Holiday Entertaining Part 3 - Hire a Professional?

When planning your menu, consider not only your budget, but also the time of day you will be holding your party. Will it be a brunch? A cocktail party? Wine and cheese party? Light hors d’oeuvres? Heavy hors d’oeuvres? Perhaps a buffet dinner? Seated dinner? Maybe just desserts and coffee? You have lots to choose from! Pick menu items that complement one another. Again your budget will dictate what you can serve your guests.

Making part of your menu ahead of time will save aggravation later on. What can be made ahead of time? Meatballs can be made in advance and frozen. Phyllo triangles are time consuming to make, but freeze beautifully. Do you have a favorite holiday cookie or tea bread? Bake and freeze these a few days ahead of time and take them out the night before.

Though working for days to prepare for your party is admirable, for your sanity's sake I'd advise that you not prepare everything yourself. Determine in advance if your budget will allow you to hire a professional caterer to cater your entire party, or even to simply provide some signature dishes. This added benefit will allow you to be a relaxed host so that you can freely greet and visit with your guests throughout the evening.

A caterer can assist you with all of your menu needs, as well as the actual planning of your menu. It is imperative that you are honest with your cater about how much you can afford to spend, as this will dictate how much food a caterer can prepare for you. A reputable caterer will suggest items that you can make or purchase on your own to compliment your party.

Caterers have many years of experience in what is the best value for your money. Listen to them - you are receiving their knowledge as well as their food! A reputable caterer wants your event to be a success – for your sake, as well as theirs. Chances are that an experienced caterer has planned and executed many parties over the years. Ask yourself this question: how many parties or events of this size have you planned?

If you can expand on this by hiring a professional server to replenish your food buffet, pick up plates, and assist with clean up after guests leave, this will be a win-win service for you and your guests. Outline your needs for service before the night of the party with your server in writing. Agree in advance about what the hours of service will be, what is your plan for the server if your party goes beyond the agreed upon time. What are the specified servers’ duties for the evening? A professional server will expect a tip - be generous!


A sample of a shopping list:
• Beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
• Bar Fruit, Ice
• Paper Goods (napkins, plates)
• Rentals (barware, dishes, linens, tables)
• Music
• Order Flowers, plants
• Lighting
• Candles
• Finished Holiday decorations

Holiday Entertaining Part 2 - Preparing Your House

Getting your House in Order

Don't wait until the last minute to get your house ready for your holiday party! Plan your plan, and then work your plan a little each day. Get your holiday decorations out and start decorating your house inside and out early! Remember; keep detailed lists of what you need to do each day.

Here are some things that you might want to consider:

• Be sure to check that all of your lights in your house (both inside and out) are in working order.

• Allow room in your hall closet for your guests’ coats. Have plenty of hangers on hand.

• If you live in a rainy area, have a place to receive wet umbrellas and boots. Be sure to have a mat out side your door and one inside your door so that your guests will think twice about wiping their feet before they enter your home.

• Plan on moving large bulky pieces of furniture to the garage.

• You want to establish clear pathways for your guests to move around. Yes you need places for your guests to sit but not if they are cumbersome to get around.
  


• Be sure you have places for your guests to put down a beverage, if needed.

• If you have pets, it’s a good idea to plan on isolating them during your party. With all of the comings and goings, your pet could easily get loose and wander away. Guests may be allergic to pet hair and pet dander. Someone may be afraid of cats. Someone else may step backwards and trip over your dog, sending a wine glass flying. It’s better to keep your pet away from the hubbub.

• Think about if you have invited any smokers to your party. Where will they smoke? Nowadays, more and more smokers are accustomed to going outside to smoke. Provide a designated smoking area for them, complete with ashtrays, tables, and possibly a canopy or an overhang to protect them for the wet and wild weather.

Time to clean your house! Everyone dreads this task, so my suggestion is to try to do this by areas rather than all at once. Again, make a plan and work it. Keep detailed notes.

• Clean your fireplace and flue. Bring in plenty of kindling and wood so that starting a fire will be easy. A fireplace adds character and ambiance to a room, and often becomes a focal point... especially when a warm fire is glowing on a cold night.

• Make room in your kitchen cabinets so that the “night before your party” you can put away all appliances that you will not be using, such as your toaster, electric mixer, and juicer. The more counter space you have, the better.
  
  



• Your refrigerator needs to be free of smelly items and leftovers. Make room for large platters of food. Wipe down all shelves with bleach water. Marry bottles of dressing and condiments, allowing more space for beverages. If you have an ice machine and have room in your freezer, start bagging ice it in advance - this way you will have all you need for your party on hand.
  
  


• Clean all of your bathrooms from top to bottom. I would recommend disposable hand towels. Your guests will appreciate this gesture, as it shows that you have a conscious approach to germ warfare.
  



• Have extra toilet paper in a basket for your guests to refill themselves. Also, have a basket or a bowl of emergency items on your bathroom counter, such as Band-aids, aspirins, Tylenol antacids, a nail file, mouthwash, gum, hair spray, hand lotion, and sanitary napkins. Be sure to have a spray bottle or room deodorizer in each bathroom. A candle is a nice touch as well. Hand sanitizer is a must!



• Be sure the entry to your home welcomes your guests. You do not want your guests falling, so you can prevent this by being prepared ahead of time. Is your outside entry well lit and clear of any debris? Are your gutters clean? If you don’t have an entryway, is their room for your guests to leave their wet boots on your front porch? Can you make a boot area for them? Can you spruce your entry by adding some lighted potted plants that add color and light at the same time?

Holiday Entertaining, Part 1 - Invitations

Holiday entertaining – How to be the Host with Most! Taking the time to make a thoughtful and appropriate plan (and sticking to it!) will ensure that your party will be relaxing and fun for you and your guests. So organize and plan every detail for your party now. This 8-part series will help you with every step of the planning process.

1. Guest List & Invitations
Your guest list should be complete with name, address, phone, email address and column for RSVP. It is important to think about why you want to invite to your party. Feel free to over-invite guests, as there will always be no shows or last minute cancellations. It’s perfectly fine to mix and match friends and business acquaintances, so feel free to ask people from your place of employment, neighbors, church, synagogue, gym, book club, fraternal originations and relatives. Go through your email list and invite people that you email to who may not be in your address book. The more guests that come through your door, the better the party!


Invitations

Plan to send your invitations out early, as the holiday can be a busy and hectic time for all. A save-the-date via email six weeks in advance or a personal phone call would be one way to conquer this task early. If that is not an option than I would recommend at least three to four weeks notice to allow your guests ample time to plan there holiday activities around your party. Remember to include your return address on the envelope so in case the invitation is deemed undeliverable it will be returned to you. If a potential guest does not respond by the date you have designated, then by all means follow it up with an email or a phone call. This will let your guest know that you really want them to come and join the party.

Your invitation, whether printed or hand written, must state the following:
· Date and Time
· Address and Directions
· Where to park
· What the party is for
· Host
· Contact information
· Site phone number
· Attire
· Menu (light refreshment, brunch, light dinner, full dinner, cocktails, desserts)
· Is the party for adults only, or will children be allowed? If you would like children to attend, then write on the invitation “All children are welcome.” Or, if you choose to go one step further, then write “A babysitter will be provided.”
· The best way to RSVP (email or phone) and the RSVP date.

The abbreviation RSVP is French for répondez, s'il vous plaît (please reply). As a guest, it is common courtesy to take a minute out of your day and reply as requested to the invitation by a specific date. If bringing children, include their ages on the RSVP. As a host or hostess it is imperative that you track all of your RSVP’s, whether you are preparing the food yourself or hiring a professional caterer to do so for you.

Another consideration: You, as the host, may want to adopt a charitable cause. With the current state of the economy, what better way to help your favorite cause by asking your party guests to assist you in making a donation that will add a charity element to your holiday party! I have listed a few charities that I know and love that you could contact.

· The Local Food Bank will always take dry goods and canned goods of any kind, especially peanut butter, Mac & Cheese, and boxed cereal. Checks are gladly accepted.
· The Local Humane Society is always in need of dry dog and cat food, collars for all size and shapes of animals, leashes, cat litter, checks for neutering and licenses, medium and large dog houses, litter boxes, and pet toys.
· Adopt a less fortunate family in your area – Be specific with your needs, i.e. ages of children and adults for gifts, sizes for clothes. If you are bringing this family a basket of food for the holidays, then tell your guests what you need to fill it with.
· Seniors in your area – Personal Care items, Crosswords, Socks, Pajama's, Robes, Sweaters, T shirts, Note cards and Stamps, gas cards, magazine or Newspaper Subscriptions, gift cards.
· Toys for Tots – The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
· Soldier’s Families - Phone cards, donate your time to help with household repairs,
· Wounded warriors – Cash and credit card donations are gladly accepted.
· Gift wrapping - Call your local high school, church, or Boys and Girls Club. Ask if the club is looking to earn money for a specific purpose - if so, inquire if they are interested in setting up a booth in your home where your guests can bring there presents to be wrapped. Guests will be asked to donate to the local club of your choosing!

This can become something fun and worthwhile for everyone to partake in. I believe it can be rewarding experience for those that give as well as those who receive. You can make a difference! In fact with all of your friends help your impact can make a BIG difference! As the host, you can make it easy for your guests to get involved! So what are you waiting for?

SENSATIONAL SOUTHWEST COOKERY

On my second visit to Arizona this summer, the weather was hot but dry, with beautiful blue skies and wispy clouds that offered a welcome break from the greyness of the Pacific Northwest. I am and have been a sun worshipper all my life. The scenery of arid desert, the cactus along I-10 east of Palm Desert to Phoenix and the occasional tumbleweeds are a far cry from home or better yet my most favorite place to vacation; the beach! But the desert has its own beauty to behold to all who pass through or decide to stay a while - like we did.

My middle daughter, Katie, is a Veterinarian in Cave Creek, Arizona. While she was at work busily saving animals, I thought I would check out the local flavors of southwest cooking and surprise her with a different entree each night of our visit to tantalize her palate. Southwest cookery is known for its bold and brilliant tastes and colors. Tonight's entree is another example of what our Native American ancestors have accomplished by combining their cooking talents with the Mexican, Spanish, and European heritage that is oh-so-common now to this region.


Incorporating the varied tastes from all four of the cultures that now reside in the southwest resulted in a spectacular entree, Roasted Loin of Pork with Prickly Pear Glaze. This dish was not only moist and tender, but offered a kick of flavor for all who joined us at our table.


An important lesson to be learned here: when a chef asks for you to shop at a local market or a cultural grocery store, believe them! They have undoubtedly already searched for the local ingredients, so do not waste your time by thinking you are wiser than they are. My faithful husband of 41 years (and six days) still believes that I am beyond crazy when I say the supermarket will not have what I am looking for. After all, he forgets that I always seem to be looking for the most unusual ingredient known to mankind.


On this trip, we shopped at three supermarkets. After asking every manager at each store if they carried prickly pear syrup or achiote paste, my husband finally gave in and agreed to stop at the local gourmet store. Lo and behold, Paul’s Pantry in the Pedegral shopping center on Scottsdale Road had the achiote paste that I needed! Thank you!

The achiote seed, also known as the annatto, is imported from Mexico, the Caribbean, or Central America. Achiote seed is actually more commonly used for its vibrant orange color in some cheeses, margarine and, of all things, cosmetics - who would have known! Paul’s Pantry in Scottsdale had it in paste form, which was exactly what I had hoped to find.


AJ's Fine Foods, an upscale grocery store chain, had two remaining bottles of the magnificently colored Prickly Pear Syrup on their shelves just waiting for me. I did not hesitate to take purchase them both.

When I started dinner, I put out a basket of chips with salsa for my guests to munch on. They all raved about the intense flavor of the salsa. I was short on time, so I purchased a ready-made fresh salsa that I doctored up with a ½ bunch of fresh cilantro, a diced jalapeno pepper, and a half-can (about 3 ounces) of chipotles en adobo that I had chopped up. This item is easily found in the Hispanic section of your local grocery store. This chili has a distinct smokey flavor to it that enhances the heat of the salsa, so be careful how much you add... a little goes along way.


I used it as a rub on a Roasted Loin of Pork, bone-in, drizzled with a Prickly Pear glaze and served with a side dish of Basil Southwestern Mashed potatoes and local asparagus. The pork was moist and tender and the glaze was to die for. I believe that the sweet succulent prickly pear fruit of the cactus with its deep magenta color made this meal truly unique for us all. Our guests savored every last bite! In fact, I have already decided this will be our Christmas dinner for 2009!


After dinner, I decided to prepare a breakfast casserole for Katie’s office. I wanted to make something that was a main dish casserole. At work, I have many customers who select French toast as an accompaniment with their scrambled eggs. I have noticed that the French toast comes back more often than not. When I used to serve Easter and Mother’s day brunch at the Urban Onion, Texas Toast was always a favorite year after year. Texas toast is sandwich bread that is schmeared (as they say in New York) with cream cheese and raspberry jam, then sandwiched together, dipped in an egg batter, and grilled.


With that in mind, I decided to use the leftover French bread we had from dinner as the “toast”. I schmeared it with whipped cream cheese, sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar, then sandwiched the slices together. I then layered a ungreased baking dish with a brown sugar, melted butter and maple syrup to make a glaze. The French bread sandwiches were stacked diagonally in the pan. I added a light custard of eggs and milk, similar to our quiche batter, with a hint of vanilla. I covered the pan and refrigerated the dish overnight.


The next morning I baked the casserole for 40 minutes until the glaze caramelized then dusted the bread tops with powder sugar and served it with fresh berries and a dollop of whip cream. It was heavenly. One of the doctor's at Katie's office asked if she could adopt me as her her mom, she so loved her hot breakfast casserole. This treat will now be added to our breakfast fare for cater outs. So please look for it on our new menu selections, due out in November of 2009.

I believe that no matter where you are or where you travel to, you can always learn to do something different - no matter what your age may be. I also hope that with the recently released movie Julie and Julia will expose more people to the art of cooking again. Cooking is for anyone that is willing to try to cook. Everyone will make mistakes, have disasters and successes but this will be accomplished through trial and error.


My advice to you, my reader, is to purchase a easy-to-read cookbook such as The Joy of Cooking and find a recipe that interests you.

• READ the recipe from beginning to end... Twice.


• Make a list of the ingredients needed for you to purchase.


• The first time that you attempt this recipe, follow it exactly! Don't substitute ingredients this time through - your rate of success will skyrocket.


• Before you proceed to cook or bake, again READ your recipe from beginning to end. This way, you will understand in advance what the desired effect is that you are about to create.


• Now go for it!

I would also suggest that you write notes in the margins of your cookbook - likes and dislikes, additions and omissions, etc. The more you go through and try new recipes,the more confidence you will have in what you are preparing and the easier cooking will be for you. And remember that everyone makes mistakes - even me! As Julia Child would say, never apologize for a mistake.

If you have any questions or concerns about your recipes, please email me at elysebharrington@gmail.com. I will be glad to see what I can do to help you if I can. Bon Appetite!

Sizzling Summer Salads

Now that summer is officially here and school is out more families will be barbecuing and looking for something quick and easy to accompany their backyard gatherings. I would suggest that you call and order any of our 50 deli salads that I still make for all of my favorite customers! We are still preparing the same salads I have made for the last twenty-eight years that you have all grown to love. Our cool and refreshing salads are homemade here by Real People in Elyse's Catering kitchen. Our prep cooks use the freshest ingredients to prepare all of our salads from scratch for you, our customers. We are still boiling and peeling the potatoes, chopping the fresh vegetables and making our own salad dressings to give you the best product we can for the best value.

You can usually count on us daily to have our famous Chinese Noodle Salad, Fresh Fruit Salad, Dijon Potato, Tarragon Chicken Salad, Albacore Tuna Salads along with our BLT Pasta Salad for you to pick up. If you would like to order any of our other homemade salads, please check out our salad list (with prices) on my web page at http://www.elysescatering.com/ We are just a phone call away at 943-5555 to help you out so you have more time to spend at your kids soccer and baseball games, or in your garden, mowing the grass, reading a good book on your deck or just plain kicking back as we know you are too busy to cook. We are here to save your day! You can also email us at elyseh@elysescatering.com I ask that you order any of the other salads with a minimum of a 5 pound order, which could easily feed 10 guests with big appetites or 15 guests with small appetites.

If you have a sweet tooth, Elyse's still has your favorite Chocolate-Chocolate Brownies on hand in many flavors, as well as cookie platters that will make you a STAR at any summer party whether it be in your own back yard, neighbors or your company picnic. We will be open on July 4th to assist you with your catering needs!

The Salt of Life

In May of 2007 my husband Stephen and I went to Europe for a six week vacation. One of the most interesting sites we visited were the salt mines outside of Salzburg, Austria, at Berchtesgaden, that opened in 1517. One might find it hard to believe that the Salt mines are an actual tourist attraction where friends, families and tourists vacation and can easily spend an entire day touring such a vast facility.

Touring the salt mines was an amazing experience, as we actually were given the same black and white overalls to wear that the miners wore when they were mining salt for our tour.

The tour started on a train ride that lead us through tunnels into the depths of the earth below, where we actually slid down to the bottom of the mine on polished wooden slides. We laughed as we tumbled further underground only to find a body of water where the mining took place.

At one time, salt was known as 'white gold" and many wars were fought and won over the value of salt. Today we all take salt for granted. A large container of Morton's Iodized Salt can be purchased for under a dollar and can probably last most families a year or more.

Lately I have noticed more and more concern as consumer awareness is heightened over the salt content in our food. More consumers read packaging labels on products purchased in our grocery stores, whether it is a pre-packaged frozen item, shelf stable, refrigerated or canned item. I commend all consumers for reading the labels; it is about time we look to see what we are eating before we actually consume it. According to a recent article that appeared in the May 2009 edition of the Washington Restaurant Association's Front Burner Magazine, health officials claim that "sodium levels in food items have risen exponentially since the 1970's." How can we combat this? I believe this can be done quite simply - by learning to cook your own food at home. The easiest way to control the amount of salt that is in your diet is by controlling it yourself. Did you know that there are many different salts that are available for us to use?

Table Salt: Is white in color and is mined from the earth. Crystals are highly refined to remove trace minerals. Iodine is added along with other anti caking chemicals. Salt, like vanilla is bitter and looks better than it actually tastes.

Kosher Salt: Is a coarse grained salt that has been certified by a rabbi and is unrefined. Kosher salt is ideal for curing meats as its crystals or larger grains help to extract the blood from the meat as the blood can not be consumed in a Jewish diet. Kosher salt is great to use when grilling or roasting meats, seafood it is perfect for dusting the rim of a margartiais glass. Kosher salt is not recommended for baking. If a recipe calls for one teaspoon of salt, that equals 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

Natural Sea Salt: Natural sea salt is off white in color, free of iodine, irregular in shape, clumps easily and does not contain any additives. Natural sea salt retains natural trace minerals. Many people believe that sea salt is more flavorful than table salt and improves the taste of ones food better than table salt.

Himalayan Crystal Salt: Was once reserved for royalty! Who would have known... Himalayan salt is mined by hand from the Himalayan Mountains and contains no impurities. It is alive with nutrients and promotes a healthy balance of electrolytes maintaining your bodies' natural fluids.

Celtic Sea Salt: Is unprocessed whole salt that is harvested by farmers in southern France that comes from the clay found in the salt beds. Salt crystals are gray in color and add a sweet, mellow aspect that will complement any food. Celtic Sea salt adds additional flavor to your food and many people believe that Celtic Sea salt has an added digested benefit to it that can improve ones health.

Redmond Salt: Also know as Real salt, Redmond salt is harvested a few hundred miles from Salt Lake City, Utah and is brought to us in a pure natural state. Redmond salt is free of additives and is never heated. It is pink in color and contains 50 trace minerals including natural iodine. It is well known for its use in detoxifying one's body.

Organic Sea Salt Is a plant and cannot be organically grown. Certified Organic sea salt must have the Nature and Proges Certification and is only harvested and processed salt following Organic methods and standards of France. Organic salt is unrefined and natural and is gathered from ponds in a nature reserve that are free of chemicals, pesticides, air pollutants industry fumes. The only accepted method of drying salt is by the wind and the air. Organic salt is packaged in big bags of poly propylene. Organic sea salt may be ground but the grinding methods can not alter the salt's quality.

Who would have imagined that there are so many variations of salt to choose from? Or that centuries ago salt was once traded for food and grain. Today we know that adding salt to fresh vegetables, fruits, soups, sauces, meats, fish and poultry will enhance it's flavor. But are we all aware of the benefits that salt has to offer us?
At home I have recently switched to using Celtic Sea Salt over table salt to cook with as I am concerned over my husband's high blood pressure and found that when I prepare meats, sauces, stews, and soups with the sea salt we use less of it then the traditional table salt. The flavor is definitely superior. Let me know what you find out once you have tried sea salt, natural salt or Kosher salt over everyday table salt.

Today, we are working on launching our new Party Packages for your Employees, Clients, Friends and Families. Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, we will officially launch our party packages at Thurston County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Forum at St. Martin's Pavilion in Lacey, Washington. Kim will be welcoming chamber members with a variety of homemade cookies and cupcakes to kick off our party packages. Our packages are designed to take a no-hassle approach to celebrating life's special occasions. Our packages are easy to order, economical and fun! My staff has packaged everything you will need for your celebration and it can be delivered directly to your residence, hotel room, office or party venue. Party Packages range in price from $5.75 - $6.50 per person plus gratuity and delivery. All party packages include decorated cakes with candles, vanilla ice cream cups, themed balloon bouquet, and disposable serviceware. All you need to do is pick up the phone and call us at 360.943.5555 to place your order. Live Life, Love Food!

Welcome to my blog

My friend Katrin who designed our web site, talked me into starting and creating a blog. So here I go! Kim our operations manager says that people are interested in food and will want to read about what we do at Elyse's Catering on a regular basis. I believe that cooking is a lost art and it can bring friends, families and communities together. As a young girl I learned to cook out of survival when my mother went to care for my grandmother. I was the only girl in the family of six children and my father would prepare Lipton Chicken Noodle soup with spinach and beaten eggs to serve with our fried Bologna sandwiches. We all grew tired of this very quickly. So I learned to start cooking at the early age of nine. The first meal I ever created for us all was a roasted turkey dinner. My brothers and my father thought it was spectacular and so I was encouraged to go on. I later remember making my first apple pie with my father again when my mom was in Florida caring for my grandmother. I had fun searching for recipes and was inspired to try them out on my brothers. Today I still enjoy looking for new recipes and now I try them out on the my customers. I hope to share and explore my passion for food with you as I cater my way into your homes and offices. Check back soon for my next post.