Napkin Ideas for Your Home Parties

Some home parties don't require cloth napkins--for more casual events or ones where children will attend, paper napkins are probably a better choice.

But some home parties are not as casual, and the hosts want to use cloth napkins.  Dinner parties, even alfresco/outdoor parties, can use cloth napkins successfully. 

For buffets at home parties, generally cloth napkins are used to roll up cutlery bundles, and napkins placed at place settings aren't generally used unless the guests serve themselves from a buffet and then take their seats at tables with place settings. 

If this is the case, or you have place settings at a dining table or two, or you serve guests at several smaller dining tables with place settings, then cloth napkins are appropriate at home parties.

Today's napkins in place settings
Today place settings with cloth napkins have evolved a lot.  While elaborate folds are still used for more formal events like weddings and some fundraisers, even these types of events now often include more fun types of napkin "folds" that set a more comfortable ambience, not as stuffy.

The most current napkin "folds" today are:

• Rolled napkins on top of plates, with or without some decorative element on top of the rolled napkins
• Square-folded napkins, also on top of plates, also with or without some decorative element on top of them

These are just a lot easier to do than the more elaborate folds and can go well with many types of decor at home parties.

Decorative elements on top of the rolled or folded napkins can be anything from event favors to gilded twigs, flowers to name cards written on paper (even on leaves) to small candies.  Generally the decorative elements will suit the theme or reason for the party. 

And the decorative element doesn't have to be placed in a napkin ring or rolled in a ribbon or raffia or string--it can be, if you like that look, but if you want to make it easy on yourself, just place these little decorations on top of each rolled or square-folded napkin on the place settings and they'll look wonderful with less work.

Another way we do napkins, for more traditional decor, is to fold them in triangles and then put them flat on the plates, with decorative elements on top of each.

Napkin rings
If you do like napkin rings, there are many styles available, from traditional to modern.  In fact, modern-type napkin ring designs have exploded in the past 10 years!

Available at places like Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table, and Macy's or Bloomingdale's, or more "exotic" designs from Pier 1 and other import stores, they can be almost the easiest way to use cloth napkins at your  home party because all you do is push the napkins through them. Easy, right?  Two of our favorites are silvery parsley-leaf motif rings from Sur La Table and beaded rim silver rings from Crate &Barrel.  You can also check out Ebay and Etsy for vintage and artisan rings.

Either way, cloth napkins add tremendous style to your home parties and they're so much easier to set up and work with today!

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077

www.fandango-catering.com

Read about how we're providing sustainable catering for 1500 people at an outdoor event at Discovery Green 9/10/11:
http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Hapy BD Houston Regrts 4Mkt Sq fest r lst Sun off bfor Fam Day Disc Grn 9/10 4 1500 Jst read: Frnklin St whre kchn is frst 2 b pved w asfalt

Fandango Catering and Events to Provide Sustainable Catering at Discovery Green Event

We are honored to have been chosen to provide sustainable catering for an expected 1,500 guests at this year's Family Day event at Discovery Green on Sept. 10, 2011.

Family Day, sponsored by Houston City Council Member James Rodríguez in partnership with community organizations, is an annual event for families at the start of the school year with family and children's activities and educational booths highlighting career opportunities.

This year's career theme is "Green Careers."

Our sustainable catering for this event will reduce its carbon footprint by nearly 40%.  Our sustainable catering procedures for the event will include:

• 100% biodegradable packaging of box lunches and salsa station cups
• Recycled, non-bleached paper napkins
• Local produce used in box lunches
• Continuous refilling of box lunches from our downtown kitchen to avoid using electric generators at the park to keep food fresh
• House-made baked not fried tortilla chips

At Fandango we have long advocated for and practiced sustainable catering and we are honored to be able to demonstrate the use of sustainable catering methods at large public events as well as smaller private events.

On the menu:

• Turkey and Cheese Wraps with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
• Roasted Vegetables and Herbed Cheese on Ciabatta
• Pesto Chicken, Cheese, and Tomato Wraps with Herbed Mayo
• Santa Fe Chicken Wraps with Grilled Chicken, Tomato, and Lime-Poblano Crema
• House-Made Baked Tortilla Chips and House-Made Roasted Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
• Cookie Assortment

For more information on the event and Discovery Green see also: www.discoverygreen.org

Warmly,

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Today priv client lunch 2pm: Bf Bourguignon w Creme de Cassis, Ckn w Orng Crm Sauce, Rosted Vegetables, Herb-Sauteed Spinach w Shallots

How to Host an Interactive Pizza Party

As summer winds down and we begin thinking of fall entertaining, one of the most fun, interactive gatherings you can host is an interactive pizza party.

No, not the hideous takeout pizza parties of high school activities or middle school sleepovers--today's interactive pizza parties are seriously cool and fun parties with high-quality food, but are easy to throw together.  And they're also good for parties where kids will be present, as kids like the interactive part too.

If pressed for time (most people are), buy pizza dough from a reputable pizza parlor or a gourmet market. 

It's easiest to make pizzas around 8" or 9."  Set out the disks of dough (flattened or not beforehand), plus the toppings, on a kitchen counter, island, or table.

Toppings and then some

Here's where your party gets really fun: put out bowls or plates with a variety of toppings so people can top their pizzas in the combinations they like.  If you have more than one oven you can have both your ovens going with pizzas (we catered a party like this and we used our wonderful DeLonghi countertop convection oven as well as the clients' built-in ovens).

You don't want to be too predictable and boring with the toppings--otherwise why not just order takeout pizzas, with their same old toppings, in the first place?

Here are some topping ideas:

• Rich cheeses like Gruyere, Fontina, Emmentaler, Jarlsburg, or even regular or pepper Monterey Jack
• Fresh mozzarella pre-sliced into medallions (available at gourmet markets)
• Heirloom tomatoes sliced very thin (not chopped)
• Fresh chopped mixed herbs (basil, tarragon, mint, dill; or, for cooler weather, thyme or rosemary)
• Finely chopped red onion, sauteed until soft and translucent
• Cured meats such as prosciutto, coppa, chorizo, or fuet/dry salami--watch these carefully as they turn hard if left in the oven too long
• Fresh artisan sausages such as chicken with jalapeño and cheese (also available at gourmet markets)
• Some nice black olives or capers
• Sauteed vegetables like leek strands, red peppers, or spinach
• Other foods you like--just remember, if it's crunchy, sauté first until soft

Red
Marinara? One day ahead cut one yellow onion into small dice and sauté in olive oil until soft and translucent, then add 10-12 tomatoes, chopped and seeded, and simmer 25-35 minutes or until tomatoes are soft, then add a little more than 1/2 stick butter until melted, 1-2 generous pinches finely chopped fresh basil or (we prefer this) fresh tarragon, and blend with a hand blender until smooth, adding salt and pepper to taste--makes enough for about 10-12 9" pizzas.  Set out with the toppings and a ladle so people can put on their pizzas.

Combine, bake, eat
Then let your guests make their pizzas, combining toppings as they like, discussing which toppings they've chosen, and everybody tasting eveybody's pizza combinations.  A memorable interactive pizza party.

Enjoy!

Kristina


Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Working on special tasting of new tapas menu and dinner menu items for October

Cool Glassware and Stemware for Your Party

Today we wanted to share some ideas we've had recently with our design team on cool glassware/stemware that can really add pizzazz to your party.

Plain clear glass stemware works for nearly any occasion; we've even seen and used this type of stemware at outdoor events if it went with the mood of the event.  Also, at large events like weddings, plain clear glass stemware is a less expensive option than stemware or glassware with designs or colors.

Particularly for small- to medium-sized events, though, you can add the cool-wow factor with stemware or glassware that features designs and/or colors.  We are thinking of goblets (wine goblets,  but also cordial and other "stemmed" drinkware) as well as glasses like tumblers, and cocktail glasses like martini glasses.

To add the cool-wow factor, first make sure that the glassware/stemware is glass and not plastic.  We only use plastic drinkware (or preferably a plant-based resin drinkware that looks like plastic, or bagasse, sugar-cane based drinkware that also resembles plastic) at events either where children will be present or where the event itself is extremely casual and any glassware/stemware would be out of place.

There are all kind of designs and colors in stemware/glassware available now that are really cool. 

Below, we provide some sources to get you started.

But first, a few thoughts.

• Very heavy goblets and glasses don't get used--they're too heavy, even if they look nice, and are a pain to lift and drink from. 
• If you want colored stemware/glassware, pick a color that you won't tire of and that goes with your decor. It may be fun to buy colored glasses for a specific party, but think beyond that to what you can use at least a few times a year, say at a party or two and maybe a holiday or two.
• Another idea is to get vintage glassware sets--At consignment shops and on Ebay and Etsy, or even at estate sales, and at excellent prices. Often these come in sets of two, four, six, or eight (we have bought and inherited many such) and it's fun for guests to choose their drinkware, kind of like a stemware sampler
• If you don't want colored glassware or stemware, colored or gilded (silver or gold) borders on glasses are also cool and come in designs from more formal to more mod

Some sources:

• www.zrike.com
• Oversized and textured and striped glassware/stemware: www.thefind.com
• www.overstock.com
• www.macys.com
• www.potterybarn.com
• www.crateandbarrel.com
• Great for comparison shopping: www.bizrate.com

And for great info and ideas on using colored wine glasses to make your event pop:
http://wine.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Colored_Wine_Glasses

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

For interesting stemware/glassware designs:
http://www.zrike.com

Cool Libation Ideas

As summer winds down (today 103F here in Houston) and you're perhaps planning a party or event, today we want to offer three ideas for cool libations (well, one idea is based on libations).

For some people libations are a non-issue at parties or gatherings;  nothing alcoholic is served or the alcohol that's served are pairings with the food or a signature cocktail is served besided wines and/or beer and a non-alcoholic option.  Nothing more is wanted or needed.

For others, the libations are more important.  If you are in the interested-in-having-a-cool-libation-at-your-event camp, read on!

Here are three ideas for jazzing up your party or gathering that are particularly appropriate for this late summer into early fall period:

• Set up an alcoholic punch buffet--Find cool alcoholic punch recipes at www.barnonedrinks.com or check out The Ultimate Party Drink Book which offers 750 drink recipes.  Choose at least three punches and set them out on a buffet, either in champagne flutes or martini glasses or regular stemware, or how about beverage dispensers or punchbowls or pitchers, even bistro tumblers?  And if you have a variety of different colored punches in your punch buffet, it looks amazing, especially if you pour the punches into goblets or glasses or they are in transparent beverage dispensers or pitchers!
• Make cocktail "popsicles"--We will not take credit for this idea as it came from Fine Cooking originally (Aug/Sept. 2009) but we do it differently in that we can take pretty much any cocktail recipe and freeze it into popsicles rather than concentrating on ones with "food" ingredients like cream or chocolate (though we can do that too).  If you have pop molds it's easy, or if not use small wax-lined paper cups, which peel off easily.  Unmold and pass on trays with napkins (they'll start melting after around 10-15 minutes on the tray) or serve them individually in martini glasses or stemware, which catch the drips.
• Have a regional libation buffet--such as vinho verde, port, and wines from Portugal or a selection of French wines and cocktails from one region of France or a regional American or Belgian craft beer selection...Again, choose at least three libations and maybe put out a little printed card or a chalkboard with info on the selections.  Guests love this!

Whenever you serve alcohol at a party, it's always polite to serve at least one non-alcoholic beverage besides water. 

The above libation ideas can also be served with more traditional wines if you have more traditional folks among your guests, so everyone is happy.

Enjoy!

Bamboo cutting boards eco-friendly and more durable than maple:
http://ping.fm/mpNZu

Cool sparkling carbonated fresh fruit actually was discovered on the Gulf Coast!
http://ping.fm/ffXMk

Decorating for a Party (Part II)

We've observed that many people don't know how to decorate their homes for a party or gathering, so, following up on our previous blog post on this subject, here are more ideas on decorating your home for an event.

The best place to start is probably by looking around your home and deciding either that any party decorations must fit in with your decor, which you already like, or that you want something completely different from your decor for your party.  For example, my sister's friend is an attorney who is very traditional in his home and office decor but once a year he has a tiki party or a luau where the decor is all tropical. As we have written about theme parties and their decor before and will do so again this fall, today we will talk about decorating for a party based on your existing home decor.

Once you decide whether you want to basically stick with your usual type of decor or taste for your party or you want something really different, the next step is to decide the areas of your home where you'll concentrate the decor.  Places like the entry way or living room, the dining room or great room, the patio...Wherever you decide will be the focal points for the party. 

Some people like to put some decorative element in every room for a party; if you want to do this, use SMALL decorative elements in these other rooms such as a small glass or vase with a small bouquet or even one flower head or small containers of potpourri, shells, stones, whatever, in a powder room or bedroom.  Keep the decroative interest on 2 or max 3 rooms at your party and you won't go wrong. Parties where EVERY room has a riot of large florals remind us of funeral homes! No, instead keep the decorative focus in the rooms where the guests will be concentrated.

Some decorative looks for parties that we like are:

• More formal-looking tablecloth, flowers, centerpiece and/or candles or candelabras
• Rustic chic (Pottery Barn style) with bare trestle table, metal or glass candlesticks, fresh fruit in a pottery centerpiece, heavy glassware, no table linens
• Modern glass or metal table, pastel or medium-colored (even in several different colors) placemats, one large or several small clear or white square or interesting-shaped vases, square plates, contrasting pastel colors of rolled or folded napkins on the plates--too many modern event designs use too much red, which often looks too "agressive" and cold, so the pastel or medium colors touch here warms things up!
• Eclectic--Mix and match table linens with solid overlay in complementary color over patterned cloth or vice versa, flowers in a colored vase in color to complement linens or in a clear square vase or even a nice pitcher, colored plates and clear or colored glasses or those glasses with colored rims

Each basic party decor scheme, based on your existing home decor and taste--traditional, rustic chic, modern, eclectic-can be interpreted dozens of ways to suit you. 

And look in your closets and ask friends--what do you have, or do your friends have, that might work for your party? Recently we borrowed from a chef a wonderful square silver footed tray about six inches high and we used it serve very modern-looking skewers diagonally, and the guests loved that unusual display.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Roast Bf Tndrln popular all summr w r clients despite heat! Bst pairings: Cab Sauv, Rioja, Chianti Classico, Bordeaux

Info on charitable donations to commemorate a wedding or special event:
http://ping.fm/tlHO3

How to Host an Interactive Party

As summer begins to wind down, folks begin thinking about or ramping up their entertaining--and it has been an unusually hot summer in our patch of the world!

If you're considering hosting a gathering this fall, one way to make your event distinctive and fun is to host an interactive party.  What's an interactive party? These are events where there is something to "do" or "watch" or "learn."

Here are some examples:

• A chef prepares food and chats with guests while they watch (and sometimes assist)
• Teams (and this is fun at private parties as well as corporate events) make different parts of the meal
• One or more musicians play or sing
• Action stations--Areas where different foods are prepared and are manned by different chefs, e.g., at one action station a chef prepares pizzas, at another omelets, at another steaks cooked to order...In the culinary world this is called cooking "a la minut" (by the minute). Many restaurants, hotel, and caterers use these for brunches and weddings but they can be fun for home events too.

Book or movie discussion clubs, card-playing sessions, craft sessions, spa parties--all are part of this interactive wave in entertaining and give guests something to do, which a lot of people like.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Now on our website Sample Menus page: New Tapas Menu PDF-
http://ping.fm/ZIXvw

Just finished long day of mtgs and initial planning for event for 1500 in Sept.

Variations on a Food Theme for Late Summer Parties

If you're planning a late summer party and aren't sure what to serve, how about different variations on a food theme?

This is best for people who like to experiment a little, try new things--if your guests fall into this group it can be really fun and in some ways easier to plan.

By variations on a theme we mean something similar to food stations in that you choose one or at most two foods and make different dishes based on that food.  Like three dishes with avocado or three dishes with skewers or three dishes with seafood or three dishes with mushrooms or three dishes with beer...You can't have less than three for this to work bu three is enough, four dishes at most. 

People love this kind of interactive stuff at gatherings!

Try to choose three dishes that are pretty different in appearance and consistency, say a guacamole, an avocado canapé-like appetizer, and an avocado soup, or an appetizer with lemon, a pasta dish with lemon, and a lemon dessert with a limoncello punch.

This spices up your party and keeps people asking what everything is--it intrigues people!

If you're pressed for time buy some or even all the food or have it catered. Line up the food in the middle of the table or kitchen island to show off these "food siblings" and you're set! Watch how your guests have fun with this type of interesting spread.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

For our new tapas menu--white tapas plates or the cool colored ones from Sur La Table? Both?
http://bit.ly/qsemiw

Late Summer Parties

In our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining," today we want to focus on late summer parties.

If you haven't given a party this year and are thinking of having one before summer ends, late summer is a good time as the temperature is a little cooler, many people have returned to the city from vacation, and you can have fun with either a "goodbye to summer" gathering or, especially if you live in a cooler climate, you can do a kind of "bridge" event that has some late summer feel but that also give a nice lead-in into fall.

Goodbye to Summer Parties
A "goodbye to summer" gathering can take advantage of great late summer produce and even late summer prices on things like summer linens or patioware or cocktail sets or BBQ grills...But avoid in the decor very light pastels or too much white as these look TOO summery at end of summer.  Better to use a bright color or two in combination with white or a pastel, as this feels summery and "fiesta"-like but is not like the decor for a mid-summer party.

Colors like turquoise, magenta, bright yellow or kelly green...but stick to one or max two accents in these bright colors and your "goodbye to summer" bash will look just right.

Lead-In to Fall Late Summer Parties
For a "bridge" between summer and fall gathering, use deep bright accents combined with a lighter color, such as dark blue with pink or with light green or pale yellow.  Or another idea would be to use white or ivory for the tablecloth or placemats combined with medium to dark-ish flowers or a display of late summer whole produce as a decoration.

What Else?
Serve one mid-summer type and one all-year-round type beverage, alcoholic or not or both, and food that includes tomatoes, at their best in late summer.  When we lived in New York one friend even held an all-tomato party (all the dishes were made with tomatoes) in late August and it was very cool! Tomato gratin, tomato pie, gazpacho (provided by Chef Jesús), tomato and steak sliders...

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

2day Tky sws chptl rnch wrps Rstd veg hrb chs on cbtta Psto ckn munstr tmto wrps hrb myo Grld ckn tmt lme pobl crm wrps Rsbry crm chs brnies

Lat sumer desrt figs or peaches in bkg dish w 1/2 inch sweet Marsala or sherry 350 bastng occas until hot Srv drzld w Mars n sugard sour crm

Fandango Catering and Events Launches New All Tapas Menu

At popular request Fandango Catering and Events will launch its new all-tapas menu this month of August 2011.

We are known for our all-natural, sustainably-created, all handmade finger foods from Spanish, American, Latin, European, and Asian cuisines; and for the last year or so clients and colleagues have urged us to come up with an all-tapas menu.  We have now done so, with an emphasis on both traditional and nouvelle Spanish tapas (nouvelle, not oxygen-ified).

Since our Executive Chef/Owner Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo is a native of Madrid (born in the lovely neighborhood of Chamberí/Ríos Rosas, as he likes to say), and is passionate about tapas, this makes sense!

As we have worked on our new all-tapas menu, we have concentrated on dishes that preserve Spanish cooking traditions while appealing to contemporary tastes. The past few years have seen such a wealth of great twists on and updates of traditional tapas food, anyway.

One of the most important uses for our new all-tapas menu will be--and this is where several clients' requests for this menu comes in--to add interest and coolness to a cocktail party or any gathering where finger foods will be served.  A theme in catering in recent years has been finger foods all or mostly from one region, such as Asian or Mexican foods.  And now, Spanish tapas.

Add to the mix the cool little tapas plates and some great Spanish wines and/or sherries, and you have a fabulously cool gathering!

Or how about an interactive Spanish chef party where guests learn from the chef about tapas as they are eating? Done, too.

Some of the tapas in our new menu are:

• Gambas en salsa roja/Sizzling Chili Shrimp
• Champiñones rellenos de fuet/Catalán Sausage-Filled Mushrooms
• Banderillas de emparedados/Spanish Croque Monsieur Sandwich and Cherry Tomato Skewers
• Pinchitos morunos con trio de aliolis/Pork Mini Skewers with Trio of Aliolis

For more info:
info@fandango-catering.com

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

New testimonial on Client Comments page:
http://ping.fm/zA176

Decorating for a Party:
http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Decorating for a Party

In our continuing blog series," Summer Entertaining," today we offer ideas on decorating for a party.

Many people are unsure of how to decorate for a party and so either do nothing or do something that it would have been better to do nothing. 

The first thing to remember is that you should do SOME decoration.  How do you make guests feel like it is an adult party and not a college frat bash? By decorating!

This is not at all difficult, and here are several ideas to get you started.

Buy two floral arrangments and set one on your buffet or dinner table and one in the entry way or in the living room (or wherever guests will gather before dinner).  If you do nothing more, this makes your party elegant but not fussy.  What colors? In summer you can't go wrong with light colors or white flowers; light colors should complement or match your home's decor, and we are fans of flowers all in one color as trying to do different colors is tricky--why complicate things?

If you don't like flowers put something else decorative with height as a centerpiece on your buffet or dining table--candles, candelabras, statues...But remember, for this to work the object must have height. It really is easier to do flowers.

If you entertain more than once a year, consider buying a tablecloth to use for your parties--A buffet or dining table with a cloth,white, ivory, or colored, always looks festive, and when the party's over just put it in the laundry hamper (if it's stained spray-treat it first and wash the next day).  So many people nowadays don't want to use tablecloths and then complain that their parties are drab! This is because your table looks the way it always does, i.e., no tablecloth, so what's festive about that? Nothing! Or try colored placemats if you absolutely don't want to use any tablecloth.  The point is to add in some color to make your eating and guest area more festive.

One of our signature touches is to add a few strands of greenery to tables and tabletop bars--Many people have something in their yards or a friend's yard that can be used like this, or you can buy some greenery at the supermarket. Recently we did a dinner party for a client and we added a strand of passionflower vines to her round tabletop bar and the client and the guests really liked it because next to the bottles of wine it looked festive but not overdone or granny-ish and set off the artwork hung on the walls.

If you're really pressed for time, use colorful plates and napkins, real or paper--This always looks festive and there's no messing with tablecloth drapings or arranging anything--just put them on your table(s) and the colors look festive.

A decorative beverage dispenser also helps your party look festive--Check out the large selection at www.classichostess.com ! Here at this site you can see how a decorative beverage dispenser can really add a nice touch to your party--that's why they're called decorative!

If you choose even just one or two of these ideas, your party will be so much more welcoming to guests and festive.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Back at the office: Helping client for holiday party narrow down menu choices

Seating Guests at Events (Part II)

Earlier this summer I wrote about seating guests at events like smaller home parties.

Another way to seat guests at parties and events of nearly any size--one that's trendy now--is to seat them at one or more long tables or several tables pushed together to form one long table, with chairs along either side.

But get this--this method was popular at parties and events back in the 1920s--1940s! If you've ever seen old Hollywood movies, there are many scenes in which people at fancy dinner parties are seated at a long table or two.

But what's different today is that your event doesn't have to be fancy to use this seating arrangement, although where this arrangment IS most popular now is at weddings and dinner parties. This arrangment would be great even for outdoor parties, whether done as casual get-togethers or more formal affairs like outdoor weddings.

We recently catered a dinner party at which the hostess chose this arrangment, and the event design, which we collaborated on with her, was very of the moment.  White muslin tablecloths and chair covers, pale green satin chair sashes, many small mirrors and tea lights on the table and sideboard, fresh pears with handwritten leaf-shaped paper name cards tied to the stems, combined with our gold-edged plates, our mirror-finish cutlery, and our classic stemware.  Dazzling! And very current and cool.

But here's one thing you need to keep in mind about this long-table arrangement: guests WILL get up from their chairs and squat or bend to talk to guests at the other end of the table during the course of the dinner.  This can be disconcerting for some; and with smaller tables happens less as people are able to talk to everyone at their table and so what typically happens is that after the dinner, say, at least one or two people from each table will get up and walk around to talk to others.  But with smaller tables this is less noticed than with the long table.

Also, if you use this arrangment, make sure that your tablecloth(s) are tucked and not puddled on the floor as soneone can trip on the tablecloth and fall when they get up to talk to someone at the far end of the table.

If people getting up to talk to others during the dinner bothers you or you don't have a long space to accomodate a long table, stick to smaller tables or a regular dining room table combined with smaller tables, round or square.  And remember: you can always seat more people at round tables than at square or rectangular ones, if that's important for your event.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

On choosing seasonal wedding flowers and u can also use suggestions to choose seasonal flowers 4 ANY kind of event:
http://bit.ly/fVGk3W

Launch of Café Luz

We are so happy and proud to announce the August 8, 2011 grand opening of Café Luz, a wonderful new little jewel of a café to be located right at our own kitchen facility.

For those who are unaware of this, last October 2010 we relocated our kitchen to the facility at 907 Franklin St. at Travis St. in downtown Houston's historic Market Square district.

There were many reasons for our move to this fabulous space, including:

• Its location in a beautiful Art Deco historic building
• Its location DOWNTOWN and our belief that downtowns should be revitalized and that Houston's downtown in particular has such great architecture and energy
• Its extensive equipment, three kitchens, and café area, which allows us to book large events as well as hold tastings and special events at the space
• Because the space is a chefs' and culinary professionals' collaborative space, we have been successful in fueling our business's explosive growth in the last 18 months without the sole burden of expensive monthly overhead that causes so many food businesses to fail
• Most of all, the people are awesome! We are continually amazed at the wonderful, caring chefs and culinary entrepreneurs we have met and worked with there and at the great entrepreneurial-community spirit that the space fosters.  We truly are like a family, sharing info, making or asking for recommendations, and sharing "stuff" from food ingredients to flowers and trays.

The new café will also be a chefs' collaborative effort and will serve light foods as well as sell foods to go. It will also serve wonderful coffees and teas.  Chef Jesús and I are reminded of the great ambience of so many small coffee shops, wine bars, trattorias, and tea shops in Europe, New York, and other places.

Of course, Fandango will continue to cater events large and small as we also collaborate with this delightful café!

If you're in or coming to Houston, please stop by the wonderful Café Luz ("Café of Light") for a bite or a coffee or tea.

Café Luz
907 Franklin St. at Travis St., Houston, TX 77002
Grand Opening Monday, Aug. 8, 2011

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com