We recently catered a corporate cocktail party in Philadelphia.  This event is a perfect example of how you can really be creative with corporate gatherings.  Colors for the event were a beautiful Tuscan-like bronze, red, gold and orange.  The bar had an overlay of decoratively striped terra-cotta, red and gold linen.

The evening’s fare included passed hors d’oeuvres, two savory stations and a dessert station.  The passed hors d’oeuvres included pear and goat cheese tarts topped with caramelized onions, prosciutto and basil wrapped shrimp and gingered chicken cakes.  Mini tuna burgers we served were a huge hit.  The tuna is seared, put on mini bun and served with wasabi mayo and pickled ginger.  Indian beef sate was also popular; served with peanut sauce.

Cocktail party stations are great; they offer an entrée item in a cocktail portion.  For this event we served an antipasto station complete with a variety of imported cured meats, olives, marinated miniature mozzarella balls, roasted red peppers and artichoke confit.

The second station featured a trio of creamy risottos.  The first combined butternut squash and cranberries with risotto.  The second could be called the all American risotto as it has bacon and cheddar folded in.  The last concoction included a more classic combination of wild mushrooms and parmesan cheese.  Each variety was served from its own copper pan raised on a pedestal with sterno underneath to keep warm.

Although we don’t have photos of the delicious dessert that was served (they were eaten so quickly!) the description will certainly have you salivating.  Milk chocolate mousse, white chocolate raspberry mousse and caramel cream mousse, all served from petite parfait cups, were a big hit among guests.

Thanks to all of the staff and our client for making this such a fantastic event.

I can’t think of a better present during the holidays than knowing you had just finished your graduate degree. In early December we catered an event in the city celebrating the graduation of master’s students.  This incredibly memorable event in someone’s life was made even more special with a speech given by the CEO of Walmart and Sam’s Club. This encouragement from such a successful businessman will certainly give the students the confidence they need as they enter the corporate world.

Guests were greeted with passed hors d’oeuvre including tuna tartar on wonton crisps and Roquefort mushroom caps featuring mushroom caps stuffed with spinach and Roquefort cheese.  This particular item can also be made with crumbled sausage or lump crab meat. Guests also enjoyed a crostini topped with pesto, four cheeses and red pepper.

Stationary hors d’oeuvre offered guests a variety of items served at different tables.  This helps get guests moving with both stationary and passed items.  Stationary choices included sweet tarts; a pastry shell filled with dried cherry compote and brie cheese, dusted with crushed pistachio nuts.  Guests also sampled items from the brochette station including rosemary chicken and squash brochettes, a scallop brochette with artichoke and peppers, jumbo shrimp, exotic fruit, cilantro and lime, and lastly seared tofu, mushroom, zucchini, red pepper, onion and lemon vinaigrette. Brochettes were served with four sauces: sweet and sour, exotic fruit salsa, teriyaki and tomato relish.

A full bar was offered for guests and after two years of graduate school I am sure everyone could use a nice cocktail.  Congratulations to all the students on a job well done and good luck in the years to come!

With the holidays almost past us we have finally had some time to go through our photos from the holiday season and take stock of all the great events we took part in.  One of the more unique events was an open house at the Duportail House in Chester County.

The event was a fundraiser bringing together the caterers on the venues approved vendor list.  In order to perform some much needed renovations the venue needed to hold an event to raise the money.  All the caterers provided different hors d’oeuvre style items for guests who mingled throughout the building.  It not only provided guests with an opportunity to see the venue in a more relaxed setting but also the ability to sample foods from different caterers.

At our table guests sampled a gourmet Bruschetta station packed with a variety of toasts and toppings.  Macerated strawberries and goat cheese were served with cinnamon cocoa tortilla chips.  Pita triangles, toasts and other soft bite sized breads were served alongside tomato fresca, Tuscan bean dip and olive and artichoke tapenade. Finally a wild mushroom and goat cheese crostini was served rounding out a nice sampling of our popular stationary hors d’oeuvre.

It was a great to participate in a good cause to help out a popular local venue.  Businesses helping businesses is valuable concept in these tough economic times.  Good luck to the Duportail House with their renovations!

As caterers we fill in just about anywhere we are needed.  Whether it is making centerpieces, constructing a kitchen out of a simple garage, or in this case, turning someone’s home into a place of holy worship, we are always challenged to make it happen.  For an event this past week our staff could be found setting out chairs to make a church in our client’s house. After the mass the family then came together to enjoy a delicious meal with passed hors d’oeuvres followed by a buffet dinner and culminating with miniature desserts and hot beverages.

Passed hors d’oeuvre included mini Maryland lump crab cakes with Old Bay remoulade, cilantro pesto shrimp, sweet potato tarts served in a Phyllo shell topped with caramelized onions and chevre, corn cups filled with chicken, salsa, guacamole and sour cream and mini latkes topped with sour cream and apple sauce.

The dinner buffet featured resting temperature sliced beef tenderloin and sliced roasted turkey.  The main dishes were accompanied by roasted red bliss potatoes, steamed baby carrots and green beans with olive oil and herbs and a large mixed green salad topped with Danish bleu cheese, toasted walnuts, Bosc pears and balsamic vinaigrette.

As mentioned above, dessert featured mini pastries and coffee and tea.  It was delightful helping this client celebrate the season in their own way.

Queen of Hearts Catering offers its clients options outside of the deli sandwich with chips.  Just because you are serving a boxed lunch doesn’t mean you can’t think outside of the box about what to put in it.  The above photos paint a different picture of what can be a boxed lunch.  Here we are serving grilled chicken or cranberry glazed turkey breast with roasted corn salad on a bed of mixed greens with a fresh baked roll.  The possibilities are endless when you consider that it doesn’t have to be a sandwich in that box. Consider offering clients something new for your next order, you might be surprised at their positive reaction.

If there was ever a more fitting anecdote to relay our most recent wedding, I would be hard pressed to find it.

This past weekend was a challenge unlike any other I have experienced. We were catering a wedding at the beautiful High Point at St. Peter’s Church for a beautiful couple! Those of us in the Malvern area will recognize the unexpected snowfall and incredible accumulation that we all thought would be nonexistent for a weekend in October was present – and presented a huge issue!

During this milestone occasion, we unfortunately lost power in the venue, which will instantly send anyone into a panic, especially four minutes prior to 103 guests walking in the door. Like anyone who has lost power in the past, we dove for extra candles, lanterns and other light sources we could think of to make the guests comfortable and able to see.

While we all furiously dialed our cell phones for generators and reports from Peco, we were able to keep the hors d’oeuvres hot with a large amount of sterno and the drinks were icy cold. While I am a big fan of music at any time, we drug the baby grand piano out of the storage closet and the band rounded up an acoustic guitar and began to play an acoustic version of cocktail hour.

The biggest trial of the evening came to light when I realized the bride and groom’s first dance was to be played off of an i-pod and over the band’s speaker system. The band wasn’t aware of how to play the selected songs. So we came up with a list of other songs that could be played by the band and presented them to the bride and groom. While I understand the obvious disappointment in the decision, not having a first dance at all seemed far worse.

This wedding took an extreme amount of class and acceptance from the bride and groom to be flexible and willing to roll with the punches.

About 2 hours into the reception, the generator arrived and we were back on track. The band took control and played all the favorites the bride and groom were waiting anxiously for all night. Lights were also rented and gave the room a more romantic glow in addition to the candles.

While these occurrences are few and far between, and require some creativity from staff on all sides, we were able to give the guests a hot meal and cold drinks while still being able to dance the night away.

We were thrilled to be a part of Jaci and Jimmy’s night and see their start as a new couple. We wish them all the happiness in the world!

The couple’s photographer was able to offer us this sneak peak of the new husband and wife! Thank you Christina Vance Photography!

Last week we catered a luncheon for a local organization.  The luncheon was for the donors who helped to make the organization possible and a thank you for all the support they have received throughout the years.  The event was also taking place to dedicate a memorial to those involved with the organization.

Guests enjoyed a casual luncheon with ivory linens on the tables with a mums in a variety of colors on each table.

For lunch the guests enjoyed Caesar salad for their first course with crisp romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons and creamy house made Caesar dressing.

The main dish served was a lime and tequila marinated grilled chicken breast topped with a tomato salsa.  A bean and potato salad accompanied the entrée, making the dish satisfying without overfilling.

Cinnamon spiced apples served with phyllo crisps were served for dessert.  Whipped cream finished off the dish making it a perfect ending to a lovely meal.

It is important to remember and honor those who have helped us to get to where we are today.  Thank you to the client for allowing us to celebrate alongside and help in making the event possible.

Last weekend we celebrated a wedding at the Phoenixville Foundry.  We love working at this venue for its versatility of style and its open layout.

The couple had their ceremony on site, in the front courtyard under their beautiful chuppah.  Good weather held out to give this couple a ceremony they had always dreamed of.

Guests moved inside to enjoy cocktail hour on the mezzanine.  Butlered hos d’oeuvre included Asiago bites, rolled smoked ham crepes, mini reubens, polenta crostini and Indian beef sate.

The first course was seated with guests enjoying a bleu walnut salad composed of mixed greens, Danish bleu cheese, toasted walnuts and bosc pears, drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

After the first course, guests were shown to the buffet which included roasted red pepper and broccoli rabe stuffed chicken breasts with a pesto cream sauce.  Seared salmon with baby bok choy, leeks and wasabi aioli and braised beef short rib on a bed of garlic roasted mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables.

The couple opted for a nontraditional dessert in a cheesecake station.  New York style cheesecake was served in martini glasses, and topped with guests choice of caramel sauce, hot fudge, oreo crumbles, fresh strawberries and whipped cream just to name a few.

The décor was very simple with white linens on guests tables with sage napkins and hints of back bay blue.  The flowers, white hydrangeas and tea roses dotted with pale blue corydalis, were in small square vases that gave the table the little pop of color for the eye but kept it simply elegant.

We thank the couple for allowing us to be a part of their special day and wish them all the best for their future.

We really enjoy the opportunity to get to know our clients after those initial phone conversations.  Once a menu has been somewhat ironed out, we invite the bride and groom and two of their guests to come in and taste the selections that will be served on their big day.  While some caterers will invite clients to a group style tasting where the food may or may not be what you ordered, we feel it is important to create that bond between caterer and client at this time.  We like for the experience to stand as a clear representation of the food, staff and general quality of service they can expect on their actual wedding day.

Last week we held a tasting for a couple getting married on St. Partick’s day.  While there menu does not reflect the traditional fare enjoyed on this day of celebration, it is sure to impress and satisfy their guests.

For hors d’oeuvre this couple chose six items to try including a margarita tart, quesadilla triangles with smoked pulled chicken, traditional bacon wrapped scallops, spicy wood roasted shrimp, cheesesteak cigars (a crowd favorite) and plantain crisps topped with pulled pork and mango salsa.  Their stationary hors d’oeuvre choice, crab and artichoke cheesecake, is a savory cheesecake packed with crab and artichoke hearts.

Their first course will be a simple tossed green salad with tomatoes, feta, croutons and raspberry vinaigrette.  The understated starter will prepare their palettes for what will surely satiate all appetites in the room.  Chicken saltimbocca layered with prosciutto, fresh sage and melted provolone as well as espresso crusted beef tenderloin with cabernet demi will be accompanied by roasted Italian vegetables and gratin dauphinoise will serve as the piece de resistance for the evening’s savory fare.  The couple also chose a vegetarian option for guests in our Tuscan penne; a pasta dish with penne pasta, grilled portabella mushrooms and caramelized onions in a roasted red pepper cream sauce.

For dessert the couple still has to decide on the flavors for their wedding cake, but after that meal who could even dream of fitting in dessert.  I am sure on their wedding day a little dancing will create room for slice of their delicious cake, whatever it may be.

Tastings are a great way to try our dishes before ordering them for an event. It’s also an opportunity for our readers to see and hear about what’s coming out of our kitchen. Yesterday, we hosted a tasting for a bride and groom getting married at Radnor Hunt in April and we offered something for everyone. A vegetarian, for example, would love our margarita tart. This simple, yet flavorful hors d’oeuvre has fresh mozzarella cheese, juicy diced tomatoes, and a hint of basil neatly packed into a crispy phyllo shell. The combination of these ingredients is summery, fresh, and colorful.

For those who would prefer a bold hors d’oeuvre, we suggest a blue corn cup. This cup consists of smoked andouille sausage, aged cheddar, and apricot dijon. Andouille is originally from France and has a distinct smoky taste. The aged cheddar provides a rich, savory flavor that compliments the sweet apricot without overpowering it. Skewers are ideal because they’re easy to dip yet not messy to eat. Our chicken skewers were grilled a in peppercorn marinade and accompanied by a creamy parmesan dipping sauce which compliments the spices grilled onto the chicken. Our coconut shrimp is also great for dipping. This hors d’oeuvre is hard battered and served with a sweet chili sauce.

Our spinach salad included tomatoes, mushrooms, and red onions and tossed with creamy sweet vinaigrette. The dual entrée we presented consisted of thinly sliced flank steak drizzled with a balsamic reduction and a Maryland crab cake topped with creamy Old Bay remoulade. Whipped potatoes and green beans completed this elegant, well-rounded meal.

We are looking forward to the continued planning process with this couple!