FANDANGO Catering Offices Renovations and Green Reno Tips

The renovations of FANDANGO Catering's offices in the historic T.H. Bonner House (built 1922) are nearly complete. Work that began after Hurricane Ike has proceeded in stages.

Our FANDANGO team did nearly all the renovations ourselves using green materials. As a green caterer we choose to office on the first floor of an historic building, where we find inspiration in its lovely historic interiors.

Here are 3 tips for renovating an historic property:

1) Use small sponge applicators from an art store to fill in with paint (we used the zero VOC Sherwin Williams Harmony line) the gaps that older properties sometimes have between the walls and the trim.

2) Sand down baseboards rather than tearing them out and replacing them with today's softwood--original hardwood is much more durable and when sanded and painted looks great.

3) Use tung oil or mineral oil on hardwoods after lightly hand-sanding, instead of an electric floor sander which causes fine particles to settle in your lungs. Clean with a green, essential oil-based cleaner to maintain the shine.

Next year: Renovation of the exterior

Warm regards,

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.

Partner, Director of Sales & Operations

FANDANGO Catering

(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Expands Organic Wedding Cake Line, Hires Pastry Chef

FANDANGO Catering has expanded its signature line of organic and fair-trade wedding cakes and has hired Pastry Chef Dawn Parrot to head up its organic wedding cake services, the only organic wedding cake line in Houston.

Our wedding cakes are made with 100% organic and fair-trade ingredients. Because we use only organic and natural ingredients, we DO NOT do fondant, royal, or gum paste decorations, which we find too artificial.

FANDANGO's newly-expanded wedding cake line includes:

Flavors
*Vanilla Bean
*Chocolate or Chocolate-Cinnamon
*Peach/Mango
*Orange-Gran Marnier
*Lemon Chiffon
*Carrot
*Different Layers, Different Flavors
*Cheesecakes (Layers)--Choice of New York Style, Chocolate, Mango, or Key Lime (also available as different layers, different flavors)
*Cupcakes--Chocolate, Carrot, Vanilla Bean, Orange

Fillings
*Chocolate Mousse
*Orange Mousse
*Raspberry Mousse
*Raspberry-Chocolate Mousse
*Chocolate-Orange Mousse
*Lemon Mousse
*Pineapple Mousse

Icings
*Buttercream (Mascarpone, Meyer Lemon, Chocolate, Cream Cheese, Creme Fraiche)
*Ganache (chocolate satin finish)
*Icing designs can also be piped onto cheesecake layers

Designs
*Fresh organic & non-toxic flowers and greenery
*Sugared fruit
*Sugared leaves
*Piped dot borders
*Piped shell borders
*Piped swirls
*Sugared grape borders
*Chocolate shavings and/or curls
*Dipped strawberry borders
*Basketweave icing
*Berry layers between cake layers (dowels)
*Square layers
*Satin ribbon decoration
*Cupcake tiers (with or without mini cake on top)

Cakes come in two, three, and four layers; and two and three layers with dowels.

Our new head Pastry Chef is certified in Pastry Arts by the American Culinary Foundation, has eight years of wedding cake experience, has won several prestigious medals, and recently taped an invitation-only cake challenge on The Food Network (to be aired). She will personally prepare and decorate all wedding cakes, handle with our Executive Chef all wedding cake tastings, and with our Executive Chef and logistics team handle wedding cake transportation, setup, and cutting.

Info, portfolio, and tastings: (281) 796-9841 or chef@fandango-catering.com

Best wishes!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Partner, Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering
(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Chef to Offer Cooking Classes at Fiesta Cooking School

FANDANGO Catering's Executive Chef, Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo, will be offering cooking classes at the Fiesta Cooking School beginning July 2010.

Following up on the success of our Spanish cooking class at Rice University on May 8, with nearly 50 participants, Chef Jesús will share with Fiesta Cooking School participants techniques for authentic regional cooking from Spain and other countries, as well as culinary histories and caterer's tips for garnishing and food presentation. Our Chef's classes are fun and interactive, with tastings throughout and the chance to talk food with the Chef.

Tentative class themes are:

July 2010: Spanish Summer Dinner

September 2010: Fall Tapas Party

November 2010: Autumn Harvest Dinner

Look for more information on the classes, including menus, in forthcoming blog posts!


Request class info: chef@fandango-catering.com


Warm regards,

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras
Partner, Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering
(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Offers More Spanish Recipes from Rice University Class

FANDANGO Catering Offers two more recipes from the Spanish cooking class held at Rice University May 8, 2010.

In a previous post we listed recipes for Solomillo de cerdo a los dos pimentones and Salsa de naranja y nata.

Here are two more recipes from that class:

Gazpacho (Andalucía)
Serves 4-6

4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, medium dice
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, chopped
1 ¾ tsp. cumin
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup plus 1 tbsp. wine vinegar
½ loaf day-old Italian or French bread, cut in small pieces (it should not be an ultra-skinny loaf)
2 cups cold water
Salt to taste

Place garlic, cucumbers, and tomatoes in a blender. Add cumin, oil, and vinegar. Blend at low speed 2-3 minutes, then on high for 2-3 minutes, or until a smooth puree without large lumps is obtained. Add the bread pieces and again blend for 2-3 minutes at low speed and then for 2-3 minutes at high speed. Transfer this puree to a 2-qt. pitcher and add water. Chill very well, preferably overnight, or at least 8 hours. Serve cold.

Patatas al jerez/Sherried Potatoes (Andalucía)

Serves 4

4 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ lbs. white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves, cut in halves
¼ medium-large onion, slivered
4 tbsp. manzanilla or dry fino sherry
2 tbsp.minced fresh tarragon

Preheat oven to 300º. Coat an 8 x 12 inch roasting pan with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add half the potatoes in a slightly overlapping layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter the bay leaves and onion over the potatoes and cover with another layer of the remaining potatoes, sprinkling again with salt and pepper. Spoon the remaining 3 tbsp.olive oil over the potatoes. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes over in the pan, cover lightly with foil, and cook for about 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are almost tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 450º. Sprinkle the sherry and tarragon over the potatoes, cover again with foil, and continue baking until the sherry is absorbed and the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Forthcoming post: Recipe for Valencian Chocolate Mousse from the Rice Class

Warm regards,

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.

Partner, Director of Sales & Operations

FANDANGO Catering

(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Offers Spanish Cooking Class Recipes

FANDANGO Catering's Spanish cooking class at Rice University on May 8 was a huge success, with 50 participants. The culinary histories of the dishes prepared in class were interspersed with the demonstrations and tastings, Spanish music, and a social period at the end. As they say, a good time was had by all!

Here are two of the recipes from the class, with the region in parentheses:

Solomillo de cerdo a los dos pimentones/Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Hot Spanish Paprika (Galicia)

Serves 4

5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 ½ tbsp. fresh oregano
¼ tsp. Kosher salt
5 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. Spanish sweet paprika
½ tsp. Spanish hot paprika
3 tbsp. dry white wine
Two ¾ lb. pork tenderloins
1 small onion, slivered
Chicken broth (if needed)

In a mini processor, mash to a paste the garlic, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, and salt. Stir in oil, sweet and hot paprikas, and wine, transfer to a glass pie plate or shallow casserole, add the meat, and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375º. Remove meat from refrigerator, scatter in onions, and transfer to oven. Cook until meat is done, 25-30 minutes, or until it reaches internal temperature of 160º, adding a little chicken broth if it dries out.

While pork is cooking, prepare the Orange-Cream Sauce.

Remove pork, cut at an angle in ½ inch slices, and spoon on first meat juices and then Orange-Cream Sauce, decorating with the julienned orange strips.

Salsa de naranja y nata/Orange-Cream Sauce (Aragón)

Serves 4

Zest of ½ orange, orange part only, julienned
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tbsp. Butter
½ cup chicken broth

Blanch orange zest for 5 minutes in boiling water; drain.

In a saucepan combine the orange juice, ½ cup chicken broth, cream, salt, and pepper to taste and boil down to half. Stir in the butter and orange julienne strips. Reserve.

Next time: More recipes from the cooking class

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.

Partner, Director of Sales & Operations

FANDANGO Catering

(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering to Teach Cooking Class at Rice

FANDANGO Catering: Spanish Cooking Class
at Rice University
"VIAJE GASTRONOMICO POR ESPA­ÑA:
CULINARY JOURNEY THROUGH SPAIN"
Weiss College Commons (Dining Hall)
Rice University, 6430 Main St. (Entrance 4)
Saturday, May 8, 2010, 3-6pm
FREE Parking in adjacent field

Dear Friends,

FANDANGO Catering has been invited to teach a Spanish cooking class at Rice University on May 8, 2010, 3-6pm.

Our Executive Chef Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo, a Madrid native and Scottsdale Culinary Institute graduate, will lead participants in a delicious culinary journey through Spanish regional cooking. This is the first time a Spanish chef has been invited to Rice and we are honored.


Menu:
-Gazpacho (Andalucía)
-Solomillo a los dos pimentones (Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Hot Spanish Paprika, Galicia) con Salsa de naranja y nata (with Orange Cream Sauce, Aragón)
-Patatas al Jerez (Sherried Potatoes, Andalucía)
-Marquesa de chocolate (Chocolate Mousse, Valencia)

We are grateful to the Casa de España de Houston for organizing this class and especially to Dr. Victoria Arbizu-Sabater, Casa de España President and Rice faculty member, and David McDonald, Rice Catering Director.

A Cooking Class and Then Some!

This will be a fun, interactive, BILINGUAL class and will offer both cooking demonstrations and tastings as well as featuring extras not found in most cooking classes, including:


-Culinary history of each dish
-Wine pairings suggestions
-Special Spanish tapas table, presented courtesy of Carbonell Olive Oil (Grupo SOS)--and we will use Carbonell EVOO for the class
-Tasting of each dish during the demonstrations, with social and eating time and informal discussions with the Chef at the end of the class
-Recipe cards
-Caterer's tips on presenting food attractively
-Spanish music
-AMBIENTE ESPAÑOL--¡OLE! ¡OLE!

Come and be transported to a Spanish tasca while you learn Spanish cooking techniques and enjoy mouth-watering regional specialties of Spain.


Cost: $20.00, Casa de España members $25.00, General Public
Includes class and food
Only a few spaces left!!
Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the event.
We hope you can join us!



Warm regards,
Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Partner, Director of Sales & OperationsFANDANGO Catering
(281) 796-9841