Catering Melbourne Blog

Blueberry muffins, blueberry cream pies, blueberry cheesecake, blueberry pancake, fresh moist blueberries….just reading the words is enough to evoke that summer-sweet, luscious tang and get your mouth watering.

Everyone knows blueberries are delicious, but did you know they’re good for your health too? In fact, blueberries have been touted as the cure for a host of serious medical problems including urinary infections, diabetes, high cholesterol levels to Alzheimer’s and cancer.

First let’s look at what exactly blueberries are. Blueberries are the fruit of flowering plants native to North America, now also grown in Australia, New Zealand and some South American countries such as Chile and Argentina. Blueberries are cultivated and picked wild.

The blueberry season in North America tends to run from mid-May to September, depending on the latitude. The fruit is best enjoyed in season when the taste is at its peak and the nutritional value at its highest. The dark blue berries can be enjoyed raw, or more commonly made into cookies, cakes, pies, scones, cereals, jellies and jams, and even pizzas.

So what’s so special about blueberries?

It could be said that the blueberry is a nutritional powerhouse. Blueberries are are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, folate, iron, manganese and vitamin K. And 140 grams of fresh blueberries contain three grams of the dietary fiber that’s so good for your digestive system. But the main benefits of blueberries come from the anti-oxidants they contain in the form of bioflavonoids.

Antioxidants are important for their ability to neutralize free radicals. When our body processes oxygen, free radicals are produced as by-products. These are highly-volatile substances that can damage our cells and are thought to be responsible for aging and a host of degenerative diseases. Fortunately, substances known as anti-oxidants found in fruits and vegetables work to neutralize free radicals and reduce their potency. Better known bioflavonoids include hesperidin and rutin and the anthocyanins.

Blueberries are especially rich in anthocyanins. They give blueberries their deep blue hue and offer a range of beneficial properties. For one thing, they’re anti-inflammatory and protect large and small blood vessels from oxidative damage. This can protect blood vessels from damage caused by high blood-sugar levels in diabetics. This is especially important for the blood vessels in the eyes.

Researchers have shown that the anthocyanins in blueberries, along with other agents such as proanthocyanidins, flavonols and tannins, inhibit mechanisms of cancer cell development in vitro. And one of the more exciting findings about blueberries is that they can help arrest the mental decline that occurs with Alzheimer’s Disease.

So what’s the best way to get your dose of blueberries? Eating them raw is best but this is not always convenient. Fortunately, there are many ways to prepare blueberries that helps bring out their delightful flavor to its best advantage. The most popular is you can also make the old fashioned Blueberry pie just like your grandma used to make. The herbs cinnamon and mace compliment the taste of the blueberries and the result is delightful. It’s just one of many ways to incorporate blueberries into your diet.

So make blueberries a part of your diet. Not only will you have a delicious new taste in your life, but you’ll also be doing your health a world of good. Search out some recipes online that show you new and exciting ways to incorporate the blueberry experience into you life.

The trainees entered the kitchen in September 2006. The idea — to inspire disadvantaged young people to believe that they could create a career in the restaurant business — was Jamie Oliver’s, but the ongoing success of CBD restaurant Fifteen (basement, 115-117 Collins Street) has been thanks to the hard work of the first batch of apprentices. With its first anniversary being celebrated at a special dinner tomorrow night I asked Vanessa Spilbury, a recently graduated Fifteen student, to tell me what it meant to get the restaurant to this milestone. The major challenge, she said, lay in learning to work as a team. ”To make a kitchen and restaurant successful, we have to produce the best food we can with great, fresh, locally produced ingredients,” Vanessa said. ”Keeping everyone on track and focused, including myself, is a daily task.” Sunday Herald Sun (Australia)

Planning your next big get-together? Whether it’s a birthday bash, church fundraiser or holiday gathering–serving buffet-style is the way to go. When setting up a buffet table, chafing dishes are the best way to keep food hot. They allow a large number of guests to serve themselves while the host can mix and mingle without having to worry about food on the stove or in the oven. Even if you don’t entertain frequently, purchasing or renting chafing dishes can’t be beat.

Chafing dishes, sometimes called steam pans, are simply large serving dishes in which food is kept warm (or cold). The different types of chafing dishes consist of a frame or wire rack, a water pan, a food pan and a cover. Water in the pan is used to conduct the heat which maintains the food at a proper serving temperature. The heat source is sterno or an electrical heating element placed underneath the water pan.

TYPES

Oval or round, ornately decorated chafing dishes, would be perfect for an elegant or formal gathering. They are generally made of silver and sit on a platform with tapered legs. They can be used with sterno or a heating element and are available to rent from party rental stores, or for purchase at department stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets.

The most widely used chafing dishes are long and rectangular in shape and made of stainless steel. The water pan is placed on a wire or chrome rack and will hold up to two half-sized food pans. Rent these from a party rental store or purchase at a party supply store, department store or restaurant and catering supply outlet.

Disposable chafing dishes are the least expensive and are designed like the stainless steel set-up. They consist of a large aluminum water pan and one or two smaller aluminum food pans. The wire racks are somewhat thinner. These are sometimes called caterers’ racks and are usually found at party supply stores, discount stores or restaurant and catering supply outlets.

For the home buffet table, stainless steel and aluminum rectangular food pan sizes range from 20 x 12 x 4 (full size) to 10 x 12 x 2 (half size). Water pans are sized to fit and the wire racks are usually full-sized. Other chafing dishes vary in size.

HOW TO USE

The first thing to remember is that chafing dishes cannot be used to bring foods up to serving temperature. Food must first be at the proper temperature before adding to the pan. Stainless steel and aluminum food pans can be used for cooking and/or heating the food in the oven. The water pan is placed in the wire rack and filled with HOT water to a level that is close to but not touching the food pan. The sterno is then lit and placed under the water pan. The resulting steam will maintain the temperature of food that is already at serving temperature. The water pan should be checked periodically to make sure the water level is maintained and the food should be stirred occasionally to evenly distribute the heat and prevent scorching. Using a lid or cover will keep food moist.

Chafing dishes will also keep cold foods cold. Fill the water pan with cold water and ice and of course, don’t light the fuel!

A WORD ABOUT STERNO

Sterno fuel is a formulation of denatured alcohol, water and gel and is perfectly safe when used as directed. It comes in small cans and is generally available from hardware stores and party supply stores. The sterno wick is lit and placed underneath the water pan. A full-sized water pan may require two sterno cans placed at opposite ends, particularly if the food is dense (such as pasta and cheese). The flame is blue in color and an 8-oz. can burns for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The fuel can be extinguished and relit.

QUICK SAFETY TIPS

-DO NOT LEAVE AN OPEN FLAME UNATTENDED

-Open the pan cover carefully, to avoid burns from the escaping steam.

-Do not use anything but sterno-type fuel in the burner.

-Properly working chafing dishes keep hot food at a safe temperature of 140 degrees or above to avoid bacterial growth. Ideally, temperature should not exceed 160 degrees to avoid overcooking

Chafing dishes make your buffet table look professional, appetizing and attractive. They also allow you to cook food ahead of time and place in the dishes just before your guests arrive–leaving you free to mingle with your guests. Yes, chafing dishes are a party hosts’ dream come true.

Beer, wine, bubbles, spirits & cocktails on arrival
Prices start at $35 per head for three hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Cocktail on arrival
Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, whiskey and Baileys
Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s Premium and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

3 hours - $35 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $40 per head (minimum 35 pax)
Additional hours $5 per person per hour

Beer, wine, bubbles & spirits
Prices start at $26 per head for three hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, whiskey and Baileys
Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s Premium and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

3 hours - $26 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $31 per head (minimum 35 pax)
Additional hours $5 per person per hour

Beer, wine and bubbles
Prices start at $19 per head for three hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

3 hours - $19 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $23 per head (minimum 35 pax)
Additional hours $5 per person per hour

Beer, wine, bubbles, spirits & cocktails on arrival
Prices start at $30 per head for two hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Cocktail on arrival
Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, whiskey and Baileys
Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s Premium and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

2 hours - $30 per head (minimum 40 pax – conditions apply)
3 hours - $35 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $40 per head (minimum 35 pax)

ADDITIONAL HOURS $5 PER PERSON PER HOUR

Beer, wine, bubbles & spirits
Prices start at $21 per head for two hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon, whiskey and Baileys
Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s Premium and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

2 hours - $21 per head (minimum 40 pax – conditions apply)
3 hours - $26 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $31 per head (minimum 35 pax)

Beer, wine and bubbles
Prices start at $15 per head for two hours drinking.
Includes trestle style bar, bar staff, glassware, equipment and GST

Seaview Sparkling
St Andrew’s Red and White wines (Chardonnay, Sauv Blanc and Cab Sauv)
Boag’s and Cascade Light
OJ, coke, lemon squash and lemonade, still and sparkling water

2 hours - $15 per head (minimum 40 pax – conditions apply)
3 hours - $19 per head (minimum 35 pax)
4 hours - $23 per head (minimum 35 pax)

All too often newly married couples heave a sigh of relief when the reception is over. The feeling of being on display and the pressure of keeping to a rigid schedule of photographs, toasts, menu courses and speeches can be a stressful and unpleasant experience.
This generation of newlyweds is much less concerned with the “show”. They want to be able to mingle with family and friends, spend time with each other and above all, enjoy their party. As a result, many are opting for alternative and even unconventional ways to celebrate their nuptials.

In keeping with this trend, cocktail wedding receptions are gaining in popularity. The cocktail reception offers many advantages. The atmosphere is more relaxed and provides greater opportunity to circulate and mingle with guests. While the cost of food can be comparable to a dinner reception, rental and staff charges for cocktail parties are considerably less than for a sit-down dinner. There is also greater flexibility and more selection when choosing a venue. Heritage Inns, private homes and flower gardens are popular choices among those preferring the charm and intimacy of these venues to the formal elegance of halls and hotel ballrooms. A cocktail menu also leaves much more room for creativity. Food can set the tone for the entire event and a selection of interesting and unusual bite-sized morsels and artfully presented platters is always sure to delight. The menu can treat guests to a culinary tour by starting in one corner of the world and ending in another. Or a themed menu can be carried right through to the drinks and decorations. Port glasses filled with fresh oysters, red wine vinegar and shallots, mini crepes stuffed with Thai chicken curry and fresh basil, warm squash dumplings with cranberry syrup - the options are endless and every guest is sure to enjoy something on the menu.

Tiny cupcakes decorated with pastel frosting are another popular item at weddings. Arranged on tiered silver tea trays with white lace doilies, they are a perfect cocktail alternative to a traditional wedding cake. Other ideas could include small chocolate cups filled with mousse and fresh raspberries, mini French pastries or profiteroles stuffed with caramelized bananas.

Clearly the advantages of a cocktail reception are abundant. But overwhelmingly couples report that what they appreciate most is being able to relax and enjoy the party . . . and each other.