Kicked Up Comfort Food — MORGAN EVENTS

Hello readers! Or should I say eaters? That identifier may give it away but in case you’re not picking up what we’re throwing down, today’s blog entry is all about good eats! And not just any bits and bites but a particular category that appeals to everyone: comfort food. Have you ever been in a group with friends and started waxing lyrical about your favorite foods? Not just your favorite foie gras at the trendy new restaurant in the city or your most-craved burger from the secret bar inside the posh hotel… no no, we’re talking about the kind of food that brings warmth and comfort to your inner core. That so called “comfort food” you get nostalgic for. It may be different for each person depending on their culture or background or whether or not they were surrounded by foodies growing up. But in any case, we all have comfort foods that bring us back to a time and place, and conjure up feelings of happiness and contentment.

So why are we here at Morgan Events, producers of luxury weddings and events, talking about comfort food today? Well, it just so happens that we are very connected to comfort food. When planning many events, our clients tell us that the dining experience of their event is SO important to them and they want to be sure their guests are wined and dined with the best bites around. So of course our catering partners execute delicious custom menus for each event but beyond that, clients often want to include some of their favorite foods into the dinner receptions and special events. Enter the category comfort food. One of the best ways to include those nostalgic, favorite dishes is to incorporate them into the hors d’ oeuvres menu which are usually served during the cocktail hour. Alternatively, we include such comfort foods into a late-night snacking hour where guests are surprised and delighted with comforting classics after a few hours of dancing. And since our team happens to work with some of the best chefs and catering teams in the San Francisco Bay Area, we can promise the comfort food will be elevated to a whole new level when we call in the professionals.

In this blog entry, we are sharing a few of our favorite interpretations of some classic comfort foods that have delighted our clients and their guests. Our catering partners have a few secrets up their sleeves as to infusing comfort foods with a fresh twist. Clean presentation, portion size, and unique serving vessels are just a few ways the creative chefs kick it up a notch when it comes to catering with comfort foods.

Presentation. Our clever pros know how to take an otherwise messy dish, for example, a fried chicken sandwich, and present it in a way that is simple, elegant and doesn’t involve any mess! One of our personal favorites is the classic combination of grilled cheese (or toasted cheese if you prefer) and tomato soup! On the surface one might think that is a strange dish to serve for a large event but our catering partners knew just how to present the cutest little mug of soup with a slice of grilled cheese on top. Perfect for dipping or sipping, this little hors d’oeuvres was definitely a winner.

Portion Size. Let’s face it- everything looks better when it’s bite-sized. Who could pass up a mini taco? There’s something so simple yet indulgent about picking up a bite-sized tiramisu or s’mores brownie. Perhaps that’s because if it’s just a little bite, you can always have another!

Unique Serving Vessels. In this section, we had to think of a word other than plates or trays that encompasses all of the ways comfort foods can be served; hence the word vessel! Little bites can served in a variety of ways that do not involve regular flat plates and trays. Think about pom frites in paper cones, oysters on beds or salt, or ice cream cones stuck vertically in boxes of mints. One of our favorites for young adult parties is a take on the classic after school snack milk and cookies. For a bar mitzvah, we used that concept and went with ring donuts slotted through glass milk bottles with a straw. Fun and playful, and perfect for teens.

Feeling peckish yet? Go on, grab a snack and use your finest dinnerware or favorite hand-made bowl that you only bring out for special occasions and treat yourself to a little luxury in the middle of your day. Bon Appétit!

Special thanks to our catering partners who always amuse our tastebuds.