Food For Thought

When planning your wedding reception, you have an incredible number of decisions to make including music, decorations and of course, food. Before planning your exact menu, you should consider how the meal will be served. Do you prefer a sit-down dinner, a buffet, or something else entirely? Here we look at the benefits, as well as the disadvantages, to each option.

 

• The event time is a primary factor when selecting your reception menu. Breakfast is usually served until 11AM; brunch from 11AM until 2PM; lunch from 12:30PM to 3:30PM; tea or desserts from 3PM to 5PM; cocktails from 5PM until 7PM; dinner from 6PM to 9:30PM; and a late-night dessert from 9PM until 10:30PM.
• Many couples try to stick with foods that appeal to a  wide variety of guests. Most gatherings include members of every generation and social background.
• When giving your final head count, don’t forget to include the other wedding professionals (musicians, DJ, wedding coordinator, photographer, etc.) who will be on hand.
• Many couples are so busy that they miss out on much of the menu served at the reception. We can prepare a special selection of food samples for you. It’ll make a great snack when you collapse in your hotel room and realize you’re starving!
• Consider the way your guests will be eating the foods you are serving. Will they be sitting at tables or will they be mingling as they eat? One setting allows for the use of silverware, while the other calls strictly for finger foods.

Meal Styles

Consider the following meal styles to determine which option best suits your taste.

Seated Dinner
With a sit-down dinner reception, your guests sit at assigned tables and the meal is served to them by the wait staff. Dinners are normally plated on individual plates and then served to each guest. This is considered more formal than the other kinds of services. The advantage of this type of reception is that your guest don't have to wait in line for their food and you have a lot more control over the timing of the other activities at the reception. One disadvantage of a sit-down dinner for your guests is that it limits the number of choices they have to eat. Normally only two entree options are offered in a sit-down dinner.

Buffet-Style
A buffet-style reception is less formal than a seated dinner and offers your guests more menu choices and creates a more casual, sociable atmosphere. With a buffet, a long table (or two) is set up with the courses in order. Guests take a plate and serve themselves. Buffets are sometimes cheaper than sit-down dinners because they cut down on the waitstaff needed. However, if you offer your guests a wide array of options on the buffet, including seafood, sushi, and other pricey items, the costs can actually exceed a sit-down dinner. The disadvantage of this type of meal is that the lines can get long, making the dinner portion of the reception last much longer than you’d like.

Family Style

A combination style meal strikes a balance between buffet and seated service. Similar to a sit-down dinner, guests are assigned to tables and waiters bring the food. However, this time large platters of food are placed on the center of the table. Guests can pass around the platters and choose which items and how much food they would like. The waitstaff will clear away the platters as they are emptied. It lets people have more food than a plated dinner but doesn't require the standing in line for a buffet.Though family style is normally considered a little more casual than a traditional sit-down dinner, you can keep it formal if you'd like with elegant china and glassware, along with waiters in tuxedos serving top quality, sophisticated foods.

Themed Stations

Offer your guests a wide range of culinary experiences by providing specialty or themed foods.Food stations are similar to buffet dinners, except different tables of food are set up throughout the wedding reception facility, rather than having one long table in a line. This allows your guests to get the food they would like much more quickly. Food stations are often interactive, including Sushi Station, carving station, Italian Station, Oriental station, Crepe Station,and even A Candy Bar.

Hors d’oeuvres and Cocktails
An hors d’oeuvres reception allows your guests to socialize while sampling an array of hot and cold appetizers.

Brunch
If your wedding is early in the day, consider a brunch reception with fresh pastries and fruit, an omelet station and champagne, or bloody Mary bar.

Father’s day recipes

Father’s day recipes

There’s no better way to show Dad you care than with a special meal. This Father’s Day, treat Dad to a feast full of favorites with these simple and delicious recipes. To top it off, try one of our Father’s Day cakes to make Dad feel like a king.

                       

Salmon Cakes with Tropical Fruit Salsa

Croquettes are cute and elegant for your starter course. They’re also wonderfully light and refreshing. The tropical salsa is a combination of fresh pineapple, mango, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice—the perfect complement to the richness of the salmon. The balance of sweet and savory flavors instantly pleases the palate. This is a starter with zing!

Times

• Prep Time : 15 min
• Cook Time : 45 min
• Ready Time : 60 min

Servings

10 Cakes

Ingredients

For cakes

• 1 (2-pound) side of salmon, skin on
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons matzo meal
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil

For salsa

• 1 cup diced pineapple
• 1/2 cup diced mango
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Bake salmon skin side down for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Let cool completely.

Once salmon is cooled, gently flake away from the skin and break into large chunks. Place in a large bowl and combine with eggs, red onion, matzo meal, salt and pepper. Stir to mix well. Scoop about 1/3 cup at a time into your hands and form into a round patty about ¼-inch thick. Place on a sheet pan and repeat with remaining mixture until you have formed 10 cakes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine pineapple, mango, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and salt. Mix well and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry 5 cakes at a time for about 5 to 8 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel lined plate while frying remaining cakes.

To serve, top each cake with a few tablespoons of salsa.

 

 

Sephardic Brisket

 

Servings Ingredients

• 2 dried pasilla chiles
• 1 (4-pound) beef brisket, trimmed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock or water, more if necessary
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 4 tea bags strong black tea
• 2 cups dried pitted prunes
• 2 cups dried apricots

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Soak the chiles in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Seed them, remove the stems, chop the flesh into tiny pieces, and set aside.

Season the brisket with salt and pepper to taste and dredge with flour. Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pan just large enough to hold the brisket snugly and brown the brisket on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.

In the same pan, over medium heat, add the onions and ginger and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are transparent. Add the reserved chiles and deglaze with the orange juice. Reduce the liquid by half. Add the brisket and enough stock or water to cover the meat. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Place in the oven and cook, uncovered, until the brisket is
tender, about 3 hours, turning at 30-minute intervals.

Transfer the brisket to a platter. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf from the liquid and pour it into a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth. If the sauce is too thin or not flavorful enough, reduce in a pan over medium heat. Cool the meat and the sauce separately, then cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. In a large bowl, steep the tea bags in the water to make a strong tea. Discard the bags. Put the prunes and apricots in the tea to plump for about 30 minutes, then drain them. Meanwhile, slice the brisket against the grain and place the slices in a pan. Remove the congealed fat and pour the sauce over the brisket. Add the fruit to the sauce, cover the pan with aluminum foil, and heat the brisket in the oven until hot, about 45 minutes. Check the seasonings before serving.

 

 

 

Brisket in Tahina Sauce

An Israeli-American dish. If you love tahina (the other name of tahini, when pronounced in Hebrew), the lush sesame seed paste, this is the brisket for you.

 

Servings

8-10

Ingredients

• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 cup canned pineapple juice
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 1 cup beef broth, plus extra if needed
• 1 cup tahina
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus extra if needed
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 (4-pound) beef brisket, trimmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, combine the onion soup mix, pineapple juice, broth, tahina, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water.

Trim the brisket of most of the fat. Place in a shallow baking pan and rub with the onion-tahina mixture, making sure there is at least 2 inches of liquid beneath the meat. If there’s not enough, add more water. Scatter the sliced onion on top.

Bake, covered with heavy-duty aluminum foil, for 2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. If it is too dry after an hour, add more broth or pineapple juice.

When done, remove the meat from the sauce and cool. Refrigerate the sauce so that the fat can be removed. Slice the meat against the grain and place it in a pan. Cover with the sauce. If it is too thick, again blend in some pineapple juice or water to thin it out. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover and heat in the oven until hot, about 45 minutes, and serve.

 

 

Chocolate-Coffee Layered Cream Dessert

A very simple and classy dessert. It’s easy to make and you can make and freeze it ahead of time.

 

Servings

25 servings

 

Ingredients

Basic cream:

• 2 cups soy milk or coffee whitener
• 5 egg yolks
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding powder
• 5 ounces pareve bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp coffee grains diluted in 2 tsp water
• 2 (8-ounce) containers Rich’s Whip

Glaze:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 4 ounces Rich’s Whip, unwhipped

Directions

To prepare basic cream, heat soy milk until almost boiling. In a bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla pudding powder with a handheld whisk. Pour hot soy milk into mixture while beating vigorously. Mix well, return mixture to pot, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat.

Divide mixture into one-third and two-thirds. Add bittersweet chocolate to the two-third and diluted coffee into the one third. Let cool completely. Beat the Rich’s Whip. Fold two-thirds of the whip into the chocolate mixture, and fold one-third of the whip into the coffee mixture.

Line 2 log pans with baking paper and pour ¼ of the amount of chocolate cream into the logs.

Freeze for ½ hour and pour ½ of coffee cream to each log. Freeze for and additional ½ hour and pour again ¼ of chocolate cream into each mold. Freeze for 4 hours.

To prepare the glaze, melt chocolate and Rich’s Whip over a double boiler until completely melted. Let cool for 5 minutes and pour over frozen dessert. Freeze for an additional ½ hour. Release from pan and cut in to thin slices.

 

Enjoy!!!

Wedding Planning

Helping you plan the perfect wedding reception is one of the most exciting aspects of our business. We are just as excited about all the other celebrations that may come before and after the ceremony such as bridal luncheons, showers, anniversary parties, engagement parties, post-wedding receptions, Friday Dinner, shabbat chatan, sheva brachot, and farewell brunches.

Because every wedding reception is unique, we work with you to plan all the details to ensure your day is perfect. Below are some of the topics we will discuss.

General Information

• Date of event
• Time and length of event
• Estimated number of adult guests
• Estimated number of children (3-12 years)
• Estimated vendor count
• Venue & Catering budget

Kind of Reception Desired

• Passed hors d’oeuvres
• Buffet Stations
• Combination of passed hors d’oeuvres & Buffet Stations
• Formal sit-down
• Food stations
• Sit-down “Family Style”
• Buffet

Food Selections

• What kinds of food do you like?
• What kinds of food do you dislike?
• Have you made any selections from our menus?
• Are any vegetarian dishes required?
• Any guests with known food allergies?
• Special food requests?

Kind of Beverages and Beverage Service Desired

• Bartender
• Self-serve bar
• Served wine and/or champagne
• Wine with dinner only
• Champagne toast only
• Non-alcoholic drinks only
• Beer and wine only
• Full bar

Rental Requirements

• Table linens, overlays, napkins
• Special Tables/chairs
• Chair covers and sashes

Event Details

When the menu, the type of service, and rentals are decided, it’s important to plan the event details to ensure your day is perfect. Depending on the scope of our involvement in your event, below are some topics that we may discuss to help plan for your special day.

General Information

• Wedding colors
• Table centerpieces/decorations
• Type of flowers

Final Guest Count (needed at least 7 days before event)

• # of adult meals – non vegetarian
• # of adult meals – vegetarian
• # of child meals
• # of vendor meals

Vendor/Other Contacts:

• Wedding coordinator
• Florist
• DJ
• Band
• Photographer
• Rental company
• Bakery
• Family member or friend in charge

Floor Plan/Diagram:

• Guest tables
• Head table
• Buffet table(s)
• Bar
• Gift table
• Cake table
• DJ table or band area
• Dance floor

Seating and Serving

• Is seating for the meal assigned? How?
• Are guest tables numbered or named?
• If buffet, will tables be called to buffet by DJ?
• Who will queue DJ that meal is ready?
• If buffet service, what order to call tables to buffet?
• If meal is served, what order to serve tables?
• If a multiple entree meal is served how to tell who gets which entree?
• Special requirements for head table service?

 

Read More on our website: www.CateringEden.com

Why you’ll love doing your event with us?

• We will make your Dream Party come true.
• Our exclusive & affordable menus are customized to suit any occasion.
• We use the best ingredients that are always fresh, healthy and tasty.
• Our brilliant eye-catching presentations are colorful and elegant.
• Our professional staff provides exceptional service.
• Our culinary delights are prepared to meet almost any type of cuisine, Vegetarian, Vegan, Glatt Kosher ( by the strict ORB), Parve or Dairy, and Gluten Free.
• We always pay attention to the smallest of details.
• Our newly renovated beautiful banquet hall is the perfect place for your unforgettable celebration.
• Our event planning services are highly creative and imaginative.
• Our “A-to-Z” full range party planning services are also available off premises.