Youve Got It Coming Caterer

Every great party has a few key ingredients. There's the event's theme, the seating arrangement, maybe music, the beverages, & of course... the food.

The event's food is so often placed in the limelight-front and center, so it can also be one of the largest sources of stress. Honestly, it doesn't have to be this way because you have your caterer (us) & it's part of our job, but even so, here are a few guidelines to reduce any menu-related anxiety.

Breathe, meditate, levitate... seriously you say? Okay, so breathe &...

Know Your Theme
Black-tie fundraisers are a little different from backyard barbecues, & hamburgers don't do so well with congressmen & philanthropists wearing coats & ties. The event theme sets the tone for everything else, including the menu. Keep this in mind.

Know Your Crowd
The theme comes first, but you also need to consider "who" will be coming. Are they vegetarian? A local community-oriented crowd? Matching your offerings to your crowd is a great way to start narrowing down your options.

Be Specific & Have Fun
Some things you really need to have, & some things you maybe just want, kind of... but most things aren't really worth all the stress. Being able to tell your caterer (again, that's us!) what's most important to you is priceless. This really helps us help you & leads directly to our last point which is...

The truth is that all salads should be prepared according to a good recipe. And yes, while salad recipes can take a little thinking, the payoff is a great experience for your guests and a successful event! So the next time your preparing a salad, win by following these four rules of expert preparation.

1) Pay Attention to Color
First, include ingredients of different colors to boost eye appeal, healthy nutrients, and attractiveness. For example, in a tossed green salad, shredded carrot and red cabbage can be added to leaf lettuce. Create colorful tossed green salads by mixing ingredients.

2) Balance the Flavor
Also strive to balance strong and mild flavors. For example, a pre-plated salad could present mild Butterhead lettuce with grapefruit sections, red-onion rings, and cheese.

3) Watch the Texture
Always try to balance softer veggies with crispier ones, the juicy with the crunchy, and fibrous with smoother items. For example, a tossed green salad could include Romaine lettuce, sunflower seeds, raisins, and orange sections.

4) Finally... Use Shapes
When you can, cut the ingredients into different shapes, such as cubes, julienne (matchstick shape), slices, shredded bits, and wedges.

Stick with these four ideas going forward, and your salads will be a big hit!