Wine or Beer Tasting Cocktail Hour

One of the biggest wedding food trends for 2013 is a twist on the traditional cocktail hour. Instead of just offering guests a glass of champagne or bottle of beer, give them a whole tasting menu.

The trend is inspired by wine tasting tours and beer flights. You can incorporate the great beers and wines of California, or include drinks from other important locations. It doesn't all have to be alcoholic, either. A few special soft drinks can help break up the tasting.

The key to this trend is to give your guests small tasters and a lot of variety. Having different drinks for them to compare can also be a great conversation starter -- your guests can compare notes on which they loved and which they didn't.

For a perfect cocktail hour, add in paired foods for each drink. This can give your guests the best possible taste experience. To find out more about creating the ideal drink tasting menu for your San Diego wedding or event, get in touch 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.

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!

Wedding Dress Cake Gives Inspiration

Combining cake and couture, a British baker has created a $9,000 wedding cake in the shape of a bridal gown.

The six-foot confection went on display at the National Wedding Show in Birmingham, England. It is the handiwork of the Fairytale Cake Company and contains 17 layers of cake, buttercream frosting, and jam.

Of course, this isn't the first cake shaped like a wedding dress. There have been several bride-shaped cakes that gained internet attention for their life-like nature (and slight creepiness when it came time to cut the cake!). While this cake is a stunning example of what can be crafted with sugar paste, royal icing, and sugar pearls, we're not sure how any couples would want it for their wedding.

What this dress cake does show, though, is that there's no limit to what a wedding cake can be. Along with the world's most expensive wedding cake, another British creation that combined traditional tiers and a whole lot of real diamonds, this cake can give you an idea of what you might or might not want for your big day.

Whether you want to go all out with a life-size copy of your dress, or want to go much more casual with a table of cupcakes or cake pops, your cake can be a great part of your day and your wedding meal. To talk about what sweet things we can bring to your big day, give us a call!

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.

A menu to fit your theme

We love creating special menus to fit a couple’s wedding theme. We’ve had great fun coming up with a baseball themed menu for one couple last year.

The two baseball fans, Julie and Keith, had their wedding at the beautiful Diamond View Tower Ultimate Skybox that features a lovely view of the San Diego ballpark stadium and downtown, and our food was inspired by some ballpark favorites.

Of course, it wasn’t all hot dogs and peanuts. We gave them a top quality meal that wasn’t out of place in the venue.

Whatever your theme, there’s a perfect menu to match. One of the best parts of planning a wedding menu is talking to the couple to find out more about what they love and what they want for their special day.

Of course, you don’t need to match your food to your theme. A rustic wedding can have a sushi bar, and a black tie night of glamor can include sliders. The important thing is that it’s what you and your fiancé want for your day.

If you’re planning a San Diego wedding, get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help make your perfect menu.

How to incorporate this year's catering trends

Mint is one of the big flavors used in 2013 weddings. So how do you incorporate this strong and refreshing herb into your own San Diego wedding menu?

Here at Authentic Flavors we've got quite a few ideas for you to consider:

• Mojitos. If you have a spring or summer wedding coming up then your guests will love a drink of  peach puree, peach liqueur, ginger ale, rum and fine sprinkling of mint leaves. If your wedding is due to take place in the next couple of months then swop the peach for spicy, warm ginger.
• Ice cream. Who doesn't love chocolate chip and mint ice cream - especially of the home made variety?
• Mint and pea puree. This is a great accompaniment to dishes with ingredients such as spicy chorizo and bacon, or lamb and scallops.

We're always happy to discuss your wedding catering plans here at Authentic Flavors in San Diego, please give us a call if you fancy an informal chat.