Launch of Café Luz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Kristina

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

Summer Blender Soups

As part of our continuing "Summer Entertaining" blog series, today we offer recipes for blender soups you can make quickly and offer guests at your events this summer.

As the record-breaking heat continues around the world, a nice cool soup hits just the right spot for summer entertaining, whether casual get-togethers or even more formal events.

One idea we use is to serve cold soups in shooter glasses or even in short tumblers--line the soup glasses up on a tray, counter, or table and you will really impress guests! Plus cold summer soups are great conversation starters as they're a break from the usual party fare.

For a no-brainer garnish for savory (not sweet) soups, buy fresh chives at the supermarket and chop them finely, it won't take but five minutes to do that; then sprinkle a little chopped chives in each soup glass or bowl.  Looks great and was very little work or time.

Here are three summer blender soup recipes (well, two recipes and one sort-of-recipe):

Chef Jesús's Gazpacho
Authentic from Spain!

Serves 4-6
4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, medium dice
3 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, chopped
1 3/4 tsp. cumin
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. sherry or wine vinegar
1/2 loaf day-old Italian or French bread, cut in small pieces (it should not be the ultra-skinny loaf)
2 cups cold water
Salt to taste

Place cucumbers, garlic, cucumbers, and tomatoes in blender. Add cumin, oil, and vinegar.  Blend at low speed 2-3 minutes, then on high 2-3 minutes, or until you obtain a smooth puree without large lumps.  Add the bread pieces and again blend for 2-3 minutes on low and then 2-3 minutes on high.  Transfer this puree to a 2 qt. pitcher and add cold water.  Chill very well, preferably overnight but at least 8 hours.  Serve cold. 
Traditional garnishes: chopped tomato, diced onion, diced green pepper, bread triangles lightly fried in olive oil or butter.
Nouvelle garnishes: Drizzle of plain or lime creme fraiche, chopped jamón serrano, whole boiled shrimp.

Berry Soup

Serves 4

2 cups fresh berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cups red wine
2 cups water
4 fresh mint leaves for garnish

Wash the berries, drain, and place in blender or food processor work bowl.  Run the blender or processor for 1 minute, or until pureed.  Strain the berries through a fine sieve or two layers of cheesecloth, reserving the liquid.  Add sugar, sour cream, wine, water, and the berry liquid to the blender or work bowl.  Run the blender or processor for 1 minute or until mixed well. Remove the soup to a bowl and chill several hours. 

Serve in chilled bowls garnished with mint leaves.

Colombian Vichyssoise (sort of)
Did you know that Colombia has a vichyssoise? It's called "sopa de aguacate y papa." This is a shortcut version for busy people who like trying good food from other countries.

Buy from a reputable restaurant, caterer, or gourmet food emporium a gallon of vichyssoise.  Combine with one medium-size container prepared guacamole in batches in a blender until smooth and slightly thick (if too thick thin with a little heated chicken broth). 

Chill several hours and serve cold, garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream and chopped chives. If you want a spicier dish add a sprinkle of cayenne or chipotle powder on top of the creme fraiche or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Kristina

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

More Summer Food Tips

In our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining," today we offer 5 more tips for summer food.

#1
If you grill a steak or chicken breast, don't cut into it to tell if it's done--buy a good meat thermometer with markings that will tell you when different types of meat are done.  You can continue to use the thermometer for indoor cooking all year long, too.

#2
If you'd like to grill something "different," try cooking fish on an aromatic cedar plank--just follow the package directions and it's easy! These planks are widely available at better grocery stores.

#3
Try making pizza on the grill--it's not as hard as it sounds.  Buy pizza dough at the pizza parlor, roll out each disk slightly thick, cook for a few minutes on the grill over wood chips, then flip it and add toppings.  With some grilled pizzas you really don't need more than a salad and a nice wine, maybe a dessert.

#4
Speaking of dessert--If you have the grill going, have you tried grilled fruit? It is so good! Cut the fruit in half, brush with melted butter and maybe sprinkle a little brown sugar over it, and grill.  You can top the grilled fruit with ice cream or whipped cream if you want to go luxe but it's also really good on it's own.

#5
Two No-Cook Pasta Sauces:
Sauce A: Cook pasta, preferably spaghetti; drain, reserving 1/2 to 1/3 cup cooking water in the pot.  Place mozzarella and/or Gorgonzola cheeses, some butter, and some cream and Parmigiano in the water and place a bowl over the pot, letting these ingredients melt into a sauce.  Toss with hot cooked spaghetti, fresh chopped herbs, and grindings of pepper.
Sauce B: Chop fresh whole or halve cherry tomatoes; mix with a mashed garlic clove, 1-2 chopped green onion tops, and fresh basil.  Then mix with fruity olive oil and Parmigiano and toss with hot cooked pasta.  Eat hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Kristina

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

Fandango Catering and Events Offers 4 Tips for Cooking with Alcohol

Yesterday we attended the 2011 Great Match Wines from Spain event held here in Houston (http://www.greatmatch.org/ ), where we learned a lot and had a great time.  

One of the things the great master sommelier Doug Frost said in his presentation was that many Tempranillo (name of grape)/Ribera del Duero (name of region) wines are better to pair with food than to drink alone (unless you grew up drinking them).

What's their secret?
This got us to thinking about how people use (or don't use) alcohol to cook with.  In Europe, as Frost pointed out, most people don't fuss so much as here in the U.S. about the type of wine they either eat with or cook with--and yet visitors to Europe often comment that the food just tastes so much better and well, different, there than here.  Their secret? They use alcohol in cooking.

Who, me?
Yes, YOU can use alcohol to improve your cooking.  There's no mystery to this as people believe.  If your budget allows, use a more expensive wine or the same wine you'll serve with dinner to cook, but even less expensive wines can vastly improve your cooking as the heat breaks down the sugars in the alcohol, helping to smooth and bring together the flavors of any sauce, from a meat, chicken, or pork pan sauce to a pasta sauce to baked meat dishes to risotto to...

Not only wine
But here's the real secret: not only wine is great for cooking! The following give excellent results when added to most cooked dishes:

• Red, white, or rosé wines
• Champagne or other sparkling wine
• Alcoholic ciders (big in parts of France and Spain)
• Beer
• Dry sherry, marsala, madeira, and dry vermouth
• Liqueurs such as Gran Marnier or brandy--but if you're not an experienced cook don't try cooking with liqueurs as it's a bit trickier to get right with savory food

Keep it in stock
What could be easier than to keep wine or beer for drinking in your fridge and then when you cook something, pour a little wine or beer into the sauce as it cooks (whether by sauté pan, sauce pan, or roasting pan).  This is what Europeans do and it works wonders.

Our Chef Jesús has cooked at two different times for Belgian restauranteurs, once in Madrid and once here in Houston, and from them he learned to cook with all kinds of beer. 

But don't imagine that you must be a purist to do this--just pour a little of the beer you keep in the fridge to drink into something as mundane as a jar pasta sauce as you heat it, let the alcohol cook out, 2-3 minutes (you can tell by sniffing; if the steam coming from the dish no longer smells like freshly opened beer, the alcohol has cooked out), add some cheese, almost any type, and let it melt in, and you'll see what we mean about the alcohol working wonders. Or if you sauté a steak or a chicken breast in a sauté pan (we assume you've seasoned the meat or chicken some way), as you turn the meat over to cook the second side, add a little beer or wine and let the alcohol cook out, then pour the pan juices out when you serve the meat.  Easy and amazing!

In fact, we often prefer beer and dry sherry to cook with over an inferior wine (which often tastes too tannic/strong), so beer is great for non-adventurous palates to try for cooking and gives great results.

Bon Appetit!

Kristina

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

Fandango Catering and Events Provides Ideas for Creating Food Stations

Food stations are popular at larger events, from corporate conferences to weddings.  Because food stations require going to different tables (stations) to taste all the food, stations tend to promote a more interactive, "social" experience for guests as they travel to the different stations and get to talk to more people on the way to and from the stations.

Pros and Cons
There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding to use food stations.  Here are a caterer and event planner's viewpoints.

Pros

• Already mentioned--Stations promote a more interactive, social experience for guests
• They promote a wider variety of food as each station is generally made up of variations on a theme
• They can also provide, if the host(s) wish(es), for a wider variety of decoration as each station can be decorated differently if desired

Cons

• Food stations are more expensive whether you do them yourself or pay someone to handle them, due to increased number of trays, dishes, table linens, servers, chafing dishes, ice bowls, and all manner of necessary things to create each station and also because they are more work for the food professional (caterer, hotel, or restaurant), so if you decide to go this route expect to pay more
• They take longer to set up and break down
• The event space must be fairly large as there is much coming and going around the stations
• If the event space is not very large and open (or you don't have the food in separate rooms or on separate floors), food stations can make your event seem crowded and chaotic
• If not handled tastefully with great table designs, stations can make your event seem like a trade show

Ideas for Specific Stations
Here are some ideas for specific stations; each station should have a minimum of three variations on a theme. Your choice of foods will also depend on whether your event is more formal or informal.

• Macaroni and cheese
• Quesadilla
• Seafood
• Avocado
• Mini entrees served in custard cups (mini beef wellingtons, mini lasagnas, mini gratins)
• Crostini
• Shooters
• Sliders
• Mini desserts
• Gourmet hot dogs
• Frittatas
• Dumplings (potstickers, wontons, rangoons, etc.)
• Rollups (Asian or on tortillas)
• Fajitas
• Sangría, Margaritas, or Craft Beers
• Artisan Cheeses
• Gelato, ice creams, sorbets, ice cream sandwiches
• Kids' foods (for big and little kids)

We suggest you avoid carving stations and hot pasta bars as the food dries out terribly.

More nice ideas that can be used at any large event, not just weddings, at http://www.intimateweddings.com/ -search for "food stations"

Decoration
You can use all the same decor at each station to unify the event or vary a little on each station.  We advise against using a completely different decor at each station unless the event is in a private home or space where each station is in a different room and then the station decor complements the room decor.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events Offers 4 Ideas for a Mother's Day Brunch

Mother's Day brunches are traditional and are a relaxed way of entertaining and of honoring the mothers in our lives.  Today we offer 4 ideas for organizing a Mother's Day brunch.

Make sure the mother you're honoring would like a brunch
Have you asked? Since it's about what the mother being honored, not the person hosting, would like, make sure that that's how she wants to spend her time on Mother's Day.

Design the brunch to suit the mother
Along the same lines, what would she prefer? A dressed up brunch, an old-fashioned tea, a picnic, an alfresco gathering after morning sports? Whatever her style, suit the brunch to that.

Choose food and beverages to suit the honoree
Many brunches serve mimosas, but is this what your mother would like? My mother didn't drink alcohol and drank Southern sweet lemon tea with everything. Same goes for the food.  Serve food your mother will like.

We have hundreds of brunch recipes, but here are a few sample menu templates to give you ideas:

Beverages
Orange, Apple, Pineapple, or Tomato Juice
Juices with Alcohol (Mimosas, Bellinis, Bloody Marys)
Iced Tea (we ARE in Texas)
Specialty Coffees-Don't go to Starbucks or fret if you don't have a fancy machine! Set up a mini coffee bar on a counter or small table with regular coffee and either or both of these:
Mexican coffee--coffee, cinnamon stick, whipped cream, cocoa powder to sprinkle on top
Cappuccino--coffee, heavy cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar

Fresh Fruit
Fill melon or pineapple halves with fresh fruit and serve with sour cream mixed with powdered sugar and orange liqueur.  Or just serve sliced fresh fruit if you're pressed for time.  Even easier: Fresh strawberries macerated in 1/2 orange juice, 1/2 orange liqueur or in kirsch, which you can do ahead of time.

Egg Dish
Stratas, casserole soufflés, quiches, breakfast tacos, scrambled eggs for a crowd (add sour cream to keep scrambled eggs creamy, a trick we learned while living in NYC).

Meat
Ham, sausage, or bacon (choose nitrate-free bacon).  We like sausages braised in red or white wine (prick the sausages all over with a fork and cook for a few minutes in a microwave first with nothing but a little water, then finish with the wine in a sauté pan until well browned).  Hearty eaters? Do as the hotels do and serve a grilled steak as your breakfast meat.

Pancakes Etc.
If you have a hungry bunch, add pancakes, waffles, crepes, blintzes, or French toast to your menu.  The easiest pancake for a crowd is of the Dutch baby type, which are puffy pancakes cooked in the oven to serve several people.

Sweets
Breakfast sweets include muffins, coffee cakes, pastries, crumpets, scones, biscuits, popovers, doughnuts, or breakfast quick breads.  If you serve a pancake-type dish you may not need this.  At one of our most successful brunches we served a black-and-white cheesecake (New York-style cheesecake with Ghirardelli chocolate crust) and every crumb was eaten.  So if your mother likes desserts more than breakfast-type sweets, indulge her (and yourself).

Enjoy!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events Offers 9 Tips for Hosting a Cheese Tasting

A cheese tasting is one of the easiest parties you can host because there's no cooking involved.  Cheese tastings are great for busy people who want to entertain stylishly but don't want to or have time to cook.  You can buy the cheeses, accompaniments, and beverages a day or two before or even the day of your gathering. 

Here are our 9 best tips for hosting a cheese tasting party.

Choose a tray--Silver, glass, porcelain, or wicker are good choices to show off cheeses, or a wooden or marble cheese board.  These last two aren't necessary and we wouldn't buy either if we weren't going to use them again for other things.  Line trays with doilies, edible leaves such as large lettuce or greens leaves, or buy special paper cheese leaves if you're feeling luxe.

Stick to 4 choices max--With any more than that people's palates can't really taste the differences between the cheeses.

Vary shapes and colors--Wedges with logs and rounds and pale with dark orange or gold or blue.  Or cheese coated in herbs or paprika or with a wine rind.

Vary textures--Contrast moist, creamy cheeses with dryer and/or more firm ones.

Try cheeses from the the three main types--If you're guests are adventurous, try cow's milk, sheep's milk, and goat's milk cheeses

Cheese must be room temperature--Cheese loses flavor if it's cold, so take cheese out of the refrigerator 2 hours before your party.

Accompany cheeses with one or more of the following:
*Round country loaves, baguettes (we like sourdough baguettes), ciabatta rolls, or a chewy whole grain or raisin bread
*Fresh seasonal fruit (also make sure you take the fruit out of the fridge at least 1 hour before your party)
*Green salad--make it simple so the cheeses shine and use walnut or hazelnut oil for the dressing (don't serve a very pungent dressing or vinaigrette or you'll interfere with the tasting of the cheeses), and you can also include fruit in the green salad if you and your group like this

Serve wine(s)--A medium-bodied Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon is a good all-purpose choice, as are Spanish sherries, both sweet and dry.  Very pungent cheeses are often better with craft beers than with wine, or also go well with Gewurztraminer wine.  For an all-purpose white, try a crisp white such as Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre.  If you have more time and are so inclined to choose a selection of wines or beers paired to the cheeses, for a nice pairing chart see The Nibble (http://www.thenibble.com/ ), "Matching Cheese with Wine and Beer Pairing Chart."

Don't set the cheeses out uncut--As host, make the first cut in each cheese for your guests or they might be shy about cutting into them

Enjoy!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events Offers 10 Ideas for Skewers for Events

Skewers are always very popular with guests at events and are appropriate for all but the most formal of occasions, such as a seated dinner.  They add interest to gatherings because of their shape and this shape combines very well with finger foods of other shapes such as tartlets, canapés, or crostini.

But skewers aren't just for meats! They can be used for all kinds of food for events.  There are 2 basic kinds of skewers: those with only one type of food on the skewer and those that mix food on the skewer.  Both have their fans and both are great for events.  And you can ease your work load by not filling up the whole skewer, just the middle--people love them any way you serve them.  Plus most can be served room temperature.

Here are 10 ideas for creating skewers for events:

• Beef or chicken fajita strips threaded along a skewer, with or without grilled veggie pieces
• Fresh mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes brushed with pesto
• Cooked pieces of lobster or whole cooked or grilled shrimp with red and yellow cherry tomatoes
• Fresh fruit pieces with mascarpone and brown sugar dipper
• Cheese sampler (different types of cheese cut in bite-size pieces)
• Pinchos morunos (Spanish cumin and red pepper-spiced pork skewers)
• Avocado slices and cheese pieces, or add ham cubes or grilled or cooked whole shrimp
• Cooked tortellini brushed with Italian dressing, or small quiches
• Antipasto (Salami and other Italian cold cuts in small round slices or bite-size pieces with fresh mozzarella balls and grilled or marinated veggies)
• Bite-size pieces of a dense cake (like a Bundt) cake or mini cheesecakes (be careful not to thread more than three or four as they might crumble) with a Nutella dipper

How to Arrange

Make sure you always put the skewer through the middle of each piece of food.  The metal skewers are the sturdiest but for a large party you can buy wooden skewers.  You can lay skewers out in a round sunburst pattern on round or square serving pieces or in a line on rectangular serving pieces and they'll look great.

Enjoy!

Kristina
Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events in 002 Houston Article on Sustainable Catering

Fandango Catering and Events is honored that we were featured in the April issue of 002 Houston magazine. This issue focuses on eco-friendly weddings in honor of Earth Day this month.  See the digital version of the magazine here (we are on p. 47):

http://www.002mag.com/

3 Reasons Why Eco Event Food Doesn't Have to Mean Quinoa and Sprouts

We want to take this opportunity to dispel a myth many people have about sustainable food for a wedding or any event, small or large.  Many believe that to have sustainable event food, the only options are things like quinoa, sprouts, and macrobiotic-ish type foods.  This is not true! Here are 3 reasons why sustainable event food doesn't have to mean quinoa and sprouts.

Reason #1
Most event food can be made (more) eco-conscious, even for formal occasions like weddings and galas. How? Use local and preferably seasonal products, or organic if you can afford it.  Choose sustainable fish or antibiotic-free chicken, widely available.  And if you can't afford to do all the food that way, choose part of the food to be more sustainable, whether you do the cooking or you ask a food professional to do so. Everything helps.

So, for example, if you're serving a dish with vegetables, at least buy local.  Then prepare the vegetables or have them prepared according to the regular recipe--and the recipe can also be made more sustainable by using fresh local herbs and organic or antibiotic-free dairy if that's what the recipe calls for.  Same recipe--no matter how complex or what type of cuisine--but made more sustainable.

As our Chef de Cuisine Josh says: It's like cooking school: you learn the techniques and then apply them to any recipe, and you learn to use the local and the sustainable and source and use it for any recipe.

Here's what's important: most people who host an event of any size DON'T want quinoa and sprouts-type food reminiscent of 1970s macrobiotic cookbooks (if you enjoy quinoa and sprouts, fine).

Truth be told, most people don't, and they especially don't want anything like that for a party or an important event where the food will play a huge part in the event's success.  And by using sustainable ingredients for regular recipes, you don't have to! Using a food professional for your event? Ask what sustainable options they have within your budget.

Reason #2
The quinoa and sprouts route just doesn't taste good.  Better to use local/sustainable ingredients to make REGULAR, people-pleasing recipes, whether you cook or have someone do the cooking. 

The proof is in the pudding (no pun intended).  As profiled in 002 Houston magazine, at a recent wedding we served tilapia (a sustainable fish) with sauteed local vegetables and wild-caught shrimp, the sauce prepared with hormone-free dairy and spiked with pimentón (OK, the pimentón wasn't local, it was imported from Spain).  The recipe, tweaked by the Exec Chef, is a Spanish preparation called "a la mallorquina" (Mallorcan style) and is very popular with our wedding clients. But see how this recipe, or any recipe, can be made more sustainable? 

The couple and family were ecstatic and the groom himself (whose parents had come over from Belgium for the wedding) personally came to thank our Exec Chef for the food, plus several guests and even the minister came to thank us, all saying that the food was excellent but its freshness didn't make them feel overloaded as in many restaurants.  One aunt said the food reminded her of dining in France, where one dines well but doesn't feel sick afterwards--well of course not! Because their ingredients are also fresh and local and free of artificial things.

Reason #3
You really can't make the quinoa and sprouts route adapt to a FESTIVE gathering, whether casual or informal.  In general, these macro-type foods are limited in the ways they can be prepared.  If you need convincing look at so-called green restaurant menus and then compare them to menus by food professionals of all types who source locally and sustainably. 

Whether you do the cooking for your event or hire someone to do it, please look into real people-pleasing food for your event.  As the French say, Voilà!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events Executive Chef to Provide Catalan Tapas at Paintings and Pairings

Fandango Catering and Events' Executive Chef, Jesús Lumbreras-Calvo, a Madrid native and 1999 graduate of Scottsdale Culinary Institute, will be the featured chef at "Paintings and Pairings" on Saturday, April 2, 2011, 6-9pm at Kitchen Incubator's Café des Artistes in downtown Houston, located at 907 Franklin St.

As part of its ongoing series of food- and beverage-related public events where attendees can taste and learn about different cuisines, attend or participate in cooking competitions, and do hands-on food-related and other crafts, Kitchen Incubator will host this, the third in its popular "Paintings and Pairings" series, where a featured chef demonstrates his/her craft with a themed menu.

Chef Jesús will present a menu of tapas from Cataluña (or Catalonia in English), one of the great culinary capitals of the world. In fact, Chef Jesús spent a year in Barcelona as a child.

This will be a great evening of delicious tapas and wines with the opportunity to do one of Miró's famous paintings, and does not require previous painting skill! The Kitchen Incubator kitchen and café space, with its freshly done Tuscan-inspired decor, is beautiful, and so is the downtown Houston skyline at night. The kitchen and café are located in an art deco building (see photo above, left) in the historic Market Square district of downtown Houston.

Please join us for a delightful evening of Catalán tapas, art, and things Barcelona.

More info on Facebook:

http://fb.me/Mj2cL4r1

Warmly,

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.

Director of Sales and Operations/Event Manager

Fandango Catering and Events

(713) 522-0077

(281) 796-9841

info@fandango-catering.com

http://www.fandango-catering.com/

Fandango Catering and Events Offers Three Easy Food Setup Ideas for Parties

Today we offer three ideas for creating easy food setups for your home parties.

We're not referring to the actual table setup (i.e., tablecloth, plates, napkins, etc.) here, but to easy ways to get food served for an informal party for friends, family, neighbors, or any casual group.

The main thing is not to try to do too much if you don't have a lot of experience. It's better to have fewer but nicer foods than many that aren't that great. In Spain they say "Quien mucho abarca, poco aprieta," which, loosely translated, means, "Whomever takes on too much ends up not doing any of it well."

Relax! All you have to do is map out a plan like the ones below and your guests will be happy and impressed.

Less is more--Buy a big bowl of the best seasonal fruit you can afford, such as luscious strawberries or other berries. Next to it put a bowl of sour cream mixed with a little brown sugar for a dipper. Make the bowl of fruit BIG and like a centerpiece, in a clear glass or trifle dish or platter or even a glass punchbowl--something that catches the eye. Next to it put out a tray with two or three cheeses and then on the other side put out a BIG bowl of cleaned shrimp cooked in a spicy shrimp boil (make or buy) and offer a couple of sauces, such as creamy pesto (add cream to pesto) or remoulade, a cocktail sauce, and an alioli. If you're kitchen challenged buy everything from a good caterer or restaurant or a high-quality emporium like Whole Foods. Voilá! Your food looks and tastes great and wasn't a ton of work.

Choose skewers, crostini, or tartlets--People like these a lot. For example, you can do skewers of all-chicken, all-beef, and all grilled veggies, or three different types of crostini. We recently added at a client's suggestion a selection of pa amb tomaquet (Catalan tomato-rubbed) crostini that feature heirloom tomato only, heirloom tomato with jamón serrano, and heirloom tomato with jamón serrano and Munster cheese. We generally mix finger foods up on the buffet table with a display of skewers, crostini, and tartlets, for example, to keep people coming back to sample more and to keep them moving and entertained (it works).

Choose three foods--Seriously, with only three REALLY GOOD foods you can have an amazing party. Besides the ideas above, try sandwiches, a salad, and a dessert. Or a salad or starter, a soup or one-dish entree, and dessert. Or three desserts. Or a trio of cold salads. Or a trio of fresh cooked seafood with a couple of sauces. Make, buy, or have catered, as your time and budget allows.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Director of Sales and Operations/Event Manager
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
info@fandango-catering.com
www.fandango-catering.com

Fandango Catering Offers 4 Informal Gatherings Food Ideas

For casual gatherings where you'd like to serve food but don't want or need to fuss (the gatherings aren't weddings or galas or even cocktail parties), we offer four food ideas that will allow you to serve simple but delightful and stylish food to your guests without killing yourself.



Sliders Menu

Most people whatver their age like sliders. The impression factor begins with their size--illogical, but sliders tend to impress more than regular-size hamburgers. You can even buy these partially or fully made from a caterer or good restaurant. Serve with fresh seasonal fruit (sour cream with a little sugar is an easy dipping sauce), a green salad, and a dessert (buy the dessert from a good restaurant or caterer if you have no time to make one). Set out on nice trays and platters with seasoned mayo (mayo mixed with either fresh chopped herbs, Dijon, or powder Ranch dressing base) and your favorite burger fixings.

Pizza Menu

Make or buy pizza dough, then set out tomato sauce and a toppings bar. This is a great, fun icebreaker and it's interactive, so people don't get bored. And you can set out wines or beers paired to the toppings (ask at your wine or liquour store), a salad, and a dessert, and everyone will be happy. If you don't make your own marinara (most people don't), mix bottled spaghetti sauce with a little Alfredo sauce or heavy cream as bottled marinara is unpleasantly acidic. Cover each pizza with some of the "pink sauce," then add your toppings. Our favorite toppings:

• A selection of soft and grated cheeses, such as ricotta, fresh mozzarella or burrata, Fontina, and Parmesan, plus chopped fresh herbs
• Andouille, prosciutto, or your favorite sausage, sliced, and your favorite cheese, grated
• Sliced fresh mushrooms and Jarlsberg or Gruyere
• Thinly sliced fresh veggies and fresh mozzarella rounds

Sandwich Menu

This sounds boring but can be fun and exciting! If you have no time or are unsure of how to prepare them, buy gourmet sandwiches from an excellent source such as a caterer or places like Whole Foods, Central Market, or Dean and DeLuca. Or go to a good Mexican or Latin restaurant and pick up some of the great Latin snack foods such as tortas, pupusas, piratas, or other Latin sandwiches and snack foods. Either way, add flair to the sandwich menu by serving guacamole (add a little sour cream), salsa, and chips, and for dessert serve chocolate ice cream with dulce de leche syrup topping, plus some Mexican beers, margaritas by the pitcher (see our future blog post for preparing cocktails by the pitcher), and tropical fruit juices or Latin sodas. If you want something a little more filling, add a gourmet potato or pasta salad.

Cheese Tasting

Here are two ideas, one less and one more elaborate. Set out a buttery cheese; a soft, fresh cheese; a hard or sharp cheese; and, if your group likes it, a blue cheese. Or, for more variety and specifics, set out a Brie or Camembert, a Mascarpone, a Colby or Monterey Jack, an Edam or Gouda, a Cheddar, a Swiss Emmantaler, and a Gorgonzola. Set out on platters accompanied by sourdough or other artisan bread and butter, fresh fruit, and wines (ask your wine or liquor store for recommendations). Some folks put labels next to the cheeses but many people find that's not necessary as their groups like just trying the cheeses and wines (or even beers).

These menus won't take much time and for informal occasions are fun and delicious. Enjoy!



Kristina
Kristina Ríos de Lumbreras, Ph.D.
Director of Sales and Operations/Event Manager
Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
info@fandango-catering.com
http://www.fandango-catering.com/