Justin, Author at Food In Bloom Catering

Gettin’ Feasty With It

October 5, 2016 By Justin

Food in Bloom got FEASTY mid September for Portland’s annual food festival, Feast Portland. Partnering once again with Bon Appetit, Food in Bloom collaborated to use inspired recipes for the Bon Appetit Mercantile in the Grand Bounty event. Grilled Chicken Tacos with roasted pineapple salsa and avocado cream along with a Roasted Plum and Ricotta Tartine with honey and black pepper were created onsite and served for the masses of attendees. Portland based companies Bee Local honey and Jacobsen Salt Co. sea salt products were provided to incorporate into our creations, and powerhouse Wolf convection ovens and standing mixers were proudly displayed and utilized.

We also had a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with Trick Dog Bar and Bon Appetit, making signature cocktails at Oregonian Media Group Smoked! presented by Tillamook in the Fields Park. Trick Dog Bar presented two cocktails in the BA tent: “Yellowbeard” featured mescal, pineau des charentes, osmanthus tea, smoked plum, caramelized white chocolate and lime. “Blue in the Face” included bourbon, dry vermouth, triple sec, maple syrup, bitters and hickory smoke to tie into the outdoorsy, smoked theme.

Back at Grand Bounty, Food in Bloom proudly partnered this year with National Honey Board, with recipes created by Chef David Gaus, serving Bruschetta with ricotta, blackberry-honey and lemon zest, along with sipping samples of non-alcoholic beverages: pear juice, star anise, cranberry, honey and orange and charred cranberry juice with burnt honey orange syrup and ginger root. We also collaborated with National Honey Board during Brunch Village presented by Whole Foods Market, serving Chef Gaus’ bacon cheddar chive scone with honey.

Our in house floral and décor department, Vibrant Flowers, partnered with Feast at several events, creating bountiful and country inspired installations at Grand Bounty and Brunch Village at Pioneer Courthouse Square, and punching up the wildflowers to complement the outdoorsy theme of OMG’s Smoked!, where we utilized Feast sponsor, Le Creuset carafes as vessels, dotting the park with punches of vibrant color and textures.

The Minimalist Guide to Buffets

August 24, 2016 By Justin

Every bride and groom want their wedding to be perfect. There are so many variables to consider when planning a wedding, but putting the focus on the food should be a priority. With the increase in food sensitivities, finding options to please every guest can be a challenge. We think less is more, and simple is tasteful.

Utilize Your Resources.
Oregon Bounty. There’s a reason why Oregon has become a dominant powerhouse of culinary innovation in the past decade. The region’s food practices are top notch, boasting sustainability, organic and locally sourced products. The accessibility to these resources is abundant, making it easy and practical for chefs, restaurants and caterers to make magic happen without drastic costs. When choosing your menu, be logical with your produce. If you’re having a summer wedding, really invite the notion of having the colors of those vibrant seasonal vegetables and fruits play into your wedding theme. You likely aren’t going to have a root vegetable succotash side dish at your July wedding. Plus, there are way fewer people who have aversions to produce than grains, dairy or meats.

Season Sensibly.
Keeping simplicity in mind, avoid entrees or salads that are thick with seasonings or additives that may cause issues with your guests. Again, if it’s summertime, your guests are likely not going to want a heavy sauce based entrée. Go light and fresh with citrus notes and simple herbs to enhance the taste. If you’ve got a complex entrée that has over a dozen ingredients and seasonings, of course it’ll taste great, but odds are someone in the crowd is going to have a food sensitivity with one of those ingredients that you aren’t aware of.

Eat With Your Eyes.
Looks aren’t deceiving. If it looks clean and fresh, it’s going to taste clean and fresh. People eat with their eyes. When’s the last time you heard somebody say, “Mmm, that mystery meat tastes amazing! What do you think it is?” If your wedding is decorated with a minimal aesthetic, clean and lean foods will enhance that visual. A heavy, heaping glob of sweet potatoes may just look ‘ew’. Grilled asparagus or a black bean and sweet corn salad with lime and cilantro both provide a pop of color and simple flavors that will look stunning on a simple buffet display, without compromising the taste or the budget.

Friendly Foods

June 22, 2016 By Justin

Have you ever gone to a networking event and suddenly are cornered by that one guy who sloshes his drink around, chews with his mouth open and does not understand personal boundaries? It happens. And sometimes we can’t control those encounters. But, one thing you (or whoever plans your soirees) can rectify: stank food.

Yes, stank food. Food that possesses that pungent and lingering aroma, and makes those ‘trapped’ moments all the much worse. Why is it that in those panicked moments, there’s blue cheese, raw onion, possibly garlic or fish that’s wafting in that bubble? Here are some hors d’oeuvres to offer at your next event that won’t have you running away from your guest’s halitosis.

Fruits and Cheeses. Fruits are a wonderful palette cleanser, and offer a healthy option for guests. Fruits are gluten free, dairy free, and vegan/vegetarian friendly, and pair well with cheese. When selecting cheeses, you do want to find a variety of cheese that will complement your fruit well, but be sure to avoid abrasive choices. Maybe pass on the Limburger and opt for Mahon. In our case, we played with our food: we compressed watermelon squares and topped with a bit of goat cheese and black pepper.

Skewers. Simply preparing a skewer with a few items as garnish or marinades will not only look appealing, it will smell and taste appealing, without residual aftermath. Instead of a pesto chicken skewer try out lemon and rosemary chicken skewer wrapped with prosciutto. You’ve got flavor profiles pairing well, and it’s still a hearty bite to fill your guests.

Hot Hors d’Oeuvres. A very easy way to avoid some stank foods is to serve hot and prepared foods. Some of our biggest bad breath culprits are only bad news when they are raw or fresh. Garlic, onions and olives, for example. However, if you cook those off and serve an item like a beef empanada, you’ve got a delightful array of hot veggies and meat packed tightly in a crispy crust. They smell great, they taste great, and they don’t offend your senses or your guest’s nostrils.

Herbs & Bubbles. Garnishes on dishes do sometimes serve a purpose. The fresh parsley on my pasta dish makes it photograph beautifully for Instagram, but save that parsley til the end and you’ll notice is acts as a great breath neutralizer. Same goes for basil and mint, the latter being a terrific digestif. And, let’s not forget beverages. A great way to knock out coffee breath is carbonated water. You can also try green tea and ginger, all of which are great for digestion, to boot.

Brunching Through Your Reception

June 1, 2016 By Justin

Slowly replacing breakfast and lunch everywhere, brunch seems to be the coolest thing since sliced bread. Brunch translates exquisitely to dates, Instagram pictures, an excuse to start drinking early on Saturday or casual Sundays with your girlfriends. Come to think of it, we aren’t entirely sure why brunching hasn’t already been a phenomenon. Combining our favorite aspects of any meal; alcohol, bacon, champagne and carbs, we are certainly glad it is now a thing. And just in time for your wedding reception.

Timing is always everything, including when it comes to brunch. The ideal time for any brunch is between 11 AM to 2 PM. Waiting much longer than that your guests will either start getting hangry or would sacrificially ruin their meal by eating breakfast.

You might have your concerns steering towards such a trendy wedding reception. Don’t. What makes brunching such a hit, is it’s classic yet playful appeal. A brunch reception can be festive or formal and transitions into whatever theme, good or bad, you might pick. Brunching can also be a huge money saver (music to any brides’ ears)!

There are endless brunch options. Biscuit bars, donut cakes, waffles and never ending playful takes on dessert bars. Toast bars, mini benedicts and food stations (think omelet, crepes and scrambles), are always a delicious options, while catering to all food allergies guests might have.

But you cannot forget the crowd pleasing bloody Mary bar. Pick your poison; vodka, tequila, whiskey and whatever accoutrements one might prefer. We love to add some pizzazz with peppered bacon, shrimp and peppercinis.

Add in the mimosas and you have got yourself a successful reception brunch.

Five Cocktail Ideas for your Next Dinner Party

May 10, 2016 By Justin

Hosting dinner parties in your own abode is always an exercise in how to please everybody. You control the pace, ambiance, mood and tone of the evening. If you’re feeling sassy, switch up your dinner party or happy hour at home and take the less traveled route of cocktails instead of beer and wine. These five simple sippers will surely fit into any theme and budget, and are surefire crowd pleasers.

Old Fashioned – The trick is with the orange rind. Use a thick enough peel and wipe the rim of the glass, as well as twist over the bucket to allow the orange oils to become part of the tasting experience. Garnish on top of the ice cube and serve. For a unique approach, quickly light the pulpy part of the rind with a match – this will take your old fashioned into a smoky, campfire direction.

French 76 – sub the gin w/ vodka and call it a 76. This is a refreshing and biting cocktail that incorporates clean vodka, tart lemon juice, simple sugar and crisp sparkling wine. It’s like a super fancy wine cooler.

Poloma – Fresh grapefruit juice, soda, tequila and lime. That’s it! For variations on this beast, use San Pellegrino Limonata instead of soda and grapefruit juice. Add a chili pepper or slice of jalapenos a garnish to spice things up, literally.

Classic Martini – for the discerning guest, you really just need gin or vodka, an icy up-glass, vermouth and olive juice. It’s an iconic drink, a crowd pleaser, easy to create, and it won’t stain. Shaken or stirred? Well, that depends on if you want to hear rattling ice for three hours.

Moroccan Coffee – this is always a fun party cocktail. People are enamored by the dazzle and spectacle of burning alcohol. Set that over-proof rum on fire, spritz the cinnamon and nutmeg to create little firecracker flashes, then add in your coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur and coffee, and viola. These after-dinner delights sneak up on you AND stick around for a while— make a pot of decaf for those folks who don’t’ want to be wired for the night. If you need to pull the fire extinguisher out because you’re having too much fun, switch from the hot coffee drink to a smooth White Russian. You’ve got the ingredients, and you probably have enough people who will appreciate the Big Lebowski homage.