





Jenny Keller, the Seattle-based founder of Jenny Cookies, is the author of Eat More Desserts. In her book, Keller provides a recipe for "brownie nests" (pictured) that are made with brownies, coconut shreds, buttercream frosting, and colored jelly beans.




The social media marketing company decided to switch venues for its usual invite-only one-day SXSW suite, from its actual offices to the pool deck at the W Austin hotel. Among the activities for attendees included an Instagram station with photo-ready food like panna cotta colored with blue majik. On hand was a local food blogger, plus props and reflectors.














A late-night treat from Occasions Caterers was cereal ice cream sandwiches. Other desserts on the menu were mini cake cones, mini housemade ice cream Drumstick-style cones, mini palmiers, and a duo of savory and sweet mini scones.

Occasions paired quartered Scotch eggs with flights of Scotch.

The buffet by Occasions Caterers included a spread of crumpets, assorted scones, English tea cakes, and lady fingers.

Occasions created “The Red Queen’s Bloody Mary Bar.” Beverage service also included a hibiscus margarita, a Champagne fountain and mimosa station, a specialty coffee bar, and a Moscow mule bar that offered garnishes such as lime wheels, grapefruit segments, sprigs of rosemary, cucumber wheels, and fresh mint.

NBC News and MSNBC brought its White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-party to the Organization of American States’ Art Museum of the Americas April 28 in Washington. A late-night treat from Occasions Caterers was cereal ice cream sandwiches. Other desserts on the menu were mini cake cones, mini housemade ice cream Drumstick-style cones, mini palmiers, and a duo of savory and sweet mini scones.

Bartenders affixed hotel and destination photos to cocktails with mini clothespins.

Incorporating traditional fall flavors, the nonalcoholic "Cranberry Cobbler" punch at hotel restaurant Highball & Harvest in Orlando combines muddled lemon and raspberry with cranberry juice and honey syrup; it's topped with soda. The drink was created by bartender Blake Herndon and can be made alcoholic with the addition of vodka.

Chicago catering company Limelight makes a summery drink that puts a spin on the usually fruity sangria. The Vegetable Sangira Punch incorporates white wine, fresh herbs, heirloom tomatoes, watermelon radish, and cucumber.











To keep guests' drinks cool without watering them down, Maria Zoitas of Maria’s Homemade recommends adding fruit-infused ice cubes to drinks at summer parties. Add berries, grapes, or pomegranate seeds to the water in ice cube trays to create the refreshing treat.


Chilled shrimp cocktail with a pepita crunch from Top Chef contestant Fatima Ali was among the dishes at the St. Regis Welcome Party.





Guests could pour cocktails inspired by the series in teacups. The bar featured the show’s key art wallpaper pattern.





For a recent event at the Perot Museum of Science and Nature in Dallas, Wolfgang Puck Catering employed a "chef shadowbox." Meant to provide a strong visual behind a more standard food station, a chef in a shadowbox prepared appetizers as guests looked on.

In Chicago, Blue Plate Catering brings candy apple stations to holiday parties. Treats include apples dipped in caramel and assorted toppings and sliced up into snack-size portions.

Limelight's "Smash It" station offers assorted homemade chocolate bark in flavors such as dark chocolate with dried cherries. Mallets next to the sweets let guests "smash" off a snack-size piece of the bark.

Roar Events produced a summertime event at Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa in Southern California. The dinner had a modern Mexican theme and featured an interactive margarita station. Guests chose the type and flavor of their tequila, as well as one of many specialty salts.



Toronto-based Eatertainment Special Events & Catering hosted its annual summer party on July 25 at its headquarters. The event had a D.I.Y. ice cream and cereal bar with cereal dispensers that offered Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, and more.

Guests could top their ice cream with sprinkles and other fixings found at stations surrounding display vehicles.




































Austin's Catering with a Twist found a crowd-pleasing hit in its new starter boards. Each board is priced from $9 to $12, depending on the chosen items. Rosy-hued starter boards are laden down with nibbles like raspberries, pimento cheese, smoked salmon pate, and beet chips.


