July 8, 2015

CATERING menus

Not only do occasions these days seem endless
but so are menus for catering.

What is your occasion?
Does your occasion or party have a theme?

Is your occasion a bridal shower?
A baby shower? A graduation party?
A holiday party? A retirement party?
An office function? A super bowl or fantasy sport party?

Regardless of the occasion-
Let's Cultivate Food would not only happily cater 
your event but we love themes and making the food
personal to the occasion or person.

We even make food signs relating to the occasion
and or the food often using food puns even!

Below are a few of the most relished menus.
We can personalize any of the below menus
along with substituting items and or creating
special diet menus as well.

Members of the Let's Cultivate Food team
have diabetes, are gluten free and vegetarian
so we're experienced on a daily basis
if you need to take that route!


MOST POPULAR MENUS:
(Menu options also change with seasons)


HORS D’OEUVRES   
Individual cups of Veggie Crudite with homemade sriracha mayo
Caprese Skewers
Let's Cultivate Food's Dumplings with homemade soy and duck sauce
Shrimp Cucumber Avocado appetizer
Chicken Satay skewers in a Thai peanut sauce


ASIAN FUSION FLAIR 
Spicy pork belly mango slaw lettuce wraps
Mac and cheese stuffed egg rolls with sriracha sauce
Exotic veggie stir-fried rice with pineapples
Fresh raw spring rolls
Chicken Tikka Masala


TACO BAR PAR-TAY 
Ground Beef with 12 spices
Shredded BBQ Chicken
Greens (chiffonade romaine and cabbage)
Guacamole, Salsa, Sour cream, shredded cheese, 
Flour and corn wrappers
Taco spring rolls


TUSCANY FLAVORS
Meatball sub on a stick
Classic Caesar salad with croutons and homemade dressing
Sun dried tomato & roasted pepper crostini
Stuffed Shells with a homemade marinara sauce
Rigatoni with arugula and veggies tossed in red sauce


AMERICAN PICNIC
Loaded Potato Salad with bacon and shredded cheddar
Grilled Cheese bites
Seasoned Killer Corn 
Muffaletta sliders 
      (ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone, olive salad, hot peppers)
Homemade coleslaw



Please email for pricing, 
detailed  information on the food items, 
possible substitutions and any questions!

email: letscultivate@gmail.com

July 7, 2015

What is Balsamic Vinegar made of?

I've been told that in Italy- where true Balsamic Vinegar
comes from-  it isn't used as an acidic ingredient for salad dressings
like it is here in the USA.  They use it more as a condiment on
grilled meats and of course drizzling on strawberries.


There are 3 different kinds of balsamic vinegar. 
Aceto balsamico tradizionale,  commerical  and lastly condimento. 
The Aceto balsamico tradizionale is the most pure and true for it is 
heavily regulated and takes on the underlying flavors of the wooden 
oak or chestnut barrels that the grapes are stored 
in after it is pressed into vinegar. Oh, by the way--- 
balsamic vinegar is boiled down sweet white grapes.  
This type was even used for medical purposes back in the day.

The mass marketed commercial balsamic is not aged like the 
aceto kind.  Many times the commerical type is labeled 
balsamic vinegar of Modena and a pinch of brown sugar is added 
to every cup of vinegar. 

The last type called condimento is kind of the in between 
one where it's not as  expensive as the Aceto but a higher quality 
than the commercial kind. 
  
                                   

The biggest difference between wine, wine vinegar and 
balsamic vinegar is that the grapes are pressed into make 
balsamic vinegar before the grapes start to ferment like the way 
it is before making wines.

Balsamic vinegar is really good when you mix a few drops 
with olive oil to smear your good, earthy and crusty bread 
into along with your flavorful soup and adding garlic to it is 
also another flavorful option.



Zestfully Let's Cultivate Food

June 24, 2015

Benefits of cucumbers.

Most of us know that veggies are good for us.
Even if you don't know much about each specific
type of vegetable or fruit-
we usually consider them to have vitamins
that are good for us and are healthy for our bodies.

Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of
lotions and creams with cucumber fragrances
or extracts?   Spas will often slice cucumbers
and have them infused in water as well.

Well!, there is a reason for this.




The most common cucumbers that we are familiar with are 
the regular American cucumbers,
the long (usually individually wrapped) English cucumbers
that have less seeds in them 
(often used in sushi because it can be used as one long piece)
and the shorter, plump cucumbers that are called Kirby cucumbers 
that are often made for cucumber kimchi in Korean cuisine 
and then there are also pickle cucumbers that are pickled 
to make pickles. There are these round cucumbers also that 
are not as common and have a thinner skin and therefore
not as flavorful and crisp like most cucumbers are. 


















And now on to the benefits of cucumbers!

1.  Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you
      need on a daily allowance.  One cucumber contains
      vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium,
      Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.


2.  Although it might not be the norm-
      eating a cucumber mid-day can provide a great pick-me up
      that can last hours in a healthy way rather than grabbing
      a soda or another cup of coffee.


3.  Have you ever notice when you take a hot shower-
     the mirrors fog up?  Well, try rubbing a few slices
     of cucumber along the mirror and it will help eliminate the
     fogging along with providing a spa like fragrance!  Win, Win!


4.  Do you have some  unwanted in your garden?
      Take a few cucumber slices and add it to an aluminum pan or foil.
      The natural chemicals in the cucumber react to the aluminum
      that garden pests don't like while we as humans can't detect.


5.  Especially since it's summer and pool and beach season-
      do you have some cellulite that you don't care to show?
      Rub a few cucumber slices in the problem area and the
      phytochemicals in the cucumber will help the skin (collagen)
      to tighten while you are at the pool/beach for the afternoon.


6.  Eating a cucumber before going to bed will help avoid a
      hangover or a terrible headache the next day.


7.  Cucumber slices will also do things like polish your shoes
      (a greener way to clean) or if you don't have shoe polish on hand.
      It also helps repel water off your shoes.


8.  When you are out of WD 40 and need a quick fix for the
      squeaky hinge- you can rub it along the problematic area.


9.  Are you about to have a business meeting or about to
     meet someone and you don't have any gum or mint?
     It's not that you would have slices of cucumber in
     your purse or pocket but for informational purposes-
     placing a slice or 2 of cucumbers on the roof of your mouth
     for about 30 seconds or so- the phytochemicals will
     kill the bacteria responsible for causing bad breath.


10.  If you are looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets,
     sinks and stainless steel- take a slice or 2 of cucumber and
     rub it on the desired surface- not only will it help bring
     back shine  and not leave streaks but it will be good on
     your hands and fingernails while you clean as well.







Who said you don't learn something new everyday,
Let's Cultivate Food

June 22, 2015

Asian Market ingredient and product tour!

Grab a friend and join me in my Asian Market TOUR!

You will learn what's REALLY in soy sauce, wasabi sauce,
the difference between fish sauce and oyster sauce
and information on 30+ ingredients and products.

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and favored a dish
and always wanted to make it at home?
You've even gone to the extent of looking that recipe up online
and have a recipe but aren't sure what's what once you
arrive at the Asian supermarket?
Maybe because many of the brands are written in Chinese,
Korean or Thai?... or you just aren't sure which brand is better
and more importantly healthiest for you.



Here is another opportunity to come learn about some ingredients
and products.  It'll be indoors with cold blasted air conditioning
so you've got nothing to lose!

The 3 dates that are available are:
Friday July 17th from 7-8:30 pm
Thursday July 23rd from 7-8:30 pm
Saturday Aug 1st from 11-12:30 pm

Oh! and don't forget you must sign up and register
so that there are enough spots/spaces and
so that I can prepare your free Goodie bag of goodies!

Link to REGISTER  and link for MORE DETAILS














Find your ingredients Let's Cultivate Food

June 10, 2015

Seasoned Corn.



















Sauteing corn for a side dish is always great especially in these
warmer months where you can grill it on an outdoor grill.

Using fresh corn on the cob is best for the best flavor.
You can use 2-3 cobs for 2 people. All you have to do is just take a
knife and slice the kernels right off the cob into a bowl.

















With a little butter, (I like to use butter made from olive oil)
-add the kernels of corn into the pan.

As the corn is starting to cook up, add a sprinkle of Old Bay season salt
and a handful of chopped cilantro. Even if you don't care for cilantro...
when the cilantro cooks up with the corn, it blends in really well
and you don't taste the distinct flavor of cilantro that some people dislike.
Lastly, add a little drizzle of vegetable or chicken stock to bring
all the flavors together. This corn is great with ribs and coleslaw
or any other entree actually. If you wanted to grill the corn
on the cob- you can certainly do that as well.


Grill it up,  Let's Cultivate Food

June 1, 2015

A few of my Company Catered Lunches!

Catered lunch boxes are individually 
packaged and personalized.  
Each comes with an entree + a side 
and a drink  (often fruit or herb infused).

(Menus can be customized for special diets & allergies)


Let's face it, your employees rock! 

Treat them to the company perk that keeps them 
fueled up and ready to work! 

When your company is ready to discuss 
your company’s lunch meal plans...

Please click the tab titled "To  SCHEDULE
where you will fill out some basic info
(location, how many employees, etc...)
so we can get a better idea of your 
company's needs and how we can 'satisfy'.

(pictured below are just a few samples)




























   

  

Individually packaged and personalized,   
Let's Cultivate Food