A warm-weather take on the food-and-drink pairings trend: one-bite paella skewers served with red and white sangria, by KG Fare Catering & Events in New York.
Photo: Courtesy of KG Fare Catering & Events
In Chicago, Truffleberry Market puts a twist on mozzarella sticks with its molten Brie with balsamic fig jam appetizer. "We typically serve it with cherry ale, but we had a client who loves apple ale, so we've used apple ale as another version," said executive chef and owner Brittany Ferrin.
Photo: Logan Beck
Shepherd’s pie with a gougère cup, horseradish potato puree, English peas, pearl onions, and braised beef short rib paired with a mini shot of Guinness from Boutique Bites in Chicago
Photo: Scott Thompson Photography
In New York, Naturally Delicious catering prepared a five-course meal with beer pairings last week. The feast began with foie and fig potato chips with spiced walnuts, paired with Brewery Ommegang Rare Vos Amber Ale.
Photo: Amber Gress
In New York, El Rey Coffee Bar & Luncheonette serves duck confit and cherry hand pies with Stiegl Pils beer from Austria.
Photo: Alan Gastelum
Brulée cinnamon French toast with seared fois gras, ice cider gelée glazed with choice of cape gooseberry, bing cherry, blackberry, or apple coupled with Antolino Brongo Cryomalus ice cider from Kindred Spirits Catering in Toronto
Photo: Ryan Szulc Photography for BizBash
Roasted calabaza and chorizo tartlette with spiced goat cheese and candied walnut served with a “Not Hot” toddy with sparkling apple cider, Maker’s Mark bourbon, orange, lemon, fresh mint, a touch of honey, and a dash of cinnamon and clove from Creative Tastes Catering & Event Production in Miami
Photo: Elizabeth Renfrow for BizBash
Thai-style local skirt steak tacos with cilantro, onion, sour cream, and sriracha paired with Phoebe’s Fall Pilsner brewed by Eat & Smile in Washington
Photo: Alexandra Friendly
For the cheese course, Naturally Delicious served roasted hazelnut honey and spiced walnuts, cheeses, and the SixPoint Brewery Global Warmer.
Photo: Amber Gress
As part of its "Sip & Taste" concept, which pairs snacks with beverages, Wolfgang Puck Catering offers pastrami sandwiches made with American Waygu beef and Russian dressing. The hearty bites are presented atop miniature mugs of Anchor Brewing Company’s Liberty Ale.
Photo: Courtesy of Wolfgang Puck Catering
In Los Angeles, Love Catering pairs Ashai beer with bites of tuna sashimi dressed with blood orange, cucumber, and yuzu vinaigrette. "There is a reason the Japanese pair this beer with sushi," said a Love spokesperson. "Both flavors are so delicate that they don't ruin either the food or the drink. This really is a perfect match."
Photo: Roman Udalov
Rockit Ranch Productions just opened its new restaurant, Bottlefork, in Chicago's River North neighborhood. On the menu, pairings include the locally made Goose Island Gillian beer with manilla clam and Portuguese sausage flatbread. "The earthiness of the sausage pizza works well with the effervescing and spritz-y brew," said a rep. "The lightness of the beer cuts through the heartiness of the dish."
Photo: Courtesy of Rockit Ranch Productions
The colorful boxed invitation from Southern Fried Paper puts an artful twist on a racing ribbon. Pricing is available upon request.
Photo: Courtesy of Southern Fried Paper
Baby kale and blood orange salad with charred cauliflower, heirloom carrots, and golden raisin vinaigrette, by Schaffer in Los Angeles.
Photo: Courtesy of Schaffer
New Serving Styles for Small Plates at Cocktail Parties
Savory whoopie pie with corn bacon and cheddar cheese, filled with smoked tomato panna cotta with watercress, wrapped with recycled parchment with label wrap and served with tempura asparagus and green beans, with a wasabi aioli in a paper cup, from Good Gracious! Events in Los Angeles (323.954.2277)
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
Mint Julep snow cones, by Truffleberry Market in Chicago
Photo: Olivia Leigh Photographie
Coconut popsicles dipped in white chocolate and garnished with edible flowers, by Starr Catering Group in South Florida
Photo: Courtesy of STARR Catering Group
Rollins used inexpensive bread baskets as individual picnic baskets during a friend's birthday weekend in the south of France. "Guests' faces actually lit up with delight when they found a plate, napkin, silverware, and lunch all tucked inside," writes Rollins. Silverware was rolled in paisley napkins, tied with raffia, and placed alongside dishwasher-safe Mottahedeh Turkish Garden tin plates.
Photo: John Kernick
Watermelon on a stick was one of a bevy of cool treats offered to guests by Peter Callahan Catering. There was also mini avocado toast with toasted seeds, cold raspberries in wooden bowls, mini yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit, and apple sauce in mini loto glasses.
Photo: Courtesy of Goop/BFA
A popular dessert treat was the lemon granita served in freshly carved lemon fruits. Additionally, there were mini lemon popsicles, mini banana popsicles, and, of course, yellow cotton candy.
Photo: Courtesy of Goop/BFA
The event's main photo op station came courtesy a custom kids' lemonade stand outfitted like a classic version (minus the artificial lemons). It made for another playtime area for the children in attendance and was ideal for Instagram.
Photo: Courtesy of Goop/BFA
New York City-based artisanal cotton-candy catering company Fluff and Fluff was on hand to create custom sugary treats for children and adults alike. The yellow cotton candy, in passion fruit and mango flavors, was made with organic cane sugar and was offered plain or with a series of natural flavors, colors, and toppings, including pop rocks, rainbow sprinkles, raspberry pixie dust, or simple sparkles.
Photo: Courtesy of Goop/BFA
Salad
Salad—a summer staple—can be messy, with the risk of a dressing spill onto clothing or hands. Occasions Caterers in Washington created a wedge salad bite hors d’oeuvre, served on a fork, to keep serving clean.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com for BizBash
S'mores Sans Campfire
For a camp-theme party, skip the fire and marshmallow-melting attempts and try KG Fare Catering & Events' version of the desert: dipped graham-crackers displayed on clothespins.
Photo: KG Fare Catering & Events
Citymeals Chefs' Tribute
For a hands-free way to dine, chef Joachim Splichal from Los Angeles served up cleverly plated contemporary niçoise salad in a can, which sat atop strips of dirt as a nod to his winery.
Photo: Eric Vitale
Marriott’s Shark Week Cocktails
To celebrate Shark Week in July, the New York Marriott Marquis, Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington Marriott Georgetown, and the Skiff Bar at Newport Marriott in Rhode Island served guests a variety of shark-theme cocktails, including a Blood in the Water martini that was garnished with a gummy shark.
Photo: Courtesy of Marriott International
Chandon's American Summer FĂŞte
For events that are themed after geographic locations, wooden signs can be an easy way to showcase that theme to guests. At Chandon's limited-edition bottle launch in 2016, Wooden signs pointing to Napa Valley and France paid homage to Chandon's current home and origins. The event, which took place on the High Line in New York, was designed by Ignition Inc.
Photo: Courtesy of Chandon
A bartender makes a cocktail using Seedlip Spice 94, which incorporates all spice, cardamom, oak, lemon, grapefruit, and cascarilla. The brand's other flavor, Garden 108, is made from peas, hay, spearmint, rosemary, and thyme.
Photo: Courtesy of Seedlip
At BizBash's IdeaFest Chicago last year, Jewell Events Catering founder George Jewell brought 200 mini pumpkins from his own Michigan farm to create a special catering station where guests could get theirs filled with chipotle mashed potatoes with braised short ribs, kale salad, or pumpkin-spice mousse.
Photo: Jenny Berg/BizBash
Stella Artois also introduced the Le Cidre Royale cocktail made with Stella Artois Cidre, rose champagne, gin, and elderflower liqueur in honor of the royal wedding.
Photo: Courtesy of Stella Artois
The Martini Club in Toronto, in conjunction with the Great Britain campaign, created the Windsor Knot with gin, orange liqueur, lemon juice, cranberry juice, and cucumber slices.
Photo: Jodi Pudge
Fried pickles with pimento cheese were part of the southern-inspired menu from the hotel's catering team. Other passed hors d’oeuvres included shrimp and grits, crab cakes with smoked pepper aioli, deviled eggs, and buttermilk biscuits with spicy honey butter.
Photo: Sean Sime Photography
