2013 Holiday Party Trends: The Lavish Dessert Table Is Out
“Before the recession, parties would have extravagant dessert stations, but now some companies are economizing by offering guests a boxed dessert and to-go coffee in branded cups at the end of the night,” Accomando says. “It does double-duty as a favor and gives guests the chance to reminisce about the event when they’re eating the treat later at home.” Takeaway desserts can also be creatively worked into tablescapes as a design element to liven up tables and save on the decor budget. So what will companies be boxing up when it comes to desserts? Cupcakes are decidedly over. Instead, expect to see whoopie pies, macarons, gourmet marshmallows, doughnuts, pie slices, or berry crumbles in portable containers. Pictured: The Sweet Escape Patisserie can package up its snowmen macarons for events in the greater Toronto area.
Photo: Courtesy of The Sweet Escape Patisserie
At the suite's opening-night event, Pure Kitchen Catering provided catering and Toni Patisserie and Cafe brought in seasonal treats. Linzer Torts were served on trays decked with the sheet music for Christmas carols.
Photo: Maypole Studios Photography
Servers greeted guests at the entrance with mistletoe shots, made with peppermint schnapps and pomegranate juice.
Photo: Emma McIntyre for BizBash
Activities: Cookie-Decorating Stations
A cookie-decorating station turns adults into kids, says New York event designer David Stark. He recommends providing guests with blank ginger or sugar cookies in various shapes, along with a bar of edible decorating items.
Photo: Courtesy of David Stark
A Christmas Story cookies, $40 for a dozen; parchmentcookies.etsy.com
Photos: Courtesy of Parchment Cookies
Eggnog shots with mini gingerbread cookies, by Schaffer’s Genuine Foods in Los Angeles
Photo: Bridget Kenny for BizBash
Brownie-flavored pasta formed into a nest, filled with brownie bits and chocolate, and drizzled with caramel sauce, by Encore Catering in Toronto
Photo: Andrew Basso/Encore Catering
The elaborately frosted cakes from Crème-Delicious come in individual acrylic boxes.
Photo: Jika González for BizBash
Send a few favorite photos to Texas-based Manjar (Spanish for “delicacy”) and the bakery can turn them into edible Instagram posts for you, as well as create sugar cookies frosted to look like the popular social media company’s camera icon. There is no minimum order, and clients can send in as many different photos as they’d like. For larger orders, call at least two weeks in advance. Also on Manjar’s hipster-approved cookie menu are sweets shaped and frosted to look like Wayfarer sunglasses, mustaches, Polaroid photos, and vintage cameras.
Photo: Courtesy of Manjar
