Food

Aaron’s Catering has a new menu item suitable as an hors d’oeuvre or in place of a salad. The base of the “molecular diablo” is mozzarella cheese that has been liquefied and reformed to look like a hard-boiled egg white. Heirloom tomato foam makes the faux yolk, and capsulized balsamic vinegar looks like caviar. The piece is served on a bed of arugula. Eaten together, it is intended to taste similar to a Caprese salad.

Make-your-own citrus drink bar, by Design Cuisine in Arlington, Virginia

Fruit, bread, and cheese display, by en Ville Event Design & Catering (416.533.8800, enville.com) in Toronto

Housemade hot pretzel rolls with assorted mustards, heated over river rocks, by A Thyme to Cook (877.849.6386, athymetocook.com) in North Stonington, Connecticut

Short rib tacos with shredded cabbage, tomato, and chipotle crema served on a slab of pink salt, from Michael Stuart (347.689.9822, mscnyc.com) in New York

Buttermilk chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup, jumbo blueberries, strawberry fragments, and powdered sugar, from Esprit Events Kosher Catering (212.207.3888, espritevents.com) in New York

Creative Edge Parties in New York offers a cut-your-own pasta station with hanging sheets of handmade pasta in different flavors and bowls of sauces so guests can choose their own custom combinations.

Pinch Food Design in New York created a taco station, where guests could decorate homemade tortillas with an array of toppings served in custom-made resin pedestal pieces inspired by handcrafted Mexican pottery.

At a Queens Botanical Garden gala in New York in June, Tip of the Tongue served pink cherry lemonade, lemon mint iced tea, Corona coolers (with ginger, cucumber, lime, and gin), and strawberry watermelon agua fresca from garden carts decorated with miniature potted roses. 

At a recent private event, Choura Events in Long Beach, California, served Louis Roederer Cristal and Dom Perignon from Champagne carts.

Inspired by the food truck craze, Abigail Kirsch in New York created roving carts to bring guests desserts and beverages, like gelato with dipped miniature cones and toppings, or sangria and punch.

Creative Tastes Catering & Event Production in Miami serves meals from mason jars with spoons attached, including a created breakfast-on-the-go with yogurt trifle.