The February Fundraiser ~ The Carnival Rio Party!!!

February is a go-to month for many group's fundraising efforts. So, standing out from the crowd is an important prospect!

We've got Valentine's Day, which is the most popular date, naturally. Mardi Gras will fall in here, as well, and that is a popular theme, too!

We've held some really fun parties of both types!

Let's go on to something newer, this year! How about heading further south for February? Like, how about Rio de Janeiro, Brazil??? Carnival (pronounced car nee val' ) in Rio is about as crazy fun as Mardi Gras week in our South!

So, we've got, not only the opportunity for some crazy fun, masquerades, dancing and music, the food from Brazil is off the chain! Absolutely!

And while we're dressing up, I'd encourage our guests to go all out for prizes! I've seen some of your outfits from last year! I KNOW you've got it in you!!! I'd suggest costume pictures being done throughout the Meet & Greet Hour, with prizes being handed out after dessert. That leaves time for dancing and fun!

The 2018 Carnival Season runs from February 9th through Tuesday, February 14th. Ash Wednesday is the following day. Carnival in South America is a festival of color, costumes, music, dancing and great food...as with Mardi Gras, it's the last big feasting celebration before the Lenten Season of fasting begins. Masquerade is a large focus of Carnival...they can be beautiful, exotic, scary or silly! Whatever fits your mood! Here are some masks for inspiration! Definitely, do a contest! We've got some wonderfully creative folks in the club, and it'd be such fun to see what they can do! Tutorials for making Carnival Rio Masks and Mardi Gras Masks can be found online. Along with tons of pictures for inspiration!

To the left is one of my favorite full mask designs, a basic whiteface mask, artistically adorned with black and gold swirl designson the face, with a purple feather headdress.

To the right is a gold gilded half mask with feather accents in red and black, so dramatic!

The man's half mask, at left, lends that eerie appearance that works so well with a floor length cape and a swashbuckler hat! The possibilities are endless!

Maybe, do prizes for the Most Beautiful Woman, Most Original Woman, the Handsomest/Sexiest Man, Most Frightening Man, and maybe even a Who'd Have Thought! Category. Secure your prize donations from outside sources, for added value to the efforts of the competitors, in exchange for a little free publicity for the donors' sponsorship. Sound good, so far? Many of our local storekeepers are willing to give a donation for a good cause! It's a generous town in which we live!

So, now, let's go decorate the bar. This picture to the right is a backdrop idea that is easy and fairly inexpensive. I like it for behind the bar. There is a 4 to 6 foot center panel in purple fabric that hangs from a simple curtain rod suspended from the ceiling. On either side, just in front, hang two lower level panels, also suspended on curtain rods, done in peacock colored fabric coordinating to the theme.

These tilt out at a slight angle, sort of defining the bar area. Colorful pompom balls are suspended from the ceiling to add to the festive look. While this actually pictures a dessert/sweets buffet, visualize the covered table for your bar, with the accent vases of Carnival stick masks and colorful candies on one end, for decoration. You could put one vase of stick masks on the left, but we want to save room there for bar appetizers. Idea Courtesy of Craftsy.com.

Close ups of decorating ideas that set the party off! The chair covers are simply indigo color sheer fabric, gathered with a fancy decorative bow in natural peacock colors, coordinating with the Bar decor. While this shows an indigo tablecloth, black could, just as easily, be used, with your color accents coming from your napkins and centerpieces. Go with the gold chargers here, for a classy up-note, water and wine glass, flowers and flameless candles. Stunningly elegant and beautiful!

Ok, now back to the menu planning! For your Meet & Greet Hour, we'll do a couple of passed hors d'oeuvres to go with your bar appetizer. You'll want to remember that we've got many more courses to dine upon, and we don't want to overfill, too early. My menu is roughly inspired by the Brazilian Churrasco Dining, the country's traditional party barbecue. I say roughly, because we don't have a grill at Kinsloe , so the recipes have to be adapted to indoor kitchen use! But, it's all good! Just watch! You're all going to have a blast!

Brazillian Queso Fundido (South American Fundue) will be one of your bar appetizers. We can serve this up as shown, or we can plate these in Frito's Scoops for easier one bite deliciousness.

This queso has well seasoned ground beef, sautéed onions, serranos, red bell peppers and a blend of cheeses.

Brazillian Pao de Queijo, pictured, right, is a traditional snack of cheesy bread bites...what could possibly be wrong with that!!!

Brazillian Sausage Bites are shown, below. Very flavorful! Artisinal sausages are normally a part of the Churrasco, which is the full blown bbq , so they do get some loving representation, here.

You might want to do a bowl of seasoned mixed olives on the bar, or a bowl of nuts...that really is all you need for this part of the meal. We've got four more courses to go!

Tips: For this appetizer, go with 1 to 1-1/2 oz. sausage per guest. Allow 1 or 2 bread bites, per guest, as most will eat only one, but a few will want a second. They are small, but filling. Three cups of queso will fill 100 scoops.

And, while we can't do your bar for you, you know I'll always have a special event signature drink for your bar! The signature drink of Brazil is Caipirinha, and it's rather like their answer to the Mojito, to give you some reference point. It uses Cachaca, which is similar to rum. Go with light rum, if you can't find it. The single serving of Caipirinha has one lime, cut into four wedges, muddled in your glass with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add in some nice big ice cubes, 2 oz. or Cachaca or light Rum, stir to mix. Like the mojito, this can have other fruity goodness added...like pineapple, passion fruit, mango...make it your own!

Make sure to utilize the idea of a Cash Bar, for your beer and wine! The first drink is always free, with your admission, the rest are your money makers!

For your main menu, we're going to be as brilliantly, Brazilianly authentic as we can, with respect to what we can source locally and in season. And, as this is, traditionally, their country bbq; we'll be upgrading the poultry or beef for the occasion, as our occasion is very much the formal one !!

Our Second Course is our Soup Course. We'll serve our decadently rich Lobster Bisque with Butter Herb Crostini for dipping. This is a lovely dish that is certain to please!

It's made from scratch, with one of those slow cooked roux's that'll make ya famous, and a stock, home made, from the seafood shells and fresh vegetables!

If you wish to offer a second Soup for any guests that might be allergic to shellfish, I'd recommend a Roasted Red Bell & Tomato Bisque. Those orders would be done with your R.S.V.P.'s.

Course Three will be our Salad Course, featuring Brazilian Shrimp Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette. This features baby mesclun greens, topped with 3 large or 5 medium shrimp, marinated and grilled, halved grape tomatoes, and slivered red onions. If needed, a Simple Savory Mesclun Salad will be offered for those who can't partake of the shrimp. Again, order with your R.S.V.P's.

A Champagne Vinaigrette would be nice, and festive.

Now, on to the Fourth Course, our Main Event!! We are taking the casual Brazilian party food, and making it upscale! Where chicken would be used, we'll go with specialty cut Airline Breasts or Cornish Hens. Where sirloin cap or flank steak are common, we'll upgrade to ribeye steak!

The Brazilian Proscuitto Wrapped Airline Breast is pictured, left. The 'airline chicken breast' is, approximately, a 6 ounce boneless, skin-on breast with the top portion of the wing, bone in, skin on, attached. These measures ensure a moist chicken breast, without all of the backbones. This is a special cut offer, readily available through our local meat market.

The meat is brined, overnight, in a special citrus herb solution. It's dried and seasoned before being wrapped in prosciutto or Spanish ham. It's baked to a wonderful tenderness; and, we can place some herb gravy or chimichurri (South American pesto) on the table.

Choice number two is Brazilian Steakhouse Cornish Hens, specially brined in a citrus herb marinade, then royally seasoned and roasted. We roast and serve these butterflied and separated for your convenience in eating. You may select the full hen or a half, as you would like. Quote will be based on your selection.

We'll set a Citrus Kissed Gravy on the side. These are so simply good!

Selection number three is The Petite Ribeye with Grilled Pineapple. It's a hand-cut 8 oz. steak, dry marinated, flash grilled and oven finished. The Grilled Pineapple is such a beautiful touch, and it's accented with fresh, verdant cilantro. Please note that, if you wish, you may upgrade to a larger size of ribeye. Quote will be based on your selection.

The Brazilian Rice will be the starch part of the plate, a delicious landing spot for whichever meat you choose.

It's a wonderful pilaf style rice, cooked in well seasoned chicken stock, with petite diced tomatoes, sauteed onions and garlic, with a finish of fresh herbs.

For your veggie side, we'll do Smoked Paprika Green beans with Toasted Marcona Almonds. These fresh beans are blanched, then finished in a butter sauce seasoned with garlic, onion and smoked Spanish paprika. If you've never had Marcona almonds, they are spectacular! the Marcona almond is a product grown almost exclusively in Spain, having a rich, buttery flavor...they're sweeter, softer, and are blanched, then roasted in olive oil and finished with sea salt. The Marcona is sometimes called 'the queen of almonds'!

They are delicious, and take the plain old green bean to a new level of greatness.

Now, we'll move on to the Fifth Course, our last! Hasn't this been fun! Time for Dessert!

Brazilian Carnival Flan! It's rich, it's creamy, it's jiggly and it's fun! Oh, I forgot! It's delicious, too! In Brazil, they call it 'pudim'. It's a rich vanilla custard made even richer with dulce de leche caramel.

It's going to be fabulous with the end of the evening coffee! Plus, now you'll be energized to dance the night away!

After dessert, you might want to do your prize awards...that always gets everyone back in the mood, after a filling dinner!

Final announcements, thank you's to your donors...then back to the fun! Run whatever kind of music your crowd likes to dance to. Leave some space in the parlor when you have your bar set up so there's room.

Another fun money maker is the photo booth. This is going to be a fabulous memory , and what's better than pictures to mark the time?

Below, I've got a couple of ideas for your own photo booth.

Simple cascades of color suspended like we did on the bar set up. Just simple curtain rods, hung from the ceiling with brightly colored long curtains or fabric. A few colorful lanterns suspended within the area, some sparkly lights, feathers, boas and masks will fit the bill! Use brilliant colors that coordinate with your décor.

This more extravagant setup is over the top, isn't it??? Not so hard to pull off, though, and the photo ops are so great with this! We're just using the frame for inspiration...you know those small garden arbor gazebos? Here, like this...

This is from Bonanza.com. Any rental company that specializes in bridal accessories should be able to hook you up! Not this particular model, but something that would work along the same idea. Surround the outer area with Boston ferns and set draped fabric over a raised platform.

Music??? Let's go authentic with this compilation of various Brazilian artists, with the classic music of the land. Rich, sultry beats, like the heart of the people of Brazil, itself! Available through Amazon.