Fandango Catering Offers 3 Tips for Late Summer Entertaining

As summer winds down you may be hosting or thinking of hosting a gathering, and today we offer three tips for your late summer entertaining.

Actually, the start of the Summer Olympics is very representative of late summer entertaining--how so? Well, it brings together people for summer sports at the end of summer, and the colors of Team USA are good for late summer entertaining, as I explain below. 

When we lived in NYC everyone had a late summer "blowout," one last summer gathering to concurrently celebrate summer, mark summer's waning, and look ahead to fall.  These blowouts often took place at the beach (or "shore" as it's called there) or began at the shore and ended at someone's home, whether a beach home or home in the city/boroughs.

To create celebrating late summer elements at your gathering, here are 3 ideas:

• Use certain colors--Here's where the Olympics idea comes in--Red or dark red and royal blue in napkins, tablecloths, plates, flowers, or decor are "bridge" entertaining colors, bridging summer into early fall.  Other bridge colors are marigold, dark sea green, and navy mixed with white or with a pastel, e.g., marigold with medium pink or with light blue.  Still says summer, but the mix of medium and light colors also says looking ahead to fall.
• Serve bridge foods--Take advantage of summer produce but serve it with a slightly heartier dish that also looks ahead to fall.  For instance, sauté some lovely spice-rubbed t-bone steaks in a mix of butter and oil until just underdone, then add 1/2 cup Marsala and cook over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until done to your liking, and serve with pan juices.  Accompany with a pasta salad of diced ham and cheddar, diced red onion, diced tomatoes, maybe some diced cucumbers, and a dressing of sour cream mixed with pesto and chopped fresh tarragon and dill.  For dessert, serve a verrine (layered parfait) of chocolate cake chunks, chocolate mousse, and mascarpone with sugar to taste.  A bit more substantial than the food of high summer, but it still says summer.
• Create a "this summer" activity--This is fun for you and your guests.  Invite guests to bring "this summer" photos (print, phone, tablet) of trips, their garden, kids, activities, or other "this summer" moments and add yours.  Then have fun with it as everyone explains the photos to each other-don't go around the room doing this, which would make it boring, but have everyone choose a few photos and show them to the person nearest them, then move to the next person.  The most fun is when everyone is talking at the same time!  This celebrates summer but also marks it as moving toward its finale.  And a great icebreaker too, BTW.

What was your summer like?

Warmly,

Kristina

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

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

8 More Beverage Ideas for Holiday Events

As we move in the last rush toward our holiday events, today we offer 8 more ideas for distinctive beverages to serve at holiday events.

Non Alcoholic

Sodas with a Twist
Buy bottles of Italian limoncello sodas, French Oranginas, Mexican Jarritos, Spanish KAS...And thus embrace an international theme.  You can achieve a wonderful effect with a rainbow of sodas.  Or go nostalgic and buy bottles of artisan root beer or your regional soft drink.

Orange Eggnog Punch
1 qt. eggnog
1 can (12 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, or 2 cans of peach nectar
1 can (12 oz.) ginger ale

In pitcher mix eggnog and orange juice or peach nectar.  Pour in ginger ale and stir.

House Snapple
Make your usual recipe of lemon, sweetened iced tea.  Add 1-2 cans Jumex peach nectar and juice of 1-3 fresh oranges.  Taste and add more sugar if needed.

Cranberry-Lime Punch
Mix 1 large bottle cranberry or cran-apple juice, 1 can (12 oz.) ginger ale, and 1-2 scoops lime sherbert.  Stir to dissolve sherbert.  Add a little more sugar if needed.

Alcoholic

Irish Coffee
Still great in winter! And festive.  Coffee, Bailey's Irish Cream, whipped cream to garnish the cups.

Raspberry a Go Go
Stir together one bottle white wine, 2 small bottles raspberry beer or 1/2 cup Creme de Cassis, 1 small bottle ginger ale, and 1 pint raspberry ice cream. 

Hot Sangría
Make your favorite sangría recipe and add 2 cinnamon sticks and 1-3 tbsp., or to taste, of honey. Heat on low 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon and serve warm.

Coffee with Liqueur
In the European tradition, add a liqueur such as cognac, Amaretto, Frangelico, Gran Marnier, or eau-de-vie to hot coffee and stir.  Warms you right up.

Enjoy.

Kristina

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

Beverage Ideas for the Holidays

In our continuing blog series, "Holiday Entertaining," as we plan our holiday gatherings, another way to add distinction to your holiday event is by serving one or more distinctive beverages.

Of course, many people serve wines and beers or a mixed drinks bar, and that's all great.

But to add that special touch? A distinctive beverage--and by all means serve the wine and beer too!

We like to serve at least one hot beverage at winter events if possible, even if it's only coffee.

Here are 5 distinctive beverage ideas for your holiday events:

Apple Cider Punch
In punch bowl or pitchers mix 6 cups apple juice, 2 cups orange juice, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and 1 750 ml bottle of sparkling white grape juice or sparkling wine.  Makes 11 cups.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Growing up in San Antonio we often served this at my parents' Christmas Eve party as my father, who was born in Spain but spent eight years in Mexico before coming to Texas, was fond of it.

Buy and follow package directions of Ibarra or other Mexican chocolate, and serve hot in mugs with whipped cream and cocoa powder or cinnamon sprinkled on top.  Add a cinnamon or chocolate swizzler if you want to get fancy.  Or even add a bit of cognac while heating the chocolate with the milk.

Milk Punch
Mix 1 cup sugar, 3 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup bourbon, 1 tbsp. vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon in a punch bowl or large pitcher.  Garnish servings with chocolate bits. Makes 6 cups.

Scarlet Bubbler
Stir together 4 cups apple-cranberry juice, 1 cup orange juice, and 1/4 cup lemon juice in a large pitcher.  Slowly add a 28 oz. bottle club soda or ginger ale.  Stir gently.  Serve with or without ice in wineglasses or flutes. Makes eight 8 oz. servings.

Hot White Russian
In large saucepan combine 5 cups freshly brewed coffee, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup Kahlua or Bailey's Irish Cream, and 1/2 cup vodka.  Cook over medium heat until hot. Divide among mugs and top each with whipped cream. Makes 7 cups.

Enjoy!

Kristina

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

Beverage Ideas for Your Summer Gatherings

Today we offer 5 ideas for beverages for your gatherings this summer.

Every gathering should have at least one non-alcoholic option besides water.  If you only serve water and alcohol, you're communicating to your guests that if they don't drink alcohol, you can't be bothered with them.

Since we often blog on wine pairings, we'd like to suggest several nice ideas for offering your guests that don't drink alcohol something festive--and your alcohol-drinking guests may want some too.

Punch
In our years of catering the non-alcoholic beverage that guests want most is punch--not sodas.  Who knew?
Here's how we make it:
Mix punch from bottle concentrate with equal parts (one 1-2 liter bottle each) of pineapple and strawberry or strawberry-kiwi sodas.  If too sweet, add lemon-lime soda a little at a time, but don't overdo it.  People actually go for punch that is fairly sweet.

Juicy Tea
Our signature iced tea combines regular tea (sweetened, with lemon) with an equal part fresh orange juice.  Even non-tea drinkers go for this, and it's nice and summery.

Ginger Tea
Mix equal parts iced tea (sweetened, with lemon) and ginger ale.  If too acidic add some fresh orange juice.

Smoothie Station
Mix up a batch of smoothies (or buy them) and set out on a tray in glasses.  Looks cool and goes really well with more exotic foods like Thai and other Asian or Indian.

Twelve Mocktail
Sparkling blend of fruit juices and organic teas with herbs and spices.  Also looks cool, try serving in martini or regular glasses.  At Whole Foods.

Enjoy!

Kristina

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