Catering and a SLUSH!

As promised, this week’s posts will focus on the night that was “Zesty does Catering” including highlights, recipes, tips and an overall recap on the night.  First off I want to share the behind the scenes that really made this night a success.  Whether it be preparation, organization, menu creation or simply just planning out the details – these are all very important aspects of a successful catering gig.

As I was preparing for the catering event, I wrote down the ideas and tips that I used so that I could share them with you.  If you have experience catering events,  I am open to your suggestions as well.  You just never know when Zesty could get the call again.

Without any further delay, here are 5 key points to a successful catering job:

1.  Organization

You want a system that allows you to easily access everything you need for the event. This includes lists and notes which might be organized in a spreadsheet on the computer. As well, it will help keep track of the supplies required for the event which all should be kept together in the same area.

2.  Make Lists

When catering any event, lists are your friend. How about a list of all the equipment you need to rent?  Of course a list of all the food you have to buy is a necessity as well as the supplies like tablecloths, napkins and dinnerware. Don’t forget to make a to-do list so you can check off when you’ve accomplished all the other things on the other lists.

3.  Make A Menu

You want to figure out everything you are going to serve from appetizers to desserts and don’t forget to include drinks. Then you need to figure out all the ingredients that you need to make the items that you won’t be buying pre-made. When making a menu, take into consideration any food allergies or food preferences that you know the guests might have.  For this particular event, seafood was off limits.

4.  Schedule

Once you know what you want to serve, you will need to come up with a time line so that each dish is ready at the appropriate time.  A lot of the things can be made in advance and then warmed or thawed the day of the event. Some other things you might be able to make a day or two ahead of time. Even if you have help catering the event, you want to include some wiggle room in your schedule just in case something goes wrong.

5.  Have Fun

Well this is pretty much true for whatever you do in life whether it be helping people, working, or simply hanging out with family and friends.  Make sure you have fun doing what you are doing and things will always turn out well.  This is how zesty lives.  I had a great time catering.

I am by no means an expert in catering as this was my first real catering gig.  With that being said, being a rookie can definitely be an obstacle – especially in a foreign kitchen.  I did not have any issues as the hosts had everything readily available and were very helpful.

Now onto the SLUSH!!  Try this killer combination of flavors and texture any day of the week.

Zesty’s Slush

Ingredients

• 8 Cups of water
• 3 Cups of sugar
• 2 Cans of Frozen Orange Juice
• 4 Cups  of Pineapple Juice
• 1 Small Bottle of Real Lemon (not big one)
• 1 Quart of Vodka

Method

1. Bring Water and Sugar to a boil.
2. Add remaining ingredients and place in freezer for 2 days
3. Stir total mixture after day one to ensure Vodka does not stay at the bottom.
4. Serve in a glass (you can also top with 7 Up)
5. Enjoy!

I hope you have a great day! Stay tuned to ZestyCook.com this week as I’ll be posting the remaining recipes from my first catering experience!

Take care

zesty

Tagged as: catering, drink, slush