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

Summer is the time to party.

Well, summer is here and it’s time to plan your outdoor party.  Whether an intimate wedding on the beach, a cocktail party by the pool, a child’s birthday party, barbeque (BBQ), or a corporate picnic, the staff at The Cantering Caterer are here to help you plan and produce the best party ever.  We take pride in our clients’ happiness!!

Grilling is the summer thing and our chefs love it.  Combined with cool and festive salads – many of our veggies are from local and organic farms -  we can complete a meal that stands out from the norm.  Color, flavor, texture….  Don’t forget just the right location to take the party over the top.

A wedding on the beach in Westport is just so romantic – we did one on Compo last week. The cool breeze and spectacular sunset just made it perfect!!  Grilled Peach Glazed Chicken Breast, crunchy natural Hot Dogs and Rich Manâ Burgers served with Watermelon, Tomato & Cucumber Salad, Quattro Potato Salad with Rosemary Infused Olive Oil and a Baby Spinach/ Blueberry/ Strawberry Salad with a Poppy Seed Dressing will thrill you guests.  We are doing a similar menu for a Fourth of July Party this week!

A cocktail party by the pool is a great way to build business, re-bond the family, or just kick back and relax with friends.  Cool Hemingway Bellini’s, Minty Mojitos and Rum Iced Green Tea by the pool.  Casual fair with a flair.  Panko Fried Chicken Tidbits with Ginger Apricot Glaze, mini Sirloin Sliders with Balsamic Shallots, mini Pork Tacos with Mango Salsa, Sesame Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Foam, Grilled Ripe Carolina Peaches with Balsamic Drizzle, and maybe some Connecticut Oyster or Clam Spicy Shooters.  Make a Sunday evening one to remember.

Kid’s birthday parties can have two slightly different menus to appeal to everyone.  Mini Hot Dogs, grilled Meatloaf Dogs (easier to eat than a Burger), grilled Polenta Sticks along with Melon Wedges will thrill the kids with all sorts of condiments.  Hummel Long Dogs, assorted Brats and Sausages and Rosemary Chicken Kebobs served with Grilled Polenta Cakes, Broccolini & Shiitake Salad and a Radicchio, Chive and Parsley.  Condiments such as Sweet Onion and Pepper Relish, Honey Mustard, roasted Tri Colored Peppers and Roasted Garlic Eggplant Tapenade round out the party.  Make your own Ice Cream Sundaes for dessert!  We just found a small company in Port Chester that makes purple ice cream!

Treat your company for a job well done in the first half of the year by throwing a family corporate picnic.  There are many state and town parks that can be utilized as a venue – Compo Beach in Westport, Sherwood Island State Park, Penfield Pavillion in Fairfield, the list goes on…  Some have covered facilities, just in case.  Start off with grilled Pizzas with Humus, Grilled Veggies and Parmesan Cheese.  Or, maybe some Pulled Pork Sliders?  Blueberry Iced Tea and Raspberry Lemonade to cool everyone down.  Barbecued Boneless Chicken is the dish of the day.  Both dark and white meat seasoned well and served with a variety of barbeque sauces.  Teriyaki Glaze, Roasted Garlic, Spicy Tex- Mex and a traditional BBQ.  5 Bean Salad, Tri Colored Cheese Tortellini with Basil Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Caesar Salad with Olives and Ricotta Salata Cheese and mini Ciabatta Rolls.  End the day with Iced Caramel Coffees and seasonal Fresh Fruit.  A day your staff will remember.

Whatever your party needs are this summer, The Catering Caterer will be happy to meet your needs with the freshest, most flavorful foods and the a pleasant professional staff to make sure everything is perfect.  Speak to our Event Planners today.  They will help you work out all the details.  Lets have a party!!

Chef Scott G.

Whew!  The snow is gone and apparently summer arrived late last week!  The Cantering Caterer has LOTS going on in this busy time…

May is busy and we are excited to be working, planning, and partying with all of you!!  It is a big summer coming up…  Shaking off the cold and the economic blues.  We have lots of outdoor weddings this summer as people opt for less formal venues – Lots of second weddings too, mine is June 7!!  Very exciting!  The cocktail party season had an early start this year when people heard that last weekend would be in the eighties – our phone started ringing off the hook!  So, shake it off, everything will be alright and Have a Party!

Christian is mentioned in Chinese Weddings By the Knot!  Scroll through a few cocktails, photos, and ingredients!  All are absolutely perfect for Summer!  Some of his ideas are also mentioned in the 2009 Wedding Guide, Boulder Colorado!

-The RiverVine is open and booking fast!  We are excited to start a “Saturday Night Fish Fry on Thursday Nights!”  Beginning Thursday, May 14 from 4:00-9:00pm, The RiveVine will feature a traditional New Orleans Fish Fry menu and live music!  The Cobalt Rythym Kings are playing the 28th from 6:00-9:00pm.  They are amazing and play blues and jazzy favorites from John Lee Hooker, Louis Jordan, and originals…  Check out the Vine website for more info and to make a reservation!!  Kayak fan??  Come check out our new 1938 Folbot wood frame canoe plant holder!  This thing is cool!

-The Cantering Caterer launched a new program to combat hunger in our community.  “Feed our Friends,” is a project to collect safely held leftover foods from caterers and restaurants in Fairfield County and deliver to a shelter in Bridgeport.  This particular shelter feeds 2200 people per day!  Lets take hunger off the table because while we may be hungry, they are starving.  It seems so simple that here in this country, in this county, there are hungry people…  There are.  Let’s help together.

-Follow us of Facebook and Twitter!

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!

Christian O’Dowd of The Cantering Caterer will be on Fox 61 this Friday, February 20, between 8:00 and 9:00am to talk about Academy Award parties and ideas that you can incorporate into your own event!  Please watch – the first call to the office after the show that mentions the spot will  get dinner for 2 delivered to their home next week!!  Christian will also be featured on the Food Network in March…  Stay tuned for details…!

Also, have you seen the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport lately??  We have done a few weddings there recently and the space is HOT!  A deco theatre with modern lighting, amazing staff, and it works in most budgets!!  Call us to visit – we have fantastic photos!

Did I mention The RiverVine??!!?  We are open and ready for your business!  Please email us for an invite to the kick off party.  The Cantering Caterer is hosting its annual “kick off the season bash” on Thursday, April 23 in our Westport office.  Please let me know if you would like to attend – it is invite only and last year we had so many people that we shut down the post road!!  Come one, come all!  Fine food, good wine, happy people…

Have you seen our new Facebook page?  Become a fan for “fan only news and specials!”

The flood gates have opened, the holidays are here!! So, lets plan that party and spread the good cheer!!

The holiday planning season has started with vigor!  Despite the economy, maybe even because of it, people are planning holiday gatherings with family and friends.  We have several Thanksgiving packages available for pick up and of course we offer full service catering.  We are almost sold out of pre-ordered Turduckens as they are so labor intensive and done fresh the day before!

For Christmas and Cocktail parties we have put together lots are really great packages to fit all budgets and of course, Becky, Amanda, and Jacquie are always available to customize a menu with you, arrange a tasting, or a site visit.  Please call soon as Christmas and Holiday Parties book fast during the last half of November!

Our newest facility, The RiverVine is scheduled to open next week and can accomodate groups of any size.  This new event space, on the Housatonic River in Derby has fantastic views of the river and is next to the famed Yale Boathouse!  This is the perfect place for Weddings, Bar Matzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, School dances, Birthday Parties, Graduation Parties and more…  New Haven Counties newest wedding reception site is now in business!!

Call us for simple cost cutting holiday entertaining tips as we demonstrated on Fox News New York.  And, don’t forget to sign up for our monthly news letter on the homepage.

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We are very excited to have been selected as the exclusive caterer at the famed “Spinning Wheel Inn,” in Redding Ridge, CT! It’s five banquet rooms, lush gardens, and fantastic central Fairfield County location make it an ideal spot to host your wedding, bar mitzvah, cocktail party, or corporate affair. Its unique charm stems from the bones of the main building built in 1742. It has a clever mix of classic New England but has the ameneties of a modern event space.

The Spinning Wheel Inn has a scenario for every event.

The Ridge Room features and antique boardroom table and is the perfect spot for the important meeting or small rehearsal dinner.

The Tavern, with its large fireplace and warm surroundings, can host 50 for dinner and 100 for cocktails. Imagine hosting your own pub night in a centuries old pub!

The Nutmeg Room features another fantastic fireplace and comfortable seats 80 for dinner or 110 for cocktails. This room abuts the beautiful terrace and the views out the west windows look down over acres of lush woods and foliage.

The Connecticut Room can can seat 110 and hold 150 for cocktails. This room has a dancefloor, bandstand, and also direct access to the terrace.

The Waverly Suite can comfortable host 200 guests for a seated meal or 300 for cocktails and hors d’oeuvre. It hosts a magnificent fireplace, dance floor, bandstand, and access to the Terrace and the great western views!

The Spinning Wheel Inn is also a great spot for corporate events, retreats, and conferences. You can seat 400 theatre style, and can bring in nearly any technology. Full service catering and snacks are designed to fit your needs, your timing, your budget.

The food! The Cantering Caterer is known for fantastic, creative food! We have designed menus specifically for this space but as always, everything is customizable. We will offer the same policies here as we do in the Westport kitchen. Unlimited site visits, unlimited tastings once contracted, and unlimited planning…

Please call us anyime for availability and rates – the space will surely sell out during the fall foliage season and there are still some unbelievable dates available this spring and summer.

Please call The Cantering Caterer at The Spinning Wheel at 203-227-7459.

Another exciting week at The Cantering Caterer!  We were on Prudence Sloane’s Food Show – “More Than Simply Food” last week discussing “green” foods.  Green in color and environmental impact too.  We discussed green beer – not the traditional St. Patrick’s Day green but green conscious from Brooklyn Brewery.  They power their facility with wind energy generated from a “wind farm” in upstate New York.  They donate the byproduct of their beer production to farmers to feed their stock.  Really a tremendous business – and GREAT beer too!

This week Christian will be on WFSB 3, Better Connecticut with Scott Haney.  This is our third appearance on the show and we will be discussing ideas for spring parties.  Christian will prepare a few sample hors d’oeuvre and have some interesting cocktail and decor suggestions.  The show is live on Wednesday from 10:ooam-11:00am.