After a dozen years in business together and having grown a company from just each other to a family of over 100, Chowgirls owners Heidi Andermack and Amy Brown finally had the opportunity to fulfill their lifelong dreams of writing a cookbook. As English majors, they had a nice head start; along with all those years of recipe writing for the business, they had a lot to say and the ability to say it well. Chowgirls Killer Party Food is the culmination of their past and future careers - Heidi’s as a writer and Amy’s as a bookseller and publishing professional. Arranged seasonally, the appetizer and cocktail recipes within represent both perennial Chowgirls favorites and a bounty of on-trend new ideas.
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With an eye for style and appreciation for seasonal ingredients, the proprietors of Chowgirls Catering, one of the Midwest’s leading catering companies, share their inspired ideas for delicious appetizers, small plates, and cocktails that are perfect for home entertaining. Amy Lynn Brown and Heidi Andermack were early adopters of the local, organic, sustainable, and seasonal approach to cooking; their ethos is clearly reflected in this cookbook, which offers fun, elegant, and yet easy-to-prepare recipes arranged by season that will be the hit of your next social gathering.
For your party to welcome spring, impress your guests with Spring Pea Toasts with Gouda, Mint-Crusted Lamb Chops, and Wasabi Crab Cakes. For that backyard summer fest, try Flank Steak Skewers with Chimichurri, Sweet Corn Risotto with Grilled Shrimp, and Gazpacho Jars. On that chilly fall gathering, offer the Grilled Sirloin with Farro Tomato Salad, Bacon-Pecan Tartlets, and Roasted Fall Vegetables with Saffron Aioli. And for that festive winter blow-out, make the Italian Beef Sliders, Crab & Green Chile Gratin, and Artichoke Tapenade. Then to wash it all down, make sure there’s plenty of Mint Julep Sweet Tea, White Sangria, and Strawberry Basil Daiquiris
Andermack and Brown’s shared passion for cooking and entertaining shines throughout this beautiful and inspiring cookbook. Their "righteous bites" will impress your guests with dazzling, organic, locally sourced recipes that show you care. Party on!
Heidi and Amy founded Chowgirls Catering in 2004 with a shared passion for cooking and entertaining. Publishing a cookbook has been an aspiration since they started the company. Twelve years later this dream has realized with the release of their first cookbook through Arsenal Pulp Press.
Driven by a spirit of collaboration, Heidi Andermack is a passionate member of her community in Minneapolis, helping establish the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District and serving on the board of the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market. When she’s not in the kitchen or participating in very important meetings, she can be found throwing punches at Uppercut, her neighborhood boxing gym, or stretching her body and mind with yin yoga. Heidi is mama to Maximillian Gold, wife to world-renowned font designer Chank Diesel, and personal chef to Katy Bug and London Dog.
Born and raised in Kentucky, Amy started a Northward journey in the mid-'90s and settled in Minneapolis, where she married an old college friend. After a 15-year career in bookselling and publishing, she co-created the iconic Chowgirls Catering in 2004. Besides the obvious reading and cooking, she stays busy distance running, gardening, raising her three daughters, Frances, Louise, and Julip, and throwing Frisbees with her Blue Heeler, Miss Honey Sue.
Print Recipe
Born and raised in the Bluegrass State, Amy is always looking for new ways to serve Kentucky bourbon. This whiskey-spiked drink provides all the comforts of a hot-spiced cider in a cool rocks-style cocktail.
In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine apple cider, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, orange slices, and ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to make a concentrate. Set aside and let cool.
Combine mulled apple cider, bourbon, pear cider, and cold apple cider in a large cocktail pitcher. Stir well and pour over ice. Garnish with orange zest and start anise.
Makes 8 servings.
In the fall of 2016 we published a bestselling cookbook, Chowgirls Killer Party Food. We’re thrilled to have our cherished recipes accessible to home cooks and sold in bookstores around the country. In addition to a national cookbook tour, co-owners Amy and Heidi have been featured in O Magazine and on Oprah’s website. They’ve cooked on TV in Minneapolis, at WGN Chicago, CBS Los Angeles, and Fox New York. In January, the Detroit Free Press featured Chowgirls Killer Party Food – and some of the recipes within it – tagged with the headline “Take Your Super Bowl Food to the Next Level.”
“A lighthearted guide to serious fun by the renowned Minneapolis caterers. These are surefire recipes and tips from two chefs who spend a lot of time working in challenging environments, such as warehouses, where the access to running water is a janitor‘s sink, or the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, where food and equipment are transported to the site by canoes. They share their strategies for sourcing and preparing local seasonal ingredients and preparing the components of a dish ahead, so last-minute preparation is a snap. Their recipes are innovative twists on familiar favorites — pretty mini Iron Range pasties filled with roasted root vegetables, old-fashioned crab gratin sparked with chiles, scaled-down Swedish meatballs, plus Mad Men-worth cocktails to cheer you on.”
- Beth Dooley, Star Tribune
“More than just a recipe collection, the book also allows readers insight into the work of a caterer with extra tips and tricks on entertaining and preparing most of the dishes. It‘s also divided into seasons, which readers can use to pair dishes together for a complete party, the two added, though some dishes — deviled eggs, for example — can be made year round.”
- The Journal Minneapolis
“Each recipe is helpfully marked as gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, et cetera, so there will be no fumbling when your party guests inevitably ask. And each section is presented seasonally (we‘re now in winter in case the temps have you confused), with several accompanying cocktail recipes.”
- Minneapolis City Pages
“Recipes offer a contemporary spin on appetizers and small bites and are great for cooking for a crowd. The Chowgirls cookbook has many more recipes worth trying, such as their Swedish meatballs, which come with a delicious, flavorful gravy recipe. We‘re already searching for a large-crowd occasion to make them again.”
- Twin Cities Pioneer Press
“While planning a party, many hosts wish they had the resources to hire cooks or caterers to take over the kitchen, especially if the hosts aren‘t too savvy in the kitchen. Minneapolis-based Chowgirls Catering has the answer: its cookbook, Chowgirls Killer Party Food: Righteous Bites and Cocktails for Every Season.”
- Minnesota Business Magazine
Chowgirls Catering
336 Hoover St NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.203.0786
info@chowgirls.net
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