Tips, ideas, and trends on food, events, and entertaining; company news
Showing posts with label Fall Entertaining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fall Entertaining. Show all posts
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Fandango Catering Offers 4 More Fall Entertaining Ideas
If you're looking for ideas for a fall gathering you're hosting or considering, today we offer 4 more ideas for creating successful fall events.
Wine or other tastings--Tastings of wine, beer, cider, chocolate, or cheese are tremendous fun for guests. Use a pairing idea--what cheeses or cold cuts or nuts go with what wines or with what fruit, for example. Set up stations rather than having everything in one place--blind wine tastings are out and were boring anyway. At each station have a different larger type of wine or whatever. You can offer a self-guided tasting tour of the stations set up around your home, where guests stop at each station to sample. There are all kinds of fun ideas for tastings--do a web search on "ideas for wine tastings."
Fall sports-watching events--Here the key is to be unique! BHG has a great article this month on this type of event. We especially like the idea of serving sandwiches and soup (sandwiches in kraft paper, soup in cups)--more original than the same old wings, pizza, or chili.
Outdoor brunch--Brunch time is so cool for outdoor entertaining in fall--lovely weather, and the time slot is great for people with kids or others who are REALLY busy on the weekends and can only spare a couple of hours mid-day to gather with friends. And no late night cleanup!
Cocktail hour, also outdoors--People love these parties, which start at dusk, with finger foods, nice drinks, and lounging indoors and outside. Relaxed and relaxing, and sure to be enjoyed by your guests. Add ambience with little votives in holders all over, inside and outdoors, and turn all the lights on inside for light to spill outside too.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Monday, October 8, 2012
Fandango Catering Offers 6 Fast, Cool Food Presentation Ideas
Since many people are now considering or planning a fall or later event, today we offer 6 fast, cool food presentation ideas.
Most everyone is pressed for time these days, and so a few ideas you can use or adapt to make your event better looking come in handy.
Here are some of our fast presentation ideas:
Use small bunches of grapes--Snip small bunches of grapes and put in corners of trays, or in two corners of a tray. This should not take more than a couple of minutes, and it adds color and style to a food tray with only a little time spent and no special skills needed. Even fancier? Use champagne grapes.
Use dill sprigs or cut fresh chives--Put dill sprigs in the center of an hors d'oeuvres tray or on dinner serving bowls or platters (such as on top of mashed potatoes or a vegetable dish). Or cut fresh chives and sprinkle them on top of the food and a bit on the serving piece on hors d'oeuvres trays, serving bowls, in chafing dishes, on soup glasses or mugs, or on plated food. To cut chives, line up the strands, cut off the tips, and, using one hand to hold them down, cut across using the other hand--and you can even do this with a steak knife, you don't need a special knife. Keep moving your hand as you cut, and don't rush so you won't get cut; it's much easier to cut chives than people think.
Use croutons or add-ins to decorate soup servings--Make or buy croutons and put them on top of your little soup cups or glasses (see above), or drop into plated soup bowls or larger mugs croutons, chopped chives, a bit of grated cheese, tiny soup crackers, a cooked shrimp, a bit of crabmeat, some tiny diced red pepper or tomato...Add color by using light or bright-colored croutons or add ins if the soup is dark (such as grated cheddar on a dark soup or a lovely pink shrimp on a red or cream-colored soup), or vice versa.
Use grapes in a martini glass--Put green grapes in a martini or cocktail glass and let the bunches hang over the sides of the glass a bit (cut the bunch to size)--it looks mod and is easy to do! Then use this as a centerpiece for any display like hors d'oeuvres, cheese, fruit, sandwiches, mini desserts, etc. The glass should not be too tall or too short; you should be able to see it comfortably on the platter from several feet away.
Lay food out in circles--Almost any hors d'oeuvres, cheese, sandwiches, desserts, look good this way. Creative? Pile a bit of food in a triangle/pyramid as a centerpiece.
Pile up certain foods--Some foods, like Caprese salads or fruit trays or other cold salads, look good piled up a bit. The secret is to use a serving piece with a bit of sloping sides so that when the food is served it doesn't fall on the table, but instead falls back into the bowl. Don't use a flat serving piece to pile up food, for this reason.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Most everyone is pressed for time these days, and so a few ideas you can use or adapt to make your event better looking come in handy.
Here are some of our fast presentation ideas:
Use small bunches of grapes--Snip small bunches of grapes and put in corners of trays, or in two corners of a tray. This should not take more than a couple of minutes, and it adds color and style to a food tray with only a little time spent and no special skills needed. Even fancier? Use champagne grapes.
Use dill sprigs or cut fresh chives--Put dill sprigs in the center of an hors d'oeuvres tray or on dinner serving bowls or platters (such as on top of mashed potatoes or a vegetable dish). Or cut fresh chives and sprinkle them on top of the food and a bit on the serving piece on hors d'oeuvres trays, serving bowls, in chafing dishes, on soup glasses or mugs, or on plated food. To cut chives, line up the strands, cut off the tips, and, using one hand to hold them down, cut across using the other hand--and you can even do this with a steak knife, you don't need a special knife. Keep moving your hand as you cut, and don't rush so you won't get cut; it's much easier to cut chives than people think.
Use croutons or add-ins to decorate soup servings--Make or buy croutons and put them on top of your little soup cups or glasses (see above), or drop into plated soup bowls or larger mugs croutons, chopped chives, a bit of grated cheese, tiny soup crackers, a cooked shrimp, a bit of crabmeat, some tiny diced red pepper or tomato...Add color by using light or bright-colored croutons or add ins if the soup is dark (such as grated cheddar on a dark soup or a lovely pink shrimp on a red or cream-colored soup), or vice versa.
Use grapes in a martini glass--Put green grapes in a martini or cocktail glass and let the bunches hang over the sides of the glass a bit (cut the bunch to size)--it looks mod and is easy to do! Then use this as a centerpiece for any display like hors d'oeuvres, cheese, fruit, sandwiches, mini desserts, etc. The glass should not be too tall or too short; you should be able to see it comfortably on the platter from several feet away.
Lay food out in circles--Almost any hors d'oeuvres, cheese, sandwiches, desserts, look good this way. Creative? Pile a bit of food in a triangle/pyramid as a centerpiece.
Pile up certain foods--Some foods, like Caprese salads or fruit trays or other cold salads, look good piled up a bit. The secret is to use a serving piece with a bit of sloping sides so that when the food is served it doesn't fall on the table, but instead falls back into the bowl. Don't use a flat serving piece to pile up food, for this reason.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Fandango Catering Offers Fall Entertaining Ideas
Fall is one of our favorite times of the year, and it's wonderful for entertaining (actually, we like every season except deep winter; mercifully winter is short where we are).
It seems like people become energized in fall to host gatherings of every type--wine tastings, cocktail parties, dinners, not to mention fundraisers and tailgating.
Today we offer some ideas for fall entertaining.
Harvest--The harvest theme lends itself to so many cool interpretations. It can be things like celebrating pumpkins or squashes or apples or fall festivals or fall arts offerings or fall sports, or it can be the wine harvest (vendange). Seasonal produce lends itself to wonderful dishes like pork or beef loin with apples or pears in Calvados cream or rich gratins of potatoes or vegetables or both, plus lovely desserts usings the season's apples and pears or, in some areas, citrus fruits (in our area, satsumas).
Outdoor entertaining--Fall's cool weather inspires outdoor entertaining, from casual grilling to tailgating to more formal outdoor dinner parties. More ideas? Block parties, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dinner or post-dinner gatherings, interactive grilling parties where guests help grill (this is fun!). So nice to be outdoors! During the day is often good for a fall outdoor event, and on a beautiful fall day, who wants to be inside?
Use fall in your decor--We love small white pumpkins for fall event decor, for example, lined up on a runner or mantel or as a display, or even the smallest ones as tray garnishes. For color, we like burnt peach (not carrot orange), yellows, gold, or deep terracotta for fall events. These say fall but aren't the stereotypical shades, and are softer, so more elegant and inviting.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
It seems like people become energized in fall to host gatherings of every type--wine tastings, cocktail parties, dinners, not to mention fundraisers and tailgating.
Today we offer some ideas for fall entertaining.
Harvest--The harvest theme lends itself to so many cool interpretations. It can be things like celebrating pumpkins or squashes or apples or fall festivals or fall arts offerings or fall sports, or it can be the wine harvest (vendange). Seasonal produce lends itself to wonderful dishes like pork or beef loin with apples or pears in Calvados cream or rich gratins of potatoes or vegetables or both, plus lovely desserts usings the season's apples and pears or, in some areas, citrus fruits (in our area, satsumas).
Outdoor entertaining--Fall's cool weather inspires outdoor entertaining, from casual grilling to tailgating to more formal outdoor dinner parties. More ideas? Block parties, Halloween parties, Thanksgiving dinner or post-dinner gatherings, interactive grilling parties where guests help grill (this is fun!). So nice to be outdoors! During the day is often good for a fall outdoor event, and on a beautiful fall day, who wants to be inside?
Use fall in your decor--We love small white pumpkins for fall event decor, for example, lined up on a runner or mantel or as a display, or even the smallest ones as tray garnishes. For color, we like burnt peach (not carrot orange), yellows, gold, or deep terracotta for fall events. These say fall but aren't the stereotypical shades, and are softer, so more elegant and inviting.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Fandango Catering Offers 4 Tips for Hosting a Dinner Party
After Labor Day it seems that everyone is in a flurry to plan and host a gathering of some type. Today we offer 4 tips for success at hosting a small dinner party.
A small dinner party is 40 people or less. Most dinner parties are 20-25 people.
Some dinners are fully plated, with servers serving every course and clearing dishes between courses. For many this is too much work or too formal.
A seated buffet is when guests are served or serve themselves from a buffet and then seat themselves at one or more guest tables.
A combination is where you have one or more courses plated, such as a starter or dessert, and the guests go to a buffet for the main course.
Whatever type of dinner party you choose, here are few ideas to make yours successful.
Unify guest tables visually--If you have more than one guest table you should unify them visually with tablecloths or something else. Often people press into service for their dinner party tables that aren't alike in size or shape. So make them look alike with all the same tablecloths--also a good idea if the tables you use aren't attractive, such as banquet or card tables.
Serve hot food hot--Use or have your caterer use chafing dishes if your guests are the type to mill around for a while after being called to a dinner buffet. You may want to serve from your kitchen, with the food taken hot out of your oven, but this only works well when people eat it right away. Chafing dishes keep hot food hot with moist heat for up to 2 hours; or use a tableside warmer/cooker like Fagor's portable induction cooktop. If you insist on serving from your oven, don't allow guests to mill around without serving themselves after you announce dinner or let a caterer, who knows how to work with "holding" food and keeping it from drying out in the dry heat of an oven, handle it--but be warned that even a caterer can't work miracles at preventing food from drying out if you delay serving from the oven TOO long once the food is hot/ready.
Put cutlery and napkins, if not on guest tables, at the end of the buffet, after the food--That way it's easier for guests to serve themselves or be served and then grab the cutlery and napkins at the end, whether the cutlery is rolled in napkins or not.
Consider serving dessert and/or coffee in another room--If you have room this can be a good idea as so many people don't want dessert or coffee nowadays. That way, it gives people a gracious out, and often by then guests will want to get up and move around anyway after sitting during the dinner.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
A small dinner party is 40 people or less. Most dinner parties are 20-25 people.
Some dinners are fully plated, with servers serving every course and clearing dishes between courses. For many this is too much work or too formal.
A seated buffet is when guests are served or serve themselves from a buffet and then seat themselves at one or more guest tables.
A combination is where you have one or more courses plated, such as a starter or dessert, and the guests go to a buffet for the main course.
Whatever type of dinner party you choose, here are few ideas to make yours successful.
Unify guest tables visually--If you have more than one guest table you should unify them visually with tablecloths or something else. Often people press into service for their dinner party tables that aren't alike in size or shape. So make them look alike with all the same tablecloths--also a good idea if the tables you use aren't attractive, such as banquet or card tables.
Serve hot food hot--Use or have your caterer use chafing dishes if your guests are the type to mill around for a while after being called to a dinner buffet. You may want to serve from your kitchen, with the food taken hot out of your oven, but this only works well when people eat it right away. Chafing dishes keep hot food hot with moist heat for up to 2 hours; or use a tableside warmer/cooker like Fagor's portable induction cooktop. If you insist on serving from your oven, don't allow guests to mill around without serving themselves after you announce dinner or let a caterer, who knows how to work with "holding" food and keeping it from drying out in the dry heat of an oven, handle it--but be warned that even a caterer can't work miracles at preventing food from drying out if you delay serving from the oven TOO long once the food is hot/ready.
Put cutlery and napkins, if not on guest tables, at the end of the buffet, after the food--That way it's easier for guests to serve themselves or be served and then grab the cutlery and napkins at the end, whether the cutlery is rolled in napkins or not.
Consider serving dessert and/or coffee in another room--If you have room this can be a good idea as so many people don't want dessert or coffee nowadays. That way, it gives people a gracious out, and often by then guests will want to get up and move around anyway after sitting during the dinner.
Warmly,
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Another Easy Dessert for Fall Gatherings: Cheese&Wine Course
At this VERY busy time of year, many people would like to have guests over and want to serve a dessert, but are unsure of what to serve, where to buy it, don't know how to bake, etc.
Here's an idea that will definitely add a cool factor to your gathering and is easy to pull off: serve a cheese course as the finale with some fruit and wines paired to the cheeses.
In Europe a fruit and/or cheese finale to a meal is the order of the day except for big Sunday lunches or holidays, when sweet desserts are served, and then they are quite rich and spectacular, often bought from the artisan pastry shops in every village and town. Nostalgia bite: our old fave pastry shop, run by a kindly and phenomenal Belgian immigré baker on General Aranda Street in Madrid's upscale Rubén Darío neighborhood, and its individual apple puff pastry tartlets glazed with apricot jam.
But if you're looking for an easy, interesting, sort of edgy way to end a meal at your gathering this fall--or even a stand alone food idea for your gathering--a cheese/fruit finale with wine is cool.
How Tos
Ask your wine store to recommend 1 or 2 wines for the cheeses you want to serve.
With Red Wines, Serve:
With Dessert Wines, Serve:
One ounce of type of cheese per person is enough. Take cheese out one hour before serving.
Fruit to Serve:
Use salad plates, forks, and knives for this course. Or go casual and eat as finger foods. Plate the cheese and fruit and serve to your guests, or have guests serve themselves from a platter.
Done. And a cool way to end your meal, or as a cool light spread itself.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Here's an idea that will definitely add a cool factor to your gathering and is easy to pull off: serve a cheese course as the finale with some fruit and wines paired to the cheeses.
In Europe a fruit and/or cheese finale to a meal is the order of the day except for big Sunday lunches or holidays, when sweet desserts are served, and then they are quite rich and spectacular, often bought from the artisan pastry shops in every village and town. Nostalgia bite: our old fave pastry shop, run by a kindly and phenomenal Belgian immigré baker on General Aranda Street in Madrid's upscale Rubén Darío neighborhood, and its individual apple puff pastry tartlets glazed with apricot jam.
But if you're looking for an easy, interesting, sort of edgy way to end a meal at your gathering this fall--or even a stand alone food idea for your gathering--a cheese/fruit finale with wine is cool.
How Tos
Ask your wine store to recommend 1 or 2 wines for the cheeses you want to serve.
With Red Wines, Serve:
- Goat cheeses
- Young Cheddar
- Camembert
- Gruyere or any of the Swiss-type cheeses
- Aged Gouda
- Manchego
With Dessert Wines, Serve:
- Aged Cheddar
- Blue cheeses
- Dry or regular Jack
One ounce of type of cheese per person is enough. Take cheese out one hour before serving.
Fruit to Serve:
- Grapes (champagne grapes are pretty if you can find them)
- Sliced pears
- Quince paste (Spanish membrillo)
Use salad plates, forks, and knives for this course. Or go casual and eat as finger foods. Plate the cheese and fruit and serve to your guests, or have guests serve themselves from a platter.
Done. And a cool way to end your meal, or as a cool light spread itself.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Creating a Super Easy Small Dessert Buffet
If you're looking for ideas on creating a dessert buffet at your event this year and your gathering is not too large, one way to do this is to buy some small desserts from either a reputable baker or food establishment, or there are now even some frozen options that are of high quality.
It's all in the details, so find a space to put your desserts that's not too small or crowded, preferably away from the savory food, if you're serving it.
Or why not consider an all small desserts buffet with some nice wines or champagnes or some regular and/or specialty coffees (such as cappucino). This is great if you're really busy but still want to host a gathering of some type. Done with style but easy.
If your serving area is on the small side, try this: buy or borrow a cake stand and put it with some of the small desserts on top on the table, then arrange the other desserts on the table--any type of pedestal will increase your use of serving space. Plus it looks better--we avoid all flat surfaces because it doesn't look as appealing as if you have a little height.
Put all the same types of desserts together on your serving area, but don't be afraid to put more than one type on a tray, for example--just keep them separated, on the tray, by type. Or skip trays altogether! Keep in mind, though, that trays protect your furniture from crumbs and spills.
There are so many great small desserts that it's hard to choose! But a variety is always good (at least three different types), and if one has frosting, such as mini or full-size cupcakes or brownie bites, that's always a bit hit with guests. Here's another tip: ask your baker or wherever you buy the cupcakes to make sure the entire surface of the cupcake is pretty much covered with frosting, even if the frosting is piped or swirled to peaks--one of our real pet peeves is to see cupcakes with frosting only basically in the middle. Not.
Before your event you may want to try out some small desserts from several sources...At the retail level, Whole Foods is always of high quality, as is Trader Joe's (coming to Houston, yay!) and a new one we learned about that's a nice option if you don't have any good bakers nearby, Daphne Baking Company, which makes artisan small dessert tarts with no preservatives or trans fats that are frozen: www.daphnebaking.com
To finish your dessert buffet, lay your small desserts out nicely with some nice little plates in a style you like, forks, napkins, and beverages, and you're all set!
Enjoy!
Kristina
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
It's all in the details, so find a space to put your desserts that's not too small or crowded, preferably away from the savory food, if you're serving it.
Or why not consider an all small desserts buffet with some nice wines or champagnes or some regular and/or specialty coffees (such as cappucino). This is great if you're really busy but still want to host a gathering of some type. Done with style but easy.
If your serving area is on the small side, try this: buy or borrow a cake stand and put it with some of the small desserts on top on the table, then arrange the other desserts on the table--any type of pedestal will increase your use of serving space. Plus it looks better--we avoid all flat surfaces because it doesn't look as appealing as if you have a little height.
Put all the same types of desserts together on your serving area, but don't be afraid to put more than one type on a tray, for example--just keep them separated, on the tray, by type. Or skip trays altogether! Keep in mind, though, that trays protect your furniture from crumbs and spills.
There are so many great small desserts that it's hard to choose! But a variety is always good (at least three different types), and if one has frosting, such as mini or full-size cupcakes or brownie bites, that's always a bit hit with guests. Here's another tip: ask your baker or wherever you buy the cupcakes to make sure the entire surface of the cupcake is pretty much covered with frosting, even if the frosting is piped or swirled to peaks--one of our real pet peeves is to see cupcakes with frosting only basically in the middle. Not.
Before your event you may want to try out some small desserts from several sources...At the retail level, Whole Foods is always of high quality, as is Trader Joe's (coming to Houston, yay!) and a new one we learned about that's a nice option if you don't have any good bakers nearby, Daphne Baking Company, which makes artisan small dessert tarts with no preservatives or trans fats that are frozen: www.daphnebaking.com
To finish your dessert buffet, lay your small desserts out nicely with some nice little plates in a style you like, forks, napkins, and beverages, and you're all set!
Enjoy!
Kristina
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
4 Last-Minute Easy Centerpiece Ideas
As cooler weather arrives many of us are thinking of having or planning home gatherings this fall. A quick way to make your gathering festive and to add pizzazz is with a quick and easy centerpiece idea.
There are times (or rather, lack of time) and occasions when a quick and easy centerpiece idea is just the thing you need to make your party or gathering look more finished or polished as well as festive, and less of an amateurish attempt at entertaining.
Here are 4 centerpiece ideas that will take less than 10 minutes to set up--and the results are surprisingly beautiful:
In all cases, make sure served food, napkins, plates, cutlery, and glasses are not pushed up right next to the centerpiece or it will spoil the look.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
There are times (or rather, lack of time) and occasions when a quick and easy centerpiece idea is just the thing you need to make your party or gathering look more finished or polished as well as festive, and less of an amateurish attempt at entertaining.
Here are 4 centerpiece ideas that will take less than 10 minutes to set up--and the results are surprisingly beautiful:
- Pile seasonal fruit in a glass bowl--Select 5-12 of a single fruit such as apples, oranges, clementines, pears, pomegranates, quinces, or even lemons. Or use small pumpkins or squashes.
- Buy several large bunches of fresh herbs--e.g., rosemary, basil, mint, dill--and gather them in a pitcher, jar, julep cup, or small-ish Asian porcelain vase (ginger jar-type). But be careful that none of your guests (like me) are allergic to fresh herbs.
- Have a small or medium-size sculpture you like (obviously, nothing very expensive)? Put it as a centerpiece. Maybe gather some vines (ivy, passionflower, any climbing vines) from your yard and wind them around the statue base. Or for a minimalist look, leave the unadorned statue as your centerpiece to make a statement on its own.
- Float 3-4 fresh flower blossoms in one large or three small bowls with water. Place at the center of your table.
In all cases, make sure served food, napkins, plates, cutlery, and glasses are not pushed up right next to the centerpiece or it will spoil the look.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Saturday, September 24, 2011
5 Ways to Add Fun to Your Fall Gathering
In our recent meetings with clients we've heard a common theme: How can we make our event unusual and fun?
Some folks want or need their event to be more formal while for others the fun/unusual factor is key. There's no right or wrong here; it's about what's important to the host(s) or guest(s) of honor.
Today we offer 5 ideas to make your fall gathering unusual and fun.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Some folks want or need their event to be more formal while for others the fun/unusual factor is key. There's no right or wrong here; it's about what's important to the host(s) or guest(s) of honor.
Today we offer 5 ideas to make your fall gathering unusual and fun.
- Have fun food--For example, an ice cream or popcorn station/cart or a cones table (fill the cones with sweet or savory bites; cone makers and stands are available at department stores and large retailers as well as online). These fun foods can be served with more traditional food fare--just watch how people smile at these foods!
- Use the new cool eco-friendly disposables designs to advantage--There are dozens of online companies selling the most amazing range of eco-friendly biodegradable disposables, with designs made of bamboo, bagasse (sugarcane), resin (corn-based), wood, and palm leaf and in colors from off-white to tan to colored to animal print. And the shapes of this eco-disposable serveware are cool too, including cones, cups, coupelles (small shallow bowls for serving light bites), little boats, and spoons. Our favorite company is www.restaurantware.com --check out their website for some great serving ideas for your gathering. This type of serveware raises your gathering's cool factor, is good for the Earth, and is easier than china if real china isn't needed (if your event is not formal)
- Print a menu to display on a small stand or easel or write the menu on a blackboard. Or if you're artistic paint it with watercolors.
- Use little square fabric coasters from India or Morocco under rows of pre-poured drinks.
- Use cool name place cards--Check out Favors by Seredipity's (www.fbys.com ) name cards, including mini scrollwork frames, silver and metal mini frames, mini tree branch frames, and mod mini black filigree frames. Or for a really fun or lighthearted group, mini Etch-a-Sketches (www.world-of-toys.com ) can be used as place cards or favors and can even be left out in a basket for guests to amuse themselves with during your party.
- Also available at Favors by Serendipity: a huge variety of decorative cupcake wrappers in every style and design from mod to traditional--this makes your cupcakes (even bought or ordered ones) look much cooler and more decorative than the traditional wrappers that cupcakes generally come in.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Fall Botanicals for Decorating at Your Events
One of the things our event design team emphasizes is that some great event ideas, including decorating ideas, can be adapted from weddings.
Case in point: Botanicals for your event decor. We use the term "botanicals" loosely to mean ferns, fronds, leaves, harvest fruits, etc.
For fall parties and gatherings, here are several ideas for using botanicals to decorate your event space and make your gathering pop:
Use foliage
Ferns or "foliage" can vary from feathery sprays to large single blades or leaves. We don't care for the typical "fall foliage" fallen types of leaves because if they're real they'll fall apart/crumble when you try to use them to decorate with. Instead, we like foliage that is more green and younger so it won't crumble as dry foliage can. You can also tie bunches of ferns or single blades with ribbon in fall colors to decorate and/or to make the foliage look a little more fall-themed.
Fern Centerpieces
You can use ferns with just a few flowers to make a centerpiece if you use enough ferns (a lot) interspersed with just a few flowers, perhaps in fall colors. Ferns are much less expensive than flowers.
Fruits of the Woods
Try mixing feathery-type ferns on tables with acorns, small Seckel pears, tiny apples, walnuts, or other "fruits of the woods." This looks best if centered on a buffet table or as separate centerpieces on one or more dining tables.
Dried Herbs/Flower Trumpets
Wedding designers use tall trumpet-shaped vases with dried lavendar or other dried herbs or flowers. The trick to avoid this looking like something from Granny's living room is to use TALL trumpet vases and TALL dried herb arrangements. These tall dried herb trumpets can be used as a single centerpiece on a buffet or again, on one or more dining tables. The trumpet(s) should be tall enough that seated guests, if that's the case, can see each other as the trumpets are tall enough to be over their eyeline when seated.
Fern Napkins
You can fold napkins into the type of fold in which you put a small menu and in that fold put a frond of fern or a single blade fern (with or without the menu tucked inside also, or the menu on top of the folded napkin and fern tucked in the fold of the napkin.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Case in point: Botanicals for your event decor. We use the term "botanicals" loosely to mean ferns, fronds, leaves, harvest fruits, etc.
For fall parties and gatherings, here are several ideas for using botanicals to decorate your event space and make your gathering pop:
Use foliage
Ferns or "foliage" can vary from feathery sprays to large single blades or leaves. We don't care for the typical "fall foliage" fallen types of leaves because if they're real they'll fall apart/crumble when you try to use them to decorate with. Instead, we like foliage that is more green and younger so it won't crumble as dry foliage can. You can also tie bunches of ferns or single blades with ribbon in fall colors to decorate and/or to make the foliage look a little more fall-themed.
Fern Centerpieces
You can use ferns with just a few flowers to make a centerpiece if you use enough ferns (a lot) interspersed with just a few flowers, perhaps in fall colors. Ferns are much less expensive than flowers.
Fruits of the Woods
Try mixing feathery-type ferns on tables with acorns, small Seckel pears, tiny apples, walnuts, or other "fruits of the woods." This looks best if centered on a buffet table or as separate centerpieces on one or more dining tables.
Dried Herbs/Flower Trumpets
Wedding designers use tall trumpet-shaped vases with dried lavendar or other dried herbs or flowers. The trick to avoid this looking like something from Granny's living room is to use TALL trumpet vases and TALL dried herb arrangements. These tall dried herb trumpets can be used as a single centerpiece on a buffet or again, on one or more dining tables. The trumpet(s) should be tall enough that seated guests, if that's the case, can see each other as the trumpets are tall enough to be over their eyeline when seated.
Fern Napkins
You can fold napkins into the type of fold in which you put a small menu and in that fold put a frond of fern or a single blade fern (with or without the menu tucked inside also, or the menu on top of the folded napkin and fern tucked in the fold of the napkin.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
3 Easy Party Foods for Fall
As cooler weather approaches and we organize our fall gatherings, it's good to know a few easy foods that can be served to groups.
When we lived in Europe there was (and still is) a wonderful fall culture of grilling at country houses, and the cool bracing air out in the country really worked up people's appetites. In the spirit of this fall grilling, here a few easy and delicious ideas you can adapt.
Escalivada
This is a Catalán dish of grilled vegetables (traditional for this dish are eggplants, peppers, and onions), but our Chef Jesús tweaks the traditional recipe by marinating the vegetables in olive oil and chopped fresh herbs and then mixing the finished grilled vegetables with roasted garlic, which can even be prepared ahead--the heat of the grilled vegetables will warm the roasted garlic enough for your guests.
From "Simply Recipes"--How to Roast Garlic:
Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.


Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Mixed Sausage Grill
In Europe people often do a mixed sausage grill in the fall. This is not hard if you stick with three or max four types of sausages and you know how many minutes to grill each type. Just as with a cheese platter, try to have different types of sausages such as fresh and cured or more sweet and less sweet and maybe a spicy type.
If you want to up the flavor you can marinade the sausages briefly with your favorite grilling marinade or use special woods or fresh herbs on the heat source, but this is not necessary.
Set out a nice chimichurri or salsa verde, an alioli, and a remoulade, or any three sauces you like for your guests--buy the sauces at a gourmet shop if you're pressed for time. People love the interactive aspect of choosing their sausage type and trying each type with the different sauces.
Shrimp Platter with Trio of Sauces
Grill seasoned shrimp or boil it with shrimp boil. Put a large amount of shrimp on a couple of large platters or in large bowls, Set out next to this pile of shrimp a trio of sauces (amounts given make for about 4-6 guests; multiply accordingly):
Lime-Poblano Crema--One of our signature sauces/spreads. Mix 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream with 1-2 roasted poblanos, blended to a puree, and the juice of 2-3 limes
Red Pepper Mayo--Blend roasted red peppers (1/4 to 1/2 cup) with 1 to 1 1/2 cups mayo--depends on how much you like red peppers. If too briny add a little fresh or dried dill or fresh basil
Asian Dipper--Mix wasabi mayo or miso and mayo with ginger and chopped chives
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
When we lived in Europe there was (and still is) a wonderful fall culture of grilling at country houses, and the cool bracing air out in the country really worked up people's appetites. In the spirit of this fall grilling, here a few easy and delicious ideas you can adapt.
Escalivada
This is a Catalán dish of grilled vegetables (traditional for this dish are eggplants, peppers, and onions), but our Chef Jesús tweaks the traditional recipe by marinating the vegetables in olive oil and chopped fresh herbs and then mixing the finished grilled vegetables with roasted garlic, which can even be prepared ahead--the heat of the grilled vegetables will warm the roasted garlic enough for your guests.
From "Simply Recipes"--How to Roast Garlic:
Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.
Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.
Mixed Sausage Grill
In Europe people often do a mixed sausage grill in the fall. This is not hard if you stick with three or max four types of sausages and you know how many minutes to grill each type. Just as with a cheese platter, try to have different types of sausages such as fresh and cured or more sweet and less sweet and maybe a spicy type.
If you want to up the flavor you can marinade the sausages briefly with your favorite grilling marinade or use special woods or fresh herbs on the heat source, but this is not necessary.
Set out a nice chimichurri or salsa verde, an alioli, and a remoulade, or any three sauces you like for your guests--buy the sauces at a gourmet shop if you're pressed for time. People love the interactive aspect of choosing their sausage type and trying each type with the different sauces.
Shrimp Platter with Trio of Sauces
Grill seasoned shrimp or boil it with shrimp boil. Put a large amount of shrimp on a couple of large platters or in large bowls, Set out next to this pile of shrimp a trio of sauces (amounts given make for about 4-6 guests; multiply accordingly):
Lime-Poblano Crema--One of our signature sauces/spreads. Mix 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream with 1-2 roasted poblanos, blended to a puree, and the juice of 2-3 limes
Red Pepper Mayo--Blend roasted red peppers (1/4 to 1/2 cup) with 1 to 1 1/2 cups mayo--depends on how much you like red peppers. If too briny add a little fresh or dried dill or fresh basil
Asian Dipper--Mix wasabi mayo or miso and mayo with ginger and chopped chives
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Saturday, September 10, 2011
More Cool Ideas for Your Party
This week we honor 9/11 by celebrating life, resilience, and joy, so here are more cool ideas for your parties and gatherings this fall.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
- If your decor is more contemporary, casual, or mod and you are having a small group for dinner, print colorful menus on your printer and lay one on each napkin or each dinner plate. Menu templates are available in many computers, or the easiest design ever is just to pick a font you like and bright or other colors you like; make the menu heading or name(s) of the guest(s) of honor in one color and the course names or dish names in another. This will take you only a few minutes and you'll be surprised how it really perks up your party.
- Buy gelato or sorbet and pack into a Bundt or other mold pan in the freezer, then unmold just before serving onto a platter or cake plate--looks cool.
- Make your party look elegant with little work by piling chocolate milk balls that you buy in a nice bowl like silver or clear glass and then setting on a cake stand--looks something like chocolate truffles but is easier.
- Mix a Mexican or Latin tropical fruit nectar with cava, Prosecco, or a sparkling wine or champagne for a new twist on the mimosa. Wet and then rim the glass with sugar--these look new and cool in martini glasses.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
More Cool Fall Entertaining Ideas
Today we bring you even more cool ideas for fall entertaining. As we often say, it's the little details that count, and just one cool detail can really make your event a success.
Here are 4 more cool entertaining ideas that you can use at your gatherings this fall, or whenever.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Here are 4 more cool entertaining ideas that you can use at your gatherings this fall, or whenever.
- Buy three stackable tier stands to stack (available at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and department stores) and stack them, or at least stack two of them, and put your hors d'oeuvres, soup or beverage shooters, or little desserts or candies on them. Use as a centerpiece. People serve themselves off of these stacked tiers. Refill as necessary. Note: this idea is not appropriate for parties where kids might knock over the tier stands.
- If you will be having a seated dinner or luncheon with several tables, you can decant white or rosé wines into clear glass bottles or carafes so people can serve themselves--often guests prefer this as it saves them waiting for a server or host/ess to serve them more wine as well as being a great icebreaker at the guest tables
- An easy and harvest-y centerpiece is to fill a bowl, preferably footed, or an urn, with fall purple grapes and yellow fall fruits (if this complements your other decor, of course).
- Even just one really cool bar accessory adds the wow factor to your party--A butler-shaped cocktail shaker (Lenox) or oversize martini or cocktail glasses (just one per bar, and available from companies like Royal Doulton or Oneida) make a cool, fun statement. You can even fill an oversize martini or cocktail glass with candies or nuts.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
5 Cool Ideas for Fall Entertaining
Fall has begun to semi-officially creep up on us, and as we begin planning fall gatherings, we wanted to give you 5 cool ideas that will add pizzazz to your fall event.
With events, it's always the little details that count and that, added up, make for a successful event. So today we have some great ideas for easily adding that special touch to your event. The emphasis is on easy!
Idea #1
Add cupcake toppers or mini flag banners to your desserts (or even to your hors d'oeuvres). These are not just for weddings. Two lines we like are:
www.millalove.etsy.com
www.mycreativesidekg.etsy.com
Idea #2
You can also buy great cool mod bunting, in very nice colors, at:
www.mycreativesidekg.etsy.com
This bunting is not the old-fashioned kind--it's very contemporary but the colors are soothing, so it doesn't look too cold (the danger with many contemporary designs is that they can look too cold).
Idea #3
You can create a wonderful and cool dessert with almost no effort by buying chocolate dessert cups and filling them with sweetened whipped cream or a mix of sweetened whipped cream and mascarpone or sour cream. Then add a fresh berry to each cup, or chocolate sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips.
Available at: www.langschocolates.com or www.thefind.com (Search "chocolate dessert cups" in The Find).
Idea #4
Create the coolest chips and salsa display (or station, as we events people now call them) in your 'hood by setting out unexpected types of bowls to hold the salsas, such as crystal or wide, low goblets, preferably clear or colored but clear glass. Even better if the crystal bowl has a pedestal! That mix of more traditional design in the bowl type and more casual in the salsas is unexpected and will dazzle your guests without being stuffy. Use small spoons in each salsa bowl or goblet for guests to spoon the salsa on their chips.
Idea #5
Put small organic flower blooms on your desserts, even cookies, one small bloom per cookie/cupcake/mini dessert/cake or pie slice. No time for even that? Put the blooms on the tray where you're serving the dessert from.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
With events, it's always the little details that count and that, added up, make for a successful event. So today we have some great ideas for easily adding that special touch to your event. The emphasis is on easy!
Idea #1
Add cupcake toppers or mini flag banners to your desserts (or even to your hors d'oeuvres). These are not just for weddings. Two lines we like are:
www.millalove.etsy.com
www.mycreativesidekg.etsy.com
Idea #2
You can also buy great cool mod bunting, in very nice colors, at:
www.mycreativesidekg.etsy.com
This bunting is not the old-fashioned kind--it's very contemporary but the colors are soothing, so it doesn't look too cold (the danger with many contemporary designs is that they can look too cold).
Idea #3
You can create a wonderful and cool dessert with almost no effort by buying chocolate dessert cups and filling them with sweetened whipped cream or a mix of sweetened whipped cream and mascarpone or sour cream. Then add a fresh berry to each cup, or chocolate sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips.
Available at: www.langschocolates.com or www.thefind.com (Search "chocolate dessert cups" in The Find).
Idea #4
Create the coolest chips and salsa display (or station, as we events people now call them) in your 'hood by setting out unexpected types of bowls to hold the salsas, such as crystal or wide, low goblets, preferably clear or colored but clear glass. Even better if the crystal bowl has a pedestal! That mix of more traditional design in the bowl type and more casual in the salsas is unexpected and will dazzle your guests without being stuffy. Use small spoons in each salsa bowl or goblet for guests to spoon the salsa on their chips.
Idea #5
Put small organic flower blooms on your desserts, even cookies, one small bloom per cookie/cupcake/mini dessert/cake or pie slice. No time for even that? Put the blooms on the tray where you're serving the dessert from.
Enjoy!
Kristina
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com
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