Chicken or Beef? How Many Menu Options Should You Offer

We've all been given that typical choice -- chicken or beef (or vegetarian) -- when we've attended other people's weddings. But when you're planning your own nuptials, you might begin to wonder how many choices you need to offer.

More couples are opting to let their guests choose between two vegetarian options or one meat dish. Others don't want to go through the trouble of selecting that many dishes.

The reality of most San Diego wedding menus is that there is no set rule for how many options to offer. It is still the standard practice to ask guests to choose their meal ahead of time, though, unless you're choosing a buffet style service (in which case, you can also have many more meal choices available). It is also up to you whether you provide guests with set menu items or a more vague choice by main ingredient.

The chicken/beef divide also isn't always the go-to set of options. Consider offering a fish choice in lieu of one of the meats, or letting the difference be between mild and spicy.

If you want to know more about how a San Diego caterer can help create the perfect menu for your wedding, get in touch with us today!

Wedding Cake Alternatives

We're still thinking wedding cakes, but we know they aren't for everyone. If you want something a bit different, or want to bring the wedding cake look to other parts of your menu, there are plenty of creative ways to do this. Here are three great wedding cake alternatives.

• Croquembouche: This traditional French dessert is a way to wow your guests without the usual cake. The cone-shaped dessert is a towering display of profiteroles that can be decorated to match your wedding.
• Cheese: If you like the look of a cake, but want to give it a savory twist, consider a stack of fine cheeses. They can be decorated to look like wedding cakes, and can be served as an alternative to dessert or as an evening snack.
• Meat: This is certainly one that isn't for everyone, but you can create a wedding cake shape out of stacked meats. Whether it's a creative twist for a buffet, or something to make your carb-avoiding guests happy, it can be a fun addition to a main course.

If you're planning a San Diego area wedding, give us a call to find out how we can add a creative, delicious touch to your menu.

2013 Wedding Trend: Cakes Are Back!

Are you tired of seeing towers of cupcakes or cake pops at weddings? Well 2013 might be the year for you. If the early wedding season is anything to go by, cakes are back!

Couples are going back to tradition with their choice of confection this year, and it might signal the end of the trendy years of single-serving size cakes. The trend this year will be traditional tiers, with beautiful decoration to match the wedding theme.

Of course, it isn't the complete end of non-traditional choices. This year, though, the non-traditional is going even less traditional, with desserts like donut towers being a popular choice. Other couples are leaving the cake out of it completely, opting instead for dessert bars or pie buffets.

Whether you’re looking for traditional tiers, a wacky tower, or something completely different, get in touch with us to find out how we can make your perfect wedding dessert.

Great Events With Authentic Flavors

Authentic Flavors recently catered some great events that we wanted to share with you.

The Not Wedding

Imagine going to a bridal show where you get to see all of the greatest wedding vendors showcasing their best work, rather than only getting to see their talent you get to experience it as you would at an actual wedding!

This is the concept of The Not Wedding where brides to be get to be guests at a fake wedding.  The Not Wedding made its premiere here in San Diego this month at the incredible event venue The New Children's Museum and was headed up by the talented Couture Events team.  

Authentic Flavors Fine Catering & Events was thrilled to be one of the caterers asked to participate and showcase our fine cuisine at this fun and innovative show!

Hotel Del Coronado Wedding Show

Spring has just arrived and that means wedding season is kicking off and we couldn't be more excited! 

With the many great weddings we have coming up this year, Authentic Flavors Fine Catering & Events wanted to give those newly engaged the opportunity to taste what we're all about at the recent Hotel Del Coronado Wedding Show.  

Being a full service caterer with an in house bakery we thought we'd show off a few of our gourmet desserts. Partnering with Kathy Wright & Co. as well as The Invitation Factory, Bouffant Hair, APR Fine Linens, Hire Elegance and Classic Party Rentals in the "high tea" area we invited guests in to have tea with the queen and her friends and enjoy desserts such as our mini white chocolate crusted fruit tartlets, bite sized caramel dipped and sugar coated apples and  crème brulee cheesecake bites.  

The show was a great success and co-owner, Justin Fitzgerald, had the delight of meeting luxury wedding extraordinaire Grace Ormonde and discussing exquisite weddings with her.   

Maserati

Authentic Flavors Fine Catering & Events had the privilege to partner with Maserati for their launch event, unveiling the luxurious, newly re-designed Quattroporte.  

VIP Guests sipped champagne & wine as they enjoyed savory hors d'oueuvre, such as petite seared filet mignon on truffled polenta and duck confit risotto bites.

To find out what we can do for your next event, give us a call today!

Tasty Spring Food Trends

Spring is a great season for food. Even though we don't suffer too much from cold here in San Diego, it's still great when the weather warms up a bit more and everything starts growing. This is reflected in the best spring dishes, too.

Lamb is at its best in spring, and now's a great time for this meat. With a texture similar to beef, it can be used in beef's place in lots of recipes. Lamb is also perfect with mint, and a salad with thinly sliced lamb and a drizzle of mint dressing is a beautiful starter.

Speaking of salads, spring is a great time for transition salads. For these, think about the salads that don't rely on a big pile of iceberg lettuce, though! Marinated vegetables, flavorful cheeses, and grains like quinoa are perfect in spring salads.

Spring is also a time to think ahead towards summer. Don't be afraid to add a bit of spice into your spring menus, and a bit of heat can be a nice reminder that summer is only a few months away.

To find out more about perfect spring menus, get in touch with us! We're happy to discuss how we can help with your next San Diego event!

Great Ingredients Mean Great Food

It seems like news stories about food safety problems are a standard these days. This is why it's so important to choose a caterer that uses great ingredients. Knowing that only the best is going into your food can give you peace of mind, but also gives you amazing food.

As our clients can tell you, our food is always excellent. Using great ingredients is the basis of this. We know the importance of using the ingredients that have the best flavors to get the best results.

Whether you're planning a wedding, corporate event, or anything else, we bring our commitment to great food to every catering job. Here in Southern California, we have access to so many amazing food producers, it's only natural that we'd use the best products our state has to offer, as well as the best ingredients from around the world.

If you want to find out how Authentic Flavors can bring the best ingredients and the best menus to your next event, give us a call or request a free quote.

Catering for Food Allergies

If you're planning a wedding or event, you might be worried about how to cater for guests with food allergies. No matter how great the food is, if your guests are all on gluten free diets they won't be able to enjoy your bread buffet.

As a caterer in San Digo, we know that paying attention to allergies can be a bigger task than just having peanut-free recipes. If you have guests with known allergies, it's worth mentioning this to us when we come up with your dream menu. We can work with you to plan a menu that is suitable for your guests, and that uses ingredients and preparation that take any allergies into consideration.

No matter how much you plan, though, you might get thrown closer to the day when a third cousin announces that his date for the day has a list of allergies longer than most cookbooks. In general, guests will expect that most of the common dietary requirements are catered for. 

It's common to offer two meat options and a vegetarian choice. As many meat eaters are also happy to have vegetarian options, it is also possible to offer one meat and one vegetarian option.

You might not see every allergy coming, but it is worth asking your bridal party and immediate family members if they have any special requirements. All other guests will usually happily work with what you provide.

If you're planning a wedding or other event in the San Diego area, get in touch today to discuss how we can prepare the perfect menu for you and your guests.

Get Inspired by Oscar Winners

Looking back at last night's Oscar winners, we can't help but think of the food. Two of the year's best films, Best Picture winner Argo and Best Director Ang Lee's Life of Pi, both bring to mind some great menu choices.

With Argo's Iranian setting, we think of all the great foods the Middle East has to offer. Wonderful dips like hummus are great for weddings and can be served at a cocktail hour, or as a family style starter. For a main, consider the richly spiced lamb dishes from the region or a vegetarian option of falafel. The delicious tastes of figs, nuts, and honey are perfect for light dessert options.

From Life of Pi we can put together an Indian feast. The subcontinent has plenty of regional variety, so there's something for everyone. Whether you prefer the spicy curries of Madras or the creamy coconut-infused flavors of Northern Indian kormas. With a variety of breads, rice, and condiments, there is a lot of choice for any guest.

Whatever your flavor preferences, you can find something exotic and exciting for your wedding. Get in touch with us for more great menu inspiration for your San Diego wedding or event.