Chef Mark McDaniel of ReMARKable Affairs Catering, a Dallas catering company, had the pleasure of hosting Emmy award winning journalist Mike Crilley at his café on Thursday for lunch. Mike spoke to The ProActive Networking Group to discuss ways to draw the media’s eye to your business and highlighted his book, Free Publicity.

Chef Mark, an active networker and Dallas personal chef, was quoted as saying “if you haven’t heard Jeff speak, you are truly missing out!” In attendance were approximately 35 Dallas area business leaders.

The ProActive Networking Group meets on Thursdays from 11:30-1:00pm at ReMARKable Café at: 2727 LBJ Freeway, Suite 140, Farmers Branch, Texas 75234. For more information, please call: (972) 462-7470.

About ReMARKable Affair Catering:
ReMARKable Affairs Dallas catering services include corporate catering, events catering for holiday parties, and formal banquets with gourmet catering. Executive Chef Mark McDaniel also provides personal chef services and meal delivery in Dallas. ReMARKable Affairs Café in North Dallas is open for lunch weekdays and available for private party rental space. For more information visit: http://www.remarkableaffairs.com/

Dallas Chef and caterer, Mark McDaniel of Remarkable Affairs Catering recently announced two events for Valentine’s Day. The events will take place at Remarkable Affairs Café in North Dallas. The first event, a Valentines Cooking Class, takes place on Saturday, February 12, 2010 at 6pm.

Join Chef Mark at his intimate café as he cooks up some romance. Learn how to “woo your loved one” or just sit back and sip your favorite adult beverage and watch the “magic” happen. The cooking class is $95 per couple or $55 per single.

On the menu for the evening cooking class is:

• Arugula Salad with Hearts of Palm, Heirloom Tomato and Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Heart Shaped Crab Cake with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Puree
• Sliced Strip Steak with Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Reduction
• Cornish Game Hens with Sun Dried Tomato Reduction and Peruvian Mashed Potatoes
• Cherries Jubilee Ala Mode

Remarkable Affairs will also be opening the Café doors on Valentine’s Night for a special Valentine’s dinner on Monday, February 14, 2011. There will be early and late seatings available.

On the menu for Valentine’s Dinner is:

• Cream of Cauliflower and Leek Soup with Pancetta Croutons
• Or Classic Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
• Pan Seared Salmon with Onion Tomato Jam
• Or Beef Tenderloin with Light Demi
• Both accompanied with Mascarpone Whipped Mashers and Creamed Spinach
• Kahlua Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Crème

Reservations required for either event. Call (972) 462-7470 or e-mail Chef Mark at: mark@remarkableaffairs.com.

Photo courtesy Steve Lee, American Airlines Center

Chef Mark McDaniel of ReMARKable Affairs Catering in Dallas participated in the 1st annual American Airlines Chef Challenge on October 12. It was a great opportunity to vie against 18 of his peers and Chef Mark once again provided high quality, “clean food” produced in only 30 minutes!

The first round of the competition had contestants preparing any item with the ingredients selected by American Airlines Center and Levy Restaurants. The judging panel included a Dallas celebrity chef, Woodall, and Levy Restaurants Executive Chef Brian Johnson.

The top five contestants advanced to the finals where they were able to prepare their own Signature Offering. Finalists received four tickets to a Dallas Mavericks and a Dallas Stars game. The Chef’s Challenge champion received a luxury suite for a night to a Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars game. Additionally, the champion will make celebrity chef appearances throughout the season.

While he didn’t take 1st place, Chef Mark plans to use his experience to broaden his culinary horizons and continue networking with his other colleagues.

Looking for a delicious way to present your holiday ham? Try this Baked Ham with Rum Citrus Glaze Recipe or let us delivery one for your holidays!

  Rum Citrus Glaze Recipe

• 3 cups orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum

For the ham:

• 1 (8 to 10-pound) fresh ham,  bone-in and skin-on
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Make the glaze by combining the orange juice, brown sugar, orange zest, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cloves and allspice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to cook at a brisk simmer until the mixture has reduced in volume to just over 1 cup and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the rum, and set aside to cool.

Remove the ham from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. While the ham is still cold, using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham, making a diamond-pattern through the skin and fat about 1/2-inch deep.

Follow heating directions on the package.

Using your hands, rub the salt and pepper evenly over the entire surface of the ham. Place the ham in a large roasting pan and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the scores begin to open up and the ham begins to color. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and continue to cook the ham until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 155 to 160 degrees F, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. The ham will continue to cook after removed from the oven.

During the last hour of cooking, baste the ham often with the glaze and any pan juices that have accumulated. The skin should be crisp and dark. If the skin threatens to burn before the ham is cooked through, cover the ham loosely with aluminum foil.

When the ham is ready, transfer it to a large platter or carving board and let sit for at least 20 minutes before carving. To serve, slice the meat thinly across the grain and arrange slices on a platter. Serve with any pan juices passed on the side.

Click on the the link below and see Chef Mark in action preparing a baked ham with rum citrus glaze on Fox 4 News - Good Day!

Baked Ham with Rum Citrus Glaze

Title: Client Appreciation
Location: ReMARKable Affairs Cafe, 2727 LBJ Frwy, Dallas, TX 75234
Description: With sincere appreciation for making our progress possible, ReMARKable Affairs Catering cordially invites you to a Client Appreciation Celebration!

Start Time: 4:30
Date: 2009-09-24
End Time: 7:00

Title: The Branch Out
Location: ReMARKable Affairs
Description: Farmer Branch Chamber
Branch Out Networking Meeting
Start Time: 7:30am
Date: 2009-08-26
End Time: 8:30am