Big Adventures with Little Foods

Bite Catering offers a variety of service formats, and if you are hosting an event with a limited budget or a casual affair that just does not call for service, our drop off format might be just the thing for you. Our signature bites are perfect for this, and you can still have a chic presentation of gorgeous and delicious food without the cost of hiring a staff to help during the event.

Select all room temperature bites if you would like to create a buffet of appetizers that your guests can help themselves too. You are welcome to select warm items as well, but you must be prepared to heat them and serve them right out of the oven. We do supply specific heating instructions if that is what you want to do.

Here are some tips for creating a beautiful display of Bites:

• Fresh flowers – one big or a couple of smaller bouquets – these can be ordered from us as well.
• Using real serving equipment rather than disposables.
• Candles
• Small pots of herbs for a rustic or Mediterranean theme – you can use these for cooking later!
• Linen for the buffet table; the color can match your decor or theme.
• Fun cocktail napkins that match the color or theme
• A Menu – simple print out in pretty lettering to ensure everybody knows what everything is. You can use a small chalkboard for a rustic look, or print it out and put it in a nice picture frame for an elegant touch.

Create different levels on the display. If you do not have custom serving pieces, you can most likely find something in your kitchen that will work. Try turning bowls, glasses, or baskets upside down and putting the trays on top. Or fill glasses with objects that match your theme – seasonal fruits or vegetables, candy for a kid’s party or dessert display – and use them as risers.

Look around in your kitchen – you may have things other than formal serving platters that you can use. For example, wood cutting boards are perfect for a cheese display, and baskets for bread or dippers. For sweets a cake plate is perfect – even if it is not a cake!

Think about what look you are going for. For a chic and modern display, white platters, glass, and clear bowls work perfectly. If it is a rustic look you are going for, go with wood and natural colors with rich red or green accents. For a tropical look, use tropical flowers such as orchids and woven baskets to complete the look.

When you place a drop off order with Bite Catering, your food will be delivered by one of our chefs. You can also order “set up” which means the chef will stay and help you create your display. We will make sure you have everything you need, just have it ready for the chef upon arrival.  Even if you just want to use our disposable platters - we will still help you create an eye catching display.

So it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers this year and it’s time to suit up!  If you are planning to host a Super Bowl Party this year, here are some tips and resources that will help you score a touchdown!

Invites

Since a super bowl party is a casual affair, you want to keep the invites casual as well.  Online invitations rather than formal invitations would be perfect in this case.  You can use Evites, just simple emails, or invitations through Facebook.  Here is a great example of a simple yet fun invitation.

Decor

The sports theme is built in, so that’s easy!  Use the playing team’s colors, and if you are a real fan of either team you can play that up by hanging banners and using colors from that team.   A fun interactive approach to decorating is to create a table where the guests can make their own banners depending on which team they are rooting for.

Atmosphere

The main activity at any Super Bowl party is watching the game!  Create a fun viewing space with plenty of seating; make sure everyone in the room will be able to see the game from their spot.  Have snacks and drinks handy for easy access.  While creating the viewing space, don’t forget that there might be some guests who are not at all interested in the game; have a space for mingling as well, perhaps a separate room with a nice stationary display of snacks and a self serve bar. 

Menu

Last but certainly not least…the menu!  Classic super bowl food, such as buffalo wings or bbq ribs, falls into the comfort food category.  Because your guests will be preoccupied with watching the game, make the food easily accessible and even easier to eat!  Don’t forget our tips from last year and use the home towns of the playing teams for inspiration.  You can adjust the menu according to your crowd, but here are some fun ideas from our new 2011 Super Bowl Menu.  

Football Devilled Eggs with smoked paprika and chive garnish

Chili served in individual cups with cheese, sour cream and chives – you can play with the presentation of these chili cups by using take out containers and tying the spoon to the cup.

Mini Pulled BBQ Sandwiches (Pork, Chicken, or Brisket) served on a soft bun with tangy slaw

Football Cupcakes with vanilla bean pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache, or something especially for the guys:  Guinness Cupcakes!

Get out your party shoes, send out those invitations, and return those RSVPs; the festive time of year has arrived! The parties will surely be plentiful! Let’s see, you’ll have the work party, a family gathering, the old friend’s get together, and of course don’t forget the yearly charity event! With all of these parties, the tough part is keeping things fresh and exciting.

Here are some tips to help you stage a fresh, modern holiday party. There are two key elements to a cocktail party…the cocktails and the food! You might think you can get away with having a foodless cocktail party, but about an hour in you will see that you have made a terrible mistake as your guests begin to kick off their shoes and clear a space on the table top for a dance floor.

A popular approach for today’s cocktail parties is to choose a few select signature drinks. Rather than having a full bar, which can be quite costly, you choose two or three drinks to go along with the theme of your party. Set up drink stations for your various signature drinks! Let’s say that your drink menu is: artisan craft beer, local wines, Bellinis, and martinis. You can create three stations out of this menu and accompany each drink station with a stationary appetizer or two.

The first station is your beer and wine station. Cover the table with a linen and some holiday decorations. Arrange the beer and wine on the table along with the appropriate glassware. Create markers with the name and a brief description of each beer/wine so people know what they are drinking and are more inclined to try something new. Accompany the beer and wine with a beautiful display of artisan cheeses, fresh fruit, nuts, breads, and crackers.

The second station is the Bellini bar. This station has Prosecco and some fruit purees so people can create the flavor of their choice. Popular Bellini flavors are pear, cranberry (or mix the two for a great pear cranberry flavor), peach, and mango. Again, arrange the table with a linen, decorations, bottles of Prosecco, and you can have fun filling up assorted mason jars or pitchers with the various fruit purees. The colorful fruit purees make a lovely display on their own. Have fun making a sign letting people know how to prepare their own Bellini. Add a plate of assorted crostinis with seasonal flavors and colors to accompany the Bellini station. One of Bite’s winter favorites is pear and winter squash with crispy sage and freshy shaved ricotta salata.

Finally, have fun creating a martini station. Offer a traditional gin or vodka martini, a cosmopolitan, and something fun and sweet like a lemon drop or an apple martini. You can offer one, two, or all of them at this drink station. A Brie and artichoke dip and a spicy shrimp cocktail would work perfectly here.
Accompany the stations with some warm tray-passed appetizers or you can keep it casual and self-serve with the stationary displays. Either way, your guests will be sure to enjoy the creative and festive atmosphere, and your tables won’t show marks from those dancing shoes!

Give Bite Catering a call to help you plan your next Holiday Party.

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.

“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.