The Passionate Palate cooking school is just a stone’s throw from Pampered Passions lingerie in the Centennial Promenade. And while neither shop is related to the other, one can’t help but wonder if a couple of steamy names is what got the ladies of the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center Guild all fired up the other night.
The women, plus a few brave husbands, were at the cooking school to tickle their palates on a shrimp, lamb chop, pasta and hummus buffet prepared by owners Jenifer Suydam and Ben Davis, and then make confetti out of red peppers while Davis taught the proper way to wield a chef’s knife. Suydam helped them make crispy Thai spring rolls to enjoy with the red and white wines served that night.
Jeri Crater and Patty Spurway organized the event that was equal parts fundraiser and friend-raiser. Every cent of the $50 tickets went to the MS Center, thanks to underwriting by Anheuser-Busch, Davis and Suydam.
Melly Kinnard spotted Shannon McNicholas, who was there with her mother, Mary, and spent the next few minutes trying to get Shannon to consider membership in the Junior League of Denver. Shannon runs Continental Divine, the new catering arm of dad Kevin’s K-M Concessions, and Kinnard thought she’d make a great addition to the members testing recipes for the JLD’s new cookbook, Colorado Classique.
The 80 guests also included guild president Michele Maxfield and her husband, Tom; former state Rep. Martha Kreutz; Millie and Del Hock; Jeanne Phillips; Debbie Beatty; Helen Hanks; Phyllis Wicklund; Ginny and Louis Messina; Kathy Haruf; Pam Andrew; Suzanne DuPay; and Ellen Stewart.Keep on cookin’
Some mighty intoxicating aromas swirled about when 11 of Denver’s top female chefs prepared their favorite dishes for a walkabout supper that was expected to top its goal of raising $75,000 for Work Options for Women.
The crowd of 520 enjoyed treats like Jennifer Jasinski’s English spring pea and morel risotto, served with hamachi tartare, and Sheila Lucero’s smoked wild salmon mousse. Pat Perry did buffalo with chipotle cherries on sage biscuits; for something sweet, there were desserts from Kathleen Kenny Davia of Gateaux and Yasmin Lozada- Hissom of Duo.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@ ; also, blogs@denverpost.com /davidson
