Sunday, June 29, 2014

Gilded Lily's Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad

We love serving this refreshing watermelon feta salad to guests at our outdoor summer dinner parties. The salty feta balances the sweet watermelon, the peppery arugula adds a little kick, and the balsamic vinegar adds a tasty tang. Adding fresh mint gives it that extra refreshing summery flavor. It's perfect as a side dish or appetizer salad. You can make it a couple hours before guests are due to arrive, plate it ahead of time, set over a bowl of ice, and then serve cold.

Start by scattering fresh arugula on a serving platter. If you want more flavor, begin by tossing the arugula in a tiny amount - half a teaspoonful - of Leonardo y Roberto Basil Olive Oil, then place the arugula on your serving platter. You don't want too much oil as the watermelon adds a lot of liquid to the salad as your guest eats it.

For a simple four-person appetizer salad, I used a miniature watermelon. ("Seedless," of course, but it does contain lots of little white seeds). I cut a flat part out of the bottom to help it stand up while I sliced the watermelon thinly (about an inch-and-a-half thickness to allow for bite sized cut pieces).

To add interest and flair to your salad, try cutting out fun shapes with your cookie cutters. I chose a star and round biscuit cutter for this salad today. Cut carefully so you maximize your watermelon. Save scraps and edges to make fresh Watermelon Margaritas. Plan on about eight to ten watermelon shapes per guest.

After cutting out all the shapes, gently pat them with a paper towel or dish towel to absorb some of the moisture on both sides. Place the watermelon shapes on top of the arugula, arranging them attractively.

Next I used a chef's squeeze bottle (actually just the cap) to drizzle our tasty Leonardo y Roberto balsamic vinegar oil on top of the watermelon.

I used Black Currant balsamic vinegar, but our other flavors (Pomegranate, Vanilla Fig, and Traditional) work just as well. Other recipes for watermelon salads call for you to take the time to make balsamic reductions, but our balsamic vinegars from Leonardo y Roberto are already thick and rich.

Finish by sprinkling feta and chopped mint leaves over your salad. Use tiny chopped feta for more flavor, or bigger chunks of feta for a more attractive presentation to show off your watermelon shapes.

You can customize your salad by adding thin slivers of red onion, chunks of peeled cucumber, goat cheese instead of feta, and chopped pistachios if you like.

Shop for Leonardo y Roberto and our other gourmet balsamic vinegars, olive oils and gourmet foods at the Gilded Lily in Wenatchee!

Friday, June 27, 2014

Fun and Delicious Pastas for Summer from Italian Harvest

We're excited to showcase some of our new and returning pastas. The "Le Rose" rose-shaped pastas were in briefly before Valentine's Day and sold out super fast. We're glad to have them back in stock!

The jury's out on whether or not this black-and-blue squid ink pasta will retain such a vibrant color after cooking. Still, we thought this was an intriguing and fabulous concept, and we're looking forward to experimenting!

"Pasta del Mare" features adorable sea-themed shapes, including octopi, seashells and whales. Great for making a flavorful summer pasta salad with our white balsamic vinegar so the pasta doesn't get discolored.

We thought "Le Rose" pasta was just perfect for summer - most of us here at the Gilded Lily are avid rose gardeners. What a delightful outdoor evening dinner party you could serve in the midst of your rose garden, featuring rose-shaped pasta as the main course?

Shop for these and our other gourmet pastas and fancy foods at the Gilded Lily in downtown Wenatchee!

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Fall Sneak Peek: Baby Clothes from K&K

Our new adorable baby clothes from K&K Interiors would be perfect for babies due in the fall. Pick out one of these soft warm outfits for a baby shower you might be attending this summer. Here at the Gilded Lily, we gift package your baby gifts at no extra charge as part of our customer service!

Stonewall Kitchen's New Gourmet Foods for Summertime Cookouts

Just in from Stonewall Kitchen!

Honey Mustard Aioli - Use on burgers, on sandwiches, with homemade pretzels, or as a great dip for French fries or veggies. $7.50 per jar.

Truffle aioli - coming soon! Serve on sandwiches, burgers, as a dip or dolloped onto grilled fish. Also great with artichokes. $7.95 per jar.

Sriracha aioli - smooth and spicy! Use it on chicken, burgers, and sandwiches. $7.50 per jar.

Ballpark Mustard - Besides as a dip for pretzels, serve with hotdogs, burgers and sandwiches. $6.50 per jar.

Truffle Marinara Sauce - Try it over pasta or as a sauce for homemade pizza. $10.95 per jar. Find it in our gourmet pasta section.

Shop for these and our other gourmet foods at the Gilded Lily in downtown Wenatchee!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

New Cookbooks for June 2014

Newly arrived - more tempting cookbooks with scrumptious photographs!

Pasta Modern: New & Inspired Recipes from Italy, by Francine Segan. Inside, you'll find recipes for appetizers and soups, fruit and nuts, vegetarian dishes, fish and meat, fresh pasta, savory chocolate and coffee, desserts and holiday recipes. $35.

Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stovetop, Grill and Sandwich Maker, by Laura Werlin. This innovative cookbook presents recipes for brie and apricot jam on a baguette; spinach and goat cheese on a croissant; blue cheese and fresh figs on crusty Italian bread, and other intriguing ideas. $17.95.

We couldn't resist this darling cookbook for children: Look and Cook, by Tina Davis. $19.95.

Bake It Like You Mean It: Gorgeous Cakes from Inside Out, by Gesine Bullock-Prado. This looks so interesting! We keep seeing reviews of it on baking blogs. $29.95.

Warren Brown's "Pie Love" book includes the requisite recipes for pie crust, plus sweet pie fillings, tart crusts, sweet tarts, and savory pies. $24.95.

Our final new pie book is Pie It Forward: Pies, Tarts, Tortes, Galettes, and Other Pastries Reinvented, by Gesine Bullock-Prado. $29.95.

Discover these and our other gourmet cookbooks at the Gilded Lily gift and home store in downtown Wenatchee!

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Camping Books at the Gilded Lily

Our new batch of camping-related books and cookbooks help you make the most out of your summer camping adventures!

"Hungry Campers: Cooking Outdoors for 1 to 100" offers campfire cooking basics, tips for large group cooking, plus intriguing recipes for French Toast Casserole, Forest Hot Cereal, and Really Sloppy Joes. $15.99.

"The Art of Wood-Fired Cooking" includes recipes for pizza, calzones, seafood, poultry, meat, vegetables, pasta, rice, eggs, bread, and even desserts. $19.99.

"Glamping with MaryJane" shows you how you can combine glamour with camping. Contents include chapters on trailers, back yard glamping, porch and garden glamping, glamping eats, adorning your campsite, and junktiquing for entertainment. $24.99.

In S'mores: Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion, you learn about roasting marshmallows, melting chocolate, and how to make dozens of delightful s'mores whether you're outdoors or in the kitchen. $19.99.

Occupy your kids in the car on the way to your campsite with Camping Doodles. $9.99.

Shop for these and our other gourmet cookbooks and humorous books at the Gilded Lily on Wenatchee Avenue!

Saturday, June 7, 2014

New Baby Clothes from Baby Aspen

Newly arrived from Baby Aspen!

Peas and Carrots Cap and Booties Set, $26.95

"Chicken Legs" Plush Chicken and Leg Warmers Set, $23.95

Snug as a Bug Snuggle Sack, $38.95

Find these and our other baby shower gifts at the Gilded Lily in downtown Wenatchee!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Darling Mud Pie Baby Clothes for Summertime

We are delighted to be the exclusive purveyor of Mud Pie baby clothes in the Wenatchee area. The outfits are so darling!

We've stocked up on colorful and cute summer outfits, sunsuits, and bathing suits for babies and toddlers.

Shop for Mud Pie and our other baby clothes and baby shower gifts at the Gilded Lily in downtown Wenatchee!

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

New Soft Toys for Babies from Jellycat

Just arrived from Jellycat:

Caffuffle Labradoodle, $23

Fuddlewuddle Kitten, $22

Hoot Owl Soother Rattle, $18.75

Toot Owl Soother Rattle, $18.75

Shop for these and our other plush baby toys and baby shower gifts at the Gilded Lily in downtown Wenatchee!

New Colorful Phone Wallets from Shiraleah

New this week from Shiraleah!

Olivia Phone Wallet in Gold

Olivia Phone Wallet in Mint

Olivia Phone Wallet in Orchid

Olivia Phone Wallet in Salmon

Olivia Phone Wallet in Sky

Each phone wallet comes with a pebble grain, gold hardware, a detachable cross-body chainn, a push-lock closure, two credit card slots, one bill slot, an ID window, and an elastic strap to hold the phone in place. The best part is, the wallet has a touch screen window, so you can type through the cover to interact with your phone.

Our Olivia phone wallets sell for just $27.95 each.

Visit the Gilded Lily on Wenatchee Avenue to see these and our other smartphone wallets, purses and accessories!