juice
• 1 ounce Grapefruit Soda or Grapefruit Sparkling Water
• 3 ounces Rosé

Add all ingredients to a wine glass with ice, stir and garnish with a grapefruit slice. The cute Rosé Bar sign as well as the “Rosé Before the Big Day” welcome sign are from an Esty shop known as SmallMomentsDigitals.

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In addition to rosé, we served beautiful cheese and charcuterie platters along with four salads (that we somehow failed to take any pictures of!) – Chinese Chicken Salad (recipe linked and the favorite salad my mom makes); a Strawberry Spinach Salad with a balsamic dressing; a Pesto Pasta Salad with DeLallo Simply Pesto (available at QFC) to taste, pine nuts and parmesan cheese; and, a new salad to me, Chrissy Teigen’s Roasted Cauliflower, Feta, and Orzo Salad, which was delicious and received RAVE reviews (recipe below).

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Roasted Cauliflower, Feta, and Orzo Salad*

For the Salad:

• 1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 5 cups)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2/3 cup dried cherries
• 4 cups baby spinach

For the Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, toss the cauliflower with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a large baking sheet and roast until tender and cauliflower is slightly charred, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente. Drain in colander, rinse under cold water, drain well, and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. In a large bowl, make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked orzo, roasted cauliflower, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and dried cherries. Toss until well coated with the dressing. Add the spinach and toss one more time. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve.

*Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, Cravings

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After having gorgeous unseasonably warm weather in Seattle all week, Saturday was blustery and threatened rain. While, miraculously no rain drops fell during the shower, it was simply too chilly outside to serve the raspberry sorbet topped with rosé and fresh raspberry dessert a la @joythebaker we originally planned to serve our guests. Anyone have any ideas of what we should do with copious amounts of leftover raspberry sorbet? But don’t worry, we also served Rosé Cupcakes as favors for guests, so there was still plenty of dessert! And the Rosé Cupcakes were delicious! The recipe we used to make them is below along with a link to the cupcake boxes and the best value satin ribbon.

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Rosé Cupcakes*

• 1vbox Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ white cake mix
• 3/4 whole milk
• 1/2 cup rosé wine
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3 egg whites
• 3 drops gel red food color

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, using cake mix, water, 1/2 cup wine, oil, egg whites and food color. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in pans for 10 minutes; then remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes before adding frosting.
• Recipe makes about 24 cupcakes.

Rosé Frosting

• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. rosé wine
• 2 drops gel red food coloring

• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Start with the mixer at the lowest speed, then gradually increase the speed, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl as needed, until the butter is light in color, perfectly smooth, and makes a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. If the butter is soft, this should only take 30 seconds, but if the butter is cool, it can take a couple of minutes.
• Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix at the lowest speed until it’s fully incorporated before adding the next cup. When all the sugar has been added, scrape the paddle and the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the rosé wine, vanilla, salt, and two drops of food coloring, and beat them at low speed for 15 seconds. Increase the speed to as high as you can without making a mess and whip the buttercream until the mixture is perfectly smooth, creamy, and light, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer once or twice to scrape the bowl and paddle, then continue beating. At first the buttercream will appear to soften, then it will stiffen and increase in volume.
• Recipe yields enough frosting for about 24 cupcakes.

Recipe inspiration from Betty Crocker and Trophy Cupcakes & Jennifer Shea.

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In addition to a rosé cupcake, all our guests took home one of the white flower boxes our mother and Leslie planted and used as centerpieces for our beautiful Seattle Farm Tables.

Rosé was such a fun bridal shower theme! From cute cocktail napkins, a Rosé Bar, to rosé dessert. Because just about the only thing more lovely than a chilled glass of rosé during the summer is Laura herself! And, if we are all being really honest, what bride doesn’t need a glass (or two) of “Rosé Before the Big Day”! Cheers!