Creative Food & Beverage Ideas - AENC Event Planners Summit

AENC Event Planners SummitMonday, January 11, 2016, 9:45 – 10:45 am

Creative Food & Beverage Ideas&

Managing Special Diets

1. How to be creative while working within a budget

2. New ways to present & serve food at events

3. How to provide for special diets

1. How to be creative while working within a budget

l Select menus from ingredients that are more

affordable and available

l Proteins: Chicken, Pork, Turkey, Beans, Eggs, Tofu

l Starches & Vegetables

Middle Eastern Platter Display – Protein & Season

'Mac & Cheese'Muffins

At right

are filling and delicious

1. How to be creative while working within a budget

l Select menu items that use produce that is in season

MAKE IT LOCAL - FOR ALL SEASONS

JANUARY: Apples, Bok Choy, Brussel Spouts, Carrots, Celery, Rutabaga, Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin Tuna, Bluefish, Clam, Croaker, Flounder, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), King Mackerel, Oysters, Spotted Sea Trout, Striped Bass

FEBRUARY: Apples, Bok Choy, Carrots, Celery, Rutabaga, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts, Black Sea, Bass Bluefin, Tuna, Bluefish, Clam, Croaker, Flounder, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), King Mackerel, Mountain Trout, Oysters, Spotted Sea Trout, Striped Bass

MARCH: Bok Choy, Celery, Carrots, Leafy Greens, Rutabaga, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts, Bluefish, Blue Crab (Soft), Clam, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), Grouper, Kingfish, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish), Mountain Trout, Oysters, Snapper, Tilefish, Yellowfin, Tuna

Now growing at the Well Fed Community Garden

APRIL: Strawberries, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Celery, Green Onions, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Kale, Leafy Greens, Mustard Greens, Radish, Spinach, Spring Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Peanuts, Bluefish, Blue Crab (Soft), Clam, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), Grouper, Kingfish, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish), Mountain Trout, Oysters, Snapper, Tilefish, Yellowfin Tuna

MAY: Blueberries, Strawberries, Arugula, Beets, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Celery, Green Onions, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Kale, Leafy Greens, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Mustard Greens, Radish, Spinach, Spring Onions, Snow Peas, Turnips, Zucchini, Peanuts, Bluefish, Blue Crab (Soft), Clam, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), Grouper, Kingfish, King Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish), Mountain Trout, Oysters, Snapper, Tilefish, Yellowfin Tuna,

JUNE: Blackberries, Blueberries, Honeydew, Peaches, Plums, Strawberries, Watermelon, Asparagus, Arugula, Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Cabbage, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Green Beans, Green Peppers, Green Onions, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leafy Greens, Mustard Greens, Radish, Spring Onions, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Turnips, White Potatoes, Zucchini, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Clam, Blue Crab (Soft), Blue Crab (Hard), Grouper, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish), Mountain Trout, Oysters, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Shrimp, Tilefish, Triggerfish, Yellowfin Tuna,

Last year at the Well Fed Community Garden

Pea Shoot Micro GreensPea Shoot Micro GreensPea Shoot Micro Greens Bok Choi & Head Lettuce

JULY: Blackberries, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Peaches, Plums, Raspberries, Watermelon, Peanuts, Brussel Sprouts, Butter Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Field Peas, Garlic, Green Beans, Green Peppers, Hot Peppers, Kohlrabi, Leafy Greens,

AUGUST: Apples, Figs, Honeydew, Grapes, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Raspberries, Watermelon, Brussel Sprouts, Bok Choy, Butter Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Field Peas, Garlic, Green Beans, Green Peppers, Hot Pepper, Kohlrabi, Leafy Greens, Okra, Rutabaga, Spring Onions, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Blue Crab (Soft), Blue Crab (Hard), Clam, Grouper, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphinfish), Mountain Trout, Oysters, Shrimp, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Tilefish, Triggerfish, Yellowfin, Tuna

SEPTEMBER: Apples, Figs, Grapes, Muscadines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Raspberries, Bok Choy, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Cucumbers, Garlic, Green Beans, Hot Peppers, Leafy Greens, Pumpkin, Rutabaga, Spring Onion, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomato, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Blue Crab (Hard), Clams, Croaker, Grouper, King Mackerel, Mountain Trout, Mullet, Oysters, Shrimp, Snapper, Spotted Sea Trout, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Spot Striped Bass, Yellowfin Tuna

Last year at the Well Fed Community Garden

Bell Peppers in Summer Fields

Heirloom Tomatoes

OCTOBER: Apples, Figs, Grapes, Muscadines, Plums, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Cucumber, Collards, Garlic, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Hot Peppers, Kale, Leafy Greens, Mustard Greens, Pumpkins, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips, Winter Squash, Zucchini, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Blue Crab (Hard), Clam, Croaker, Grouper, King Mackerel, Mountain Trout, Mullet, Oysters, Shrimp, Snapper, Southern Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Spotted Sea Trout, Spot Striped Bass, Yellowfin Tuna

NOVEMBER: Apples, Beets, Bok Choy, Broccoli Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collards, Cucumbers, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Kale, Leafy Greens, Mustard Greens, Pumpkins, Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Winter Squash, Zucchini, Pecans, Peanuts, Black Sea Bass, Blue Crab (Hard), Clam, Croaker, Grouper, King Mackerel, Mountain Trout, Mullet, Oysters, Shrimp, Southern Flounder, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Spotted Sea Trout, Spot Striped Bass, Yellowfin Tuna

DECEMBER: Apples, Beets, Bok Choy, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Collards, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Kale, Leafy Greens, Mustard Greens, Pumpkins, Rutabaga, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Turnips, Spaghetti Squash, Winter Squash, Zucchini, Peanuts, Pecans, Black Sea Bass, Bluefin, Tuna, Bluefish, Clam, Croaker, Flounder, Grey Sea Trout (Weakfish), King Mackerel, Mountain Trout, Oysters, Spotted Sea Trout, Striped Bass

Last year at the Well Fed Community Garden

Purple Cauliflower

Shiitake Mushrooms

1. How to be creative while working within a budget

l Vegetarian and Vegan menus use much more

affordable ingredients.

“My Plate”

recommends

a diet of 50 percent

vegetables and fruits

1. How to be creative while working within a budget

l Select menu items that use local produce, saving on

the costs of transportation

l Urban Agriculture and Locally sourced produce is

affordable and puts $ into our local economy.

l … if we have time, we'll describe our Urban Agriculture Project – The Well

Fed Community Garden – and the benefits of Urban Agriculture

2. New ways to present & serve food

Variety of Service Styles

l Buffet

l Family Style

l Plated

l Stations

l Passed

Buffet

Buffet

Family Style

Family Style

Family Style

Plated

Plated

Plated

Plated

Stations

Pasta Stations

Anti Pasto Stations

Mac & Cheese Stations

Dessert Stations

'Smors' Dessert Stations

2. New ways to present & serve food

Different Shapes of Dishes, Glassware and Cups

In Flute Glasses

Mini Burgers on Buns

Ahi Tuna on Crostini

Spinach Cheese filling in Mushroom Caps

On Small Tiles and Shooter Glasses

Mini Black Tortillas with Shrimp filling on LimesMini Black Tortillas with Shrimp filling on LimesMini Black Tortillas with Shrimp filling on Limes

Served with Tequilla Margaritas

Passed Appetizers & Plated

2. New ways to present & serve food

Ethnic Specialties: for example

Mexican - Korean

Cuban Asian

Vietnamese mini sandwiches

Menu items presented in different shapesl On Skewers

l Mini Crab Cakes – as small bites

Breakfast menu suggestions - Fruitl Served sliced or in a bowl

l Marinated fruit salads in chili lime syrup, rosemary lemon or lavender

honey

l Grilled peaches with honey goats cheese seasonal

l Fruit with Greek Yogurt Bar (or vegan yogurts) with toppings on the side:

fresh pomegranate seeds, seasonal fruit, walnuts, whole flaxseeds, honey

and/or maple syrup

l Granola Station (made in house to be gluten free) with toppings on the side:

Greek Yogurt (or vegan yogurts), dried fruit, bananas and/or nuts.

Breakfast menu suggestions - Eggsl Scrambled Egg bar with toppings on the side: green onions, turkey bacon,

cheeses to include hard & soft cheeses, goat & sheep cheese

l Quiches – Asparagus, Caramelized Onions, Western, Lorraine...

l Frittatas – Vegetable Ratatouille, Florentine, Garden

l Omelet Stations are popular

l Eggs Maryland – Poached eggs and hollandaise over crab cakes

sprinkled with old bay seasoning

l Eggs Norwegian – Poached eggs on smoked salmon with lemon

Hollandaise on a split English muffin

Breakfast menu suggestions - Eggsl Eggs Portuguese – Poached eggs and Hollandaise over a mixture of

sauteed vegetables with Worchester sauce

l Eggs Waldorf Style – Poached eggs and mushroom caps in a creamy

mushroom sauce over toast

l Eggs Florentine – Poached eggs and Hollandaise or Bechamel sauce

over spinach or creamed spinach in a pastry shell

l Country Eggs Benedict – Sunny side up fried eggs with turkey sausage

and gravy on a split biscuit

Breakfast menu suggestions - Assorted itemsl Oatmeal Bar – served hot with dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, granola and

milk (dairy and vegan)

l Biscuit Bar – Fresh cheddar biscuits served with jams

Lunch Menu Suggestions: Sandwich Ideasl Variety of presentations:

l Different Breads: Whole Wheat, Focaccia, Ciabatta, Sour Dough,

Baguette, Brioche

l Wraps with herbed flour or corn (GF) tortillas

l Pita Pockets

l Paninis, Grilled Sandwiches

l Selection of cocktail mini sandwiches

Gluten Free Diets:

l Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the small intestine where the body cannot process gluten and instead provokes an immune response.

l Celiac Disease affects approximately 1 out of every 100 people

l According to a Gallup pol, 21% of Americans actively try to avoid gluten containing foods

Foods to Avoid

l Wheatl Ryel Barleyl Oats – check labelingl Bouillonl Rouxl Taboulil Couscous

Foods to Incorporate

l Rice – especially Black Ricel Cornl Buckwheatl Milletl Quinoal Teff – Ethiopian grainl Sorghuml Gluten Free Oatsl Amaranth

Vegetarian & Vegan Diets:

l Vegetarians are folks who don't eat meat, fish or poultry

l Vegans are vegetarians who also don't eat dairy, eggs, honey or anything else from a life form

l Approximately 4% of Americans are vegetarian and 1% are vegans

l However, approximately 47% of Americans eat at least one vegetarian meal per week.

Foods to Avoid

l Beef, Chicken & Porkl Seafood & Fishl Barleyl Dairy – Veganl Eggs – Veganl Honey – Veganl Some Sugars – Veganl Worcestershire Saucel - contain anchoviesl Caesar Dressingl - contain anchovies

Foods to Incorporate

l Beans & Legumes – Veganl Edamame – Veganl Nuts & seeds – walnuts, peanuts,

almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts and cashews – Vegan

l Dairy products - cheese, milk, yogurt & cottage cheese

l Eggsl All vegetables – peas, navy

beans, spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lima beans, asparagus….

Dairy Free Diets:

Those who follow a dairy free diet do so due to the fact that they

have an adverse reaction to the milk sugar – lactose – because they

no longer produce the lactases enzyme to break down the lactose

Research studies determine that the current rate of lactose

intolerance in the U.S. is approximately 20% of the population.

Foods to Avoid

l Cow's Milkl Sheep's Milkl Goats Millkl Cheesesl Caseinl Wheyl Ice Creaml Yogurtl Whipping Creaml Butter

Foods to Incorporate

l Soy Milkl Almond Milkl Rice Milkl Olive Oill Coconut Butter & Cooking Oill Apple Puree – instead of butterl Soy, Coconut or Rice Yogurtl Soy, Coconut or Rice Ice Creaml Sorbetl Almond Cheeze Spread (Sama)

Tree Nut Free Diets:

People suffering from tree nut allergies tend to have sever reactions,

such as anaphylaxis. Walnuts and cashews seem to illicit the

strongest and most severe reactions.

Research studies determine that 1 % of children and adults are

allergic to tree nuts.

Avoid all Nuts

Kosher Dietary Laws:

l Kosher food is requested by religiously observant Jews

l Strictly kosher meals needs to be prepared in kitchens that are

ritually kosher – keeping a separate set of pots, pans, dishes and

cutlery for dairy and meat meals. In this area, only synagogues

have ritually kosher kitchens

l Many observant Jews will eat 'kosher style' meals, which are often

meals that have no meat or dairy in them, and are not hot. For

example salads with tuna, egg salad sandwich. Hechsher

Kosher & Halal Meat

l To be ritually accepted:

l The animals must be in excellent health

l The animals are slaughtered humanely, with a knife

l The blood is drained out

l It is best not to serve meat to ritually observant Jews & Muslims

l Select a vegetarian or vegan menu

Irregardless Cafe & Catering

Well Fed Community Garden

The Glenwood Club

Early Days at the Cafe

Chef Arthur at the NC Gallery of Art

Cookbook published in 1980’s

Cafe before the Fire

Cafe after the fire

Awards and Recognitions

Green 'For Profit' Business 2009, Triangle Business Journal

2010 Business Support of the Arts

Market Transformation Award

Institute of Sustainable Development, 2012 Green Plus Small

Business of the Year Award

Thermal Solar Panels preheat Water for Cafe

Cafe

with

Jazz Club Stage

On February 4, 2015, Arthur and the

Irregardless Cafe celebrated 40 years of

serving Triangle residents.

Former City of Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker presented Arthur with the “Order of the Long

Leaf Pine.”

Well Fed Community

Garden

Designed by NC State

Prof Will Hooker& Laura Willer

Hosting Workshops

Workshops from the past yearl Ferments of Life: A Tasty Conversation about Fermentationl The World of Tomatoes according to NC Tomato man Craig LeHouillerl Weedy Wonders: Plant Walk & Medicine Makingl Cheese Making * Herbal Body Care l Vermicomposting * Plan your Spring Gardenl Kid's Nutrition Workshop

Everyone is Welcome at the Well Fed Community Garden

Volunteer Thursdays!9:30 am -12:30 pm every ThursdayGet your hands dirty and come learn about organic farming!Email us at garden@irregardless.com to let us know you are joining us!

Second Saturday’s Open House For up to date details check out Second Saturday Raleigh’s Food Corridor website

Third Saturday Volunteer Garden Workday & Community Potluck9:30 am-12:30pm workday followed by potluck!Bring Gloves to Work and Food to Share!

Fourth Saturday – Garden WorkshopsThe garden holds various workshops on the Fourth Saturday of each month.

Why source locally grown food for our daily nourishment:

● The present average distance our food travels from “field to plate” is 1,300 miles

Benefits:

● Locally grown food is full of flavor. When grown locally, the crops are

picked at their peak of ripeness versus being harvested early in order to be shipped

and distributed to your local retail store. At local markets, produce is been picked

within 24 hours of your purchase.

Changing people's eating habits. When folks cultivate vegetables and fruits, and witness the

growing cycle, they will eat and enjoy many more portions of

vegetables and fruits each day – which we now know is a vital

component of a healthy diet.

Local food has more nutrients. Local food has a shorter time between harvest and your table,

and it is less likely that the nutrient value has decreased.

Food imported from far-away states and countries is often

older, has traveled and sits in distribution centers before it gets

to your store.

Gardening encourages physical exercise

by tending crops.

Which is another important component of a healthy life-style

Local food supports the local economy. The

money that is spent with local farmers and growers all stays close

to home and is reinvested with businesses and services in your

community.

Local food benefits the environment.

By purchasing locally grown foods you help maintain

farmland and green and open space in your community.

Over the past 50 years, close to a million acres of local

farmland have been buried under cement and asphalt.

Local Foods Save Energy and Reduces our foods’ “ Carbon Footprint”

Transporting food long distances uses tremendous energy: it

takes 435 fossil-fuel calories to fly a 5 calorie strawberry from

California to New York.”

Local foods promote a safer food supply. The more steps there are between you and your food’s source

the more chances there are for contamination. Food grown in

distant locations has the potential for food safety issues at

harvesting, washing, shipping and distribution.

Local growers can tell you how the food

was grown.You can ask what practices they use to raise and harvest the crops. When you know where your food comes from and who grew it, you know a lot more about that food.

Biodiversity Local farmers grow thousands of varieties of fruits and vegetables. In contrast, industrial agribusiness cultivates high-yield hybrids bred for fast maturation and thick skins to withstand mechanical harvest and transport. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that more than 75% of agricultural genetic diversity was lost in the 20th century. Small, biodiverse farms preserve our food heritage.

Eating local food is eating seasonally.

Even though we wish strawberries were grown year round in North

Carolina, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly

from a local grower. They are full of flavor and taste better than the ones

available in the winter that have traveled thousands of miles and picked

before they were ripe.

Thank you

Questions and Answers