Our fabulously stylish candy dipped fruits and chocolate dipped sugar cookies are featured in the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine! We always love collaborating with the talented team at Martha Stewart Weddings on savvy ways to style up dessert stations for today’s chic weddings.
KDHamptons Magazine asked reigning king of catering, Peter Callahan of Peter Callahan Catering in New York City, if he would share some pix of his haute holiday decor. After seeing his gorgeous Thanksgiving table on KDHamptons {see the pictures here }, we knew we were in for a treat! Check out Peter’s winter wonderland, and get inspired to make your Christmas table as decadent with fresh magnolia leaves, silver bells and traditional red decor, as it is delectable! To see the feature in full, with all of Peter’s holiday decorating tips and personal reflections, click here.
Big thanks to Danielle Kosann at The New Potato for including me in the holiday lineup on The New Potato. To see the whole foodie feature, click on the image above, otherwise, you can see see my holiday interview in full below.
Best, Peter
Peter Callahan is king when it comes to events. An expert on the art of the dinner party, he’s come to dominate what we find a largely unexplored niche – the catering industry. Putting just as much of an emphasis on the aesthetic and design of food as he does the taste, Callahan represents so much of what we love about the dining experience. He was nice enough to share dinner party tips and some great go-to holiday recipes in the spirit of the season…
What would be your ideal food day?
My ideal food day would start with sugar donuts from The Downyflake on Nantucket, then lunch over the wood-burning stove in Aspen’s Ajax Backcountry Powder Tours. It is the finest lunch one can have, as you are in a one room shack after having skied fresh tracks all morning out of bounds. Then Après-ski at The Little Nell at the base of Ajax mountain.
What do you always put out when hosting a dinner party?
Good wine. People will drink more – when they drink more, they are having a good time.
What are your ultimate go-to appetizers for your guests?
Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They are so easy – you can make ahead and pop in the oven. Pair that with a tin of American Paddlefish Caviar and buckwheat bilinis and you have the perfect combination of high/low without the high brow cost (Paddlefish costs approximately $12/oz wholesale).
What do you always bring to a dinner party as a guest?
Good wine
The ultimate dinner party faux pas…
Working during your party. A host or hostess should always make everything look effortless. Whatever you do, make and set everything ahead of time, have it all streamlined and easy so you can relax and have fun with your guests.
If you could cater a dinner party for any six people, living or dead, who would be there? What would you cook?
Jimmy Hendrix (you always want a rock star), Bridgette Bardot during her James Bond era (you always want an ultimate bond girl), Henrik (my favorite ski guide from Alaska), Bode Miller (he’s colorful and I really like skiing), Grace of Monaco (a little royalty goes a long way) and my glamorous grandmother (who was from Europe and who I never was fortunate enough to meet).
PETER’S HOLIDAY PARTY MENU:
Caviar Cones
Salmon Tarts
Short Rib Burger Dinner with Onion Rings
View recipes in the blog post found on The New Potato by CLICKING RIGHT HERE… enjoy!
Peter Callahan, author of cookbook “Bite by Bite: 100 stylish little plates you can make for any party,” shares recipes perfect for the holidays, including a white chocolate martini and lollipops in unexpected flavors: mango shrimp, chicken parmesan, and lamb with mint pesto. To watch the whole segment and see Peter’s festive party bites, click the image above or right here.
Last month I headed down to Washington D.C. for an incredible event celebrating the launch of the American Chef Corps, a part of the State Department’s new Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Initiative. In addition to providing food and styling for the event, I was honored and excited to become a member of the Chef Corps! I have always believed food is a powerful medium to bring people together, so catering the kick-off party for this amazing diplomatic endeavor was a wonderful honor.
Chef Corps Group Shot {I’m in the back row, third from the left}
The new Diplomatic Culinary Partnership is part of Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton’s “smart power” philosophy as executed by the uber-savvy U.S. Chief of Protocol Capricia Penavic Marshall.
According to Clinton, “Food isn’t traditionally thought of as a diplomatic tool, but I think it’s the oldest diplomatic tool. Sharing a meal can help people transcend boundaries and build bridges in a way that nothing else can.”
U.S. Chief of Protocol Capricia Penavic Marshall and Peter Callahan at the Chef Corps Launch
From what all the chefs have been told, that means we’ll help prepare meals for visiting dignitaries, travel to U.S. embassies abroad for educational programs with foreign audiences or host culinary experts from around the world in our kitchens. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to meet with chefs from around the world who want to know more about U.S. advances in moving food from farm to table and building stronger culinary businesses.
On a tour of the White House
Before the DCP Initiative reception started at the State Department, the Chef Corps was invited to a private tour of the White House. I particularly loved seeing the White House kitchens, where huge state dinners crank out of a small, extremely efficient space run by White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford.
The White House Kitchen was efficient and well organized, particularly for its small size
For the DCP Initiative reception, I was asked to cater all the passed savory hors d’oeuvres and a whole host of my mini desserts. Additionally, I was asked to style all the other food and beverage displays for the event with our custom-made elements, vessels and props. We styled a seafood station highlighting seafood salads by Chef Amanda Freitag, a carving station for Maryland Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s bison short ribs, an elegant “grains” station showcasing Chef Art Smith’s love of Farro, a farmer’s market stand for Chef Mary Sue Milliken’s bacon and bean salad, a charcuterie station with cured meats from Creminelli, a lattice-tiered Pie Station for the Pie Sisters and an elaborate cheese station with cheeses from around the country.
Who knew there were food paparazzi to shoot my Pigs in the Blanket?
A Classic Cheese Board with cheeses from all over the country
Our Cutting Board Styling for Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Bison Short Ribs
Farm Market Station for Chef Mary Sue Milliken
American Pie Station with the Pie Sisters
Chatting with BizBash CEO David Adler
David proudly pointing out his name on the board
A HUGE shout out to our friend David Adler, CEO and Founder of BizBash Media, who helped make this initiative come to life. Something that should also be noted is that the James Beard Foundation is a partner with the State Department in the Chefs Corps program.
Chatting with James Beard Foundation President Susan Ungaro
White House Assistant Executive Chef Sam Kass is passionate about the program
My crew working hard in the State Department kitchen
Always happy to see the guests were inspired by my food presentation
Below is a list of all the Chefs in the Corps, check it out, as you’ll probably recognize some of your favorites from the Food Network and Top Chef, amongst others.
The Diplomatic Culinary Partnership’s American Chef Corps
Victor Albisu
Nick Anderer
José Andrés
Michael Anthony
Dan Barber
Rick Bayless
John Besh
Peter Betz
Richard Blais
April Bloomfield
Jeffrey Buben
Terry Bryant
Peter Callahan
Floyd Cardoz
Michael Chiarello
Joe Cicala
Cris Comerford
Scott Conant
Scott Drewno
Enzo Fargione
Maziar Farivar
Chip Flanagan
Larry Forgione
Amanda Freitag
Hoss Fuentes
David Garcelon
Duff Goldman
Todd Gray
David Guas
Tariq Hanna
Rock Harper
Maria Hines
Ris Lacoste
Robert Irvine
Jean-Marie Lacroix
Mike Isabella
Mourad Lahlou
Jason Larkin
Chris Jakubiec
Chris James
Sam Kass
Robert Kinkead
Ian Knox
Jamie Leeds
Anthony Lombardo
Emily Luchetti
Tony Mantuano
Tony Maws
Spike Mendelsohn
Roland Mesnier
Mary Sue Milliken
Rick Moonen
Masaharu Morimoto
Wes Morton
Marc Murphy
Michel Nischan
Kaz Okochi
Guillermo Pernot
Naomi Pomeroy
Olivier Reginensi
Andrea Reusing
Frank Ruta
Matthew Ridgeway
Charlie Romano
Aaron Sanchez
Richard Sandoval
Marcus Samuelsson
Chris Santos
Kiesha Sellers
Walter Scheib
Barton Seaver
Art Smith
B. Smith
Holly Smith
Angelo Sosa
Kevin Sbraga
Susan Spicer
Curtis Stone
Vikram Sunderam
Ming Tsai
Bryan Voltaggio
Joanne Weir
Robert Weland
Cathy Whims
Alan Wong
Robert Wiedmaier
Bill Yosses
Alex Young
Eric Ziebold
Andrew Zimmerman
State Department Dinner Table Presentation at Chef Corps
Great feature in the Wall Street Journal about Darcy Miller and Andy Nussbaum’s event honoring Olympic swimmer Lia Neal at Asphalt Green on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. All proceeds from the event were raised specifically to benefit the swimming programs at the aquatic center. Lia Neal won a bronze medal at this year’s Olympics in London and it was tremendously exciting to celebrate her achievement at the pool she normally trains at. Really fantastic pool party ideas!
I was thrilled to cater the event and, as usual, enjoyed collaborating on the menu and food styling with the incredible Darcy Miller. Our hors d’oeuvres and beverages like our Deep End Pear Tinis and Shallow End Lemonades were a hit, particularly our Smoked Salmon “Fish” shown below. Of course, all the cool illustrations on the edge of the tray, cocktail napkins, signage and on the bottle labels were provided by the uber-creative Darcy Miller.
My juicy mini cheeseburgers always seem to find themselves on my late night party menus… You know, those wedding after parties when you’re craving salty, casual bar foods? Yeah, these little bites are a must, as are the frites and onion rings that we pair with them…
One of my all-time favorite fishes to eat and serve is halibut. It’s a fabulous fish for grilling and roasting for many reasons. It is easily available year round, relatively inexpensive (depending on the time of year), easy to cook and lends itself to almost any flavor. This mild flavored, white fish has a kind of versatility you won’t find in any other fish. Halibut can be substituted for many kinds of fish and even poultry in most recipes, so it’s outstanding for most sauces. I tend to keep it light to let the flavor of the fish shine through.
I happen to love it as an entree for parties and weddings. It’s the ideal fish for choice of entree wedding menus, particularly when you don’t want a “fishy” fish. We pan roast the halibut and serve it on top of fingerling potato coins, top it with a little lemon buerre blanc sauce and heirloom tomato confit. Seasonal vegetables, like haricot verts and petite heirloom carrots, are light and delicious accompaniments.
Always happy to return to the Today Show for Kathie Lee and Hoda’s fourth hour… this time, I’m sharing my favorite bites for back to school parties! As most kids love Italian comfort foods, I’ve got my mini versions and kid-friendly portions of caprese sandwiches, spaghetti and meatballs, caesar salad (hold the anchovies please!) and buttery, delicious garlic bread. Served with lemon cups filled with lemonade and lemon stick straw. Of course, there’s a little something on the menu for the parents as well, a grown up version of lemonade… the Italian favorite, Sgroppinos! Lemon sorbet, vodka, prosecco whipped together in a cold copper bowl, poured into flutes or lemon cups and topped with limoncello!
Lemon Cups for Kid-friendly Lemonade OR Adult Friendly Spiked Sgroppinos!
You and both know that no kids party is complete without some sweets, so I brought out some of my mini breakfast items to share. All items that my own daughter loves in the morning or afternoon, such as: Rice Krispy Canapes with Greek Yogurt, Fresh Blueberries and Yogurt and my mini Wild Blueberry Pancake Stacks. Always a pleasure to hang out with the ladies of morning talk!
Mini Wild Blueberry Pancake Stacks
Rice Krispy Canapes with Greek Yogurt, Blueberries and Honey
Exciting News! My bestselling cookbook “Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party” is heading back for another printing! That’s the third printing in a year! Big thanks to Clarkson Potter and Crown Publishing! Just in time for holiday gift giving…
So a HUGE trend is natural wood for furniture and decorative accessories for event design. It’s only natural that our in house workshop has been in overdrive making our own wonderful trays, plates, bars, buffets and more in natural wood.
All of the shown trays, plates and platters are being shipped to the Hamptons this weekend for events, and Maine later in September for a big wedding. I happen to love them so much that I think these will end up in Manhattan too when the parties go indoors in the Fall.
This is what I LOVE to do, take interior design and fashion trends and incorporate them into food service in simple ways.
(And its very exciting to see all these things being made!!!)
I have been an avid fisherman for my entire life and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to fish with my son and daughter. Both of whom are avid fishermen as well.
On the west side of the island of Nantucket, where the Atlantic Ocean is warm in late Summer, the prized fish Bonito come in to feed on Sand Eels. Among the most beautiful fish in the sea, Bonito have lightning speed and strength that make them a top game fish on light tackle – spin or fly. They’re also not in great abundance and have to be caught on an incoming tide. Challenging, no matter how you work it! One of the best places to fish for them in the local waters is on the aptly named Bonito Bar off Madaket (a town on Nantucket). Boats come from all over to try their luck and patience is a must! As you can see, we were lucky!
Our family favorite method of eating fresh caught Bonito is as sashimi or sushi. Sometimes, we even bring nori lined with cooked rice on board the boat to make our Bonito sushi as soon as the fish are off the hook. However, on this day we waited until we were back home and had the Bonito as both steaks and as sushi. As usual, everyone gets to roll their own sushi!
Bonito are not available commercially so we look forward to our August fishing expeditions on the island as a special treat.
I recently had the pleasure of catering a beautiful garden luncheon and shopping event in the Hamptons. The luncheon was a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Alber Elbaz designing for the French fashion label Lanvin. It took place at a lovely private residence in the Hamptons, and proceeds from the shopping benefitted the non-profit Save Venice.
As it was a hot summer day, I designed the menu to be light and refreshing, taking advantage of the vibrant seasonal produce available in late summer months. Inspired by my favorite farm market stands in the Hamptons, like Jim Pike’s Farm Stand in Sagaponnack, the luncheon menu included: Grilled Lemon Chicken, Tomato-Watermelon Salad, Buttered Corn & Basil and an Arugula Salad with white peaches and shaved parmesan.
All of the delicious buffet items were presented in our custom-made wooden bowls, boxes and trays on a large wooden table on the terrace.
Sometimes, you can over think a menu and make the food over complicated. My goal here was to design a menu that reflected the aesthetic of the event and was in tune with the season, so I kept things simple, clean, and organic. We heard nothing but raves from the client, so it worked!
We all love ice cream year-round, but the sunny days of summer just beg for crazy amounts of the creamy stuff. Most of the time, I get inspiration from every day living with my family. These teeny tiny triple-scoop ice cream cones were inspired by Saturday morning cartoons with my daughter. You know the cartoons showing the impossibly tall ice cream cones with half a dozen scoops teetering on top of a miniature cone?
This is my simple rendition, with three manageable scoops of classic kid-favorite ice cream flavors like mint chocolate chip, strawberry and chocolate. I use a mini waffle cone maker for the cones and make enough to keep boatloads of them on hand for fast “I want ice cream” chants in the kitchen throughout the week. And, for the tiny scoops themselves, just use a melon ball-sized scoop and you’re ready to face the crowd of little faces.
One of my daughter’s favorite summertime snacks, S’mores! Might have to treat her to some of these sweet bites at our weekend bonfire on the beach… at least, that’s how I’m explaining my craving for them! Here’s my re-vamped version of the classic comfort food.
{Photo: Con Poulos}
Although Maine lobster is harvested year-round from the chilly coastal waters, in my mind there’s a true Lobster Season. And that’s August! Something about the vacation mindset maybe, as it’s a time when I can squeeze in some much needed playtime in between Hamptons parties. But really, it’s like a lot of my food design. Based on childhood memories and happy holidays spent just enjoying no-frills, casual dining with friends. This week I headed north for meetings and site walkthroughs for an upcoming wedding in Maine, and lucky me, I got to tie on a bib at one of the most popular lobster shacks in the area! Always good to just dig in…
Of course, lobster is already a HUGE part of my catering menus. People love it, whether served formally composed or playfully reduced down to tiny bites. Generally, people can’t get enough of it. In addition to my Lobster Petit Fours and Mini Lobster Roll hors d’oeuvres, clients are enjoying my first course plates Lobster Under Glass (above) and the Lobster Tower (at the very bottom of the post). Just a couple ways to obsess over fresh Maine Lobster…
{Above, my Lobster Petit Fours on Cornbread and my Mini Lobster Rolls. Below, my Lobster Tower}.
{Photos, top to bottom: Con Poulos, Peter Callahan, Con Poulos and John Armich}
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the past many years of catering parties, it’s that a great party is never just about the food. It’s about the spectacle of the presentation, too. Designing trays and building one-of-a-kind displays is an important way I honor the spirit of the party as well as highlight the skills my team brings to the table. Together with my team of young craftsmen, every day I’m working on some sensational new design that is elevated from sketch into reality.
Peter Callahan | it all starts with a sketch
For instance, this week we’re hard at work designing a cool custom all-clear acrylic bar for a modern party in a special state-of-the-art building. Every single element to this bar has to be thought out perfectly, no matter how tedious the detail. It all matters. It all takes time. Clear shelves, buckets, pedestals and trays all combine with a large sturdy glass table top for a magnificent light-as-air bar presentation that works beautifully in any party. But, it works best and was designed specifically for high rise, all glass buildings and urban bright lofts. This week we’re back inside another fabulous building designed by world renown architect, Frank Gehry for the opening party launching the penthouses at 8 Spruce Street in Manhattan. The view from the penthouse is extraordinary.
Room with a View | tonight’s party is in a penthouse at 8 Spruce Street, designed by Frank Gehry | it’s all about the incredible views of the Manhattan skyline, including the new Freedom Tower
Designing the style of the bar so that it matches the basic bar service needs with a cool presentation is the goal. Our biggest issue is making the chill tubs for the bar top itself, as well as the stand for the chill tubs. Chill tubs house bottles of wine and champagne in crushed ice, keeping them nice and “chilled” for the party. All with water retention that keeps the host’s space water-free and safe from damage. With the clear bar that we’re building specifically for this party, we go from sketches of the idea, to design drawings with exact measurements for our beverage presentation, to venue spatial parameters. Everything behind the bar has to be transparent, clean and precise.
Mock-ups | from sketch to wooden mock-up then to acrylic fabrication
So, once we have the clear bar design on paper, we move to creating a wooden mock-up of each piece of the design. The client didn’t ask us to make this, nor did the planner or the designer. It’s just what we do and how we work. In fact, by the time this bar is fully built and installed at the event there will have been at least 10 different artists who have worked on its design and fabrication. It’s this attention to presentation that continually inspires not only me, as a food designer, but also my entire team.
Clear Bar | shelves, buckets, chill tubs all acrylic to blend into the glass windows
A busy week for us is anywhere between three to six events, but that’s because we know that what we do takes focus and precision. {and a whole lot of advance planning!} But we know, as do our clients, that attention to detail makes it all worthwhile.
Back Bar Design | simple acrylic bases that hide water drainage, yet hold bottled beverages and ice
Cherry Lemonade | Summer Cocktails | Peter Callahan | Faith West
Weddings in the garden, lunches on the deck, backyard barbecues, beachy clambakes ~ they all require delicious summertime beverages be served, with or without alcohol. Sure, old-fashioned lemonade is always an approachable winner as it’s truly loved by both children and adults. Then there’s the classic trifecta of martinis, mojitos and margaritas which appeal to adults no matter where you are across the globe. Of course, finding fun new ways to freshen up these classic beverages is something I love to play with, what a tough job that is!
Blueberry Iced Tea + Blackberry Lemonade | Peter Callahan Catering
Where professional mixologists might add three or four different ingredients to change up an old stand by beverage, most of the time I find it takes just a tiny tweak to jazz up the recipe. For instance, adding fresh pressed cherry juice to lemonade is a simple and oh-so-delicious update to the seasonal favorite. If you don’t feel like breaking out the press yourself, buy a bottle from your local market like Tart Red Cherry from Trader Joe’s. It’s up to you whether or not it needs to be spiked with a little vodka or light rum! (of course, I vote YES to that question.) If you prefer sipping on a summer margarita instead, why not add a little seasonal juice to basic ingredients? Like watermelon or white peach. In both cases, you add additional mouth-watering flavor as well as vibrant color hues that appeal to every guest. See below for my recipe for White Peach Margaritas.
White Peach Margarita | Summer Cocktails | Peter Callahan | Mel Barlow
Recipe for White Peach Margaritas (Makes 1 Dozen Drinks)
Directions
Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender and pour over ice! For a fully-frozen version, add the ice in the blender.
Appetizers and hors d’oeuvres have undergone a little change in the last fifteen years. Can’t say I’m sorry, either as it’s been a time of creativity that has brought catering out from the shadows of party planning and into the light. No longer regarded as just a necessity, food service is now widely considered a crucial design element in the success of the whole event. As we all see every day on TV, people are passionate about food and want to experience it in clever ways. Their expectations are higher than ever before and they’re always looking for something new and different. Particularly when they’re planning an event where they want their guests to mingle and meet.
Simple, stylish updates | Cheese Carts that roam through the party bring delightful favorites to the guests.
It used to be hors d’oeuvres were items served before a main meal. But just a couple, like three or four, and nothing too complicated, as they weren’t meant to serve as your main course. Really, they were just a couple bites to take the edge off of the guests’ hunger as they arrived to the event. Perhaps after 45 minutes to an hour, guests would be invited to sit down for a served multi-course meal where they would remain for hours. {and hours} So much for the networking opportunities!
Avoid the lines | Food stations that hold delicious tasting plates that guests can pick up and walk away with quickly.
Today, while many parties still follow this traditional format with beautiful results, appetizers are now being artfully designed into interactive food stations, specialized mini buffets, roaming gourmet displays, and passed tasting plates. Guests may never be offered a seat at a dinner table. Rather, they’re invited to perch on a barstool at an open kitchen station, or grab a tasting plate as it’s butler-passed around the room, or rest on an ottoman while they graze on a micro mini display placed on a table before them. They might even enjoy selecting a mini cheese plate from carts roaming through the party tent. Maybe, like the parties I produce, they’re mixing all of the above into the party timeline! Why not? Keep it fresh! Guests should be encouraged to munch while moving and mingling at their own pace, even while watching a first dance at a wedding or listening to a keynote presentation.
A large coffee table is the ideal location for a micro mini food station.
Food is, and should be, a huge part of the entertainment at weddings and parties. For good reason as it’s a huge part of the budget. But more importantly, food makes people happy. Giving guests a flexible experience that incorporates their senses and engages their interest puts the spotlight back on the whole purpose of the gathering. To share, network and party!
Whether you say ‘to-may-to’ or ‘to-mah-to,’ chances are you’ll agree there’s nothing like the taste of a sun-ripened heirloom tomato in the heart of summer. DEE-licious! Heirloom afficianados know that there are countless different varieties out there, some more readily found in local farmers markets than others.
For our cool country wedding taking place tomorrow, we ordered multiple crates of heirloom tomatoes to be used in the menu in various ways, from our caprese salad to mini gazpacho shooters, etcetera. For the most part, the tomatoes came in looking exactly like you’d expect. Fat, round and juicy. And then, every so often, tucked in the crates we’d find a few funky looking varieties that just had to be shared. Almost a shame to chop these bizarre looking babies up for the event, so I decided to take a few home to enjoy. My plan is to use the narrow, pepper-looking tomatoes as a cocktail glass and fill it with some grain alcohol, maybe vodka, even a little fresh thyme from the garden. The other “ta-may-toes” will more than likely be sliced and enjoyed with some fresh basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Years ago, my good friend Darcy Miller, the founding editor of Martha Stewart Weddings, asked me to shrink down the hot dog into one of my bite-sized appetizers. As soon as I did that, lots of other caterers did the same, some more successfully than others. My favorite story is about one caterer who repeatedly sent a client “mini hot dogs” that were much bigger than mine. Again and again, over and over, the client kept asking her caterer for “smaller, like Peter’s” until the caterer finally said, “you want small? I’ll give you small!” and promptly broke the hot dog in half and handed it to her! Too funny.
Mini Baked Alaskas | Festive Fourth of July Desserts | Peter Callahan Catering | Image by Con Poulos
When you add sparklers to a dessert, it instantly becomes so much more celebratory! Such a simple thing, but I’m a big fan of SIMPLE. Why over-complicate food design when approachable food always puts guests at ease? Then, add a little flash and shimmer, and you’ve got a winning whimsical dessert. Like my Mini Baked Alaskas.
We use sparklers as you would birthday candles, and for all sorts of occasions, from the obvious Fourth of July celebration to weddings, bar or bat mitzvahs, grand openings and product launches. The sparkle they give manage to dress up a simple, classic ice cream dessert like my meringue-covered Mini Baked Alaskas. But trust me, brownies, slices of cake, even a hot fudge sundae all look festive with sparklers!
SPARKLER TIPS: For bite-sized desserts, I use a 5-inch-tall sparkler with a 3-inch wick. But I have to say, before you use sparklers at your party, indoors or out, make sure to get approval from your venue first. Fabulously fun, sure, but sparklers are still live flame. Make sure you party responsibly, even with food service.
Enjoy!
P.S. You can find the recipe for the Mini Baked Alaskas in my cookbook, Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can Make for Any Party, easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser on hot summer days.
During a recent event we catered in India, we were greeted at our hotel by the iconic doorman…
For the past several years, my catering services have garnered quite of bit of attention from families and businesses out of the United States. Particularly since the success of my bestselling cookbook, Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Little Plates for Any Party, which has been #1 in sales worldwide for over 9 months in the appetizers category. It seems other cultures around the world are just as fascinated with traditional American foods as we are here in the States. Even more so possibly, when they’re reduced down to lilliputian portions and presented in playful formats. During a recent jaunt to India for a client’s engagement party, my staff and I got to experience the local culture while introducing some of our signature Peter Callahan Catering foods and service methods. Needless-to-say, as you will see from the photos, it was an amazing trip all around and we can’t wait to return.
A different view from New York City, the busy Indian streets around our hotel were intense with energy, architectural wonders and saturated colors.
Such incredible green, lush landscapes and heavy perfumed air.
The view from my hotel room showed how much the area is booming, lots and lots of construction.
As soon as we could, we dropped out bags and headed out to the local markets for cooking supplies… walking along the busy streets was an adventure!
All around the market were trucks and scooters filled with bananas, rice, lentils and other produce.
Right up my alley, mini limes and lemons in baskets on the market path.
Spices, spices and more spices! The air was fragrant with exotic spices…
Perfectly arranged fresh fruit, likes oranges, apples, grapes, pomegranates… my chefs had no trouble finding exactly what we needed… and more… lots more!
Bunches and bunches of bananas.
Basket after basket of intriguing produce could be found, from curry leaves to peppers, egglant and potatoes.
Guess who we bought our mangoes from? And, he taught us a thing or two about negotiating price.
Ready to get to the cooking, thankfully, all 38 boxes of our catering supplies, food and presentation materials made it through customs without delay!
We had an enthusiastic team of local chefs and bakers, they couldn’t wait to sample the mini American foods, like our mini popsicles.
Comparing notes and methods in the kitchen.
Sharing the kitchen with the local chefs was a dream, they approached the art of catering with as much passion as we did… no matter the late hours and fine detail required.
My little Gruyere filled mini grilled cheeses are just as popular 24 hours away.
Chocolate chip cookies are a hit, no matter where you make them.
Talk about stories, the client’s Executive Chef shared with me his thoughts on food innovation… and how much he LOVED what he saw my staff whipping up in his kitchens!
Just one of several of our American Food Stations at the client’s home… our signature, simple and sophisticated styling was right at home in this gorgeous residence.
This was one of the highlights of my trip to India, this old fashion cotton candy machine, heated with a kerosene flame and powered by a hand-cranked wheel. We used it for my cotton candy lollipops.
I left the party at 5:30am to head back to the airport, braving the busy traffic to make sure I caught my plane to Las Vegas via Heathrow to be the closing speaker at the Engage!12: The Luxury Wedding Summit. After hours of travel, crossing several time zones, I ended up walking right off my flight and right into the Opening Party at Engage!12. Awesome! But I can’t tell you how much I look forward to being back in India very soon for another sexy Peter Callahan celebration. It has certainly become one of my favorite places to party.
My daughter and I are both big cereal eaters, and she sometimes has hers with berries and yogurt instead of milk. Her simple, straightforward morning routine inspired me to come up with this mini cereal bowl canape filled with organic Greek yogurt, topped with fresh whole blueberries (from Maine, when in season) and drizzled with local honey.
It’s fantastic as a breakfast hors d’oeuvre for weekend brunches, but the sweetness of the cereal bowl (made with marshmallows) makes for an unexpected dessert for fancy schmancy parties anytime.
{Photo: Con Poulos}
I’m always happy to talk about food and parties, and how I approach the two on a daily basis. Particularly when I’m chatting with the creative crew from Martha Stewart Radio’s Morning Living Show, Betsy Karetnick and Brian Kelsey. On every morning on Sirius XM Channel 110 from 7:00-11:00am, Betsy and Brian focus on cooking, home improvement, gardening and entertaining.
Early today, they invited me to stop in to their “Summer Kick Off” party to discuss tips for easy summer entertaining. For discussion, I brought along some of my summer-inspired foods like Summer Corn Soup; Caprese Salad with heirloom tomatoes, creamy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil; and a grilled lemon chicken served with roasted garden vegetables. All of these foods are easily made at home, taking advantage of the season’s best produce and herbs.
For summer recipes, check out my book Bite by Bite, 100 Stylish Little Plates You Can May for Any Party.
A two-sip shot of your favorite beverage matched with a delicious small one-bite hors d’oeuvre is an incredible icebreaker at cocktail parties. Especially when the small one-bite hors d’oeuvre is playfully served on an edible spoon, in an oyster shell or inside a tiny Chinese take-out box. Whether a simple shot of vodka to accompany caviar or a mini Patron Margarita next to a Mexican Fish Taco, my clients continue to love this idea of pairing food and beverage. Not only does the presentation add an element of surprise, it also gives wedding guests something to chat about at the party. If my fish tacos prove too challenging, these two classic pairings below are easily achievable in your own homes.
One of my favorite “shots + bites” includes my tongue-in-cheek ode to the classic pairing of Wine & Cheese. This hors d’oeuvre veers from tradition, offering the best of both in a clean, chic presentation. A thin wedge of pear is the foundation for a perfect sliver of Camembert cheese that gets topped with a few edible flower petals and fresh Thyme leaves from the garden. Generally, I prefer to pour a crisp, cold Chardonnay in tiny cordial glasses to partner with the richness of the cheese.
There are those who say that caviar should only be eaten from a mother-of-pearl spoon so as not to dilute the caviar’s purity. But since I’m all about keeping things simple and edible, if not downright whimsical, I came up with an edible cracker spoon that pokes fun at the traditional way of serving caviar. My Caviar Spoons & Vodka can also be made using regular round crackers, but adding a simple shot glass of chilled vodka is all that’s needed to make this pairing complete. Cheers!
Candy adds a fun and youthful feel to parties, whether it’s incorporated into the party decor, a lavish sweets table or a take home wedding favor. Personally, I like to use candy in fun, unexpected ways. Like in this bubblegum-inspired cocktail, the Bubblegum-tini! And, go figure, it’s pretty easy to make too! Just mix some fresh orange juice with banana and melon liqueurs to give the martini the true fruity flavor of bubblegum. Here’s the recipe so you can sweeten up your own party:
MAKES ONE DOZEN DRINKS
DIRECTIONS
In a large pitcher, whisk together the orange juice, vodka and both liqueurs. Fill twelve of your favorite glasses with ice and place a slice of orange in each. Then simply pour the Bubblegum-Tini mixture in each glass and serve!
PRESENTATION
For an extra fun serving presentation, we use our signature lucite trays filled with gumballs as a playful nod to the candy. But if you can’t find something similar, you can serve shot glasses or small bowls of gumballs on the serving tray.
Celebrating Donut Day with our trio dessert of Mini Donuts + Dippers! For any kind of event with any level of formality, this sweet little dessert is approachable and nostalgic. Something that catches well-heeled guests by surprise at a formal black-tie dinner!
I plate them vertically, lined up on a plate with delicious dippers, such as: a little chocolate/hazelnut ganache dusted with cocoa powder; some meyer lemon curd for tangy tartness; and a raspberry Chambord puree for that little twist on the jelly donut.
Baby showers are about celebrating new beginnings, so, in my opinion, like real life, these events should be lighthearted and whimsical. Keeping the theme of the event in mind, I like to indulge the mommy-to-be. More than likely, she’s craving something whether it’s Elvis French Toast or French Fries. I start by pulling out all of the crave-worthy foods, like Fried Chicken, Mac and Cheese, Spaghetti and Meatballs and other “lighter” crowd pleasers like BLTs, Shrimp Lollipops and Caprese Sandwiches.
For presentation, I like to stagger rubber duckies (my favorites are from BUD in Australia) between silver demitasse spoonfuls of Mac and Cheese. Sometimes, I even add Spaghetti and Meatballs or Swedish Meatballs to the tray. Dessert is a whole other story, but at the very least, color-coded cotton candy (pink for a girl, blue for a boy) is always a hit!
{Photo: Ross Whitaker}
Man, I love these national “food” holidays. There’s one for everything, it seems. But it works for me as I spend my days, living, breathing and dreaming about food and cool ways to style it up. So, Happy National Chocolate Chip Day! I think, in honor of this auspicious occasion, we should immediately whip up a batch of delicious Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies and Kahlua Milk Shakes to celebrate… or, maybe some Chocolate Chipwich Lollipops… huh, decisions, decisions… which do you prefer?
{Photos by the always awesome, Con Poulos}
Happy Cinco de Mayo! Who says you have to drink your margaritas to celebrate? Why not enjoy mini or regular-sized Margarita Popsicles? You can even line the serving trays and platters with salt for those who just gotta have it… ENJOY!
One of my signature sweet desserts going back many years now {MANY}, are my tiny sugared donuts. Believe it or not, these tasty little bites are more popular than ever! Particularly with our clients in India and China. I’ve served them in a zillion different ways – passed, as a dessert trio with different dipping sauces and as a part of a large dessert table.
So many cultures have their version of fried sugared dough; it’s nice to know ours continues to resonate in a true American fashion.
{Photo: David Mielcarek}
Peter Callahan Catering is definitely more than your average food service company. I know that as we do serious art projects for events on a regular, if not daily, basis. Custom-designed lucite hors d’oeuvres trays are my signature calling card, but what many people may not know is that our in-house “Workshop Boys” are real artists and craftsmen. They build, carve and paint all kinds of things for my parties – particularly kids birthday parties and bar/bat mitzvah celebrations. From 3D pink piggies to purple unicorns, Lion King manes and Wizard of Oz yellow brick roads… you name the theme, chances are, we’ve created something we can serve food on for it. Right down to the Avengers’ and Legoland. It’s playtime for us, every day.
In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day, I’m sharing my mini, bite-sized version of the American favorite. Buttery toast made in my own custom-mini loaf pans blend perfectly with gooey aged Gruyere cheese sandwiched between. Whether I add smoked turkey, crispy green apple or a slice of fresh tomato, there really is nothing more delicious than a grilled cheese sandwich. No matter what you pair with the cheese, it brings out the kid in all of us. {Particularly when it’s served with a tiny bowl of roasted tomato soup…}
{Photo: Ross Whitaker}
Almost a year ago, I had the pleasure of catering the 82nd birthday party for internationally-renown architect Frank Gehry. Where else could such an amazing party take place but at the top of Gehry’s then still-to-be-completed new residential building, 8 Spruce Street. Originally known as Beekman Tower and currently marketed as New York by Gehry, “8 Spruce Street” is a 76-story skyscraper in Manhattan. Whatever the name, it’s a true work of art. I mean, seriously, it’s the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere!
The whole 75th floor of the building was still raw space, but just for one night, 300 guests got to experience the undulating metal magic in high style. (Not to mention the unbelievable views up and down the East River.)
In addition to designing such notable buildings as the Guggenheim Museum in Spain; MIT’s Stata Center in Massachusetts; and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; Gehry is also a talented furniture designer. One of his favorite woods to work with is Douglas Fir and Gehry had tables made that are only sold for use in the 8 Spruce Street. While planning the birthday party, I couldn’t help but be inspired to suggest we design and fabricate hors d’oeuvres trays in the same shape as the tables and, of course, from Douglas Fir. The planning team loved the idea and you can see what we came up with below.
Other than the hors d’oeuvres, I designed a menu that included some old catering favorites re-imagined into a modern style. Specifically, a carving station of delicious meats that was displayed on a table we built out of butcher block of Douglas Fir. In the center of the table we used a reclaimed Douglas Fir beam that held the meats. Additional trays and boxes made from Douglas Fir held condiments and sides. All manufactured in-house in our workshop. Yes, we have a workshop in our studio to create all these amazing things!
With such an incredible inspiration like Gehry to design a party for, you need a big finish. Particularly for a huge birthday celebration! Only one person came to mind when the idea of a birthday cake came up. Who else but our clever friend, Ron Ben-Israel could rise to the challenge? So we gave him a call and look what he whipped up? A sweet genius, indeed. {and love the beginning of the video of Gehry sketching the building, he could be drawing a sensational cake like Ron!}
Have to say, what an honor it was to cater this incredible birthday gig for the maestro of design, Frank Gehry. A real honor.
{Photos: Flickr, John Armich, Ron Ben-Israel}
As a cross between a champagne cocktail and a dessert, a Prosecco Sgroppino has a frozen frothy fabulousness to it that is fantastic for Spring and Summer parties. Drizzle a little Limoncello liqueur over it at the end, and it’s even better! At PCC, we like to whisk large batches in an iced copper bowl right in front of party guests at our Sgroppino Bar — the action (and ultimate payoff) always draws a crowd. But be careful you don’t make too many of these fizzy chilled drinks too early or too fast without someone to drink them. This is a semi-frozen drink that’s best made to order or in small batches.
Sgroppino Recipe
Take the sorbet out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature until it’s soft but not melted, approximately 15-20 minutes. Scoop the sorbet into a large chilled bowl and pour in your favorite vodka. Briskly whisk the sorbet and vodka together until the mixture is smoothie smooth, and then whisk in the chilled Prosecco. Taste (yeah, tough job but someone’s gotta do it) and adjust the sweetness with simple syrup, if needed. Divide amongst twelve chilled glasses (I like martini glasses) and finish with a little drizzle of Limoncello liqueur, and serve.
{Photos: Ross Whitaker}
Having tons of fun with TV personality (and former Bachelorette) Ali Fedotowsky shooting mini foods for her new NBC travel show 1st Look. She loved my margaritas in mini Patron Tequila bottles! Debuting on April 14th, Ali will travel to different locations throughout the U.S. to discover the best in food, hotels and nightlife. 1st Look is produced by NBC’s lifestyle production arm, LX.TV.
So nice to be connected with my alma mater, The Brunswick School, for their Spring Benefit. This is a school like no other. Since 1902, Brunswick School has been, in the words of founder George Carmichael “ably and generously preparing boys for life.” I’m honored to participate in this year’s Spring Benefit, and I’ll definitely have a cool menu planned for everyone! But just check out the cool band they have set to play… it’s going to be fabulous celebration!
BAND
“The Bobby Keys Band” with very special guests will be lighting the stage on fire at this year’s benefit! Legendary Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys will be performing with an all-star cast of musicians, including Dan Baird (Georgia Satellites), Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes), Robert Kearns (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Michael Webb (John Fogerty), and Chark Kinsolving (Spoonful). The band will be supported by the entire Rolling Stones Horn section.
FOOD
Peter Callahan, celebrity caterer, author, and Brunswick alumnus will create a sensational menu for the evening. Peter’s culinary creations have been featured in Oprah, People, and Bon Appetit, and he is widely credited with being the originator of “the slider”.
I’m always on the hunt for new party venues with impact. For years, I’ve been meaning to visit the The Hispanic Society of America Museum and Library in Spanish Harlem. I finally made it up there as I have a wonderful corporate client who is holding a dinner there this Spring ~ such a brilliant idea!
There are those who won’t venture up to 155th Street, but over the past several years Spanish Harlem has undergone a renaissance of sorts and more notable personalities are taking note. Such as, former President Bill Clinton who has his offices in Spanish Harlem, among others.
Located in a beautiful building that has undergone an elaborate renovation, The Hispanic Society is one of the hidden gems in Manhattan. In the same building you’ll find the prestigious honor society, the American Academy of Arts and Letters – which sounds like it’s a dusty, old, and outdated place. However, with some of the most dynamic architects, composers, artists and writers of our time as members, like Woody Allen, Frank Gehry, and Joan Didion, it’s anything but. To get to The Hispanic Society, you walk through a gorgeous outdoor pavilion that is very grand and feels very Old World European. {ps the pavilion would be great for large tented events, which they allow!} But as you continue walking through the pavilion, you’re still not sure what you’re walking into. Then you walk inside the Society and it’s like tah-dah! the first room you enter is a tall dramatic room that goes up to a skylighted roof. {see above} This is the area where we will hold cocktails for the corporate event we are catering.
With more than 800 paintings and 6,000 watercolors and drawings, the Hispanic Society will allow guests to mingle around the art collection with savory tapas and a glass of Spanish wine in hand. Something which almost never is permitted around priceless artwork!
The next room, which is more of a round-shaped space, has beautifully-restored murals that encircle the entire space. We will hold dinner in this room. Lastly, our waiters get a holding room fit for a king with a rare Spanish map from the 1500’s at one end of the room. {see below}
It should be noted that some others are big fans of The Hispanic Society of America, such as Oscar de la Renta, who recently held an event there from what we’ve heard.
The Hispanic Society of America should be on everyone’s list for events, not to mention, on your list of New York sites to visit too!
After shrinking down my favorite foods, it was only natural that I would turn my attention to my favorite cocktails. One of my all-time favorite beverages is a margarita. When I created my shots + bites series of food and drink pairings, my clients loved all the concepts as they had never seen anything like it before. Wine + Cheese, Vodka + Caviar Spoons, Cherry Sake + Spicy Chicken Wontons, they all wowed the crowd. But when I cooked up my Fish Tacos + Patron Margaritas, the trend exploded! This simple pairing of a fish taco presented on the same sleek tray with a margarita shot in a mini Patron Silver bottle is my most popular hors d’oeuvres yet. It’s delish for sure, but the two-sip shot is cleverly matched to the small bite for an awesome icebreaker. We even have clients who love serving them between first course and main course as a zippy pick me up. Happy ‘Rita Day!
{Photo courtesy of Mel Barlow & Co.}
Working with other food creatives who challenge and inspire me to design new, playful food is tremendously rewarding. To see the same passion and dedication mirrored in their businesses as I work hard to maintain in my own, is impressive. I recently had the pleasure to work with the uber-talented Buddy Valastro of the wildly-popular television show, Cake Boss. I have to say, Buddy truly outdid himself with the Winter-themed cake and accompanying sweet treats he created for a recent Winter Wonderland party. Having had the pleasure to work with Buddy’s family bakery, Carlo’s Bake Shop, on countless events, it’s easy to see why he’s the success he is in the industry. He and his lovely wife, Melissa, are also two of the nicest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. {not to mention, he’s also a pretty dapper dresser!}
My cookbook, Bite by Bite, is officially sold out and heading back into re-print! {again} It’s roclin’ awesome news and I couldn’t be more thrilled to know that people are enjoying seeing what I do, and are hopefully, having fun making my fun food in their own homes! THANK YOU!
Nothing like sharing Sundays with friends and colleagues in the event industry! And there’s no one cooler than talented event designer, Matthew Robbins. Together with a whole host of awesome wedding professionals, Matthew and I are talking all about the top wedding trends at today’s The Wedding Party at the New York Palace, a delightful bridal event hosted by The Wedding Library and Martha Stewart Weddings. We’re having a great time chatting with brides and signing our new books! If you haven’t seen Matthew’s gorgeous new book “Inspired Weddings” ~ you need to, it’s FABULOUS!
Happy National Pie Day!
Yes, it’s true, there’s even a day devoted just to PIE. Not that I mind, as it’s one of my absolute favorite desserts to enjoy year-round. Some feel there are four definitive seasons of pie enjoyed in the kitchen ~ Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall ~ and I don’t disagree. Taking advantage of seasonal produce always yields fabulous tasting fruit pies like strawberry-rhubarb, cherry and brambleberry. But when it comes to Winter, the leanest of the seasons, all I have to do is find the humblest of fruits, the apple, and I know I’m golden. But a delicious pie doesn’t work without the perfect crust. There’s no need to be intimidated, just keep the pie crust simple and straightforward mixing up a basic blend of flour, salt, ice water and butter. If done just right, the sweet, tangy apples will be wrapped in a flaky, buttery blanket that will take the edge off the chilliest of Winter days. Particularly when it’s paired with a steaming cup of hot tea.
{Photo courtesy of Con Poulos}
Chinese New Year starts on Monday, and sometimes, a Dragon Needs to Nibble! {love that title!} It’s the Year of the Dragon, the luckiest of them all, filled with the promise of great success and prosperity! Why not celebrate with some of my signature Peter Callahan Catering mini bites?
As exclusively featured in The New York Times, and in celebration of the Chinese New Year, we’re offering Peter’s Spicy Chicken Fortune Cookies for at-home delivery. Available for overnight delivery, we’ll happily send you a minimum of three dozen of our savory fortune cookies, each with a festive fortune cookie message tucked inside. And although the cookies are delicious little hors d’oeuvres and can be presented as you like, we like to serve them in traditional take-out boxes. So, we’ll also include in your order a stylish, custom-made red acrylic serving tray and six mini white Chinese take-out boxes that will give the cookies that extra playful WOW!
Special offer only available through Tuesday, January 31, 2012, email info@callahancatering.com to place your order.
Happy Friday the 13th! The first of three taking place in the year 2012, each spaced 13 weeks apart. Crazy, right? Scary and/or superstitious for most, I prefer to regard Friday the 13th as a day filled with good luck rather than bad will. I might be in the minority with that view, but looking back into history, you have to wonder at the origin of the symbolism. If the number 13 is truly bad luck, then why does it appear throughout history in such interesting, and seemingly mystical, ways?
With all these magical 13′s occurring this year, you’d better believe I’m going to block out the negative and continue to embrace the positive. I prefer to regard the superstitions surrounding the number 13 as powerful, mystical and enlightening rather than fearful and evil in nature. And, if our 2012 event calendar filled with spectacular bar and bat mitzvahs tells us anything, the positive perception is working.
Rumor has it, today is none other than National Spaghetti Day! Works for me, as anything Italian is the ultimate in comfort food. Particularly in the cold dead of Winter! My mini Spaghetti and Meatball hors d’oeuvres is one of the most popular savory foods we make at Peter Callahan Catering. From its inception, it was one of those fun foods you just knew was going to please every crowd for its design and taste.
Rather than skewer it on a fork or dish it up in a spoon as other catering companies have done since, my meatballs just pop in your mouth in one simple delicious bite! And, as I like to do, I’ve designed a custom red and white checkered acrylic tray just for this classic appetizer. Mangia! Mangia!
Nothing like having a house filled with the exuberant voices of children to remind you of the joy of Christmas!
Earlier today, we hosted a Make Your Own Gingerbread House Party for our daughter and some of her friends. This casual, after-school get-together was just too much fun to watch unfold! As you can see, each child decorated their gingerbread house in their own style using jelly beans, red hots, gum drops, peppermints and marzipan. What each child focused on was actually, really fascinating to me, as were their design concepts: the front door on one house got an elaborate garland and topiaries to “add curb appeal”; another house was given an intricate jelly bean mosaic as the front walkway to “give my mommy something pretty to come home to”; yet another showcased a roof decorated with an ornate white design “that reminds me of our house in the snow last Christmas”; and several houses showed favorite pets “waiting for me to come home” or beloved animals “I got to see at the zoo” (seals and a penguin). Although I arrived after another busy day at the office, this little group of clever designers wiped the stress right away with their laughter and festive spirit.
Cold weather is here and nothing warms up a holiday party faster than a cup of Hot Mulled Apple Cider! In fact, these little red beauties are the ideal beverage to hand to guests as soon as they arrive at your party! Particularly if they’re spiked with some delicious dark rum! Bye-bye chilly damp December; Hell-o cozy festive party scene!
The step-by-step recipe is shared in detail in my book, Bite by Bite, but it’s one of the easiest and least intimidating beverages to produce with the BIGGEST impact! Ordinarily, we put a big iron pot on the stove then add in tons of fresh pressed apple cider, slices of fresh oranges and lemons, several whole cinnamon sticks, a handful of whole cloves and one star anise. Letting that fragrant kettle of spicy goodness simmer over medium heat for at least 20-30 minutes will yield a delicious hot beverage that everyone will love. Just add a touch of dark rum to the spicy brew for some added holiday cheer!
And, when it comes to serving the Hot Apple Cider, classic mugs or cups work just fine. But I find it’s chic and stylish to use a hollowed apple as the cup with a whole stick of fresh cinnamon as the garnish. This simple presentation elevates the look from country farm-stand to modern cocktail party!
Whether at a corporate cocktail party or an at-home dinner party, it’s not difficult to build a bar that’s both beautiful and functional.
One of my favorite bar styling methods is to decant all the usual spirits (rum, whisky, scotch, bourbon, cognac) and display them in modern glass carafes or classic cut-crystal decanters. The warm, amber colors of the libations immediately become a festive presentation! I’ve also poured the clear alcohols (vodka, gin, sambuca, tequila) into the decanters, keeping the presentation divided into clear spirits on one side and ambers on the other.
To keep each spirit clearly identified for easy pouring, I like to use simple hardware store tags tied to each carafe with leather cord or natural raffia. Or, for the more formal crystal decanters, I use tiny-but-legible calligraphed signs that sit just in front of the elegant containers. Even the standard mixers like tonic, simple syrup and Triple Sec can be decanted into glass carafes for a uniform look.
And for some added flare at the front of the bar station, add simple glass vessels or bowls filled with colorful lemons, limes, cherries, olives, onions and blood oranges. I have found that keeping every single element on the bar consistent makes the BIGGEST impact! Cheers!
After I’ve totally overindulged on Thanksgiving, I tend to seek out leaner ways to enjoy the piles of leftovers that remain from the decadent feast. Somehow, it all just tastes better the days after so why not enjoy them? If only in mini form with my Turkey Canapés. Known for my re-invention of American classic dishes, I’ve taken all the key foods from Thanksgiving and narrowed them down to one-bite hors d’oeuvres that can be shared without stuffing our faces again. It all starts with a crispy turkey skin cup that is made using a mini-muffin baking tin, chopped or shredded turkey meat, a spoonful of tasty stuffing and a dollop of cranberry sauce. You can even add a tiny bit of turkey gravy using a squirt bottle but avoid too much gravy as the crispy skin will lose it’s form with too much moisture. As always, the trick is to make the hors d’oeuvre TINY. For the full recipe, check out pages 130-131 in my cookbook, Bite by Bite.
These canapés can be incorporated into any holiday cocktail party menu to give guests a small reminder of their Thanksgiving celebration minus them having to unbutton their pants! But I must say, I’ve always wanted to host a Thanksgiving celebration with a cocktail-style format. Rather than having guests be seated around a table with family-style platters, I’d invite guests to mingle throughout the house, sampling traditional family recipes that have been re-vamped into bite-sized hors d’oeuvres. I can picture the sweet potato pie, Turkey Canapés, green bean casserole and brussel sprouts in my head already!
Spending as much time on Nantucket as I do, it’s hard not to be a huge fan of cranberries. Interestingly enough, cranberries have been grown on Nantucket since 1857 and were an important part of the island’s economy until just prior to World War II. The cranberry, named such because its pink blossoms resemble the head of a crane, was first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry’s versatility as a food, fabric dye and healing agent. The tart red berries were first cultivated on Cape Cod in 1816, where wild cranberries seemed to thrive and American farmers needed a consistent crop to plant. You see, cranberries are truly unique in that they can only grow and survive under a very special combination of factors: they require an acid peat soil, an adequate supply of fresh water, lots of sand and a growing season that stretches from April to November. That growing season must include long months of dormancy when the brutally cold winter months provide an extended chilling period necessary for the fruiting buds to mature.
Although we see it on television often enough, cranberries do not grow in water. Instead, they grow on vines in impermeable beds layered with sand, peat, gravel and clay. These beds, commonly known as “bogs,” were originally made by glacial deposits. Cranberries are actually harvested using water as the center of the cranberry fruit is hollow, so they’re shaken off the vine and easily float up for fast collection. Today, cranberries are commercially grown throughout the northern part of the United States and are available in both fresh and processed forms.
On Nantucket, cranberries are generally harvested from September through November, just in time for the holidays! My absolute favorite kind of cranberry juice is fresh-pressed, not the store-bought concentrated versions. That’s a strong lobby, but once you have fresh-pressed cranberry juice you just can’t go back to concentrate. Sorry, man. It’s like going from fresh squeezed orange juice to Sunny Delight.
During the holiday season I tend to favor cocktails that take advantage of locally-grown or seasonal ingredients that tell a story, and what better story exists than that of the cranberry?
Here’s my recipe for a Cranberry-tini. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
Place the orange zest and juice, as well as 4 cups of the cranberries, the sugar, and 3 3/4 cups water in a food processor or blender, and puree. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Stir in the vodka. Thread the remaining cranberries on twelve cocktail swizzle sticks, 3 whole cranberries per swizzle. Fill 12 of your favorite glasses with ice, and divide the cranberry mixture among the glasses, leaving enough room for a splash of sparkling water. Just before you serve, add the splash of sparkling water and cranberry swizzles.
MAKE THE CRANBERRY JUICE AHEAD
The cranberry mixture (sans vodka) can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days. The swizzle sticks can be made 1 day in advance but store them covered with water in the fridge.
Cheers!
{photo: Con Poulos}
I’m asked all the time what the perfect menu is for a cocktail reception. Specifically, the ratio of passed hors d’oeuvres, hot and cold, to stationary food displays, bars and cocktail presentations. (and then there’s that whole tapas, mini plate thing which is a whole other story). But what I can tell you, is that you can never go wrong with having too much!
Here are some of my pointers and tips on building your cocktail party set list:
{Mini Burgers + Frites, Photo by Ross Whitaker}
When it comes to planning a party, I think every host knows there’s got to be something memorable that your guests walk away with, and I’m not just talking about a favor or swag bag. (although, we all know those can be extremely relevant). What I’m talking about is the need for customization. Creating a road map of sorts that brings all the event components back to the theme, brand or concept. Subtle or outrageous, sometimes it takes just a few key elements to create an ambiance that guests will talk about for years.
One of my favorite ways to customize an event is also something that can easily be done at home with a little DIY craft time. I like to use real flowers, leaves, herbs or ingredients displayed in a modern fashion. It’s also great fun to display layered printed images, such as faces, dates, names, initials, words, taglines and brands between the surface of an hors d’oeuvre tray and a clear acrylic insert. These all make the tray look like it was designed specifically for the event, product, person or brand. When you place bites of whimsical food in between or on top of those artfully arranged images, it transforms something simple into something amazing. And nothing is more fabulous than watching guests’ faces light up when they see the detail of the date or the guest of honor’s name as part of the event design.
{Raspberry Plum Sippers, Photo by Ross Whitaker}
I love the contrast between city and country, both balance out well for me. I work in the city and relax at our home in the Pennsylvania countryside. Around the holidays, my wife, Josephine Sasso, makes sure to jazz up our home in festive ways. Halloween is a favorite, and with a 10 year old daughter in the house, we bring out the spook decor. My favorite right now is the black crows as they easily attach to chandeliers, sconces and branches giving an Alfred Hitchcock feel. These were all bought at a local pharmacy. Then bright colored fall foliage brought in from the property’s trees is our other easy trick for festive color. Happy Halloween everyone!
{Photos by Melissa Paul}
Years in the making and a true labor of love, my first book is FINALLY on bookshelves!
The book is called Bite by Bite: 100 Stylish Plates You Can Make for Any Party by Clarkson Potter and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with all of you! My dear friend, Darcy Miller, the Editor of Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine, honored me by hosting a book launch party in her New York apartment. Who else would I invite to this celebration? All my event industry colleagues and friends who I’ve enjoyed working with over the years, as well as gourmands who appreciate the finer details of food design. (like me, they’re obsessed!)
I love this photo of Preston Bailey and I proudly holding our new books! Preston’s new book “Flowers” is as usual, insanely gorgeous with floral artistry that no one else on the planet can conceptualize or produce. He’s a genius! And that lovely lady between us may be petite but she’s a powerhouse of energy! Thank you Darcy for opening your home and heart.
Clearly, one the most popular hors d’oeuvres pairings I’ve created. The Mini Fish Taco paired with Margaritas in mini Patron bottles. Stylish conversation starters…
Another talented event designer and friend, Matthew Robbins, of Matthew Robbins Design who also has a book coming out soon. Cannot wait to pour over Matthew Robbins Inspired Weddings!
Working in Darcy’s gorgeous kitchen was a pleasure! There was plenty of space for the kitchen crew to plate up all the hors d’oeuvres!
Another extremely popular food and drink pairing has been our mini coke bottle sippers (sometimes, those are rum and cokes!) and fried chicken hors d’oeuvres. Guests LOVE these little whimsical presentations but are equally delighted at how delicious they are! {below, my Pheasant Under Glass}
{Below, left to right} Making these little pale pink cotton candy lollipops are much harder than you know, it takes patience and perseverance! (not to mention, self-control!) Our nori cigarettes are elegantly served in sterling silver boxes we had made at the exact measurement. My version of “Milk + Cookies” are milkshakes with cookie garnishes. Our mango shrimp lollipops are not only flavorful but easy to enjoy while standing at a cocktail party.
Before guests returned to their busy work day schedules, they were invited to sample some of my sweet treats: caramel lady apples with chocolate ganache centers, cotton candy, mini sugar donuts, tiny s’mores, cherry pies and milkshakes and cookies.
Taking my cue from the master of all things sugar, the iconic Sylvia Weinstock, has certainly taught me about ending celebrations on a sweet note. {Sylvia is photographed here with me and my wife, Josephine Sasso.} Thank you AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN Darcy for hosting this event!
Ah, the Jewish Holidays are upon us again. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It’s the ideal time for us to subtly incorporate our mini challah bread hors d’oeuvres into our party menus. Yet again, we’re striving for playful interpretations of traditional, and in this case, ceremonial favorites. So rather than making full-sized challah loaves, I make these precious little egg-bread wonders with anywhere from four to eight strands of braided dough. Although we have many times, we generally don’t sprinkle seeds (such as poppy, sesame, coriander) on our challah but many believe the seeds symbolize the manna that fell from Heaven while the Israelites wandered the desert. Such beautiful symbolism, if not bittersweet. We do; however, add in honey or raisins to the recipe as it, too, can be representative of the sweetness of manna. When it’s time to serve our mini challot loaves, just pop them into a warmed basket or serve them on a cutting board.
{The recipe for our Mini Challah Loaves can be found in Bite by Bite, page 112}
Welcome to Peterspeak, where I share cool thoughts and tips on entertaining, food, catering, family and whatever else comes up on the journey or is on my mind. Warning! I’ve got lots of opinions, so fasten your seat belts!
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Available for Private Parties, Events. 
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