Friday, March 30, 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Interestng c'tail 4 ur party? Reunion (serves 2): 1 oz Sambuca 1 oz vodka 12 strwberries 6 oz OJ 2/3 cup crshd ice Blend until almost smooth

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers 4 Ideas to Make Your Cocktail Party More Interesting


Cocktail parties are very popular this spring and today we offer 4 ideas for making yours more interesting. 

  • Showcase a drink--Whether that be a straight liquor like whiskey or vodka or a signature cocktail or a type of liquor in a signature cocktail "bar" (such as different types of mixed drinks made with gin, poured and set out for guests to enjoy)
  • Add something decorative to your bar area--This can be greenery or large fresh blooms or a bloom floating in a decorative bowl or decorative paper napkins or colored cocktail glassess--SOMETHING to add color and a sense of festivity.
  • Have no fewer than three light bites--Again, no matter how good your liquor is, people will think you're cheap if you don't serve some small/light bites.  Avoid serving just chips and dip! Buy from a reputable source or provider if you don't cook.
  • Use a one-minute dress up for your light bites--Buy fresh chives, cut off the very tips, and either stack  them across the middle of your serving tray or stack a few and then a few more in an "X" across the middle of your serving tray, with the light bites arranged on either side if stacked in the middle or in the open spaces of the "X."  Very zen/minimalist and easy!

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers More Ideas for Creating Springlike Spring Events

In an earlier blog post, we discussed ways to make your spring events more springlike.  Today, the first day of spring, we offer four more ideas for making your spring event really communicate the season (for us above the equator, spring as a warming and growing season).

Make spring foods the star--Really play up spring foods, or at least do so in one or two of the foods you choose.  Spring foods: artichokes, asparagus, scallions, strawberries, peas, chives, morels, and rhubarb; lamb...
Here in Houston we are fortunate that many local farmers can have so much early spring produce (check out "What's in the Boxes" at the Rawfully Organic local organic produce co-op--an amazing variety!
http://bit.ly/AdBfD4 )

Dishes like the iconic gratineéd asparagus, the trendy pea purée, or a braised or sauteed and pan sauced meat with morels showcase these spring ingredients.  If you're not a cook, ask your caterer about showcasing spring foods for your event.

Use spring colors for the tabletops and event decor--Unless you're doing an all-white event--and we question the wisdom of that as to us it looks too sterile and 70ish, reminiscent of the Woody Allen movie Sleeper--use light colors or bright colors (but don't use more than two bright colors together or the event will end up looking gaudy).  Brights are popular now in the fashion industry as well as at events, especially events geared toward young people like weddings and young professionals' fundraisers.  Either light or bright colors would definitely say spring at your event. Leave the dark and jewel tones for fall and holiday events.

Consider the event space background--On the same note as using light or bright colors to say spring, it's best to choose light or bright colors to complement your event space. Unless your event space has white walls (and many venues do), be careful to consider whether the tabletop and decorations you choose for your event (for which hopefully you've chosen light or bright colors) don't clash with the background colors of your event space. 

For example, once a client told us she wanted to host a dinner that was very early spring at an historic house, but then she and her decorator did the dining room in black and red, which didn't go well with either the brown furniture or the white and green wall scheme, and it wasn't springlike at all.  Better choices would have been pale green, yellow, or blue, dark peach, or a bright like geranium or bright pink.

Use flowers--Nothing says spring like flowers--but seek out local spring flowers if you can.  What flowers are seasonal to spring in your area? Several years ago we did a March reception and decorated with spring irises in beautiful trumpet vases, and everyone said how springlike the flowers made them feel.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Friday, March 16, 2012

So cool--317 pageviews for our blog today! Pls check out the buzz: Ideas for Creating a Themed Event or Wedding: http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers 4 Ideas for Creating a Theme Event or Wedding

Theme events from small parties to large weddings and galas are popular this year, and today we offer 4 ideas to help you create a wonderful theme event.

Start with your budget--If you're on a tight budget, some theme ideas are more expensive to execute than others.  For example, a Mexican, Western, or tropical theme will be less expensive than theme concepts like An Evening in Paris, 70s disco, or a high-end casino party. Determine how much you want to spend on food AND decor for the theme--or rather, how much you want to spend on food and how much is left for the themed decor.  In our experience guests will talk, and not kindly, long after an event at which the host(ess) spent more on decorations or booze than on the food, no matter how great those decorations or that booze were. 

Brainstorm--The most creative event designers and planners hold brainstorming sessions for themed events, and do not dismiss any idea right off.  Instead, after making a preliminary brainstormed list, they run down their list to eliminate those ideas that are completely undoable or impractical for that particular situation.  More often than people think, an idea that at first seemed dubious plays out well at an event.  In any event, for each idea, ask: What would we need to do this and can it be done with the resources we have or can get?

When you've narrowed it down to a few themes, research--If you're trying to decide between themes, list the components of each theme (food, decorations, tabletop, entertainment, whatever).  Don't know what the components would be? Do an Internet search like "ideas for casino parties" or "Argentine food" or "South African food" or whatever the themes you're considering may be.  Now compare them to your deciding criteria, whether that's cost, doability, ease, or whether your guests will like one theme more than another.  Note that most home cooks aren't proficient enough to cook for a themed event, so here you'll probably want to hire a caterer or chef unless it's a cuisine you know well.

Try to spread the theme to each of the major components--These are: food, music and/or entertainment, tabletop (including plates, cutlery, glassware, and napkins) and decorations.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

So many have asked, here it is: Red Alioli--2 Spanish alioli recipe add 1-2 roasted pureed red peppers (& fresh herbs if u want to go luxe)
Yesterday's event hits: Green risotto, Mini Meatball Lasagna with Pink Sauce

Monday, March 12, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers More Spring Event Food Trends

Building on our earlier blog post on food trends for spring events and weddings, today we offer 4 more food trends for spring events and weddings.

Seafood or sausage and fruit kebabs, or unusual meat kebabs--Mixing savory and sweet tastes, offerings like halibut or shrimp and mango, shrimp and mixed seasonal fruit, or scallops and strawberries announce that spring is here and appeal to all ages, children to seniors. Add an interesting sauce that combines savory with a sweet note and your guests will love these kebabs! Or serve chicken or pork kebabs with a spicy marinade such as Spanish pinchos morunos or cilantro chicken or tandoori spears. 

Unusual sliders--Salmon, lamb, chicken tikka, pork, combined with interesting condiments and mayos like mint-chutney for the tikka sliders or lemon dill for the salmon sliders.  Puff pastry, brioche, and other luxe "breads" add a great touch.

Seafood cocktails--Crab and avocado shooters, yuzu crabtinis, unusual shrimp cocktails, all served in interesting glasses--martinis, long shooters, tulip glasses, sake cups, and other unusual serving glasses

Meat-based lollipops--Lollipops have resurged this year and are fun and unusual.  Pecan-crusted lamb lollipops with a luxe sauce like port or marsala cream,  spicy chicken or pork...They're a bit of work but if you're looking for that special touch for your event the lollipops have it!

Any or all of these take your event from humdrum to outstanding.


Warmly,

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tstng Salmn sliders chive & lmon dill sauces Pecan crusted lamb l'pops port cream Mirin rostd shrmp martnis Halbut & fruit kebabs T'sú shots

Saturday, March 10, 2012

New on our blog: 6 Tips for Creating Great Passing Trays at an Event: http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Fandango Catering Offers 6 Ideas for Great Passing Trays

Earlier this week we offered tips for creating a great, glamorous buffet area at an event.  Today we offer 6 ideas for creating great passing trays for passed hors d'oeuvres or appetizers at an event.

Start with beautiful trays--You may not need to do more than this.  Many better rentals companies now carry unusual and beautiful trays, or buy a few that you can use over and over for your events.  If your style is traditional, use ornate silver or bronze (hot now: etched silver and bronze), mother-of-pearl, or porcelain trays.  If your style is modern, use white porcelain geometric shapes, silver chrome, clear or pale glass, or lucite.  In between? Gold leaf, unusual shapes in silver, bronze, and copper, round white porcelain, or geometric mother-of-pearl.  If you start with beautiful trays, any finger foods you put on them will look striking.

Put different finger foods on each tray (see photo, above) --While in years past the rule was not to mix finger food types on a single passing tray, the increasing trend toward fun and guest enjoyment at events calls for mixing types of finger foods on the passing trays because guests enjoy trying the different types of foods at one pass through rather than waiting for another server to bring a different type of food.  Also, the different colors and shapes of finger foods on a single tray look striking and festive.

If you want to get even more creative, use a bed of organic leaves and flowers to decorate the trays (see photo, above)--Make sure they're organic so that you can put the finger foods directly on the leaves and everything will be safe to eat.  Or just put one large striking bloom on each tray to decorate it.

Put small cocktail napkins on each tray, or have the server carry them--This way guests can get a napkin if they wish.

Vary shapes of trays--Oval, square, round, geometric, fan...this adds visual interest.

Don't use very heavy trays--If the empty tray is heavy (try holding it), choose another tray so that your server (or you) don't tire carrying too-heavy trays around.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers 5 Tips for Creating a Great Buffet Area

Today we offer 5 tips for elevating humble food buffet areas at events and weddings to lush new heights. 

Let's face it: People bemoan the very idea of a food buffet at an event.  But there aren't many good alternatives for larger events, or ones where fully plated and seated service isn't an option.  Whatever the size of your event, you can do a few things to make your buffet special and glamorous.

Set off the food buffet area from the rest of the event--put it in its own room or create a "room" or zone with a tent, canopy, draping, columns, or some other prop.

Make this area beautiful--Use nice linens; beautiful plates, cutlery, and glasses; wonderful food presentations; and lovely decorative elements.  The key is to avoid a plain jane, utilitarian space.  What can you buy, rent, or borrow that will add a special touch? For instance, we have a set of beautiful oversize green goblets and martini glasses that we put our decorative cutlery in for a buffet (see above photo).

Create a separate table for plates and cutlery--This is the newest trend in catering and it works very well and guests much prefer it.  Decorate this table with puddled linens and/or flowers or another decorative element, whatever your style and that of the event is.  Using a separate table for plates and cutlery also leaves more room for food on the buffet so it's not crowded, as well as adding a decorative touch to the buffet space that lifts it out of cafeteria-line ordinariness.

If feasible, decorate the light fixture or chandelier in the buffet area--just don't overdo it.  Martha Stewart and her team often decorate light fixtures just a bit and it looks wonderful.

Tie extra chair covers around any garbage cans near the buffet--this looks so much better than unadorned garbage cans

Voilà! The buffet area is transformed into a beautiful space that your guests will admire.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Friday, March 2, 2012

Fandango Catering Offers Top Food Trends for Spring Events

Many are now planning spring and even summer events, and some party foods continue to be hot this year for warm-weather events.  Here are some of the top with-it foods for spring parties and events:

Artichokes in lush preparations such as braised with pancetta or cipolline, in flans with shallots and cream, or in frittatas (trendy served as individual frittatas, trios of frittatas, or as small wedges on tasting dishes).
Crab in crabtinis, yuzu-crab combos, shrimp and crab combos, and retro-fusion hot crab dips
Sliders with gourmet cheeses like Comté, avocado or caramelized sweet onion, and interesting spreads such as red allioli mayo, curry mayo, or horseradish sour cream mayo.
Oven-roasted or caramelized farmer's market vegetables with retro-trendy green goddess dip or cabrales dip
Fresh fruit in parfaits, dessert shots, blended with cream for dessert, mousses, poached with wine or liqueur, or in free-form crostatas sprinkled with sugar
Make-your-own pizza parties with toppings of jamón serrano, potato, or other gourmet treats
Comfort foods like mac n'cheese with luxe stir ins like lobster; American Bistro foods such as these have resurged, often in tweaked form (meatloaf with an interesting add in and sauce, puff pastry chicken sausage pigs in blankets, fries with unusual mayos or ketchups, mini puff pastry pot pies)

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Use to cut cheese, mousses, other finger foods for parties-Over 700 shapes--Foose Cookie Cutters:
http://ping.fm/IYdwz