It’s TIme to Book Your Holiday Party
I know, I know, you’ve just got the kids off to school, and you’ve just recovered from a sweltering heat wave (at least here in Southern California). The election is dominating all the news, and God! don't you just wish it were all over now. You know the holidays are coming soon, but you just don't want to think about that now. But once again, here’s a reminder that everyone wants those prime weekend dates in early to mid-December. And when that election is finally over the phones are going to start ringing. So if you think you might do any holiday entertaining and you haven’t started planning yet, it's time to think about giving your caterer a...
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 moreThoughts on Food and Dining
Leah Chase, the co-owner and chef of Dooky Chase’s restaurant in New Orleans, said in a post-Katrina interview, “Food is like a healer to us. And when we give it to you, we feel like we're doing some great.” How simple and wise. I was questioned today on my thoughts about food, and what it was that I thought I had to share that was special. As I wrote, I found myself getting more and more excited. I would like to share a bit of what I wrote with you. “I believe food has the power to heal, not just our physical bodies, but our psyches, our spirits. I believe strongly, that food, and the coming together to partake of food as a social act, greatly enhances our lives. I believe that this is an important message, that I have chosen (and which has chosen me) to deliver through my work and life.” It's a message sorely needed for our times. Bon Appetit! Gisele...
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...
read moreCatered Parties in this Current Economic Climate ?
All the news these past couple of weeks has been about the economic mess we find ourselves in right now. That situation, on top of the election cycle we are in, is cause for a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. As I was faced with putting out a newsletter to my client list this past week, I wondered what I could possibly say that would be pertinent. The holidays are coming and traditionally this is the time to book those parties. But who’s thinking about throwing a catered party, right now, with such other pressing matters on their minds, I asked myself? By the way, it turns out people are still entertaining. I had a pretty busy September. I thought back to one of my favorite quotes- a quote from the immortal and irrepressible Julia Child- which I have often used when speaking before groups. "Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal". Wise words indeed! This crisis, too, shall pass. What’s important in life is those beloved family and friends. And still during times like these-maybe especially during times like these, it’s important to gather together and dine with our loved ones. After all, Julia Child developed her culinary and hostessing skills during post World War II Europe- certainly a challenging...
read moreSarah’s Baby Shower
I had the privilege this weekend of catering Sarah’s baby shower. A couple of years back I had catered her wedding shower, so it’s an ongoing story. That’s one of the reasons I love private special event catering. Sarah’s aunt, Lola, is a long time client of mine for whom I have catered many holiday and special celebration parties over the years. I have watched Sarah grow from a very young woman, to career woman, to wife and now mother. Natalie, one of Sarah’s closest friends was a guest at the shower. Several years back, I catered Natalie’s wedding reception. Natalie also brought her teenaged daughter to the shower (the wedding reception I catered was a second marriage for Natalie)- I was delighted to see the lovely child I remember running around in lovely girly dresses now a beautiful teenager verging on womanhood – almost 6 feet tall. So I have "vicarious" family thrills. Sarah loves the ocean, so her friends asked for a "sea shore" theme for both her baby and wedding shower.I have posted some of the pictures from her shower. I hope you will enjoy them. Bon Appetit!...
read moreA Caterer’s Style
Having gone on last time I was here about the “specialty” question, I’d like to say now that while I don’t believe I, or most caterers have a food specialty (nor do I believe they should), I do believe that I, and probably most caterers, have a style. I like to think of mine as “elegant casual”. My food, regardless of the type of cuisine, is comfort food done elegantly. My presentation is sophisticated yet, again, casual. Both are in contrast to say, the more formal style of many hotel banquet or catering hall services. I also have a philosophy regarding the food I produce. I believe in building in layers of flavor, and serving seasonal food, utilizing fresh, local produce. That means, for example, I wouldn’t serve a “Caprese” salad in February, when perfectly ripe tomatoes are not available. It may have lost me a job on occasion, but hey- one has to have boundaries. In selecting the produce I use, I like to build in layers of color, as well. Remember the old adage- we eat with our eyes, too. I believe in “real” food, even when it comes to desserts, which to me means no low-fat substitute for rich desserts. Either a tiny sliver of real dessert with butter, cream etc, or a lighter fruit based or meringue dessert. No fat substitutes! When seeking a caterer, these are good things to determine. You may want to think about what your personal style is. Are you a more formal personality, or are you casual? If you are planning a very formal event, it becomes important to determine the “style” of prospective caterers. And if you have a food philosophy, you may want to find out if yours meshes with the caterers. So do you have a style? I’d love to hear from you about...
read moreThe Question I Love to Hate
Last night I was asked a question I’ve come to hate. It’s the one question I am most asked when I tell people I am a caterer. It is- “what is your specialty”? Now granted, a questioner doesn’t necessarily mean “what kind of food do you specialize in?” (they might mean do you specialize in private parties, corporate etc.), but often that is the intent of the question, and it is asked just that way. And unfortunately, after 12 years of hearing the question I’m afraid I don’t have much patience left for it. I’ve explained to people that I don’t specialize in any one type of food, that I believe the caterer’s job is to suit the client’s taste, and hopefully to match my tastes to theirs. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes I have to prepare and serve items that I would never serve at a party of my own. I’ve even had a client once give me her family’s recipes to work from for her mother’s birthday party. And this leads me to the insight I had driving home last night. A catering company is not like a restaurant. Diners will often pick a restaurant specifically for the kind of food it serves, as in- “I feel like eating Italian tonight, or Mexican”. But the starting point of a catered event is not the food, but the event, the special occasion. A high school graduation party where the guest of honor is an 18 football star, will require very different food than a bridal shower where the guest of honor will be a 28 year old woman. And who are your guests? Are they primarily clients and associates, or friends and family? A holiday party where clients and associates are the invited guests will require very different food than a backyard 4th of July bash for family and friends. What is the client’s intention for the event and in entertaining their guests? Is the event casual, or more formal? Is it to impress, or to kick back or get down? Even a wedding may be a hybrid sort of event where clients and associates are invited, in addition to family and friends. This may require juggling different styles of parties, and a more varied menu if your family expects a certain kind of food that may not necessarily be to the liking of some of your other guests. And yes, I will always consider my client’s tastes, and their food likes and dislikes. Are you and your guests adventurous diners? Do you love spicy ethnic foods? Or would you like to stay more “middle of the road” if there are many guests whose taste you don’t know quite as well? So, what’s my specialty? Well, I believe, it’s to fulfill the needs of my clients and their guests, and to do it supremely well, of course. Until next time- Bon Appetit! Gisele ...
read moreThe Advantages of a Smaller Caterer
Several months back I met with a woman who was in the early planning stages of a small backyard wedding reception for her daughter. She told me that she had called a couple of the bigger “household name” caterers in town. Although one had given her an estimate over the phone, “frankly” she confided, “I just got the impression they didn’t want to bother with me.” Another prospective client planning a smaller party told me she asked a caterer she called if her chef would be coming to work the party. The caterer responded it would be one of several party chefs, and she could not tell her for sure which one it would be. I am proud to say that the woman’s daughter had a small, but truly lovely wedding reception in June. "It was more than we ever expected", she told me the afterwards, which is one of the greatest compliments she could have given me. I was able to give her the attention she deserved in planning her special day. And as with all of my parties, while I had a great support crew, I attended and worked the party in the capacity of chef. If you’re planning a special occasion, here are some question you may want to ask your caterer. Will they be attending the party, or sending a surrogate? If they are planning to send a surrogate, is it someone you have met during the planning stages? How well versed are they in the particular needs of your party- did they receive a page of notes sent out with the party, or have they actually had a meeting with the caterer to discuss the details?...
read moreLife’s Special Events and Corporate vs. Private Caterers
In looking over my calendar for last month, I saw that I had a wedding, a graduation party and a memorial service on the books. I couldn’t help but being struck by the cycle of life events that a caterer is witness to, and even more than witness, partner in. All I needed, I thought was a baptism, bris or baby shower to complete things. That’s a big attraction, for me, to this business, and why I am much more drawn to private catering than to say, corporate catering. I know caterers who prefer corporate catering- they don’t care for the “hand holding” that’s part of the job when dealing with private clients. And it’s true -with corporate clients there’s a lot less of that required on the part of the caterer. I had a corporate catering job a few years back when once the menu was selected (over the phone) and the deposit paid, I didn’t hear from the client again until I met him on the day of the event. Don’t get me wrong-that’s not bad either, but it’s quite a different experience than dealing with an anxious bride or mother. But as I said in my last post, I love being a part of those special moments in others lives, and creating those great memories. So I make this suggestion to those of you who may be out there looking for a caterer- find out what percentage of your potential caterer’s business is private as opposed to corporate. Ah, and as I look to my calendar next month, I do have a bay shower on the books. Completion! Ciao,...
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