Fandango Catering Offers 4 Tips to Make Your Summer Event Greener

Today in our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining," today we offer 4 tips to help make your summer event greener.

Here we're thinking of more casual events--not weddings, for example, though we blog on making weddings more sustainable too.

If you're planning a more casual get-together this summer--4th of July, block party, informal gathering of friends or family, family reunion, beach house gathering, for example--there are several ways you can make your event more sustainable.  Read on.

Use biodegradable disposables--This is almost the easiest way to make your gathering more sustainable.  If you don't plan to use china and real flatware, buy biodegradable disposable plates and, hopefully, cutlery, and you can use them all summer for any gathering or even just for your meals! The ones we use most often are bagasse (sugar cane) or bamboo.  Bagasse is generally less expensive than bamboo.  You can find bagasse widely online in both round and cool square shapes and now many upscale supermarkets sell bagasse plates and even cutlery.  Colors are off white and tan for bagasse-ware--if you want more color at your event, use a colored tablecloth or colored drinking glasses or a colored centerpiece.

Don't use the oven--People are surprised when we say this but it's true--why cook something requiring the oven, which heats up the house and makes it necessary to make your cooling system work harder? Choose something that you can grill on the spot outside, grill a few days ahead, saute, braise, saute, or even no cooking, or bought.

Buy only produce in season--This will taste best and doesn't need a lot to dress it up.  One of our grandes lunches ever was a wonderful one a few years ago at Chef Jesús's family's beach home in Torrevieja, Spain, on the terrace, where we lunched on wonderful tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with fruity olive oil and home-grown chopped fresh herbs to start, pork cutlets in rosé sauce, sauteed, with potatoes also sauteed in pesto sauce, and homemade fresh fruit granitàs, made with fruit from the market that morning.  See? No baking! And fresh produce in season. Summertime!

Avoid late-night outdoor affairs that require a lot of artifical lighting--when the sun goes down, go indoors or if you want to keep partying, go to a club (which would be lit whether you are there or not, so you aren't adding to the carbon footprint there), whatever, and by doing so you will save on not having to use energy to light your event. Or use candles in hurricane lanterns--safe, and adds a magical glow, or use solar lanterns, which now come in cool shapes and some last up to six hours instead of four like the older versions. 

Warmly,

Kristina

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

4 Summer Entertaining stir together 1/2 pitcher lemonade w 1 cup pear-passionfruit or pear nectar & 1/2 bottle 7up. Garnish w orange slices

Fandango Catering Offers 6 Mixed Drink Ideas for Summer Events

People are always looking for an unusual and good idea for a mixed drink to serve at a summer event, and today we offer several spritzer ideas that we want to share with you.

These recipes or spritzer blueprints appeared in an old Gourmet magazine (Gourmet magazine closed a few years ago, so sad to hear)--but it is true that people drank with much more panache back in the pre-2000s!

For your summer event, these "gourmet" spritzer ideas lend just the right touch of coolness and panache.

Margarita Spritzer
1 jigger tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz triple sec
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 lime slice for garnish
In glass combine tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and 4 ice cubes.  Fill glass with selzter, stir, and garnish with lime slice.

Frangelico Spritzer
1 jigger Frangelico
1 oz fresh lime juice
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 lime slice for garnish
In glass combine Frangelico, lime juice, and 4 ice cubes. Fill glass with seltzer, stir, and garnish with lime slice.

Double Orange Spritzer
1 jigger Cointreau
2 jiggers strained fresh orange juice
1 tbsp. strained fresh lemon juice
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 orange slice for garnish
In glass combine Cointreau, orange and lemon juices, and 4 ice cubes.  Fill glass with seltzer, stir, and garnish with orange slice.

Pineapple Rum Spritzer
1 jigger white rum
2 jiggers pineapple juice
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 lime slice for garnish
In glass combine rum, pineapple and lime juices, and 4 ice cubes.  Fill glass with seltzer, stir, and garnish with lime slice.

Vodka Gimlet Spritzer
1 jigger vodka
1 oz Rose's lime juice
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 lime slice for garnish
In glass combine vodka, Rose's lime juice, fresh lime juice, and 4 ice cubes.  Fill glass with selzter, stir, and garnish with lime slice.

Pink Gin Spritzer
1 jigger gin
2 jiggers cranberry juice
1 tsp. grenadine
chilled seltzer or club soda
1 orange slice for garnish
In glass combine gin, cranberry juice, grenadine, and 4 ice cubes. Fill glass with seltzer, stir, and garnish with orange slice.

Make your event this summer distinctive with an elegant and tasty spritzer!

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Fandango Catering Offers 6 More Ideas to Make Your Summer Event Distinctive

Today in our popular blog series, "Summer Entertaining," we offer 6 more ideas for making your summer gathering distinctive, without being too much work.

As we've said before, summer is one of the best times to entertain, whether you're an experienced host or not, since people are more relaxed and just happier.  Run with it and try one or two of these easy touches that will make your summer gathering a hit, make you look great, and make your guests happy.

Ditch the crudités but keep the concept--most people really don't like crudités, so don't serve them, but keep the concept by grilling narrow strips of chicken, meat, or even vegetables and serving with an interesting sauce, such as pesto mixed with mascarpone, a bit of vermouth, and pepper, or crumbled blue cheese, sour cream, and chopped fresh herbs, pureed in a blender.  These grilled strips don't need to be skewers, which would be a bit more work--just put the strips on a plate or tray next to the dipper(s).
We love this idea from Martha Stewart--Mix fresh berries into softened vanilla ice cream and then pack into popsicle molds with popsicle sticks.  Our own take on this--They are so fun served casual-style, or make them elegant by passing them on trays, laying them out buffet style on elegant trays or platters (but make sure they don't melt), or even putting one each in a nice glass or goblet.  Even easier? Buy boxes of high quality ice cream-type bars and serve them on a nice tray.  People love these fun foods, and if nicely served they're so cool.
Also use a nice tray to serve mini desserts or chocolates--If you buy mini desserts or truffles or  some small sweets, lay them in rows on a rectangular tray.  Elegant, and little work.
Punches are hot but sub if you are short on time or don't have a recipe--Substitute an Italian soda.  Italian sodas are available at upscale food emporiums (in our area, places like Central Market and Whole Foods).  Stick to just one flavor or two max mixed together and pour into a cool punch bowl. Voilà-a cool punch.
Grilled and Fruit Main Course--Cook flank steak, chicken, or pork, cut into strips, and mix with fresh cut summer fruit (grilled or not) and mixed greens.  Mix in a gourmet vinaigrette from a good food emporium.  Maybe add an Asian touch with a bit of soy sauce or sesame seeds.  If you like, mix in a bit of tomatoes or cucumber.  Great for groups that like grilled food that isn't too heavy.
Make your outdoor guest area distinctive--A cool colorful oilcloth for the table (you can often find cool oilcloth solids or patterns by the yard at a fabric store, then have it pinked-cut there if you take your table measurements with you, then all you have to do is put it on your table), solar lamps, a galvanized or Moroccan lamp, colorful paper fans for guests to fan themselves, mint julep cups to hold utensils or rolled up paper napkins, old-fashioned striped straws...Some touch that will make your gathering better than takeout.

Any of these will lift your summer gathering out of the ordinary and make it fun and memorable for you and your guests.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Fandango Catering Offers 8 More Summer Food Entertaining Ideas

In our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining" today we offer 8 more food ideas for summer gatherings. 

Summer gatherings are relaxed and fun, and one way to make your gathering distinctive is to offer at least one distinctive, maybe unexpected, food.  This doesn't have to mean stress, though.  Some of the best and most distinctive summer food ideas are the easiest.  Read on.

• Marinate steak or shrimp in pesto or chimichurri sauce before grilling
• Lay out platters of beautiful fresh berries and melon, but take a moment to make a nice presentation by interspersing berries and melon chunks or slices in rows or concentric circles
• Hollow out orange shells and serve sorbets in them, with one berry on top of each
• Lay out 2 or 3 gourmet mayos in ramekins or cups, with spoons (or teaspoons, which we prefer as it looks mod and the spoon doesn't sink into the condiment)--add roasted red peppers, pureed, and a bit of sugar, or fresh chopped herbs or a tiny bit of horseradish and sour cream
• Grill or boil corn, then spread with butter and sour cream or queso fresco, even shredded Swiss
• Prepare antipasto kebobs with salami or prosicutto (thread the prosciutto length-wise), mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and perhaps olives.  Baste kebobs with Italian or balsamic-basil dressing.
• Buy wonderful Clearbrook Farms mini tart shells, similar to shortbread, at Sur La Table, fill with bought (or made, if you cook) lemon curd or chocolate mousse, and top each tart with a fresh raspberry or blueberry. Serve tarts on a cake stand.
• Marinate cooked cannellini in a mixture of chopped cherry tomatoes with their juices, chopped chives, and chopped basil, perhaps a bit of chopped red onion.  Let stand at room temperature at least an hour or two.  Serve as is, or you can also moisten the mixture when you prepare it with just a bit of buttermilk or another creamy dressing.  Serve at room temperature.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Just returned from excellent mtg Rotary Clubs (OK we did miss end of Spain-Italy Eurocup match)

Cool tool for summer's mangos: Oxo Good Grips Mango Splitter: http://www.oxo.com

Fandango Catering Offers Mod Cocktail Parties and Tips

One of our clients' favorite party themes is the mod cocktail party.  We offer many variations on this theme and this theme is always a hit. 

What's a mod cocktail party? Definitions abound, but here is ours:

A mod cocktail party incorporates--

• Mod shapes in food and decor, including serving pieces
• At least some food that's retro trendy, reminding guests of the great mod "fun" period of the 60s and 70s
• Perhaps some retro-trendy beverage pairings

Mod shapes in food and decor and retro-trendy food
Here we're thinking skewers, lollipops, an updated shrimp cocktail, updated stuffed mushrooms or  cocktail sandwiches perhaps, and squares, rounds, and triangle shapes in finger foods.  The latter would be things like mini pizzas, puff pastry shapes, crostini, polenta, savory galettes, frittatas or quiches, or other finger foods that lend themselves to being cut into small squares, circles, and triangles.  Our chefs like to pile up skewers for an edgy look or lay them spoke fashion on a round or rectangular tray for a bit less edgy presentation.We avoid replicating things like olive-covered cheese balls untless they're excellent, imaginative riffs on 60s cocktail food.

Decor: very modernist serving pieces in chrome, bubble or wavy glass or porcelain, or white porcelain in interesting shapes like long boats or rectangles. 

If furniture and so forth (even rented) is also mod, that plays it up more. Cocktail napkins in gray, black, red, color block, tangerine, teal, or bright yellow, depending on the colors of your event space.  If using flowers, orchids or hibiscus add a fun mod touch--and this theme is tongue-in-cheek, so why not have fun with it and enjoy it?

Retro-trendy beverage pairings
Punch is very hot this year and you can have alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions in punchbowls (better than bev dispensers for punch).  Or offer some retro-trendy mixed drink pairings, including:

• Martinis
• Vodka gimlets
• Mai tais
• Old fashioneds
• Frozen/blender margaritas
• Rob roys,
• Sidecars
• Manhattans
• Tom Collins

Add to the fun with martini glasses or other specialized glassware, which you can easily rent.

And to take it to the next fun level--lay out chocoalte cigarettes, optimally in a cool cigarette box or a crystal dish--so fun and mod.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

If using flowers

Pork tenderloin in cider sauce, baby potatoes w pesto parmesan

Fandango Catering Offers More Easy Summer Food Ideas for Entertaining

In our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining," today we offer more easy food ideas for summer entertaining.

Our focus today is salad meals which, when done well, are perfect for casual summer get-togethers and can be pulled off even by those who don't have a lot of cooking experience--or you can even buy part of the food. 

The key to these main-dish salad meals, or salades composées as the French call them, is to serve that and a dessert or two, perhaps some bought nice cheeses and artisan breads.  You really don't need more unless you're feeding VERY hungry types. 

Such refreshing meals are especially good in the hot summer months, more so if your gathering will be outdoors or partly outdoors.

Beef, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad
Serves 4--mulitply accordingly

12 oz. cooked beef or pork tenderloin, sliced (it's best not to buy cooked roast beef at a deli as it tends to be dry)--you can cook or have cooked for you the tenderloin ahead of time
8 oz. (2 1/2 cups) mushrooms, sliced
French and Italian dressings, whisked together until blended (to equal about 3/4 cup)
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mixed herbs

Put beef and mushrooms in large shallow dish; add dressings, toss to coat.  Cover and let stand one hour or refrigerate up to 24 hours.  Add tomatoes, toss again.  Mound salad on serving platter and sprinkle with fresh mixed herbs.  Serve any leftover dressing separately.

Shrimp-Potato Salad
Make a potato salad with a creamy dressing (like a sour cream dressing), or buy one from a good food emporium.  Add fresh chopped tarragon and chives, peeled shrimp that's been cooked in shrimp boil mix, and a squirt of lemon juice.  This is just a blueprint, so add these mix-ins in the proportions you like.

Corn, Ham, Cheddar, and Potato Salad
Again, make or buy a potato salad with a creamy dressing.  Add fresh-cooked corn off the cob, sliced scallions, chopped baked ham, chopped Cheddar, and chopped cilantro with a squirt of lime juice, also in the proportions you like.

If you fear your guests won't be full with a salad meal, add, besides your dessert and cheeses and bread, a cold soup you either make, pick up at a food emporium, or buy from a caterer--such as any of the gazpachos (red, green, white, fruit), vichyssoise, avocado soup...Serve in attractive little glasses or cups, garnished with a tiny bit of chopped fresh herbs, and you're set.  And do have plenty of the main-dish salad on hand, of course!


Warmly,

Kristina

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

Distinctive but easy summer dessert? Cut oranges in 1/2 scoop out middle fill w sorbet freeze 15 mins srv grnshd w berry or frsh herb sprigs

New: Mod Cocktail Party Menu ("Sample Menus"): http://ping.fm/UX9Gs

Fandango Catering Offers Ideas for Summer Tropical Theme Parties

It's with a heavy heart that today we write our post as my wonderful brother-in-law, Miami Hall of Fame private investigator Joseph Colligan, passed away suddenly yesterday. 

In honor of Joey, a native New Yorker who loved Miami and all things tropical and appeared in several "Miami Vice" episodes, today we offer our readers ideas for a summer tropical theme party.

First, set the stage--Use tropical leaves and tropical flower blooms from a florist or upscale food emporium to line trays and/or your buffet.  Tiki bars are another option, but are a bit more trouble to set up.  You can also use tropical leaves and/or blooms to decorate passing trays.

Food and beverage ideas:

• Mixed chicken or sausage or pork or shrimp and mango or pineapple skewers
• Vitamix (so trendy now) tropical fruit smoothie/shooter bar--if you can swing someone to make these as people request them, so much the better
• Seasonal fruit salad mixed with tropical fruit
• Lime-Marinated Shrimp and Crab Ceviche Shooters (shot or martini glasses)
• Grilled Fruit (skewers or not) with mascarpone-brown sugar dipper
• Small plates of luau pork or Cuban roast pork
• Grilled veggies (skewers or not) basted with herbed oil-pineapple marinade
• Creative? Put mojo shrimp skewer sticks in a pineapple to make a centerpiece.  Or make a mod tropical centerpiece with one of those very large martini glasses filled with tropical blooms
• Pineapple, Mango, or Berry salsas
• Tropical mixed drink bar
• Jerk chicken or pork
• Baja fish taco bar

Kristina

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

2day 'Rita Prty Pork Mini Burritos w Red Onion Relish 'Shroom Chs Carmlized Onion 'dillas w Pico & Chiptle Crema Rstd Chkn Jack PP 'Panadas

Fandango Catering Offers 5 Tips to Keep Guests Comfortable at Summer Events

Summer events are a special case because of the heat and humidity you're up against as host.  Today in our continuing series, "Summer Entertaining," we offer 5 tips to keep your guests comfortable at summer events.

Understand that not everyone wants to be outside--Provide food, drinks, and adequate seating inside too so those who don't want to be outside can have a nice little conversation area and food and drinks inside.  Some people just don't like to be outside! Maybe it's too hot for them or too humid or there are insects or their makeup will run or their hair will frizz or their fancy party clothes or shoes don't go well with being outside.  For whatever reason they don't want to be outside, make these types comfortable too.

If you want your guests outdoors, make sure they're not hit by too much sun--As you plan your event, take time early on to see what time the sun's rays hit your outdoor area.  If your outdoor area is in shade all the time, no problem! If not, check it at the time of day you want to host your party in that area and see if too much sunlight is hitting it or not.  If yes, move the guest area to another area so that the sun doesn't hit your guests too much.

Find ways to keep the inside cool--If you will have a lot of people inside, will your place still be cool or will the extra people make it too warm? If your inside cooling system can't handle the extra people, add tower fans inside or misters outside or borrow or rent another place or cut down the guest list.  We've seen large groups crammed into small homes in dead summer and the guests were uncomfortable, perspiring profusely, as the cooling systems just couldn't handle the extra people.

If you serve spicy food at a summer event offer cool non-alcoholic beverages--To quench thirst caused by spicy foods, many people prefer a non-alcoholic beverage.  Don't make this an afterthought. If you serve spicy foods and it's a hot day, and you only serve alcohol, you run the risk of guests getting drunk as they drink too much alcohol to quench their thirst--ouch!

If you have food outside consider putting it under a canopy--This can help keep it cooler longer if yours is a daytime event.  But even so food should not be outside for more than an hour or two if it's a hot day, an hour max if it's a very hot day.  You can also pass trays of food, brought from inside to guests outdoors, and that way the food is kept from spoiling in the heat if you live in a hot climate.

With just a little forethought you can help make your guests more comfortable at summer's "hot" events.

Warmly,

Kristina

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

2 decorate @ ur event ths summer take a beautiful flower & small piece of greenery, place in sm glass, set 4 glasses down table center