FANDANGO Catering Offers 3 Ideas for Fall Events

Now that fall is more or less here, we offer 3 ideas for creating wonderful fall events in the first of our new blog series, "Fall Entertaining."

With fall come myriad opportunities for entertaining, some more casual, such as a friends' gathering, and some to celebrate more official or more formal occasions, such as a wedding, open house, or fundraiser. Below are ideas that can be used at many types of fall events this year.

Choose autumn decor--Deeper-colored tablecloths, flowers, votives, and foliage signal that fall is here. Another good color theme for fall is the use of gold accents.

Choose at least two fall-inspired foods--What foods say "fall" to you? Try to choose at least two foods that say fall is here, whether at a casual or formal occasion. For example, mushrooms, squashes, cream sauces, gourmet warming chilis, comfort foods, or apple- or pear-based desserts signal that fall has arrived. These choices can be as down-home or as elegant as your occasion requires. For example, a friends' gathering could showcase fall's wonderful apples in an apple cobbler or crisp while at a more formal dinner party an elegant tarte tatin would highlight the season's apple bounty.

Choose an "autumn" wine--Ask your wine or liquor store for suggestions for wines that go with fall foods and your menu, such as Beaujolais or other wines that are NOT the crisp whites and reds of summer. For non-alcoholic options try warming non-alcoholic cider for a more casual gathering or a gourmet coffee bar, which is easy to set up on a side area with coffee, cream, cocoa powder, cinnamon sticks, and if you have true coffee aficionados, perhaps a liqueur to add to the coffee such as Amaretto, Frangelico, or Drambuie--impressive!

Warmly,

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras
Partner, Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering
(713) 522-0077
(281) 796-9841

FANDANGO Catering Offers 8 Tips to Avoid Problems at Your Catered Event

In order to avoid problems at your catered event, head them off at the pass with just a little bit of foresight.

Below, we offer 8 tips to help you avoid problems at your catered event.

If you serve more than one type of entree, make sure your guests understand your wishes--If you serve more than one type of entree (such as beef and chicken), and you ask the caterer to divide the entrees among the guest list (such as 50 beef entrees and 50 chicken entrees for 100 guests), make sure your guests understand that they are to choose only ONE entree. Use an entree selection box on your RSVP; call or e-mail guests; make this clear on any menus used at your event; ask the catering manager, your MC, or a relative to relay this to guests at the beginning of the event; or pay for more entrees to avoid running out of food. This is your job, not the caterer's.
Along the same line, be realistic in estimating how much your group will eat or drink--A wedding with many twentysomething guests will require more food and an extra bartender and barback to accomodate young people's hearty appetites and constant visits to the bar.
Wherever your event takes place, make sure you provide a room, closet, or other storage area besides the kitchen--Unless your kitchen is VERY roomy, your caterer needs an area not seen by guests to put things like racks of dishes, coolers, etc. These things should not be seen behind a buffet or bar because they ruin the effect.
Assign someone if you don't have time to take charge of a "potluck" table--These include potluck dessert, beverage, and appetizer tables that you aren't having taken care of by the caterer. Please don't ruin the caterer's hard work in setting up the food nicely with an unattractive potluck table. Ask someone to take charge of such tables and use decent plates and serving pieces (no Tupperware please!). And please don't ask or expect your caterer to "fix up" such tables unless you've paid for it or tip generously.
If you say you will be responsible for doing something at your event by the time the caterer arrives, do it or have someone else do it--Recently a frazzled client living out of town promised to provide serving pieces for her dessert buffet, an ice bucket and tongs for a courtyard table, and sodas for her bar, none of which she did, we assume because they didn't want to pay (she had asked for prices for these things). We were left scrambling though we managed to do it; and we had to listen to guests' complain that there were no non-alcoholic beverages besides water.
Along this line, and most importantly, be realistic about what your budget can and can't provide--Better to do a lavish hors d'oeuvres spread than to try to do a dinner and have to cut corners where guests will notice.
Visualize your event start to finish--At least TRY this exercise: Sit down for 20 minutes and imagine your event from beginning at least up through the food portion. I GUARANTEE you that you'll think of things you hadn't that you need to take care of and/or discuss with your caterer.

Here's to problem-free events!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Partner, Director of Sales & Operations
FANDANGO Catering
(713) 522-0077
(281) 796-9841