December Celebrations Beyond Christmas- Boxing Day
Here's another December celebration in tribute to our neighbors from the up North and across the pond. How about a Boxing Day Brunch, traditionally celebrated on December 26th, serving Quiche Lorraine, Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Poached Apples and Canadian (of course) Maple Syrup. If you're feeling a bit hungrier add some Canadian bacon and sausages. For dessert- a Fruit and Rum Trifle. Best Wishes for a Happy Christmas. Bon Appetit, Gisele...
read moreMore December Celebrations- Kwanzaa
Celebrate family, culture and community with a first-fruits Kwanzaa party. Kwanzaa which begins on Dec. 26th and lasts for 7 days, was created by Dr. Ron Karenga in the tumultuous 1960's to honor African heritage in America. Here we are, less thana month before the inauguration of the United States’ first African American President, a day many of us never dreamed of seeing in our lifetimes. Regardless of your ethnic background, why not consider using Kwanzaa this year as a teachable moment for your children. Put out a spread of selections from the African Diaspora and remind them of the long civil rights journey that has led to this historic moment. Start with Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers and Cod Fish Cakes- full of flava’, mon… Then a buffet of West African Roast Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Okra, Fried Catfish, Fresh Corn Pudding, Candied Yams and a Melange of Collard, Mustard, Spinach and Turnip Greens Sautéed with Garlic inspired by the American South. To finish-what else but Pecan Pie? Bon Appetit! Gisele small pleasures...
read moreDecember Celebrations- Have a Hanukkah Dinner
Okay- here’s the first non-Christmas December celebration. Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is observed for 8 nights, so there are lots of chances to get together and and enjoy the company of your loved ones. It celebrates the miracle of a single container (normally enough for only a single lighting of the eternal flame in the Jewish temple) of consecrated oil lasting for 8 days. Because oil is an integral part of the celebration it is traditional to eat fried foods at Hanukkah- like blintzes, latkes (potato and other vegetable pancakes), and doughnuts. For dinner, start with tray passed Mini Cheese Blintzes topped with Warm Blueberry Maple Sauce. Then there’s nothing like a Slow Braised Brisket smothered with a mountain of deeply colored Caramelized Onions- you don’t have to be Jewish to love this special treat. Serve it with Potato Pancakes and Chunky Apple Compote, accompanied by Roasted Winter Vegetables. End with desserts for the kid in all of us- Hanukkah Cupcakes, decorated with blue and silver sprinkles and Stars of David, and the updated version of jelly filled doughnuts, Beignets sprinkled with Powdered Sugar and served with a Tart Cherry Compote. Yum!!!...
read moreDecember is the Month for Celebrations- and Not Just Christmas
"It is one of the greatest feelings known to humans, the feeling of being a host, of hosting people, of being the person to whom they come for food and drink and company." -Anne Lamott December is the time for hosting festive celebrations. It's a wonderful time for opening your home to loved ones and feeling that great feeling that Anne La Mott refers to. There’s no better way to reflect on the outgoing year and to get the New Year off to a great start than sharing a wonderful time of feasting with family and friends. Of course, many of us look forward to digging into our wonderful Christmas Roast Turkey or Prime Ribs feast, whatever is the tradition in your home. But Christmas is not the only opportunity to celebrate and host family and friends in December. In honor of multiculturalism, I'll be offering a few other celebration ideas (along with their great menus) to ponder, over the next several days. So tune in over the next several days, and if they're not part of your tradition (yet), perhaps you'll begin some new ones. Bon Appetit! Gisele www.HelpINeedaCaterer.com...
read morePut Some Thought into Creating a Truly Personal and Memorable Wedding Reception
In my last post I wrote about how planning a wedding reception that’s something other than the big Saturday night sit down dinner can often save money. Besides saving money, putting some creative thought into planning a celebration you and your guests will truly love, will undoubtedly result in a much more personalized day. First, I have to stop right here and say that I am somewhat biased against the aforementioned “default” reception. I’ve never quite enjoyed being seated at a table (sometimes with people I don’t know) and stuck there throughout the night waiting for a banquet server who’s rushing through the evening to get my plate in front of me. Or asking the people at table with me to please pass the salad dressing or butter which happens to be sitting on the opposite side of the table. I really don’t enjoy the plate I’m served being yet another uninspired “rubber chicken” or dried out salmon meal with either an under cooked or over cooked “vegetable melange” (read whatever cheap vegetables the kitchen has on hand). To my mind, any time we entertain valued guests, we are giving a gift to our loved ones. When the party is a wedding reception, we are also creating a wonderful, once in a lifetime celebration, one about which we want ourselves and our guests to have great memories. Thought should be put into the details of the party. What kind of food would I and my guests really love? How can I create something fun and memorable for them? What would they enjoy doing for these few hours we’re together celebrating? Hint-it’s certainly not being stuck in a chair in a crowded nondescript hotel or banquet hall room. I like to wander around the room, visit with lots of other guests, and eat really great food. I catered a backyard wedding last June where the young couple chose to have a station with pizzas, topped with several various yummy items, and cooked to order, added to their buffet of several salads, grilled lemon chicken, asparagus and peppers, with farmer’s market fingerling potatoes. Instead of a wedding cake they had a brownie and ice cream sundae bar, with 4 different types of brownies, and lots of different sauces and toppings for the ice cream. I really got a kick out of watching the groom as he enjoyed sampling and comparing each type of brownie with the various sauces and toppings. I’ve catered weddings in the past, where the couples chose to have Western food, as well as incorporate stations with foods from their ethnic backgrounds, like Korean, Chinese and Japanese. We decorated the station at one with big brightly colored fans purchased in Chinatown. I remember, as a young woman attending a great afternoon picnic wedding in the park, where the guests were entertained, while sitting at picnic tables and on blankets on the grass, with great musical and street theater performances, reflecting the artistic tastes of the bride. And another, as a somewhat older woman, at a winery in Sonoma County with sweeping views, where the guests were offered a selection of great box lunches, to enjoy as we sampled the wines, and decadent chocolate truffle tortes (which I gave as a gift to the couple) for...
read moreConsider a Different Type of Wedding Reception- and Save Money, too.
I read an article yesterday by Ann Keeler Evans, which asked whether it was necessary, in these times of economic downturn, to slash your wedding budget. Evans states that "modern wedding planning has it all mixed up with the emphasis on the wedding reception" rather than the ceremony. Now while I agree that the ceremony is important, I believe in the power of celebration, which to my mind, includes a feast shared with your loved ones. Evans does go on to ask "Do you think they care if you serve them salmon or picnic food? …The food can be great without being over the top. " And this is the statement that got me going. One of the points I make in my E-book is that the big Saturday night sit down dinner preceded by an hors d'oeuvre reception has become the default wedding reception. While I believe that having good food at your reception is of prime importance (I know that I and people I know have talked for years about wedding food that was exceptionally good – or bad), I urge prospective brides to consider different types of receptions. When I was young (ahem!) people often had brunch, lunch, or tea sandwich and dessert receptions- even picnics as Ms. Evans mention, and I found them delightful. These types of receptions are much more budget friendly, and they offer the opportunity for you to put your distinct touches on a reception, while sit down dinners have often become staid, even stuffy. So I encourage you to think outside of the box. Plan a brunch, tea, or even a picnic, with great food, and save yourself some money in the process. In my next post, I'll talk about some creative touches couples have put on their receptions. Se you then! Ciao, Gisele P.S. Here's the link to Ann's article Your Perfect Wedding- Before You Slash Your Budget, Focus on What Matters...
read more“The Last Chinese Chef” and Sharing our Thanksgiving Table
Last summer while wandering through a favorite bookstore, I happened upon a wonderful little novel titled The Last Chinese Chef: A Novel . The book opens with this quote: “Apprentices have asked me, what is the most exalted peak of cuisine? Is it the freshest ingredients, the most complex flavors? Is it the rustic, or the rare? It is none of these. The peak is neither eating nor cooking, but the giving and sharing of food. Great food should never be taken alone. What pleasures can a man take in fine cuisine unless he invites cherished friends, counts the days until the banquet, and composes an anticipatory poem for his letter of invitation?” How wonderful is that! One of the main themes of the book has to do with how food and dining reflected the whole culture in imperial China. It also stresses that eating in China is never a solo act. In fact, meals are never even individually plated, but always served on family style platters from which all the diners serve themselves. Of course, the Chinese have had thousands of years to develop this rarefied culture around eating. We are babes, comparatively, in the U.S. Still, we are here at Thanksgiving, when we, as a nation, celebrate a shared feast. A feast rooted in welcoming others to our banquet table, and bound with tradition. So I extend my wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all. May you find pleasure in sharing your table with many others. Ciao, Gisele...
read moreLife is too short to eat bad food!
A few months back I received an e-mail from someone who had attended many parties which I had I catered before she moved across the country. She opened with this line: “I was thinking about you the other day, and thought I’d drop you a line, after 2 years of being away… I was at a small reception with the worst food I’ve ever had, and wished that you had been the one to cater this event…I was at a conference and everything served was pre-packaged stuff that you just pulled out of the freezer and re-heated…Yuck!” I have always been very proud of the quality of food I serve at events. I believe in using quality ingredients, and buy much of my produce at local farmer’s markets. I don’t serve frozen pre-made hors d’oeuvre or desserts, two areas where many caterers choose to trim costs. I make all my own salad dressings and sauces. Making these items in house can be labor intensive, and buying seasonal and vine and field ripened locally grown produce can sometimes be more expensive. It can be frustrating to get calls from prospective clients who don’t seem to understand that quality food always costs more. I’m sorry to say, that on many more than one occasion I have had prospects contact me saying they had a budget of $15-$20 a person for their wedding or other special event. Now, I believe these people must surely understand that you may be able to go to Denny’s and get a full meal for $15 to $20 per person, but for a fine dining experience, it’s going to cost a whole lot more than that. If you were taking your guests to a restaurant and picking up the bill, plus tip, and if the restaurant were closing its doors to accommodate only your party for that evening, surely you would expect to pay more. So perhaps it’s helpful to think of catering in this way. The caterer is picking up a restaurant and bringing it to your home or venue for the evening, and creating a dining experience hopefully way beyond the experience of dining at Denny’s. I recently had someone say to me, “no one is coming to my wedding just for the food.” Well, that’s probably true, but I am sure we have all had the experience of attending a wedding where the food was exceptionally good – or exceptionally bad- that people talked about for months, maybe even years to come. People do remember. Your guests may have traveled a great distance, bought you a gift, and spent their time, effort and money to join you in celebrating on your special day So don’t you owe it to them – and yourself – to serve great...
read moreComfort Food Buffets for the Holidays
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, it would be a merrier world.” J.R.R. Tolkien Now there’s something we sorely need reminding of at this moment in history. Okay- so, yes, we need some gold , too in this life, and everyone’s concerned about their shekels right now. But in spite of what the stock market, the banks, and the Treasury Secretary et al are doing, we still have holiday entertaining and celebrating to do. So the line of attack is to strategize how to create the best value for your money when it comes to holiday parties. I’ve heard news reports recently that sales of comfort foods are up. A holiday buffet full of comfort foods sounds just perfect for these challenging times- a feast of meatloaf with mac and cheese, roast turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, fried catfish, hush puppies and greens- yum! After all, the comfort foods of many cultures have gone on to be universally loved culinary delights. We all have a soft spot for those certain foods, and we could certainly use a little comfort right now. I’d love to hear what your favorite comfort foods are, so leave me a comment. Macaroni and Cheese Save Save...
read moreCreative Menus for Tough Times
Speaking of the current economic climate, my latest issue of "Biz Bash" magazine (a trade publication for event professionals) featured an article titled "New Takes on an Old Bird"- a response, obviously, to the tough times we're in. While only a year ago, catering publications were touting a return to beef, the times now demand a new look at chicken. The article showcased "budget-friendly" chicken dinners created by several caterers. Now I know we all tend to think of the old moniker "rubber chicken" when we think of catered meals featuring the bird, but I, too, maintain that it's possible to have a great chicken entree. The menus items featured included Chicken Breast with Apricot and Cornbread Stuffing served with an Ice Wine and Apricot Sauce; Sous Vide Chicken Leg Stuffed with Mushroom Mousse served with Spinach, Chanterelles and Fried Parsnip Chips and a Panko-Crusted Chicken Roulade with Porcini Red Wine Jus. I have found that stuffing chicken breasts, rolling them into roulades and using the dark meat of chicken, offer very interesting methods for a tasty chicken dish. Stuffing helps maintain moisture as well as add flavor, and the dark meat is just naturally more tasty and moist. An old favorite of mine is a Spinach Stuffed Breast of Chicken served with Shiitake Mushroom Sauce and a new favorite is Mustard and Shallot Crusted Chicken Thighs served on Braised Leeks, a recipe adapted from Suzanne Goin's Sunday Suppers at Lucques: Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table . I also love making roulades from turkey breasts- Herb and Prosciutto Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulades served with Roasted Garlic Sauce and Shiitake Mushroom Stuffed Turkey Breast Roulades with Wild Mushroom Sauce are two of my favorites. Clients who are serving a smaller number of guests at Thanksgiving love the roulades, finding them just the right size. They also appreciate that they are easy to slice, hence bypassing the whole carving issue. Here's a pic of the sliced turkey breast below served with a Sweet Potato Puree with Pecan Praline Topping. Really yummy! More value friendly menu ideas coming up later this week. Bon...
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