T H E C A T E R E R ' S C H E A T N O T E S Cheat the clock, not the quality By Carol Murphy Clyne and Vincent Clyne. All rights reserved. 2008 chefscool. All rights reserved. |
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| T H E C A T E R E R ' S C H E A T N O T E S Our guide for enjoyable cooking and entertaining |
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| T H E T O O L S |
| A la minute recipes |
| Make ahead recipes for the freezer |
| How to Plan a Party |
| Get Ready, Get Set, GO! |
| Sounds Like a Plan |
| A Menu with Style |
| T H E R E C I P E S |
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| STEP 1: SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN |
| Readiness is all. |
Perhaps the first time you heard this you were in Girl or Boy Scouts where the oft repeated mantra was "Be Prepared."
Maybe it was later on when you read in Hamlet that "Readiness is all." Or, you may have encountered this concept
when a cooking teacher maintained "mise en place, mise en place…" Well, readiness is, in fact, all. It is planning. It is
putting in place that which is needed. But, before we can put in place all the pots, pans and utensils, before we have a
single ingredient purchased, before we even enter the kitchen, we must draw up a plan for the party.
Planning is essential for what transpires in the kitchen to translate to the table. Well, how do we plan? It begins by
determining the concept and theme from which the menu naturally progresses. First we must identify the concept, the
overall reason for the party. This comes before any other step and lays out a framework for us to follow. Generally, the
concept can be dictated by time of day, that is, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or, it can be an occasion like a birthday, or
an event like a wedding. It can also be identified broadly as the reason the party is given, that is, birthday, graduation,
christening.
How are we to prepare a menu, let alone pick a single dish, if we don’t know the event’s concept and theme? Let’s
say brunch is the concept and a 50th birthday is basically the theme. What are possible menu choices? Well the
menu could run the gamut from eggs benedict to toad-in-the-hole, lobster salad to pancakes, duck and smoked fois
gras terrine to sunrise burritos. All are possibilities for a brunch menu. But are they feasible for this brunch menu?
We can’t actually establish the menu yet because critical information is lacking. In the next step we fine tune the
concept and its theme because the more specific we are here, the easier the menu is to plan.
So, we must follow the systematic approach and answer the basic who, what, when, where, how and why. This
presents the big picture, the overall plan for what the event warrants food wise, equipment wise, help wise or otherwise.
The Who:
Vegetarians, medical conditions, youngsters, all teen girls…
The What:
Formal/informal, self service/table service, seated/standing…
Favorite/ethnic/expected dishes…
The When:
Beginning time, ending time, morning, afternoon or evening…
Spring, fall, summer or winter, Christmas, Valentine’s…
The Where:
Garden, dining room, church, exhibition hall, cafeteria…
Is it at a rental location or someone else's house?
The How:
The Why:
Birthday, business meeting, bar or bas mitzvah, graduation…
A couple of other cheat notes: only an approximate guest count is crucial for the menu planning. It's fairly safe to
assume that 90% of the guests invited will respond positively (or 10% will not be able to attend). And, whether the
invitation is written or verbal, emailed or snail mailed, formal or informal, it must include an RSVP, asking the guests
clearly to respond to whether they can attend or not. Don't leave the RSVP vague. There is nothing worse than
preparing for, physically and mentally, more people then actually come to the party.
OK, now let's get to the menu. Click on Step 2: A Menu with Style
Maybe it was later on when you read in Hamlet that "Readiness is all." Or, you may have encountered this concept
when a cooking teacher maintained "mise en place, mise en place…" Well, readiness is, in fact, all. It is planning. It is
putting in place that which is needed. But, before we can put in place all the pots, pans and utensils, before we have a
single ingredient purchased, before we even enter the kitchen, we must draw up a plan for the party.
Planning is essential for what transpires in the kitchen to translate to the table. Well, how do we plan? It begins by
determining the concept and theme from which the menu naturally progresses. First we must identify the concept, the
overall reason for the party. This comes before any other step and lays out a framework for us to follow. Generally, the
concept can be dictated by time of day, that is, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or, it can be an occasion like a birthday, or
an event like a wedding. It can also be identified broadly as the reason the party is given, that is, birthday, graduation,
christening.
How are we to prepare a menu, let alone pick a single dish, if we don’t know the event’s concept and theme? Let’s
say brunch is the concept and a 50th birthday is basically the theme. What are possible menu choices? Well the
menu could run the gamut from eggs benedict to toad-in-the-hole, lobster salad to pancakes, duck and smoked fois
gras terrine to sunrise burritos. All are possibilities for a brunch menu. But are they feasible for this brunch menu?
We can’t actually establish the menu yet because critical information is lacking. In the next step we fine tune the
concept and its theme because the more specific we are here, the easier the menu is to plan.
So, we must follow the systematic approach and answer the basic who, what, when, where, how and why. This
presents the big picture, the overall plan for what the event warrants food wise, equipment wise, help wise or otherwise.
The Who:
 | Who is the event for? | |
| Who is giving or the event? | |
| Who will be in attendance? Complete Guest List Cheat Sheet (print guest list cheat sheet) |
The What:
| What is the purpose of the event? | |
| What are your priorities? | |
| What are your budgetary concerns? | |
| What are the expectations of your guests? |
Favorite/ethnic/expected dishes…
The When:
| When is the event, the actual time? |
| Is it a seasonal event, ethnic or religious holiday? |
The Where:
| Where is the location? |
| Is it in a familiar kitchen? |
The How:
| How many guests will there be? | |
| How much food is expected based on the time of day and type of event? |
The Why:
| Why are you having the party? |
A couple of other cheat notes: only an approximate guest count is crucial for the menu planning. It's fairly safe to
assume that 90% of the guests invited will respond positively (or 10% will not be able to attend). And, whether the
invitation is written or verbal, emailed or snail mailed, formal or informal, it must include an RSVP, asking the guests
clearly to respond to whether they can attend or not. Don't leave the RSVP vague. There is nothing worse than
preparing for, physically and mentally, more people then actually come to the party.
OK, now let's get to the menu. Click on Step 2: A Menu with Style
| Party Planning Cheat Sheet (print party planning cheat sheet): |
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| Make ahead recipes for the fridge |
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