Holiday Entertaining Tips From Sweet Sue's

De-stressing the Season With Simple and Fun Decorations and Foods

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md., -- December 9, 2005 - Sue Dzurec has been creating wedding cakes, catering to nervous brides and baking mountains of edibles for the past 18 years. Further adding to the long list of responsibilities she manages on a daily basis, she and her husband Gary opened Sweet Sue’s Bakeshop and Coffee Bar in North Beach in May of 2005. But Dzurec knows that nothing compares to the stress, tension and chaos of the holiday season. “At this time of year, it seems that everybody goes a little nuts,” she said. “I’ve found that most of the madness is caused by what I call the ‘too problem’: too little time, too much to do and too little money.”

Dzurec is on a personal mission to help people enjoy holiday festivities more by simplifying their decorations and entertaining choices. “Most people try to accomplish too much during the holidays; they become overly ambitious and then are easily overwhelmed. I believe there are a number of simple and fun things people can do to enjoy the season, without overextending themselves financially or physically, and becoming stressed.”

Recently, Dzurec took her decorating and entertaining tips to the television in a special segment that was filed for WUSA, Channel 9 in Washington, DC. She made a guest appearance on the local morning news show to share ideas on how to add flare and originality to holiday meals. Interviewed by news anchor Andrea Roane and weather reporter Kim Martucci, Dzurec showed easy tips for getting children involved in preparing table place settings and for making creative centerpieces out of inexpensive materials. Of particular interest to Martucci was a three- tier lazy Susan server made out of terra-cotta pots and a water fountain Dzurec constructed out of oyster shells. “One of the best ways to get things done around the house is to make it a fun job for the kids. By giving them small tasks and decorating materials to work with, you can get the work done in no time. For example, festive napkin rings can be made by painting an empty paper towel roll with acrylic paint, cutting it into 2” lengths, and gluing greens and a small ornament to each. And who wouldn’t love to take home a door hanger decoration at the end of the holiday meal – specially made by the kids?”

The segment also featured a display of holiday food using many of her bake shop’s cookies, cakes, pies, baked goods and wraps. Highlighted cakes included a turkey cake, Santa cake and a December wedding cake. Step-by-step directions for the Santa cake are on the shop’s website (www.sweetsues-bakeshop.com). The buffet also included sample gift baskets filled with Sweet Sue’s private label coffees and teas. Dzurec concluded her time on the air by announcing the holiday events planned for Calvert County’s North Beach area.

Dzurec’s best advices for the holiday season is to avoid creating additional work and to stick with what you enjoy doing. “If you really like baking and decorating, but hate cleaning and shopping, get someone else to do that for you - even if it’s just other family members. The holidays should be a time of peace and joy, not headache and stress.”

Sweet Sue’s Bake Shop & Coffee Bar is open Tuesday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and is closed on Monday. For more information, call 410.286.8041 or visit them at 7th & Bay Streets, North Beach, Md.

For more information on the Calvert County, Maryland Department of Economic Development, our visitor sites and attractions and the services available to assist County businesses, call 410.535.4583, 800.331.9771 or 301.855.1880; or send an e-mail to info@ecalvert.com