Thank you so much for doing the catering for our June 08 wedding! The display was beautiful, the service was wonderful, and the food was delicious! Thank you for helping make our day so special! --Jessica & Jim |
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New Holiday MenuI asked our chef, Cameron Wilson to come up with a new Holiday Turkey Dinner. I didn't want the same old - same old menu. I wanted a new menu that reflects the new higher emphasis we have placed on the food here at Lifestyles Catering. Here is the menu that he put together, when we tried it, it was FANTASTIC!!! The Cajun Spices on the Turkey are mellowed out by the Sweet Potato Gravy and the sides bring it it home with great flavors of the autumn harvest season. Finally Connie our Queen of the desserts, pulled out variations on Apple Pie and the traditional Pumpkin Pie, twisting it around to be a Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Hope you enjoy your holidays Holiday Turkey Dinner Cajun Carved Turkey Forest Mushroom Stuffing Holiday Mashers Pancetta and Fennell Green Beans Assorted Bistro Rolls Sweets Enjoy Life, Summer ActivitiesMarch is quickly coming to a close, the first quarter of the year is almost finished. Winter is loosening its grip on Colorado, the bulbs are starting to push up out of the flower beds, soon to burst into their colorful but short lived season of blooms. The trees that have been bare and cold are starting to get hints of green, a prelude to their summer leafy fullness. And on our morning walks we can start to hear the birds calling to one another looking for mates for the season and staking out their territory. Yes spring is in the air, and soon it will be summer. Summer, that time of the year when most of Colorado seems to want to spend as little time as possible inside. But who could blame us? With the wonderful weather that we enjoy and all of the opportunities we have to play, entertain and just live without the constraints of a ceiling and four walls. All winter long we have gathered around the dining room table, at a club or in a mountain lodge. But during the warm months we can play and entertain outside, on the deck or terrace, in the back yard or in a park. Denver and the Front Range have huge systems of city parks and open space parks. Chatfield and Cherry Creek are great locations to enjoy water activities as well as numerous smaller lakes and reservoirs on the plains and in the mountains that lend themselves to gatherings of family and friends. Summer entertaining will take many forms, from super causal, spontaneous gatherings after work, to more formal celebrations that have been planned for months. Great summer dinners can just happen, when a group of friends or co-workers get together after work to socialize, sipping one of the many Colorado micro-brewed beers, a glass of a chilled crisp white wine or fresh squeezed lemonade infused with macerated fresh berries. On the way to the party a quick stop at one of the many deli or specialty markets to pick up a variety of meats to be grilled, a couple of salads and sides to compliment the entrée and some fresh fruit and you have a party. After the sun sets, light a few candles and the conversations will continue long into the balmy night. Friends come together to catch up on the latest news and neighborhood happenings. A little more planning will take the form of groups being delegated to provide the various components. By dividing the tasks, one group in charge of the beverages, another for the hot foods and another for the cold foods and still others for activities, a gathering of a large group of people can come together without a large burden landing on the shoulders of an individual or small group of organizers. Out door gatherings can also be more formal events that are planned and set up well in advance. These can include weekend brunch served on the terrace, holiday dinners in the back yard or weddings in a mountain park setting. An elegant event could start with guests enjoying a cold refreshing cocktail and munching on small flavorful canapés, then moving on to a table set with floral centerpieces, linens, china, silver and crystal. The guests then select their seat to be served multiple courses of exquisitely prepared dishes, gathered into a menu that plays on contrasts of cold and hot, smooth and rustic, all while using the freshest bounty of the season. These are events that won’t be soon forgotten. Summer is the time for out door entertaining, be it a large picnic of friends and co-workers, or a more intimate family gathering, whether the event is planned or impromptu, getting out the home, condo and office to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us is one of the many advantages of living in Colorado. Play hard, but take the time to relax and take in the beauty that Colorado has to offer. Enjoy life, eat well and above all, be thankful for what you have. Lawrence Wedding Planning 101
This is how it usually begins. You have met Mister Right. You’ve gotten to know each other, then one day, at a restaurant, in the park or while on a hike, he got down on one knee and asked you to be the one and only. Tears well up in your eyes, your head spins, and your heart flutters, you say yes and then, you have a wedding to plan! The dress, the flowers, the date, your attendants, the catering, the guest list, the music, the location, the photographer, the honeymoon…….The list just keeps growing and growing. Putting together a great wedding celebration requires a combination of vision, research and planning, making all of the details come together to make the celebration the experience that you will be remember for years to come. Your vision of what your wedding is going to look like is the first place to start. Is there a dream of the bride riding to the wedding in horse drawn carriage, or the wedding taking place in the back yard of a cherished home, deep in the woods or on a beach? Is the wedding a formal affair, casual or somewhere in between? Will the menu be tropical and island foods, formal passed appetizers followed by a sit down meal, a picnic or barbecue or an eclectic blend of features? In which season will the wedding take place, will it be a spring wedding with all of the signs of new life, an autumn wedding with the abundance of the harvest or a white winter wedding with the invigorating cold and crisp freshness? The vision is the framework that the plan is built on. Take the time to do a lot of research for your wedding. Use the web, magazines, friends and family. The web and magazines are great tools to get ideas about new and exciting trends in weddings and wedding catering. The web is also a tool to find wedding vendors, plan time lines, pull together realistic budgets and find unique items that can be incorporated into your wedding. Also, use the experience of friends and family. Talk to people who have recently gotten married for tips of what things were especially memorable and referrals of wedding vendors that they were particularly pleased to work with. Think about the weddings that you have participated in or that you have been a guest at. What did you see that impressed you or were there incidents you didn’t like and wanted to avoid for your own wedding celebration? Once you have a vision of your wedding in mind and have started doing some research, the planning will start to take place. I have always encouraged people not to wait for the last minute to start planning the catering for their wedding. Once you have a date and a location you can start to work on the catering plan, even if it is eight, ten or twelve months out from the wedding date. I like to say that the catering should be set up and planned in the “done” folder months before the wedding. As the wedding date gets closer there will be so many other details, changes, adjustments and decisions that come up and need to be dealt with, the catering shouldn’t be one of those things that have to be dealt with at the last minute. As the time flies toward the wedding date, you will be dealing with issues such as out of town guests that need to find hotels, attendants who can’t get the time off from work and drop out of the wedding, or a dress that doesn’t fit because you have been so good with your work out schedule. You don’t need to add to this confusion the decision of whether to serve chicken or beef, a buffet or a sit down dinner. Get the details of the catering settled early. You will then be able to concentrate on the other questions that come up and demand your attention. Your vision will suggest the level of formality you are looking for in the catering. A very formal wedding will usually have passed appetizers during the cocktail hour. The guests will then be seated at assigned tables for two or more served courses, with full wine and beverage services. Colorado being a little more laid back, many bridal couples opt to go with a buffet dinner. Buffet service allows the guest to get up and mingle during the meal, as well as not requiring people to choose one entrée or the other. In a buffet, the portions should be ample so that the guests can try a little bit of all of the offerings on the buffet. Another fun thing about a buffet is that you can mix up the menu. Maybe one side of the family prefers meat and potatoes, but the groom is looking for a favorite fish dish. On a buffet you can incorporate many items into a mix that will be very appealing to the guests. I never like to see a couple choose the buffet menu that everybody will like. That only leads to boring ‘banquet chicken’. Mix it up, have some ‘safe’ foods but give your guests an opportunity to try something new and different, a special ethnic dish or a unique dish from the family’s history that you can share with your guests. Make a plan on how the event will flow. There are a lot of traditions and practical details that need to happen during a wedding celebration. With proper planning the flow of the day will be seamless and one event will transition into another like water flowing in a stream. But this will take planning before the big day as well as a good team of people making the plan work. Work with your wedding coordinator, the caterer and the other vendors such as the DJ or Master of Ceremonies, the photographer and videographer. Use their experience to make all of the many events flow from beginning to the end. Many couples come to the initial planning meeting with the idea that after the officiate says, “You may now kiss the bride,” and the couple walk arm in arm down the isle, it’s time to PARTY! I have to let them know, not so fast, they still have work to do. When most couples do not see each other before the wedding ceremony, the best time to take the formal pictures of the newly married couple and their family is right after the ceremony. A quick glass of water of soda is great, but putting off that glass of red wine or forgoing that great spinach dip is a small price to pay for not having to worry about even a small wine or food accident while the formal pictures are being taken. So budget time after the ceremony for pictures, make sure that the family members that you want in the pictures know that they are being requested to stay close to the couple, and the groomsmen can’t start loosing the ties and getting comfortable just yet, This will make the pictures go faster so that the couple can quickly join their guests. Other examples of not having a plan are when the Best Man is nervous about public speaking; he can jump up on a moments notice, grab the microphone and start to toast the Bride and Groom. But if the caterer is not ready, and the champagne is not in the guests’ hands, the guests will end up toasting with a glass of water. Or the Bride and Groom don’t want to be standing at the cake table, ready to cut the cake and the photographer is nowhere to be found because he is taking pictures of the Grandparents in the garden. A realistic plan and time line, shared with all of the players is a necessary tool. Doing your research, sharing your vision with your wedding vendors and being organized and detail driven in the planning stages of a wedding will pay off with a celebration that is unique to your vision and seems like it was effortless. At the end of the day, as you relax with that smile on your face, you will know that your wedding will be remembered by your family and friends as the fantastic celebration that was the start of your happy ever after with Mister Right. quinceanera
The Quinceanera Show was a complete success and A LOT of fun! Hope to see you at the next one!
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Upcoming EventsGabby Gourmet Dinner Tuesday May 10, 2011, 6:30pm - Willow Ridge Manor $45.00 inclusive. Includes menu, wine, gratuity and tax. Call Lifestyles Catering today for reservations.
IT’S A PARTY!!!!! A real party ---with lots of fun with Gregory and Lawrence as your hosts in their great facility and a different party theme. There will be stations all around with pasta, salad, and carving stations, along with passed and displayed appetizers. And there will be a dessert display with miniature sweets—and of course, wines to go with all. Reserve early and enjoy a night of food, wine, and interaction with the crowd.
January Seafood ChowderJanuary 2011 Happy New Year Now that we are out of December, with the rich foods, holiday gatherings night after night, the wine and champagne, many of us look to the new year as a time to get our eating in order. The dead of winter isn’t the best time for fresh fruits and vegetables, just the thought that these berries have been “freshly picked” someplace in the southern hemisphere, makes me cringe. And while the days are slowly getting longer, the cold winds of January still are a constant reminder that it is better to stay inside in front of a warm fire with a bowl of Chowder. To this I have the answer, a Seafood Chowder that is satisfying, but low in fat and calories, loaded with seasonal (read: “Root”) vegetables. This Chowder gets it’s richness from the potatoes and onions, its smoky flavor not from bacon but from smoked oysters and it’s creaminess from low fat buttermilk. A very satisfying warm and low fat chowder for the winter months. Low – Fat Seafood Chowder 4 C Water 2 Bottles Clam Juice 1 lb Shrimp 4 Garlic Cloves Smashed 1 C Dry White Wine 1 t Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 2 Bay Leafs 1 Onion Coarsely Chopped Ø Peel the Shrimp and leave the meat for later. Ø Put the Shrimp Shells in a pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Ø Simmer for 30 minutes Ø Strain, pressing out the shells to get as much of the broth as possible and set aside Ø While the Broth is simmering, Coarsely Chop the Shrimp meat. Ø Assemble the chowder 1 Onion cut in a Fine Dice 6 Garlic Cloves, Minced 2 T Olive Oil 1 Fennel cut in a Fine Dice 1 each Small Red and Green Pepper, cut in a Fine Dice 4 Ribs Celery cut in a Fine Dice 4 Carrots, cut in a Fine Dice 1 C Dry White Wine 2 Large Yukon Gold or Idaho Potatoes, peeled and cut in a Medium Dice 1 14oz can Italian tomatoes, Medium Dice, reserve the Juice 2 cans Smoked Oysters, drained from their oil and Coarsely Chopped 1 lb Cod Filet, cut in a Medium Dice 2 C Buttermilk Ø In a large Dutch Oven, heat the Olive Oil and add the Onion, Sweat for 2 minutes then add the Garlic, continue to sweat for another 5 minutes. Ø Add the Fennel, Peppers, Celery and Carrots, cook for about 10 minutes until they start to wilt. Ø Add the White Wine, Potato, Tomato and Juice, Smoked Oysters, Cod and the reserved Broth. Ø Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 – 50 minutes, until the potato and carrot are soft. (Note: at high altitude I cook this in the presser cooker for about 30 minutes to expedite the preparation.) Ø Add the Buttermilk and reserved Shrimp Meat and bring the chowder just to a boil, take it off the heat and taste, adjusting the seasonings if necessary. Ø Garnished each bowl of Chowder with Chopped Parsley and serve with a hearty slice of Crusty French Bread. This recipe makes enough chowder for at least 10 servings, for a crowd, or it also keeps well and tastes better when reheated. Enjoy the Colorado Winters but stay warm and remember; Enjoy life, eat well and be thankful for what you have. Lawrence French Lifestyles Catering www.lifestylescatering.com Chicken Liver PateHere it is mid-October and along the Front Range it finally looks like summer is giving up its grip on the world and letting autumn have its short but glorious show before the first snows of winter start to blow in. This is the time when our thoughts turn to warm fires in the fireplace and slow cooked dinners with family and friends in the dark evenings as the night wraps its cloak of darkness around us earlier and earlier. And it is the time that we start to prepare for the holidays with all of the family traditions that make the holidays special and memorable. Traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation over the years, traditions that bring back childhood memories and form a link to the generations that came before us, traditions that link us to the place and culture where we came from. Some of the traditions that come to mind are the Thanksgiving Day Macy’s Parade, the Thanksgiving day football games, the decorations, the songs and the games learned from an early age. And for most of us, the strongest traditions involve the memories of food, memories that include sight, sound, smell and taste. The sight of that huge turkey coming to the table on the turkey platter, (it must be the biggest bird that you have ever seen!) The smell of the sweet potato hot dish, under its robe of browned marshmallows, the sound and smell of the latkes and donuts frying in the oil ready to be served with the pot roast slow cooked for what seems like forever. The tamales and pozole served on Christmas Eve, the baked ham with the Dr. Pepper Glaze served for Christmas Dinner or the black eyed peas served on New Year’s Day. The list goes on and on. In our home we have follow the Polish tradition of Wigilia, the meat free, multi course Christmas Eve feast served before opening gifts at midnight,. Before sitting down at the table, everyone breaks the traditional wafer, or Oplatek and exchanges wishes for good health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. Then a toast is made and we sit down to a feast that would can included mushroom or beet soup, boiled potatoes (kartofle), pickled herring (sledzie), fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut (groch i kapusta), dried fruit compote, babka, assorted pastries, nuts and candies. We then follow that with an English Christmas day dinner of prime rib of beef served with horseradish sauce and roasted winter vegetables, Needless to say the kitchen is a very busy place in the days leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Another small dish that will always be part of the holiday celebration is my Chicken Liver Pâté. It’s easy and fast, it will patiently wait in the back of the fridge, getting better as the days go on, ready to be served with crackers when an unexpected guest arrives. (I also call this my Paula pate, a little tongue in cheek, because the recipe starts with – “melt a stick of butter in a sauté pan”……..) Holiday Chicken Liver Pâté 1 ½ stick of unsalted butter, divided 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 t fresh thyme, minced 1 t fresh marjoram, minced 1 t fresh sage, minced ¾ t kosher salt ¼ t black pepper, freshly ground 10 allspice berries, freshly ground 1 pound chicken livers 2 T brandy Melt one stick of butter in a sauté pan, add the onion and garlic allow to sweat for about ten minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, allspice and chicken livers and cook, stirring continually until the livers are cooked on the outside, but still pink when cut into. Stir in the brandy and continue to cook until the alcohol boils off (or if you feel dangerous flambé the brandy off.) Puree the liver mixture in a food processor until smooth and then spoon it into a terrine or bowl, garnish the top with whole sage leafs and sprigs of thyme and marjoram. Clarify the remaining half stick of butter by slowly melting it in a heavy sauce pan over low heat until the boiling subsides. After letting it sit for a few minutes skim off any foam that has accumulated on top. Spoon the clarified butter over the top, completely covering the pâté sealing it from the air, then put in the refrigerator to cool. After cooling, wrap the terrine with plastic wrap and store refrigerated. Serve with toasted, sliced baguette or in a pinch, assorted crackers. (You know how some recipes tell you how to store leftovers; well I wouldn’t know how to do that, because in our home, there never is any of this left over!!) I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season. Remember that sometimes a tradition seems like a silly way that we do something, and we wonder why we keep doing something just because it is tradition. But the traditions that we maintain over the holidays and throughout the year bring back wonderful memories of holidays from years ago, link us to the family and friends that we have been with and give us a sense of security in this ever changing world. Enjoy Life, KBDIKBDI TV-12 AuctionPosted: September 28th, 2010 On Monday Gregory, Cameron Wilson (the Lifestyles Catering Sous Chef,) and I went to KBDI to present a catered meal for their fund raising auction.
We set up a little catering kitchen in one of the offices to make show plates of every course on the five course menu. (Caterers have to make their on site kitchens in many creative ways. We have worked out of basements, tents and even garages.
After each plate was assembled, we took them out and staged them ready for the turn around just before we were to go on-air.
Cameron was ready to go on air to explain his dishes.
Just before going on air, Cameron and Gregory were miked up and they went over with the producer how the menu was going to be introduced.
Then it was time to wait!
Then it was time to go on air. The host introduced Lifestyles Catering and then Gregory had a chance to talk about the catering company and finally Cameron took the spot light and introduced his menu to the viewers.
Water Salad
Sweet Watermelon and tangy Herbed Goat Cheese
Chilled Asparagus Torte
Asparagus Spears crown sweet grilled Vegetables
Melon Mojo
A vibrant and refreshing punch of juicy Cantaloupe Rack of Lamb
Adobo spiced rack of Lamb towering above Pear Essentials
Succulent poached Pear fanned over a All in all it was a great night working with the cast and crew at KBDI TV-12. Lifestyles Catering has supported this public television station since we first were in business in 1995. Our dinner for ten was purchased by another loyal supporter of KBDI and all of the money will go to supporting the programming. Of course you can have a menu specially written for your next event, just call on of our Event Designers and they will work with you to make a meal that will be remembered for a long time. Enjoy life, eat well and be thankful for what you have. Lawrence French, Lifestyles Catering 303 232 7932 |
