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!

Even as caterers we are often challenged by the variety of tastes of our clientele. This is especially so where some of the guests are vegetarian as is most often the case today.

Here is a tip – even though there is a wealth of vegetarian recipes out there, if you are faced with one entree only , break it up into its components- a chicken broccoli alfredo would be broccoli alfreo with grilled chicken on the side!

Generally there is some form of pre buffet while the photographer is doing his thing right after the ceremony. As appetizers are usually priced by the piece and you would expect a guest to eat 5 or 6 per half hour, your photographer could be costing you more than just photographs!

Ask if you can schedule some shots before the ceremony, ones that only require just one side of the family and just the bride or just the groom. This can cut down on the cost of the pre buffet and also get the party going that much quicker!

Believe it or not the season is already underway! Though the holiday festivities will tend to eclipse the following Summer for the time being, those who plan to be married next summer are well into their planning already. This is wise, as saving the date becomes an extremely important, if understated, facet of the wedding.

A case in point is a client of ours who wanted a specific locale for his daughter’s wedding. By the first of the year all the summer weekends were booked up for that type of place (not just that place). In the end the wedding was held on a Monday afternoon because, for them, the place was even more important than the date.

As you start your wedding planning make sure that you prioritize your needs; date, place, theme, catering, music, flowers, etc., etc. and all the activity will flow from there.

We hear this expression so much from Spring through Fall and there is no question that it provides draw for restaurants and stores that go out of their way to use it. But before we so easily dismiss the produce from other parts of the country and the world, it is worth testing produce from the hydroponic farms. These are farms, many local, that grow vegetables with their roots in nutrient rich water and though their product is definitely more costly than average, you do get what you pay for! A hydroponic tomato is to a regular tomato as a grape tomato is to a regular tomato or as Dover sole is to the run of the mill sole. Try hydroponic some time!

Why not! As I look through testimonials I see comments like delicious, innovative, friendly, courteous etc. – all great comments. But the one I like the best – “And they even do the dishes!!!”

But seriously, catering, like anything else, is a cost effective service if you are already aware of what it costs you to do it yourself. The caterer has done most of it before – he is an expert. He has all the right equipment, he buys more efficiently than you can and he isn’t hampeed by having to buy product in large quantities and leave the rest sitting on a shelf for a year after the event is over.

Who knows, he might even be a nice guy to deal with and he is really only worth his salt if he makes you look good in front of your guests!