Always a great way to enhance a lunch or light supper on a raw day in March or April, a soup can be crafted from just about anything in your pantry, especially the leftovers. Two things set a soup apart – the texture of the content and the flavor of the broth. Pay attention to the spices you use, you can always add more but never less!
More and more companiess are celebrating their year end in January now and considering the decrease in catering activity early in the year it is a wise decision. Not only are most dates available but there is more room for negotiation .
Does that seem like an oxymoron? In a sense it is because fried foods are, by definition, immersed in fat to cook. Today I tried out a table top deep fat fryer that spun the basket after cooking and the result was pretty good – definitely not a soggy product, nice and crisp and dry on the outside but moist on the inside - well worth looking at!
The planning season is well under way and ’save the date’ cards are starting to appear. The reception is probably the single largest expense and the caterer a big part of that. Make sure that you compare apples with apples when shopping. Beware of the all inclusive price per person, do you really know what is included and what isn’t. Rentals, taxes and gratuities can inflate the price tremendously.
Good luck!
Now is the time for wonderful stews and casseroles if you have been wise enough to save your leftovers and freeze them; not just for lunch either, breakfast casseroles are a treat!
The detritus from “veggie” platters, cheese plates and the like should not be disregarded as unredeemable. In their present form maybe, but they can be transformed into wonderful ratatouille, fruit cocktail, etc., if you put your thinking cap on.
Its that time of year for gathering together – parties, year end celebrations, receptions just to let off a little steam after a tough year!
When planning finger foods, canapes and the like, figure 5 to 7 per person per half hour and you should be pretty safe – you may run out of some assortments but overall you’ll be alright.
Now the big day is over, take that turkey carcass and strip it of all the useable meat for sandwiches, casseroles and the like. Boil it in a pot of water with some onions, celery and carrots and include neck and giblets if you have them. A day later you will have a delicious base for gravies, soups and even for moisturizing stuffing
We all tend to shy away from paper and plastic, sensing that it gives a “lesser than” presentation of the meal. There are products out there now, however, that look like the real thing in china and silver and are very sturdy.
Another alternative is to use high end paper and plastic and coordinate the color palate. Never forget that we are attracted to things that are appealing to the eye and the eatware can really complement the meal!
Squash is available in many types around this time of year and you will see them popping up all over catering menus.
A local favorite is butternut and, cooked low and slow in the oven, liberally basted with brown sugar, butter and local maple syrup – don’t let it out until it is fork tender – your holiday meal will have just gone up a notch in your guests’ estimation!