Catering and Soup go together during winter and Holiday Parties!!

Winter food is served to take the chill off,, warm the soul, and gather the family…  We try to do this with catered events, allowing the host to relax and entertain while guests feel the warmth and hospitality of a job well done.   The best way to start is with a bowl of nice hot homemade soup.  With the diversity in today’s palate’s, the best way to entertain them all is to offer a simple soup bar.  Be like the caterer and use a soup tureen (these can be rented from any party rental company) with a host of delectable toppings.  This will certainly be the hit of your winter holiday party!

A nice and simple twist on a traditional chowder is to add lots of seafood and create a bountiful seafood chowder.  Either red Manhattan, or a real New England chowda!  Mussels, clams, shrimp, and tidbits of firm fish like tuna or swordfish are perfect.  A nice, and inexpensive, twist is to add golden potatoes, leeks, and rainbow carrots, and fresh thyme of course.  To add a little excitement, nothing excites more that a fresh lobster bisque!

Not everyone eats seafood and there are lots of really great other options.  Lately we have done a traditional potato leek soup and not so traditional eggplant and chickpea with a hint of curry, and a really colorful and tasty bi-color split pea!  The split pea starts with a strong vegetable stock that we made during the fall…  Cook the yellow and green peas separately, puree, and serve on opposite sides of the tureen – what an eye catcher!

My current favorite hearty soup is a homemade beef barley with wild mushrooms.  Tiny pieces of seared sirloin are simmered with diced green onion, celery, carrot, parsnip, bay leaf and parsley, in a good hearty beef stock.  The stock can be made ahead and kept in the freezer for months.  Add partially cooked barley towards the end of the cooking process to avoid the soup becoming porridge!  To finish, add the sauteed mushrooms.

Some other popular soups this year are Greek chicken Orzo, Chinese hot and Sour, Minestrone (there are dozens of delicious ways to prepare minestrone!), White Chili, Cream of Broccoli with Cheese, the list goes on…

Some condiments that work well are, leftover bits of baked virginia ham, crumbled crisp apple smoked bacon, Creme Fraiche, Greek yogurt, crispy rice noodles, oyster crackers, fresh croutons, herbed crostini, diced scallion, roasted pepper, fresh grated Parmesan, fresh herbs, different salts, and freshly ground black pepper.

Kick of that cold winter night right and GO SOUP!!

Chef Scott

I love winter!!

The chilly crisp air, warm fireplace, sweaters, snugly blankets, snow falling, and of course, hearty comfort foods!

I may be in the minority with my feelings towards winter but I really think there is nothing better than to consider a winter wedding.  First of all, lets be honest, January and February are slower in the catering and event design world and the prices are better for most everything!  Vendors have more time to spend with you and winter foods are so exciting!  As always, The Cantering Caterer will customize the perfect wedding menu for you, let you create and taste!  We love new and exciting themes, ideas and menus and welcome your thoughts…

There are a couple of choice venues that lend themselves to winter weddings.  The Waveny Mansion in New Canaan, CT is PERFECT for a winter reception.  Last year, one wedding in particular stood out.  It was a multi-ethnic wedding where the bride was from a large Italian family and the groom from an Indian family.  The menu was a perfect blend of their cultures and the floral, food, style and color, perfect for a chilly December day.  They chose red and gold as their color scheme – lots of candles and low light which is gorgeous in the winter.  The fireplaces roared and their menu was an eclectic mix of traditional Italian, Indian, and American foods.

If you are looking for something a little different and out of the box, we LOVE the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport, CT.  Because it is an actual theater, the space allows for dramatic lighting – pin pointed spot lights on the center of each table, and “show quality” dramatics and ambiance.  The band can actually play on stage!  The weddings we have catered and designed in that space have been spectacular – truly, one of a kind!

This year the hot color is PLUM!  Plum, gold, deep red, ivory and icy blue are my color choices for the season.  Lots of candlelight brings a romantic and sensual feel to any winter wedding reception.

There are different reception styles for all weddings and we are happy to do whatever makes you happy!  There are NO rules!!  A cocktail reception, a bufffet, sit-down OR a mix of all…  Casual, formal, or somewhere in between. 

Food trends are always changing…  this year we are finding that the classics are making a big comeback – but with a modern twist.  Local produce is hot, organic everything, gluten free cooking, bold flavors, spices, and sophisticated sweets!

We customize all of our weddings would love to talk with you about yours.

Please call us, we would love to hear your thoughts.

Becky

What a beautiful day!The threat of spring is in the air, the birds are chirping, the sun shining and there is even a fly buzzing around! I look outside at the pool and long for warmer days, but I can feel it coming and it feels great! The first thing I think of on a day like today is a party!  I have an idea! A kick off to spring BBQ!  Why do we have to wait until summer? The weather is nice enough to light the grill, fresh produce is always available, let’s have a party! We have all been so depressed with the economy the way it is, the beautiful winter is no longer beautiful, we need to end the gloom and doom with some great food, family and friends! Kick off to Spring Menu From the grill
-Thick Chicken Burgers with Pickled Onions and Smokey Red Pepper Sauce- grilled to perfection (a low fat option of course, we need to get rid of that extra winter weight!)

-Cedar plank Grilled Salmon with Cilantro Butter (one of our specialties!)

-Marinated Skirt Steak with Wasabi-Garlic Cream and Artisanal Rolls Side

-Roasted Potato Salad with Chick Peas, Red Swiss Chard, Celery and Bacon Dressing

- Organic Mixed Greens with Fresh Vegetables

- Julienne Carrots, English Cucumber Sticks, Vine Ripened Tomato, garnished with Sweet Potato Chips, Manchego Cheese and Lime-Basil Vinaigrette.

- Orzo with Dried Fruit, Nuts and Herbs infused with Ginger Oil

Dessert¦

-Ginger Cake with Fresh Cinnamon Cream-Macadamia Cookies To drink¦-Fresh Raspberry Mojitos with Fresh Mint, Raspberry Puree and Sugar Cane!-Cucumber Infused Spring Water This menu won’t break the budget, will impress your friends and family and will be a perfect start to a fantastic spring season! Call us at The Cantering Caterer and plan your party now!

Eat your greens!  Get them local, keep our economy going, and get healthy too!

In out constant drive to find the freshest, finest ingredients in the world we are often shopping no further than our geographic backyard!  Connecticut and New York have such a plethora of fantastic farms that you are never more than an hours drive from fresh ethically harvested meats and vegetables that often can be delivered to your door!

Here are a few of our favorites:

Shortt’s Farm and Garden Center in Sandy Hook, CT 203-426-9283.  Farm fresh eggs, organic foods, gardening supplies, and great advice!

Guy’s Eco Garden, 276 Leavenworth Road, Shelton, CT 203-929-3080.  Kale, swiss chard, tomatoes, and evenything in between!

Bloomingfields Farm – Fantastic Daylilies and lots of other goodies from a farm run by a biologist and an artist -perfect combination… 860-354-6951

Holbrook Farm – 45 Turkey Plain Road, Bethel, CT 203-792-0561.  Pesticide and herbidcide free for 30 years, they specialize in vegetables, cut flowers, herbs, and berries.  They are open through December.

Middlebrook Farm and Orchard 112 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 203-426-8226

Millstone Farm in Wilton, CT. 180 Millstone Road 203-834-2605.  This website is a fantastic resource for chefs, farmers, curious people, and anyone interested in sustainable and ethical farm practices.  Dont miss their links page!

And always check out Connecticut Grown for lists of farms, growing seasons, and great locations for apple and berry picking!  You can subscribe to their email list for “in-season” alerts, recipes, and lots of fun stuff!

More to come…  Remember the Holiday Season is here – call now for our NEW HOLIDAY MENUS for pick up, drop-off, and full-service!