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.

Baby Showers are always fun for us to do, and they go hand in hand with our specialty – minis!  The best possible back drop (Malibu’s amazing coastline!), great weather, and scrumptious bites all came together creating a fabulous It’s a Girl!  baby shower earlier this month.  As we do for many of our bites events, we did a beautiful stationary display as well as some tray passed appetizers, a dessert display, and refreshing drinks for the hot August sun such as homemade strawberry lemonade and Bellinis!

Our creative client also added some great touches – personalized water bottles, shell place mats, beautiful flower arrangements, and baby shower decorations hanging from the umbrellas.  Don’t worry if these ideas don’t come naturally to you – we are here to help and have lots of ideas for fun and fabulous displays for every occasion.

Some menu highlights are:

Watermelon Cube Salads
Sweet and Savory fruit salad served in watermelon cups

Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi Tuna
Served on a wonton crisp with Asian slaw and plum sauce

Quesadilla Duo
Goat cheese-chorizo quesadillas with guacamole, tequila salsa and crema
Roasted Vegetable Quesadillas with tropical fruit salsa and crema

Mini BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers
Served on a homemade brioche bun

Give us a call so we can help you customize the menu for your next event!

Flower arrangements by Bobbi D’Itri

The Bobbi D’Itri storefront is in Beverly Hills on South Santa Monica Blvd.

To be “Couture” means to be made by hand…we lovingly make everything at Bite by hand – FRESH!!!  One of our favorites is flat bread and pizzas…we use these babies to do everything from flatbread pizzas to mini homemade gyros!  Check out that gorgeous dough…and Chef Martin putting some MUSCLE into it!  In the background you’ll notice our lunch…PIZZA!!!  YUMMERS

Just a sample of some of the yumminess going on this week…nutty caramel shortbread bars and Mini Lemon-Blueberry Pies…aren’t they gorgeous?  Lucky clients getting these…give me a hot cup of freshly brewed tea, a couple of these and I am SET!

And the Oscar for “Best Party” goes to….You!  Make it an award winning party, even something simple can make an impact on your friends and family.  It’s all about the details and special touches.  Here are some ideas to make sure your party gets nominated.
 
Interactive – Make sure your guests get involved!
 
Oscar ballots are a great way to make sure everyone’s vote gets heard.  Print some ballots out at Oscars.com.  Have the ballots and pencils ready for your guests upon arrival.  Tally up the scores at the end, and the winner can receive a bottle of Moet – the official Oscars Champagne!
 
If you and your friends enjoy the red carpet as much or more than the actual awards ceremony, then you can create your own Fashion Police Squad!  Create ballots for best and worst dressed both male and female and see what everybody thinks!
 
Recreate the Stop & Repeat – as your guests arrive have them strike their best pose for the paprazzi.  If you have someone to help, you can print the photos out and give them to the guests as party favors. 
 
Decor
 
Gather together all of the movie posters that are nominated for Best Film and hang them around the viewing room.  In terms of a color scheme, gold, silver, and black will keep it glamorous…and don’t forget the red carpet!  A long piece of red felt can be fixed to your front walkway or hallway – your guests will feel like they are arriving in style!
 
Arrange the viewing room so that everybody can see the television.  You may need to clear away or rearrange furniture to make the most comfortable and functional viewing area. 
 
Menu
 
Finger food is ideal for any party that revolves around watching TV.  Just pick it up and pop it in your mouth so that you don’t miss your favorite actor’s speech!  If your theme is Hollywood Glamour and your guests are going to be dressed to the nines, try something like:
 
Truffled Scallop Ceviche
With lemon, sweet corn and caviar
 
Mini Kobe Burgers
With caramelized onions, organic applewood smoked bacon and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese
 
Butter Poached Lobster
Served in a tasting spoons
 
If you wanted to go the more casual route, try:
 
Flavoured Popcorn served in indvidual movie popcorn boxes
 
Mac ‘n Cheese Croquettes
 
Mini BBQ Chicken Sandwiches served on a soft bun with tangy slaw
 
You can set some things out for your guests to help themseves, and others can be tray passed to keep the elegant touch and allow your guests to mingle and watch the show.  Also have fun naming your dishes – use titles and characters from the nominated films. 
 
From the Bar
 
Red Carpet Fizz
1/3 oz. Orange liqueur (Cointreau, Triple Sec, Grand Marnier)
1/2 oz. pomegranate juice
1 750-ml. bottle champagne
fresh raspberries
 
Or
 
Moet’s Silver Screen Punch
1 (6 ounce) can pink lemonade concentrate, partially thawed
8 ounces pineapple juice
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 cup vodka
1 bottle Moët & Chandon
1 pineapple, cut into rings and frozen
 
Dessert
 
Mini Black and White Tuxedo Cheesecakes
With sour cherry topping
 
Red Carpet Red Velvet Cakes
With marscapone-cream cheese frosting
 
Golden Oscar Cookies
Served fresh or wrapped individually to give as favors
 
Grab Bags
 
All of the celebritys are going home with them, so why shouldn’t your guests!   Create some fun and simple gift bags for your friends to take home with them.  Here are some fun gift ideas:
 
Theme  frames with their photos from the red carpet
A movie on dvd
A mini bottle of champagne
Individully wrapped Oscar cookie or a wrapped gourmet chocolate truffles

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!

Bites in photo booth at Smog Shoppe wedding

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

Thanks Elaine for sending the fun picture!