Big Adventures with Little Foods

Chef Gavin Grabe is the exective chef of the full service devision in Bite Catering. He wanted to be sure to get this out to you before the end of spring. His Rhubarb Chutney recipe is a great way to take advantage of the rhubarb season while trying something new. Gavin says:

Chutneys and Pickles are our Autumn storing days but this is a super sexy chutney I do at the Rhubarb season which is soon upon us. It is very easy to make, a gorgeous pinky color and it goes very well with chicken, pork or game. A sunny afternoon, outside with some crostini and pate’, this chutney, a bottle of white wine…you have a picnic in the making.

RHUBARB AND FRESH GINGER CHUTNEY

12oz Dessert Apples Cored and Peeled
120z Onions
10oz Fresh Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic
3LB Rhubarb
2tsp Paprika
½ Oz Salt
¾ Pint Red Wine Vinegar
Juice and Zest Of 1 Orange
1tsp Tomato Puree
1½LB Granulated Sugar

Finely dice the Apples, Onions, Rhubarb and Ginger . Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 1 hour. Bottle in sterilized bottles and there you have it.

The story of tea begins on a summer day some 4,700 years ago when Emperor Shen Nong and his imperial entourage paused during a long journey to refresh themselves.  Shen Nong, considered the father of Chinese herbal medicine, had declared all drinking water be boiled and, while the water heated this day, some dried leaves from a nearby bush fell in and infused the water, turning it slightly brown.  His scientific curiousity prompted Shen Nong to drink the liquid and he found the drink very refreshing.  That first cup of tea started a tradition that became part of social cultures, built fortunes, and changed empires; it is definitely still with us today.

Tea has gone in and out of fashion as people have enjoyed other drinks socially, such as coffee and cocktails, but tea today seems to be here to stay.  With a society that is more health conscience than ever, tea is not just back in style, it is taking over!  In almost every trendy neighborhood you will now find a tea house, where the menu boasts pages and pages of interesting brews along with some light and often healthy fare.

Tea rooms are the modern answer to the classic tea parties.  However classic they might be, they are still quite alive and kicking.  You may not think of tea parties as being seasonal, but judging by the number of inquiries we have been getting lately for tea parties, tea party season is definitely upon us!  A tea party is perfect for a fundraiser, a baby shower, a bridal shower, a luncheon, a graduation celebration, a little girl’s birthday party, and many more special events.  It can be casual, elegant, or anything in between.  Make it fun by adding an Alice and Wonderland theme, or classic by modeling it after a traditional English high tea.

No matter which direction you choose to go with your tea party, the food is always a hit.  The key is bite-sized finger foods, and you guessed it…that’s our specialty!  Most traditionally, the menu would consist of little tea sandwiches and scones with various fruit spreads.  Small cakes, canapes, and baskets of fruit will add to the menu and make a beautiful display.

Tea parties can be formatted by offering individual table service, and setting up a small display on each table, or by creating one buffet, or food display, and a seperate drink display.  Let’s see, what beverages shall you serve?  How about tea!  It is nice to offer hot tea and iced tea, and a variety of blends giving your guests plenty of options.   There are Black, Green, White, Herbal teas, full-leaf and tea-bag just to name a few of the categories.  For an elegant touch, use a clear glass pot to brew one of the flowering blossom types of tea – made of specially tied tea leaves that “bloom” in the pot as the tea infuses. There may be people at your tea party who do not drink tea, so one or two non-tea options is recommended, such as lemonade or champagne.

Here is Bite’s newly released Tea Party Menu.  We are more than happy to customize this menu to fit your exact taste and/or budget.  Happy Tea Time!     Tea_Party_Menu

Our new Santa Monica Bakery & Wine Bar (wine bar coming soon) featured in DailyCandy

Whether a wedding is based on tried and true traditions, or a modern affair with a twist, there is a formula that is almost certainly followed: First the ceremony, followed by a cocktail hour and meal, dancing and more drinking, cake, and some more dancing and drinking. At the end of the night, the crowd shrinks as people say their goodbyes and wish the happy couple well; but, there is always a crowd that keeps the party alive late into the night. Whether the party continues at the venue or moves to a family member’s house or suite, it is only fair (and good sense) to offer those late night troupers a late night snack!

There are a number of ways to incorporate the late night snack concept into your wedding or party. One way is to have a dessert and candy display that stays out for people to munch on at their leisure. If you want to go with the dessert bar but want to offer a savory option as well, a gourmet cheese spread with fruit, nuts, and crackers is the perfect addition.a href=”http://biteblog.bitecatering.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Doughnut-Cone.bmp”>

Another popular option is to offer a round of appetizers one hour before the end of the reception. You can be sure the crowd remaining has worked up an appetite from all that drinking and dancing. Think about what people crave after leaving the bars at closing time. The majority generally crave salty snacks. Just visualize those taquerias and burger joints busting at the seams at 2am. Bite’s Comfort Food and California Chic menus provide inspiration: Offer some mini bacon cheeseburgers, gourmet corn dogs, mac ‘n cheese bites, fish tacos, quesadillas, or mini pizzas. To be sure you have something for everyone, add in a tray of brownie bites and milkshake shots.

Today’s reality for many people planning a wedding is a tight budget that may not allow for yet another round of food service. In this case, a fun way to add the late night snack is to combine it with the wedding favor. A small to-go bag of snacks, either savory or sweet with packaging that goes with your theme kills two birds with one treat.

Great video by Jamie Oliver, winner of the Ted Prize on the need to take on ignorance around food.

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“The most romantic day of the year,” some say about Valentine’s Day.  Others say that sentiment only applies to those who do not have a romantic bone in their body.  After all, does buying the obligatory chocolate heart or stuffed teddy bear really count as romance?  The majority may answer “no” to that question, but that is definitely what the majority does.

Bite Catering challenges you to spice it up this year.  Whether you are in a relationship or not, get out there and celebrate the romance…the romance of food that is!  After all, isn’t food sexy?  Valentine’s Day happens to fall on a weekend this year which also happens to be the best time of the week to throw a party!    

Some of your ideas for Valentine’s parties this year are: A Girlfriend’s Party (for all you single ladies!) with elegant finger food and lots of chocolate desserts.  Or a children’s party– invite the class over for an evening of comfort food and valentine’s cards and, of course, can’t forget the dessert party-those strawberries and marshmallows dipped in chocolate fondue!  For all you romance haters out there, don’t worry…you can throw an Anti Valentines Party!

Decide who will be on your guest list, and create a menu geared towards that group.  Create a theme for your party.  If the theme is Valentine’s Day, love, or romance, choose foods that are known to compliment that atmosphere.  Don’t forget the favorites:  oysters, asparagus, almonds, chocolate, chocolate, and chocolate!

Maybe you get the point; Valentine’s Day and desserts go romantically hand-in-hand.  Create a dessert and/or candy display for your guests. Use a buffet, dining room, or side table covered with linens that complement the theme and décor of your party.  How you create the display will depend on what you are serving.  Think out of the box for presentation ideas. Use mason and apothecary jars filled with candy or cookies. Play with making labels for the jars, or just tying colorful ribbons around them.  Real china platters, wooden cutting boards, cake plates, and pretty baskets will all help your display come alive. 

Don’t forget the fresh flowers—long stemmed roses in a vase, strewn on a table, or simply the petals, scattered around the party food.  Oh, did you know that you might EAT those flowers?  Candied flowers-roses, lavender, and others will add an extra sparkle to the candy dish.  Organic, edible flowers inject that romantic extra touch to salad, dinner, or dessert plates.

Here is Bite Catering’s suggestion for a Valentine’s Day menu.

 The Pork Tenderloin vs. The Po’ Boy

 

Is this the ghost of your Superbowls past: a group of guys sitting around in the basement rec room watching the game on the big screen TV, eating chips and dip with one hand, and gulping a can of Budweiser with the other?  Well, folks, it doesn’t have to be that way!  If you plan on entertaining (other than little brother Billy and Cousin Frankie) check out these creative ideas for a festive atmosphere while paying tribute to the teams that have made it to the top!

This year, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints go helmet-to-shoulder pad in Super Bowl XLIV. Pay respect to those teams with a typical menu from the teams’ home towns.  If you are a fan of one team or the other (or their home town’s food!), create a theme and a menu based on your favorite team.  But, if your team didn’t quite make it this year and you just want to celebrate those that did, combine the two — a menu of selections from both cities.  You can even create your own competition: put the teams’ food on separate tables and have your guests choose the winning side!

Indianapolis may not have New Orleans’ internationally recognized cuisine, but there are certainly some local favorites.  One that cannot go unrecognized is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich which is famous all across Indiana.  Think comfort food for other ideas, such as corn or popcorn, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits and gravy just to name a few.  Try a sugar cream pie for dessert!!

New Orleans is famous for their Creole and Cajun cuisine.  When thinking about food from New Orleans, your mind might immediately draw up images of blackened catfish or Oysters Louisiana.  Some other favorites that are sure to please your guests are gumbo, jambalaya, crab cakes, and po’ boy sandwiches.  For dessert how about some beignets, and don’t forget the hurricanes!

Stay tuned to see how Bite would do it.

Check out Chris posing with our mini burgers at Elaine and Jeff’s wedding at Smog Shoppe!

Thanks Elaine for sending the fun picture!

Bite Catering is thrilled that the holiday season is upon us.  We’re happy to to share our new Halloween and Thanksgiving catering menus.

Let us know how we can help to make your Los Angeles Halloween party a scary good time!

Halloween Catering Menu

Your family will want to gobble up our tasty Thanksgiving treats! We deliver a full Thanksgiving menu from Woodland Hills to Pasadena to Manhattan and Redondo Beach.
Bite’s Catered Thanksgiving Dinner (2009)

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Saw an interesting note on a chefs competition– for hospital food!  Food Contest Helps Hospital Chefs Move Beyond ‘First, Do No Harm’ – WSJ.com.

Hospital food, which has traditionally ranked somewhere between prison chow and high-school cafeteria fare on the institutional dining scale, has undergone a transformation recently. Jell-O molds and soggy sandwiches are out; crusted trout and fresh-baked scones are in. Hospitals are installing pizza ovens, sushi stations and salad bars featuring organic produce. And they’re hiring chefs from big-name hotels and restaurants.

Not sure if the cuisine at a hospital will ever become daily fare, but it is terrific that food is becoming increasingly a focus.  Great food can heal and its a shame that hospitals have not considered the food they serve as part of the treatment paradigm.

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