As we pointed out last summer's trend report, Latin cuisine is hot, and its popularity shows no signs of waning. Chef Thomas Preti of Thomas Preti Caterers has seized on this trend, namely the tapas craze, and showed off some knowledge he picked up on a recent trip to Spain at his Taste of Spain tapas and wine tasting for event planners at the Culinary Loft.
Taking advantage of the loft's beautiful open kitchen space, guests could watch Preti's chefs prepare the tapas, from slicing the ham for a meat platter to spearing the lamb kebob with saffron pilaf (a nice alternative to paella, the more common Spanish dish), to assembling the croquettes with Serrano ham, salt cod and shredded pork. Dispelling the notion that tapas are just for light snacking, the buffet provided an abundance of hearty options—like red peppers stuffed with sweet potato, chorizo in red wine and mussels in saffron cream—for guests to pick from. Other partners in the Spanish cuisine showcase included Spanish wines from Morrell & Company and Partners in Wine, a selection of Spanish cheeses from Murray's Cheese and olive oil from Casa Pons.
Gary'Z of Stamford's event decor consisted of floral bouquets in a warm palette of red, orange, gold and peach hues. The table linens, custom-made by Linda Lieberman of Just Linens/TriServe, featured bronze cloths topped with orange and yellow overlays.
The event's color scheme began with graphic designer Sloane Madureira's invitations, which featured a 16th-century Sevillian lattice pattern stamped on mustard-colored paper. The event's gift bags, created by Larick Associates, featured the same lattice pattern, and contained a beautiful sangria pitcher from Gary'Z, a notecard from Madureira and biscotti wrapped in a gold organza bag and a wooden spoon from the Culinary Loft.
—Suzanne Ito
Taking advantage of the loft's beautiful open kitchen space, guests could watch Preti's chefs prepare the tapas, from slicing the ham for a meat platter to spearing the lamb kebob with saffron pilaf (a nice alternative to paella, the more common Spanish dish), to assembling the croquettes with Serrano ham, salt cod and shredded pork. Dispelling the notion that tapas are just for light snacking, the buffet provided an abundance of hearty options—like red peppers stuffed with sweet potato, chorizo in red wine and mussels in saffron cream—for guests to pick from. Other partners in the Spanish cuisine showcase included Spanish wines from Morrell & Company and Partners in Wine, a selection of Spanish cheeses from Murray's Cheese and olive oil from Casa Pons.
Gary'Z of Stamford's event decor consisted of floral bouquets in a warm palette of red, orange, gold and peach hues. The table linens, custom-made by Linda Lieberman of Just Linens/TriServe, featured bronze cloths topped with orange and yellow overlays.
The event's color scheme began with graphic designer Sloane Madureira's invitations, which featured a 16th-century Sevillian lattice pattern stamped on mustard-colored paper. The event's gift bags, created by Larick Associates, featured the same lattice pattern, and contained a beautiful sangria pitcher from Gary'Z, a notecard from Madureira and biscotti wrapped in a gold organza bag and a wooden spoon from the Culinary Loft.
—Suzanne Ito