Public Mystery events

Murder on the Menu does mostly corporate and private mystery events, so it's always exciting when we have mystery parties that are open to the public. Usually our public mystery events are for fundraisers. In October we'll have two public events--October 24 for Habitat for Humanity and October 17 for San Carlos Children's Theater. Not sure all the notices are on their webpages yet, but I urge you to check with them and save the date. I'll also be putting pages on my website about each event. In the meantime, here are some particulars.

October 24, 6:30-11:30. Chaminade, Santa Cruz, CA. Dinner, Mystery, Dancing. Benefit: Habitat for Humanity.

October 17, 7-10. Hotel Sofitel, Redwood Shores, CA. Dinner and Mystery. Benefit: San Carlos Children's Theater.

And, here's a fun event open to wine club memers and the public! Join the wine club, get good wine and a discount on events!
October 25, 6:00-9:00. Kendall-Jackson, Fulton, CA

Charity Challenge: Trikes for Tots

I wrote about our big Charity Challenge: Bikes for Kids event in at AT& T Park last week, but I thought I'd post a photo from one of our Charity Challenge: Trikes for Tots events. 25 meeting planners from CSUS met for a FAM organized by Toddy Isham, hosted by Krug Hotels and Conference Centers in beautiful Sonoma County. After being wined and dined and shown all the wonderful opportunities for meetings in Sonoma county, Murder on the Menu/TeamBuilding Unlimited were brought in to showcase our services. We did a series of short Wacky Games, Chocolate Tasting and Trikes for Tots. Rick Uribe from Catholic Charities took the trikes for the Family Support Center in Santa Rosa. Some trikes were given to children with birthdays and some will be used by all the children at the center. Before we even returned to our office that day, Rick had sent us a photo of some of the children riding the trikes. Very moving.

The Charity Challenge is a great event for companies who want to do teambuilding while at the same time want to give back to the community.

Dying for Chocolate

Murder on the Menu/TeamBuilding Unlimited does an awesome chocolate tasting that I blogged about last week. We usually give our clients all the chocolate that's leftover after a tasting, and we bring bags to make it convenient. No sticky hands or gooey purses or pockets. Nevertheless, even though we do our best to give chocolate away, our office always seems to be filled with lots--from 40% to 90% cacao-- from many different chocolate companies and regions.

So yesterday I decided to make use of some of that left over dark chocolate. I found a very easy fantastic recipe for a flourless chocolate cake. Thought I'd share it. By the way, Murder on the Menu isn't a catering company or a restaurant. You have no idea how many people have asked that. Would you hire a caterer or go out to dinner at a place called Murder on the Menu. Who knows what you'd get. But that's another story.

Dying for Chocolate!

Ingredients
4 ounces (or more) fine-quality chocolate (not unsweetened, 70% cacoa or more)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Break chocolate into pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder or powdered sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped real cream.

I used vanilla ice-cream and scattered fresh strawberries on the plate. Unbelievable and so easy.