Sunday, June 6, 2010

Thoughts on Beverage Service


During the Summer, successful events often call for a variety of (preferably cold) beverages. Here are some thoughts on the subject, drawn from my experience to date:

- Ice: if you have time and a capacious freezer, you may want to simply go and get this, if it's a small event. For larger events, you might wish to have the caterer buy large quantities of ice - note well that in hot, inland places it's likely easier to simply plan to have lots of ice on hand, rather than to ask someone to run out to Safeway for more ice halfway through the party.

- Alcoholic beverages: many caterers simply can't provide booze, due to insurance issues. Make sure your home-owners' insurance is in good order, or that you're renting space at a venue where liability is clearly delineated.

- Non-alcoholic beverages: gone are the days of the Shirley Temple. Plenty of top-quality, organic iced teas and lemonades (limeades, tangerine-ades) are available to make customized, refreshing beverages. Which brings us to ...

- Additional ingredients: whether it's a catered event or do-it-yourself, it's a "best practice" to have items like limes, lemons, and mint on-hand for flavoring waters, iced tea, or stronger potions.

Contact us to share ideas, or for specific inquiries.

Chef Dan Leff Catering, Inc.

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