Catering Ideas

Roasted pork tenderloin rolled with fennel and Badian spice confit served with acorn squash, squash risotto, sautéed baby bok choy, and shallots, from Saphire Event Group (781.784.2400, saphireeventgroup.com) in the Boston area

Crudite, dip, and shrimp display, on an antique cart, by L-Eat Catering in Toronto

Blueberry pie pops, blueberry cobbler in iron skillets, and Guinness stout cake, by A Divine Event (770.587.9117, adivineevent.com) in Atlanta

Mary Giuliani Catering & Events pairs one-bite paella with shrimp and chorizo with sips of sangria.

Fancy Girl Table created Parmesan cups with roasted ruby queen beets, cauliflower, rainbow carrots, Lacinato kale, and smoked tomato pesto.

Mini wild rice pancakes with house-made cherrywood-smoked duck and cherry-rosemary chutney, from Lindsey Shaw Catering in Toronto

The production crew hung foliage-covered chandeliers from the ceiling of the tent and set up white lounges and padded bleachers with blue and white throw pillows for seating.

Ritzy Bee Events used craft paper and chalk to label the passed appetizers for a rehearsal dinner at the Decatur House in Washington so guests wouldn’t be left guessing.

Feast & Fêtes' new "Aioli Presentation" is a spread featuring dishes like poached wild Alaskan salmon, cod confit, and jumbo Carolina shrimp.

Caterers report that pies filled with seasonal fruit are becoming a popular dessert item at events. These latticed fruit pies are by Tip of the Tongue Caterers.

This cucumber feta salad with roasted pepper hummus by Abigail Kirsch makes for an interesting alternative to the standard mixed green salad.

SD26 Events' eggplant terrine features sauteed eggplant that is layered with fresh tomatoes and herbs then baked in the oven. The dish is served with a dab of basil pesto and garnished with a parmigiano reggiano-flavored milk foam.

Schaffer’s Genuine Foods created an edible garden for a YouTube event at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica. The “earth” was made from chopped black olives, breadcrumbs, and puffed wild rice.

Servers used gardening tools to scoop up the edible earth and veggies.

Dressings, in flavors like chipotle aioli and housemade ranch, were poured from watering cans.

For a birthday party, Kristi Amoroso Special Events designed a vodka shot bar that displayed bottles in a sculptural arrangement of textured ice spheres.