Napkin Ideas for Your Home Parties

Some home parties don't require cloth napkins--for more casual events or ones where children will attend, paper napkins are probably a better choice.

But some home parties are not as casual, and the hosts want to use cloth napkins.  Dinner parties, even alfresco/outdoor parties, can use cloth napkins successfully. 

For buffets at home parties, generally cloth napkins are used to roll up cutlery bundles, and napkins placed at place settings aren't generally used unless the guests serve themselves from a buffet and then take their seats at tables with place settings. 

If this is the case, or you have place settings at a dining table or two, or you serve guests at several smaller dining tables with place settings, then cloth napkins are appropriate at home parties.

Today's napkins in place settings
Today place settings with cloth napkins have evolved a lot.  While elaborate folds are still used for more formal events like weddings and some fundraisers, even these types of events now often include more fun types of napkin "folds" that set a more comfortable ambience, not as stuffy.

The most current napkin "folds" today are:

• Rolled napkins on top of plates, with or without some decorative element on top of the rolled napkins
• Square-folded napkins, also on top of plates, also with or without some decorative element on top of them

These are just a lot easier to do than the more elaborate folds and can go well with many types of decor at home parties.

Decorative elements on top of the rolled or folded napkins can be anything from event favors to gilded twigs, flowers to name cards written on paper (even on leaves) to small candies.  Generally the decorative elements will suit the theme or reason for the party. 

And the decorative element doesn't have to be placed in a napkin ring or rolled in a ribbon or raffia or string--it can be, if you like that look, but if you want to make it easy on yourself, just place these little decorations on top of each rolled or square-folded napkin on the place settings and they'll look wonderful with less work.

Another way we do napkins, for more traditional decor, is to fold them in triangles and then put them flat on the plates, with decorative elements on top of each.

Napkin rings
If you do like napkin rings, there are many styles available, from traditional to modern.  In fact, modern-type napkin ring designs have exploded in the past 10 years!

Available at places like Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table, and Macy's or Bloomingdale's, or more "exotic" designs from Pier 1 and other import stores, they can be almost the easiest way to use cloth napkins at your  home party because all you do is push the napkins through them. Easy, right?  Two of our favorites are silvery parsley-leaf motif rings from Sur La Table and beaded rim silver rings from Crate &Barrel.  You can also check out Ebay and Etsy for vintage and artisan rings.

Either way, cloth napkins add tremendous style to your home parties and they're so much easier to set up and work with today!

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077

www.fandango-catering.com

Read about how we're providing sustainable catering for 1500 people at an outdoor event at Discovery Green 9/10/11:
http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Hapy BD Houston Regrts 4Mkt Sq fest r lst Sun off bfor Fam Day Disc Grn 9/10 4 1500 Jst read: Frnklin St whre kchn is frst 2 b pved w asfalt

Fandango Catering and Events to Provide Sustainable Catering at Discovery Green Event

We are honored to have been chosen to provide sustainable catering for an expected 1,500 guests at this year's Family Day event at Discovery Green on Sept. 10, 2011.

Family Day, sponsored by Houston City Council Member James Rodríguez in partnership with community organizations, is an annual event for families at the start of the school year with family and children's activities and educational booths highlighting career opportunities.

This year's career theme is "Green Careers."

Our sustainable catering for this event will reduce its carbon footprint by nearly 40%.  Our sustainable catering procedures for the event will include:

• 100% biodegradable packaging of box lunches and salsa station cups
• Recycled, non-bleached paper napkins
• Local produce used in box lunches
• Continuous refilling of box lunches from our downtown kitchen to avoid using electric generators at the park to keep food fresh
• House-made baked not fried tortilla chips

At Fandango we have long advocated for and practiced sustainable catering and we are honored to be able to demonstrate the use of sustainable catering methods at large public events as well as smaller private events.

On the menu:

• Turkey and Cheese Wraps with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
• Roasted Vegetables and Herbed Cheese on Ciabatta
• Pesto Chicken, Cheese, and Tomato Wraps with Herbed Mayo
• Santa Fe Chicken Wraps with Grilled Chicken, Tomato, and Lime-Poblano Crema
• House-Made Baked Tortilla Chips and House-Made Roasted Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa
• Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
• Cookie Assortment

For more information on the event and Discovery Green see also: www.discoverygreen.org

Warmly,

Kristina

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

Today priv client lunch 2pm: Bf Bourguignon w Creme de Cassis, Ckn w Orng Crm Sauce, Rosted Vegetables, Herb-Sauteed Spinach w Shallots

How to Host an Interactive Pizza Party

As summer winds down and we begin thinking of fall entertaining, one of the most fun, interactive gatherings you can host is an interactive pizza party.

No, not the hideous takeout pizza parties of high school activities or middle school sleepovers--today's interactive pizza parties are seriously cool and fun parties with high-quality food, but are easy to throw together.  And they're also good for parties where kids will be present, as kids like the interactive part too.

If pressed for time (most people are), buy pizza dough from a reputable pizza parlor or a gourmet market. 

It's easiest to make pizzas around 8" or 9."  Set out the disks of dough (flattened or not beforehand), plus the toppings, on a kitchen counter, island, or table.

Toppings and then some

Here's where your party gets really fun: put out bowls or plates with a variety of toppings so people can top their pizzas in the combinations they like.  If you have more than one oven you can have both your ovens going with pizzas (we catered a party like this and we used our wonderful DeLonghi countertop convection oven as well as the clients' built-in ovens).

You don't want to be too predictable and boring with the toppings--otherwise why not just order takeout pizzas, with their same old toppings, in the first place?

Here are some topping ideas:

• Rich cheeses like Gruyere, Fontina, Emmentaler, Jarlsburg, or even regular or pepper Monterey Jack
• Fresh mozzarella pre-sliced into medallions (available at gourmet markets)
• Heirloom tomatoes sliced very thin (not chopped)
• Fresh chopped mixed herbs (basil, tarragon, mint, dill; or, for cooler weather, thyme or rosemary)
• Finely chopped red onion, sauteed until soft and translucent
• Cured meats such as prosciutto, coppa, chorizo, or fuet/dry salami--watch these carefully as they turn hard if left in the oven too long
• Fresh artisan sausages such as chicken with jalapeño and cheese (also available at gourmet markets)
• Some nice black olives or capers
• Sauteed vegetables like leek strands, red peppers, or spinach
• Other foods you like--just remember, if it's crunchy, sauté first until soft

Red
Marinara? One day ahead cut one yellow onion into small dice and sauté in olive oil until soft and translucent, then add 10-12 tomatoes, chopped and seeded, and simmer 25-35 minutes or until tomatoes are soft, then add a little more than 1/2 stick butter until melted, 1-2 generous pinches finely chopped fresh basil or (we prefer this) fresh tarragon, and blend with a hand blender until smooth, adding salt and pepper to taste--makes enough for about 10-12 9" pizzas.  Set out with the toppings and a ladle so people can put on their pizzas.

Combine, bake, eat
Then let your guests make their pizzas, combining toppings as they like, discussing which toppings they've chosen, and everybody tasting eveybody's pizza combinations.  A memorable interactive pizza party.

Enjoy!

Kristina


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

Working on special tasting of new tapas menu and dinner menu items for October