smallpleasurescateringblog

Appetizers to Pair with an Artisan American Whiskey and Pulled Pork on Sweet Potato Biscuits

Mini Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork in Barbecue Sauce

 

Small Pleasures was hired recently to cater the VIP reception of the HP Lovecraft Film Festival. The bar was to be provided by Bowen Spirits, artisan creator of a new American whiskey. My client asked if we could create hors d’oeuvre that would pair well with the whiskey. Well, I don’t really drink whiskey, but a creative challenge always makes my job more interesting. And besides, I am a Southerner at heart, so...

My thoughts pretty quickly went to corn, sweet potatoes, pork, barbecue- you know, things like that. We ended up adding three passed hors d’oeuvre to the fruit, cheese and bruschetta display- a Jerk Chicken served with Tamarind Chutney, small plates of Grilled Corn Salad with Goat Cheese and Avocados, and Mini Sweet Potato Biscuits with Pulled Pork in Barbecue Sauce. Fortunately for me, I had just received a sample of KC Masterpiece’s Southern Style Barbecue Sauce. I mixed it half and half with KC Masterpiece’s Original Barbecue Sauce, to suit my taste-a combination of sweet and hot. And I used the tried and true All-South Barbecue Spice Rub to season the pork shoulder, which I slow cooked on a big barrel grill. The representatives from Bowen’s loved the menu, and I can safely say, it was a hit, greatly enjoyed by all. Recipe follows:

A Little More Joy of Baking, LA Helps LA and Fig Frangipane Tart

I have been a busy camper!

This past weekend Small Pleasures hosted LA Helps LA, a tasting event to raise funds for the Gulf Restoration Network. As many of you probably know, I was born in that crescent shaped city not too very far north of the Gulf Coast, and what happened to it in the wake of hurricane Katrina gave my life a new focus and passion. If you've never visited my other blog, pain perdu, where I often refer to New Orleans, I invite you to please take a look.

I was joined in this event by the wonderful food blogging community here in So Cal. Several bloggers participated, bringing a signature dish of theirs to tray pass among the guests. We were also joined by some great businesses who participated as sponsors- Hall Wines, California's first LEED Gold Certified Winery, who poured their delicious 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, their 2006 Napa Valley Merlot, and their very special Darwin, a Shiraz/Cabernet blend. Also, Piedmont Distillers sent bottles of their tasty new spirit, Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine, which they mixed with Abita Root Beer, and their Midnight Moon, paired with lemonade, and The Sazerac Company sent the mixings for their great cocktail, a New Orleans original. The event was a wonderful time. I can safely say everyone in attendance had a great time! Well, how could they not with all those great libations.

Photo Courtesy of Dishin' in the Kitchen

Over the next few posts, I want to share a few of the great dishes we served, highlighting products sent by our great sponsors. So please come back.

I'm starting off with this great Fig Frangipane Tart featured at Small Pleasures' dessert buffet. Big thanks to the California Fig Advisory Board which sent both picture perfect figs (for the tart) and fig leaves which Rachael of LaFujimama used to adorn her fabulous sushi station.

Salmon Sushi "Balls" on Fig Leaves- Photo Courtesy of Dishin' in the Kitchen

I always anxioulsy look forward to the great seasonal fruit I feature in this tart. In spring I make it with Blenheim apricots, a California specialty picked up at the Santa Monica farmer's market. In summer, I jump on the tasty little (and short seasoned) French or Italian prune plums (I made the Plum Frangipane Tart for our blogger competition at Camp Blogaway last weekend and walked away with first prize, thank you very much), also from the farmer's market. And I can relax deep into the fall, knowing that the extended fig season will provide me with fruit for this tart almost until Thanksgiving, if we're lucky. And when those are sadly gone, I make it with lightly poached pears. So you can see it's a wonderfully versatile and special recipe. I hope you'll give it a try. I'm guessing you'll love it as much as I do.

 
Fig Frangipane Tart- Photo Courtesy of J.A. Smith Photography

Recipe follows:

A Lovely Early Springtime Menu to Celebrate a Milestone Birthday

I was privileged, earlier this week, to cater a party celebrating the 90th birthday of a beautiful lady. Her friends (and their community of caretakers) and family dropped by throughout the afternoon to share and sing "Happy Birthday" to her- over and over again. You see, the birthday girl has a touch of Alzheimer's, but she greatly enjoyed the festivities nevertheless, repeatedly telling everyone how much she loved them.

Her daughters asked that the food be classic American (no fusion, spicy, exotic ethnic flavors) given the median age of the group. I might add, that I believe people especially appreciate the tried and true classics in uncertain times, so I heartily agreed.

The menu also reflected the early arrival of spring which we're in the middle of here in L.A.

On the menu :

Demi-tasse sized servings of Fresh Spring Pea Soup (a lovely shade of green, perfect for a spring afternoon) garnished with Creme Fraiche and Mint Pesto. (Yes! You can serve soup at an hors d'oeuvre party. And a special thanks to the Cabazon Crate and Barrel Outlet Center for rushing these espresso cups out to me). BTW, you can find a recipe for the Pea Soup at my L.A. Examiner Party Planning column).

Chive Scented Gougeres (classic cheese puffs made with the same Pâte á Choux dough as Profiteroles- you remember those from our last post, right?- just add 1 C. of grated Gruyere cheese and a couple T. of snipped chives to the batter).

Mini Shiitake Mushroom and Fontina Cheese Paninis

Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon garnished with Sour Cream and Chives

Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce garnished with little sprigs of a beautiful curly Red Mustard I picked up from Coleman Family Farm at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market

Little Sliders of Shredded Braised Short Ribs with Horse Radish Cream

And for dessert:

Mini Lemon Curd Tarts

Almond Apricot Bars

Triple Fudge Brownies

Photo Courtesy of Patti Londre at www.WorththeWhisk.com

oh- and Birthday cake, of course,  decorated with anthuriums, the birthday girl's favorite flower, provided by Suzi Babbin Finer-birthday girl's cousin, and decorator at Hansen's Cakes. Isn't it lovely?

I sure hope I'm as lucky as this when I'm 90.

Bon Appetit,

Gisele

Oh- and btw, please visit my other blog , too.

http://giseleperez.typepad.com/painperdu

P.S. My client sent this note a couple of weeks after the event. Wanted to share it with you.

Hi Gisele,

"Thanks to you and your top-notch team for making Mom's birthday a glorious occasion. The food was superb, and the service pleasant and thoughtful. We so appreciate your accommodating the special needs of nonogenerian and centenarian guests!
With much appreciation of a beautiful party."

All best,

Diane Harris Brown

Stirring It Up in Los Angeles for Haiti Relief

Thanks to all of you who supported Small Pleasures Catering and the people of Haiti by attending Los Angeles’ Stir It 28 event.

It was a great time- lots of yummy food (courtesy of Small Pleasures, of course, and The Cheese Impresario, as well as the food blogging community of L.A.), wonderful libations (courtesy of The Liquid Muse, Grey Goose Vodka, Sutter Home Wines, and Fre-Wines). Oh-and a very special thank you to Greg of sippitysup who opened his lovely Hollywood Hills home to us. Even the weather, while iffy for a moment, cooperated.

The energy amongst the food blogging community kept the Greg’s lovely kitchen buzzing. I am still amazed that such a vibrant and supportive community has developed in L.A. in such a short time, and it all started on line!

And, as it was a food blogging event, there were cameras snapping the whole time, so here are some great pics to share with you.

All I can say is- okay, when’s our next event?

 

Here's Small Pleasures' Bruschetta and Dessert bar, with display design by the fabulous Tom Coffey, one of our company's talented team members. Click here to check out our complete menu. Photo Courtesy of Patti at WorththeWhisk

Tapenade and Sun Dried Tomato Red Pepper Pesto - Photo Courtesy of Eric Charbonneau and Grey Goose

The Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples was a big hit! Photo Courtesy of Eric Charbonneau and Grey Goose

As were the profiteroles- more about them in my next post! Photo Courtesy of cinemon girl

Here's our featured team- Chrystal Baker of DuoDishes, who organized our L.A. segment of Stir It 28, Greg Henry of sippitysup, me (your small pleasures catering chef and chief bottle washer), Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, aka The Liquid Muse, Christophe Name of Grey Goose, and Barry Lynn Krich, aka The Cheese Impresario

 

Ah- and there were plenty of our next generation of foodies on hand- here I am with my favorite young apprentice! Photo Courtesy of Patti at Worth the Whisk

An Autumn Tea Party Offers Great Value

It’s a gloomy, cool day here in Los Angeles, and even though I’m not a regular tea drinker, my thoughts often turn to a cup of tea on days like this. So I spent some time writing an article about tea parties. I often associate tea parties with spring time, and indeed, that is a lovely time for a tea party. But each season offers its own special appeal, and autumn is a lovely time to break out your fine china and linens, play some soothing chamber music in the background, and take advantage of the harvest for tea treats.

A tea party is a cost effective way to entertain, and because tea parties are so associated with refined elegance and charm, you, the hostess or host will come out smelling like a rose. They are also versatile and can be expanded into a brunch or luncheon by including a selection of fruit and cheese, salads, or a poached salmon for a more substantial meal.

For autumn tea treats I would go with mushrooms, pumpkins, apples, pears and figs, all available in abundance at the local farmer’s markets now. I would also include cheeses, I like to pair smoked and blue cheeses with autumn produce for dainty little bites- a Fig or Pear and Gorgonzola Tea Sandwich on walnut bread, a Smoked Mozzarella and Wild Mushroom Tart, Mini Pumpkin Muffins with Chunky Apple Butter, Smoked Turkey on Rosemary Biscuits with Cranberry Chutney. BTW, an after Thanksgiving tea party is a perfect choice for an overworked hostess wanting to recharge her batteries and reconnect with close family and friends.

I have always loved catering tea parties, and I think I do a pretty good job at it, too. A long time client of mine who has thrown several tea parties over the years, wrote this lovely review for me after one of hers.

“Saw someone who attended our party today, and she said the food was better at our house than her Easter brunch at the Peninsula Hotel. Another unsolicited compliment (you’re good.)!”
   -Best Regards,

    Nan

 

A Tropical Themed Party for a Warm Summer Evening

We’ve been pretty lucky so far this summer weatherwise. It’s been a cool summer here in So Cal, but as usual, we are now entering the hottest time of the year.

I recently catered a birthday party with a menu designed to accompany Margaritas and Mojitos, the only drinks the client intended to serve. I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing I like better on a warm summer evening than a frosty Margarita. Here’s the tropical themed menu we served along with some pics from the party. Enjoy!

 

Passed Hors D’oeuvre

Grilled Corn Salad
Garnished with Goat Cheese and Avocados
Served on Little Disposable Plates

Black Beans and Curried Rice Pilaf
Served on Little Disposable Plates
Garnished with Fried Plantains

Jerk Chicken Skewers
with Tamarind Chutney

Buffet

Mini Cuban Sandwiches
Cooked On Site in a Sandwich Press

Taco Bar to Include:
Mini Corn Tortillas
with Shredded Beef, Chicken, Carnitas
and Sautéed Potato, Zucchini and Poblano Chile Fillings
served with a Selection of Salsa, Crumbled Queso Fresco,
Onions and Cilantro, Guacamole and Shredded Cabbage
and Tortilla Chips

Dessert

Mango Cheesecake Squares

Individual Flans

Triple Fudge Brownies

 

 

 

Introducing the New L.A. Party Planning Examiner

Gosh, it's been a busy few weeks, but I just want to take some time to share some great news. I have recently been named the L.A. Party Planning Examiner at Examiner.com. Please check it out for great tips on throwing fantastic parties among other ideas.

Also, we catered a fabulous Margarita and Mojito themed party this past weekend, with great Mexican and Caribbean food. As soon as we get the pics, we'll share them with you.

Bon Appetit!

Gisele
small pleasures catering

I Do Radio

Hello All,

I just wanted to let you know about a great resource- I Do Radio- with host Rev.Angela Butts Chester of Chester Ministries and Blessings All Around located in Long Beach, CA. Rev. Angela's mission is to celebrate the the stages of our lives in ceremony. Now there's something I can really get behind. I truly believe in the power of celebration.

Her show, I Do Radio, features wedding advice from all angles, and this morning she interviewed- me!

You can click on the link below to listen in.

Rev. Angela Interview

Bon
Appetit!

Gisele

Buffet vs. Sit Down Dinner- Which Way to Go if You're on a Budget?

Every once in a while I browse the Web on the topic of wedding catering to see what people are saying out there. Today I came across a site which reminded me of how many misconceptions there are being tossed around. Here's an old bromide I ran across this morning on a site offering advice on trimming the cost of a wedding reception:

"...consider going with a buffet instead of a traditional sit-down dinner. While every catering price list is different, buffet dinners are traditionally cheaper than plated dinners."

The common wisdom is that buffet events require less service staff- which admittedly can be expensive- so therefore are less expensive. I've always been suspicious of this bit of "common wisdom", so while I was writing Help I Need a Caterer, I decided to run the question by a couple other caterers and event planners.  My suspicions were confirmed, as they agreed with me.  While there is a need for more service staff with a formal sit down dinner, a caterer is able to control food portions in a way that is impossible on a buffet. We've all seen guests whose eyes are bigger than their stomachs, and pile their plates with food that ends up getting tossed. While the quantity of each dish needs to be increased on a buffet, I also feel  the number of selections need to be increased. For example, clients usually want two main course selections, i.e.like chicken and fish or beef on a buffet, as well as a two or three vegetable selections. As a caterer, I don't know which item will appeal to guests more, so I have to make sure there is enough of each. The fact of the matter is, most people will want to taste both.

But here's the real kicker that a colleague pointed out to me. Since guests will undoubtedly return to the buffet more than once, there's a need to rent additional plates and flatware etc., and rentals really do add up.

When I'm a guest, I personally favor buffets- I'm more of a casual gal, I like choices, and I like to move around. But which is more economical? I think it's a toss up. The important thing is deciding what's  your style, and most important to you.

Tune in over the next few days as I look at more of those "common wisdom" assumptions.

Bon Appetit,

Gisele

P.S. If you're planning a wedding, but have question about how to go about putting together your reception,watch for the relaunch of my E-book Help! I Need a Caterer. It 's full of practical tips on planning and  hiring a caterer who'll help you create the perfect wedding reception- or any other special party. BTW, the E-book was recently featured in the L.A. Bride section of Valley Magazine. Yeh!

Passover Seder 2009

Wanted to share a little clip from my recent Passover job. It's taken me a while to figure all this video stuff out, but here we are. Now that I have, there'll be more video clips to share.

You'll see Sarah (complete with baby Chloe) in the first shot, whose seashore themed baby shower I wrote about last fall, with her new baby.