Finger Food - City Catering Company

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Neat,tidf
tively displayed
appetizers
arethe perfectpick-me-up
for the peckishbrideand groomandyour guestswill adorethem.
By SusanVollano
a
ffiry"
P A G E9 0 : P o l e n t a c u t i n t o
c i r c l e sa n d s t a c k e dn e a t l y
with blach oliue tapenade,
r o a s t e d r e d p e p p e r sa n d
fresh mozzarella are topped
uith a fresh basil leafand
offer the sunny flauors of the
Mediterranean in one tidy
bite. P,tcr 9 t : The dals of
o n e p i e c e o f c a h es e r u e d
u i t h a d o z e nf o r k s t o s h a r e
might just be ouer. Micro
dessertsare gaining
popularity as an addition
or alternatiue to traditional
wedding cake.Miniature
rides rarely eat
at their own wedding.No
c o c o n a tc r e a mp i e s A r e o n e
matter how much planning
of City Catering Company's
and tasting you did beflore
m o s tp o p u l a r m i c r o d e s s e r t s .
The buttery pastr! crust is
the event,there is a good
filled with a dense, creaml
filling and topped with a
chanceyou will go hungry
on the big day. Usuallyit's
because
you're caughtup in
s p r i n k l e o f t o a s t e dc o ( o n u t .
Unlihe a big, sloppl slice of
the eventand too busy to
p i e , t h e s et r e a t s a r e a l m o s t
eat. But all too often, brides
i m p o s s i b l er o p a s s u p . T u r s
are simply afraidof the
t , A G t , r o t ' : P a r m e s a nc h e e s e
[ood. Let's face it: when you
is melted and tisped in the
h a v ea p h o t o g r a p h ecrh a s i n g
ouen, then rolled into a
you around all day, the last
d.clicate cone and filled with
thing you needis a glob of
Tuscan white bean salad,
mustardon your noseor a
This uegetarian delight is a
dribble of sauceon the
dazzling moilthful of texures
hand-beadedbodiceof your
and J'lauors, Tu t s t',tce,
gown. If a bride is going to
DorroM: City Catering
eat, the food had betterbe
chefAngie Hanison makes
enticing,easyto grab on the
run and simpleto tuck into
Asian delicacy by wrapping
this healthy and light pan-
an ever-smiling,perfectly
Vietnamese rite paper
kissablemug.
around Noua salmon,
That's why Lendy Hensley
c u c u m b e ra n d T h a i b a s i l .
and her team ofcreative
For an added kich, she
caterersat City Catering
Company in \WestSeattle
s o m e t i m e sd u s t s t h e r o l l s
havea categoryof appetizers
they call "lipstick food":
Japanesesprinhle of seaweed
flakes, sesameseedsand
easy-to-eat,perfectly
assortedspices. Using such
adorablebites that will send
flauorful, fresh ingredients
mahes a messydipping sauce
your tastebuds into a frenzy
but leaveyour makeup
with Furihahe, a popular
i
o r d r e s s i n gu n n e c e s s a r ! .
looking flawless.Hensley's
O t t ' o s t r E P A G E :B u t t e r l
philosophyis refreshingly
sirnple."Anyone can make
p o u n d c a k eg l a z e d w i t h
food in vats,"shesays.But
topped witb whipped
troughs o[ food are rarely
crenm and a perfect
appetizing.So her crew
raspberry mahesfor big
works hard to make even
flauor in n little pachage.
c h o c o l a t eg a n a c h ea n d
,,.1't:.r:
SDATTLf,BRrD!
:oo; | 9.1
the largesteventsappeartidy and personalized-and that meanslots of finger foods
and passedappetizers.
Presentationand practicality are the keys
to successfulfinger foods. City Catering
chefAngie Harrison is constantlyinventing
creativeand seasonalappetizersusing
ediblecontainers.Shehollowsout roasted
potatoesand fills them with a bit of warm
potato-leeksoup.Tiny grilled flour tortillas
are filled with grilled salmon and green
chile cream,then skeweredwith plastic
swords.Sweetand savory"tuiles" (paperthin biscuitsor cookies)are rolled into
cones,filled with variedmixturesand
placed in speciallymade trays. Guestslift
them neatly from the hole for a neat and
206,721.0334
w w w . c i t y c a t cr i r r g c on rp an y . c o m
o h o t o :t o m b a M i c k
B EYON D P H OTOJ O U R N A LIS M"
flavorful snack.
David Meckstroth, co-owner of lVest
Tuxedosand Tennis Shoes
Seattle-based
Catering,believesthat anythingcan be
made into an appetizer.His companyhas
even been known to offer hearty, robust
winter disheslike cassouleton their list o[
finger foods.Highly polishedsilverspoons
are carefullyfilled with a singledollop o[
the rich Frenchbeanand meat dish. Guests
get a savorymouthful and a hint of the
traditionalContinental-styledinner to
come. For more Northwestflair, Meckstroth offers an earthy filling of wild
mushroomsand goat cheesein flaky
phyllo, succulentsmokedscallopson chic
bamboopicks and spicy searedtuna on
crisp fried wontons.
Be warned: Cute food can be very labor
intensive,and that doesn't alwayscome
cheap.You might want to arrangefor just
three or four varietiesto be passedat the
beginningofthe event,and then direct
gueststo a more formal or traditional buffet.
It's worth it, though. Such foodscould be
PHOIOBIOGRAPHER'"
I n t e r p r e t i v es, p o n t a n e o uw
s e d d i n gi m a g e sc a p t u r e d
b y a n o t e d f a s h i o na n d a d v e r t i s i n gp h o t o g r a p h e r ,
f r o m M i l a nt o M a l i b u :f r o m S e a t t l et o S a n F r a n c i s c o .
888.323.7374
www.psweddings.com
94
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Srarrre
BRrDE
F A r - L / v r N r E R2 0 0 3
the secretto peaceat eventhe most unpredictablereception.Even the Hatfieldsand
McCoys would be hard-pressedto argue
when greetedby a tray of prosciutto-filled
melon ballsadornedwith paperumbrellas.
Passa tray of teensytiny chickenpot pies
cappedwith buttery pastryunder their
upturned nosesand eventhe snootiesto[
guestswill relent. Attendeesare drawn to
moving trays ofcreatively displayedappetizers;they might smile or chat with
whomever is near them as they start
looking for the next interestingtray.
Strangerswill start talking, friends will
start laughing and the party will begin. *