FANDANGO Catering Donated More Leftover Holiday Food to Covenant House

FANDANGO Catering donated more leftover holiday food to Covenant House today, Dec. 30, 2009. This is one of our regular shelters to receive our food donations and is close to our office in the Montrose area of Houston.

In loving memory of my Spanish-born father, José Ríos Padilla, we support Catholic Charities and other charitable endeavors in Houston.

Growing up my father, whose great-uncle, Father Evaristo Artola, was a Catholic priest from Benicarló, Castellón province, Spain, taught us, as his uncle had also shown him, to practice charity in whatever way possible and we regularly gave to orphanages in Mexico as well as to inner-city poor through parish organizations in San Antonio, my hometown. And my undergrad school, Trinity University, was and is big on volunteerism. So Jesús and I, through FANDANGO Catering our business and personally, do as much as we can, whenever we can.

Best of the New Year to All!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Donates Leftover Holiday Food

FANDANGO Catering will donate leftover holiday food to the homeless who gather in front of the Houston Public Library in downtown Houston several nights a week. Desserts, tamales, cheeses, salads, veggies, chips, handmade candies, and more...

Please consider donating your leftover holiday food to the needy. Let's all end 2009 and start 2010 by remembering the less fortunate.

Happy New Year!

¡Feliz Salida y Entrada de Año!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Offers Holiday Cocktail Ideas

FANDANGO Catering offers holiday cocktail ideas for your events this season, below.

Poinsetta--Per person: 1/2 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec, 2 oz. cranberry juice, 4 oz. champagne--Pour Cointreau and cranberry juice into a champagne flute, goblet, or martini glass and fill with champagne

Cranberry Sparkler--Per person: Pour equal amounts of chilled sparkling wine or champagne and cranberry juice into a champagne glass. Garnish each glass with a fresh cranberry if desired.

Cranberry Gin--Per person: Pour equal parts gin and cranberry juice into a martini glass or goblet.

Pomegranate Sparkler--Per person: 2 oz. cranberry juice, 4 oz. Prosecco, Spanish cava, or a sparkling wine

¡Salud!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Offers More Holiday Event Tips--Part III

FANDANGO Catering offers Part III of its holiday event tips. Below, a how-to for organizing your dessert table at your holiday buffet.

The Dessert Table

• Set up a small table covered with a cloth and put the dessert or the dessert buffet on this table. You want guests to be able to see and anticipate your desserts!
• Leave the desserts, if full size, whole until everyone has finished dinner, then slice and serve everyone a piece, with our without ice cream or whipped cream. Rather than asking if they want dessert you may want to just serve everyone a piece-- most people will eat the dessert if it's sliced and served to them.
• The mini desserts are fun and people tend to eat more of these since no one has to slice them.
• You can use nice plates or platters, cake stands, or even tier stands for your desserts, or try a combination to make your dessert table interesting. But if you have a showstopper dessert, especialy if it's large, it's better to make that the showpiece on its platter on the dessert table. In any case, don't crowd the dessert table.
• You may want to have separate napkins and utensils on or near the dessert table just for the dessert, or you may want to have a central napkin/cutlery location for all the food at your event, including the dessert.

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Offers More Holiday Event Tips-Part II

FANDANGO Catering offers Part II of our holiday event tips. Below, a how-to for organizing the food table at your holiday buffet.

The Food Table

• Strategically place plates and cutlery wrapped in napkins before the food itself so they are the first stop. If you don't have time to wrap cutlery, put it on a plate or basket (try lining with a napkin or doily) or, to save room, in a cylindrical container such as a sturdy glass (you can also line this with a napkin).
• Select foods that taste best at room temperature or cold because hot foods won't stay hot withou a hot plate, chafer, or crockpot. Don't use warming equipment on your buffet table unless you assign someone to monitor it. Crockpot and hot plate electric cords look unsightly on a buffet table. If you do use a chafer, put extra liquid--sauce, gravy--in the chafer with the food so it won't dry out.
• Vary the height of the food on the table: you can improvise simple risers with telephone books (under the tablecloth) or by using cake stands.
• Clean dropped food periodically off the buffet table during your event.

Next: How-to for organizing your Dessert Table

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Offers Holiday Event Tips---Part I

FANDANGO Catering is happy to share holiday event tips with you. Below, a how-to for organizing the beverage station at a buffet event--

Set Aside Three Tables for Serving: Drinks, Food, Dessert

The Drinks Table

• Place a table just for beverages near the entrance so guests can sip and mingle away from where the food is being served. Alternately, put this table at the end of the food table but away from it if that works better with your party location.
• If you want to make the drinks table self-service, equip it with wine glasses, tall glasses for soda or juice, a bottle opener, a corkscrew, an ice bucket with tongs, and some bar towels.
• If you have nice trays you can put this and the beverages on them and then put the trays on the beverage table to make it easier to set up and clean up after the event. Include at least one non-alcoholic drink and you may want to include a few bottles of water also.
• You can also consider hiring a bartender or a college student to serve beverages.
• Place a trash can next to the beverage station and put a cooler with extra ice and drinks under the table (cover the table with a tablecloth to the floor).
• If you're trying to save money, stick to red and white wine and/or bottled beer, or if you want mixed drinks you can choose one that can be prepared beforehand and prepare it in pitchers ready to pour.
• Non-alcoholic drink ideas include fruit juices, club soda, cola, ginger ale, and vegetable or tomato juice. And iced tea down South where we are! You may also want to use drink garnishes such as maraschino cherries, sprigs of mint, and thin-sliced lemon or lime. Another idea is to have cups and a hot drink such as cider or hot chocolate or glogg.

More tips on organizing your holiday buffet later this week.

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering to Offer Hors d'Oeuvres for the Holidays

FANDANGO Catering will be offering handmade delivered hors d'oeuvres for the holidays, in addition to its holiday desserts. Delivery dates up to Dec. 24, 2009.

Our delivered hors d'oeuvre selection includes:

• Three-Cheese Mousse in Phyllo Cups
• Spanish Eggplant-Cheddar Quiche Bites
• Spanish Ensaladilla Rusa in Puff Pastry Shells
• Tomato-Potato-Cheese Galette Bites
• Cold Spanish Potato Omelet Bites (Tortilla Española)
• Neapolitan Frittata Bites (ham, fontina, Parmigiano)
• Picante Turkey and Cheese Rollups
• Ricotta and Swiss Crisps with Chives
• Turkey and Avocado Quesadilla Bites
• Pesto Chicken, Quesadilla Cheese, and Roasted Red Pepper Mini Pinwheels
• Caramelized Onion and Steak Quesadilla Bites with Handmade Tomatillo Sauce
• Shrimp-Chive Butter Tartlets
• Guacamole Mousse Tartlets
• Tartaletas a la Segoviana (Segovian Bacon-Mushroom Tartlets)
• Rosemary Ham or Prosciutto and Cheese Mini Sandwiches with Dijon Cream on Brioche Rounds

Enjoy!

Kristina

kristina@fandango-catering.com

FANDANGO Catering Celebrates Holiday 2009

FANDANGO Catering announces its Holiday 2009 Desserts!

Beginning Dec. 1, 2009, FANDANGO Catering will be offering the following gourmet desserts for your holiday events:

Castillo de España--Our rich citrus castle caked soaked in orange liqueur, beautifully decorated with confectioner's sugar and cocoa. Our bestseller!

Roscón--Our delicious Three Wise Men ring cake with glacéed fruit jewels on top and a decadent mound of chocolate bits in the middle, decorated with cream cheese frosting rosettes and a chocolate demi-crown, in your choice of citrus or chocolate chunk. Based on the traditional Roscón of Spain with French touches. Addictive!

Brazo de Gitano Navideño--Our moist, tender chocolate Yule log cake, covered with delectable chocolate liqueur glaze or milk chocolate frosting "bark" piping, filled with rich orange cream curd, and decorated with confectioner's sugar "snow." The only handmade chocolate Yule Log in Houston!

New! Catedral de Victoria--A delicious gingerbread Cathedral cake with rich Chocolate Ganache glaze, based on the Victoria magazine holiday issue! A lovely old-fashioned dessert.

New! Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies--Handmade decadent brownie squares with layers of fresh raspberries and cream cheese, decorated with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

New! Triple-Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake--Handmade old-fashioned chocolate sour cream cake studded with chocolate bits and a delicious chocolate cream glaze, the perfect dessert to please everyone!

Mini Desserts--Our signature bestselling mini desserts include Baby Cheesecakes, Double-Chocolate Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting, and Mini Orange and Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Everyone loves the small bites!

We will also be offering handmade delivered Gourmet Party Foods and still have a few full-service event dates left this holiday season--more on that a little later this week.

E-mail us at info@fandango-catering.com or call us at (281) 796-9841 if you'd like our Holiday 2009 menu and price list e-mailed to you.

¡Felices Fiestas!/Happy Holidays!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Upcoming Menus, News

Some of FANDANGO Catering's upcoming menus:

Ibiza-Style Strawberries Filled with Cream Cheese
Beef Tenderloin w/Portobello Sauce
Cheesy Shallot Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans in Marsala Reduction
Wedding Cake

Dados de Pastel de Berenjena y Queso (Spanish Sephardic Eggplant-Cheese Pie Bites)
Stuffed Mushrooms w/Cheese, Zucchini, Squash, and Fresh Herbs
Phyllo Cups Filled with Tarragon Chicken Salad

Organic Spinach and Roasted Tomato Salad w/Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette
Veal Cutlets w/Pojarski Sauce (Mushrooms, Madeira, Vermouth)
Asparagus Au Gratin
Rosemary-Parmesan Roasted Zucchini
Pear Tarte Tatin Drizzled w/Creme Fraiche

We are also beginning to interview prep & line cooks and pastry chefs. January will be a training month for us and in addition we will hold our semi-annual organizational meetings as well as conference calls with family investors in Spain.

Have a good week!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering Attended Wine Event and Interviewed for Catering Mag

Last week FANDANGO Catering representatives attended the "Great Match 09: Wine & Tapas" seminar and wine tasting event at Uptown Park. We tasted 9 wines during the seminar with Doug Frost, noted wine expert and particular expert on Spanish wines. Our favorites were the Martín Códax Albariño and the Martín Berdugo DO Ribera del Duero 100% Tempranillo.

The Martín Berdugo is going to be a good choice for our clients who like Spanish wines and want a red Rioja, 100% Tempranillo to go with their red meat events, particularly our big business in beef tenderloin-based menus. A nice change from Marqués de la Concordia for this type of menu. The Albariño is a great all-around white, in the style of the less-sweet Rieslings, and can go with all kinds of menus.

We were also interviewed by Linda Picone of CaterSource magazine for a January 2010 article on catering trends in 2009 and 2010. Among trends we've spotted for 2010:

• The end of Asian-based hors d'oeuvres menus unless you're on the West Coast
• Continuation of tropical and monstera leaves as decorative greenery at events
• Deeper or medium colors for table linens
• Food themes carried out throughout the starter and main course

Bon appetit, have a great week!

Kristina

Feeding the Homeless

FANDANGO Catering will be donating food starting next month to a group of homeless that gather in downtown Houston.

Thanks to Valerie Kershen of the Czech Cultural Center for letting us in on this need. Through the local Food Not Bombs organization, volunteers donate food to homeless who gather downtown to receive food donations.

If you're interested in also dropping off a food donation to this group of homeless, here are the details:

Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays at 8pm: In front of the downtown public library, McKinney at Smith

Sundays at 7pm: In front of the downtown public library, McKinney at Smith

If you are interested in donating to this group of homeless, all you have to do is show up with your donation. Easy and a great thing to do.

There is so much need now, please consider donating food to a shelter, church, or other group that helps the needy.

Kristina

On FANDANGO Catering's Website and Community News

New! Now on FANDANGO Catering's website:

• Mission Statement


• A Message From the Executive Chef
  

Both of these reflect our boutique, fresh food, green business approach to catering. To view these new additions click here:
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Here's a photo in honor of Halloween: FANDANGO Catering donated a trick-or-treat table for young visitors to our neighborhood National Night Out on Oct. 6, with grilling for this block party also courtesy of Executive Chef Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo for the seventh straight year. Here, one of our wonderful neighbors at the table in the children's area of the event.

Happy Halloween Week!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering to Attend Spanish Wine Tasting Seminar

FANDANGO Catering representatives will attend the "Great Match: Wine & Tapas 09" seminar and tasting sponsored by Wines from Spain on Oct. 30, 2009 at The Tasting Room at Uptown Park, Houston.

The seminar, to be held 12:30-1:30pm, will feature information on Spanish varietals from many of Spain's wine-producing regions. The tasting of wine and tapas will follow, 1:30-5pm.

Since many of our clients express a preference for Spanish wines, we will be learning about the different types of Spanish grapes and meeting wine distributors, importers, and winery reps from Spain at this event to better serve our clientele.

To learn more about Wines from Spain, visit:

www.winesfromspainusa.com


¡Salud!/Cheers!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering's Recent Menus

FANDANGO Catering's menus last week included:


Seated Dinner with Cocktail Hour and Wine Pairings


Fresh Basil-Wrapped Three Cheese Balls

Red and Yellow Pepper Tartlets

Roasted Chicken, Fresh Spinach, Pine Nut, and Jack Empanaditas


Morandé Edición Limitada Syrah Cabernet 2004 (Chile)
Balvenie Signature Scotch


Fresh Organic Spinach with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes in Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette

Steak with Apples in Cider Sauce

Cheesy Shallot Mashed Potatoes

Vegetable Medley a la Bechamel


Marqués de la Concordia Tempranillo Reserva 2002 (Spain)


Orange Almond Tart



Seated Dinner


Tomato-Cheese Galette


Loin Steak with Red Chile Cream Sauce


Roasted Potatoes with Lemon, Basil & Chives


Honey-Cumin Glazed Mirepoix Carrots



Reception Hors d'Oeuvres with Wine/Beverage Pairing


Tortilla Española



Eggplant-Cheese Tart (ancient Sephardic Spanish recipe)



Mushroom, Chicken, Spinach, and Cheese Empanaditas



La Tapeña Garnacha 2006 (Spain)
El Bochero Asturian Cider (Spain)


Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering New Sample Hors d'Oeuvres Menus

FANDANGO Catering's new sample hors d'oeuvres menus are now on the Sample Menu Gallery page of our website. Menus include examples of our signature Global Cuisines hors d'ouevres, hors d'oeuvres with mini desserts, and hors d'oeuvres with beverage selections.

Click here to go to our Sample Menu Gallery:

http://www.fandango-catering.com/sample_menu_gallery.htm

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering: Hors d'Oeuvres Menu

FANDANGO Catering has compiled an Hors d'Oeuvres Menu that we can e-mail or fax. Though we don't have set menus since we create a custom menu for each event, we've compiled a list of our most popular finger foods, including both hors d'oeuvres and mini desserts. This menu has proven very popular this week!

We will be adding more finger foods to our Sample Menu Gallery page on our website soon!

Enjoy your good weekend!

Kristina

Menu for Reception for Carlos Ciriza

FANDANGO Catering catered the opening reception for the Spanish artist Carlos Ciriza at the Institute of Hispanic Culture last Saturday, Oct. 3. This show is a collaboration between Promoting Art in the Americas, The Consulate General of Spain in Houston, and the Institute of Hispanic Culture in Houston.

Menu:

Tortilla Española/Spanish Potato Omelet

Tartaletas a la segoviana/Mushroom-Bacon Tartlets

Tartaletas de mousse a los tres quesos/Three-Cheese Mousse Tartlets

Gazpacho/Gazpacho Shooters

*

Tapeña Tempranillo

*

Perrier

Non-Alcoholic Cider Selection

Closing of this exhibition at the IHC Oct. 16; opening at Hans Payan Gallery Oct. 17

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering to Cater Opening for Carlos Ciriza

FANDANGO Catering will cater the opening reception Oct. 3, 7-9pm for the Spanish artist Carlos Ciriza at the Institute of Hispanic Culture, 3315 Sul Ross, Houston, TX.

For more on this artist and the Promoting Arts in the Americas organization, see:

www.paa-usa.com

This month we honor our Hispanic heritage with this and other acitivities. As our Executive Chef Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo is from Madrid, Spain, and my father was born in Valencia, Spain, we are honored to have been chosen to cater this reception for Carlos Ceriza.


Kristina

Added to FANDANGO Catering Menus

Here are just a few of our menu additions for this year:

• Crab or Chicken Mini Tostadas
• Coffee-Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Dijon Cream
• Bayou Shrimp with Lemon-Rosemary Aioli
• Mango, Roasted Jalapeño, and Jack Cheese Turnovers
• Puff Pastry Filled with Avocado Shrimp Mousse
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
• Valencian Chocolate Mousse Shooters Topped with Coffee Cream
• Tequila Lime Mini Cheesecakes with Tequila Lime Glaze

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

A Wedding and Catering

FANDANGO Catering's Principals, Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo and Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, celebrate their wedding anniversary today.

We were married Sept. 18, 1992 in Sepúlveda, Spain, near Jesús's uncle's country house, followed by a luncheon at the famous Cándido's and a weekend house party at the parcela (country estate).

Even then we talked about owning a food business one day, and we've made our dream a reality.

Special thanks to our investors and mentors Jesús's uncle and father and my father, and thanks to all for your continued support of our work!

Warmly,

Kristina

Menu for "On the Town"

FANDANGO Catering has again been asked to cater Bayou City Concert Musicals' fall production, this year Sept. 10-13, at the historic Heinen Theatre on the campus of Houston Community College--four days, five shows. BCCM's annual fall production ticket sales go to charity.



Here is our Chef Jesus's small bites menu for this four-day-long event:

• Spanish Tortilla (cold potato omelet) with Chorizo
• Spanish Tortilla de la Huerta (cold potato-artichoke-asparagus omelet)
• Neapolitan Frittata (with ham, Swiss, spaghetti, Parmegiano, done to a golden brown)
• Baby New York Style Cheesecakes
• Brownie Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
• Signature Handmade Iced Tea and Lemonade
• Coffee
• Cokes
• Bottled Water

Ticket information: www.bayoucityconcertmusicals.org

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

Community

FANDANGO Catering's Executive Chef Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo for the seventh year will donate his time to man the grill at the annual First Montrose Commons National Night Out cookout, held this year Oct. 6.

A neighborhood tradition started by our Chef, the FMC NNO Cookout is a block party that draws 70+ people and is one of the best-attended NNO events in Houston. Last year the event was not held due to Tropical Storm Eduard followed by Hurricane Ike.

This year our Chef will be creating his special cookout fare and signature mini desserts and FANDANGO will also help man a trick-or-treat table for young visitors.

Look for event photos later this year! To our neighborhoods!

Kristina

Menu Additions

FANDANGO Catering is preparing its annual menu additions! Once a year we add to our already extensive menus and our Executive Chef Jesús is working on this now. This year we're very pleased that a neighbor, knowing that we make everything from scratch, gave us a big box of cookbooks.

Here a just a few of the things we'll be adding to our menus this year:

• Handmade brioche (Duchesse Brioche) instead of dinner rolls
• Savory parfaits--steak, chicken, lobster layered with wonderful sauces in a partfait glass, makes a beautiful presentation
• Mini chalupas
• Chicken Cannelloni-Enchiladas--fabulous on a buffet table or for a sit-down event

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

Pottery Barn Tequila Tasting 8/20

A Tequila Tasting with Hors d'Oeuvres at Pottery Barn's Houston Highland Village Store tomorrow, August 20, 2009, will have catering provided by FANDANGO Catering. Guests will learn about the rich history of tequila and sample Cazadores Tequilas (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo) as well as Margaritas on the Rocks, also made with Cazadores Tequila, and enjoy our Chef Jesus's signature Latin-themed appetizers.

Menu:

• Roasted Chicken, Fresh Spinach, Piñones, and Jack Cheese Empanaditas
• Crab and Pepper Jack in Tortilla Cups
• Chipotle-Mango Shrimp Salad in Cucumber Bites
• Jalapeño and Artichoke Bites in Puff Pastry
• Chorizo, Potato, and Egg Bites

Kristina

Next Food Network Star Application

After many twists and turns in which our friend, an amateur digital camcorder person, formatted Chef Jesus's video application to the Next Food Network Star show in some bizarre way such that no one could open it, it's finally fixed and on its way! TV-land, are you ready for this?

Guess we're now at a point where we need to hire a pt tech person. Actually, we're now interviewing cooks and event helpers as we are expanding.

Have a good week!

Kristina

Please Vote for Kristina's Salad Recipe!

Hi All,

I entered the President Summer Salad Recipe contest with my Summer Mediterranean Fruit Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette and Spinach--please vote for my recipe! It has watermelon and other fruit, a nice herb viniagrette with a touch of honey, spinach, olives, and feta (or you could also substitute mozzarella).

Go to:
www.PresidentSaladContest.com

Thanks! and try this salad at home--it's easy and fresh!

Kristina

FANDANGO Catering in Catersource Article

Hi all,

FANDANGO Catering's eco-friendly and Global Cuisines Boxbag Lunches were featured in an article on box lunches that are "outside the box" by Linda Picone of Catersource magazine, July/August 2009 issue.

Click here to read the article:
http://www.catersource.com/resources/library/focus-on/outside-the-box

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

"Our Town"

FANDANGO Catering will once again provide the catering for Bayou City Concert Musicals' fall production at the Erwin Heinen Theater on the Houston Community College Central campus.

This year the production is "Our Town" and will run Sept. 10-13, 2009, with evening shows each day and a matinee on Sunday, Sept. 13.

FANDANGO will be selling some its signature miniature desserts and hors d'oeuvres for the theater crowd at the Heinen, along with beverages.

For more info see the BCCM website: http://www.bayoucityconcertmusicials.org

Here's to theater and good food!

Kristina

Summer Beverages

I'm recommending these this summer:

Red-and-Yellows (in honor of Spain)--Fill glasses halfway with pomegranate or raspberry sparkling soda or rosé sparkling wine, add a scoop of lemon sorbet. Decorate with some fresh raspberries or a lemon slice. Serve with a spoon.

Picnic Wines--Fetzer Valley Oaks Sauvignon Blanc, crisp; J. Lohr Monterey White Riesling, sweet, both under $9 and are refreshing for picnics.

¡Salud!

Kristina

Open House for Prospective Partner Businesses

FANDANGO Catering will be hosting an Open House and private tasting for prospective partner businesses at its facility in August 2009, date TBD.

Info: (281) 796-9841, info@fandango-catering.com

Look for more information on this event in upcoming blog posts.

Kristina

Tequila Tasting 8/20

FANDANGO Catering has confirmed catering a 2-session tequila tasting event Thursday, August 20, 2009, 7-9pm at the Houston Highland Village Pottery Barn store.

Samplings of Cazadores Tequila, Margaritas, and Mexican-inspired tapas. Served on lovely Pottery Barn trays!

¡Salud!

Kristina

We Support Historic Preservation

At FANDANGO we support historic preservation. Our office is located in an older Houston neighborhood, part of the larger Montrose neighborhood. The historic homes here were built from the late 1890s to the 1940s. Our office is on the lower floor of a 1922 house. Which is why we support historic preservation!

We have provided catering for many neighborhood events and recently committed to donating refreshments for a planned 2010 home tour of our neighborhood and two other adjoining neighborhoods, all built around the same time. Beautiful old houses, trees, and flower gardens.

Kristina

BridalTweet.com

FANDANGO Catering is now on www.BridalTweet.com, a cool wedding planning site.

Kristina

July 4 Grilling!

We love Penzey's BBQ for July 4th and all summer long grilling!


For chicken or pork:
Make a rub with BBQ 3000 and chopped fresh herbs, a little lemon or lime juice, a little chopped garlic, if you want it spicy a little jalapeño or chipotle. Great flavor!

For burgers:
Mix BBQ 3000 with powder ranch dressing mix, fresh or dried herbs, a little Parmesano or Italian bread crumbs, an egg or two, if you like it spicy a little salsa picante, shape into patties. Dynamite!

www.penzeys.com

Happy Summer Grilling!

Kristina

Summer Green Tips

Here are some tips on greening your food and entertaining this summer:

1) These produce items are grown with few pesticides: tomatoes, broccoli, grapefruit
These are grown with many pesticides, so organic is a good option:

• apples
• peaches
• pears
• grapes
• nectarines
• lettuce
• carrots
• celery
• bell peppers

Visit foodnews.org for info on produce and pesticides

2) Reusable bright plastic picnic dishes made of eco-friendly material: Outdoors 4-person table set, ems.com

3) Try a picnic in your city or town--a staycation--with the Softpack Family Cooler from LLBean. Invite family, friends, or neighbors to join you!

Here's to summer!

Kristina

Spain 3, South Africa 2

Spain 3, South Africa 2 in OT, Confederation Cup 2009--Spain takes 3rd place, final goal by Xabi Alonso

¡Viva España!

Kristina

Food Network Show Audition

FANDANGO Catering has received an invitation to an audition for The Next Food Network Star show! The auditions will take place July 17, 2009 in Austin, TX, and the show is casting for the 2010 season.

Could reality TV be in the stars for FANDANGO? OK TV execs, y'all definitely need a SPANISH chef to spice up your TV mix there! Madrid-born, no less.

At left: our Executive Chef (also my husband), Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo, at his birthday party a couple of years ago. I'm into unstaged digital pics.

He's a star in our book at any rate, and fast-rising in the Houston catering scene because of his talent and hard work.
Follow him @fandangocater

Kristina

Grandmother Aurora's Mexican Mac n' Cheese

My grandmother, Aurora Padilla Rux, made the most amazing macaroni and cheese! She died before I was born but my mother learned how to make it from her and in turn passed it on to me. I'm now sharing it because it's so easy and delicious.

Aurora was quite a character. Born in Valencia, Spain, she married my grandfather, Wladisaw Benjamin Rostok, a Polish Jewish refugee from the Russian czar's army, in Spain and my father José was born in Spain, then the family immigrated to Tampico, Mexico where my grandfather had an import shop. After my grandfather died in a typhoid epidemic, Aurora and my father moved to live with an uncle, also a Spanish emigré, in Colima, Mexico, where she learned to make this mac n' cheese. My grandmother and the rest of the family still living in Mexico then moved to Texas, where I was born. Aurora later married a wonderful old German farmer named Otto Rux, my stepgrandfather.


Here's the recipe:

Mexican Mac n' Cheese
Serves 4
1 lb. of large elbow macaroni
2-3 small cans of tomato sauce
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 onion and 1 garlic clove (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using onion and garlic, put them in the boiling water and add the macaroni. Cook macaroni as package directs. Drain and if using onion and garlic, remove the onion and garlic and discard. Return drained macaroni to pot. Over low heat, add the cans of tomato sauce and then the shredded cheese, a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until the cheese melts. I always add a little freshly ground black pepper as the finishing touch. So easy! And REALLY good. Try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Here's to Granmother Aurora!

Happy Eating!

Kristina

Summer Shooters

Popular this month at our events: Shooters.

These make a wonderful presentation on a tray or counter! Our most popular are our Red Gazpacho Shooters, which we serve in little schnapps glasses.

We prefer schnapps glasses since the tall, skinny shooter glasses look too much like test tubes to us!


Other shooter possibilities for summer:

• Dessert and Savory Mousses
• Sorbets
• Cold Soups, including fruit soups

Happy Events!

Kristina