Cooking on the American Riviera - Santa Barbara

Wedding Menu Themes - Michael's Catering

Wedding reception themes are as varied as the brides and grooms than plan them. We have done burger buffets in a barn, Mexican food at a museum, California cuisine at the beach. Having a central theme sets the tone for the design and style of everything from decor, service style, menu selection, rentals, flowers. The wedding reception is a once in a lifetime event that should be memorable. Following are some of the all time best themes. Call us today for a cornucopia of menu ideas.

Traditional
This is the most popular theme of all time. This is the fairy tale wedding, preferable in a castle or grand estate. The dress is very formal and feeling is very classical. The setting begins in a grand church with traditional music. Flowers arrangements and lighting are somber to compliment the special theme. Classical dance and music are the right choice for the event. Traditional food & wine is proficiently served on white linen in the white crockery with silver cutlery and classic glasses.

 

 

Traditional Menu
Spring Greens with Belgian Endive and Hazelnut Dressing
Breast of Free Range Chicken with a Morel Cream
Spinach Flan and Baby Carrots

Countryside
This is a down to earth theme that can be a forest setting, old barn or in Santa Barbara, a winery. Some like to have a somewhat formal look in a rustic setting. You have the option to have a deluxe feel or a minimalist approach. Use the natural surroundings to amplify the theme. Traditional flowers and decorations compliment this theme. Food and wine is served according to the atmosphere of the reception. It could be regional Mexican, casual Italian or country French.

Country-Style French
Beluga Lentil Soup
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Herbs de Provence
Gratin Potatoes
Garden Vegetables

Sea Side
A beach side reception is quite the Santa Barbara style. Use shades of blue and sea shells to compliment the theme. The décor reflects idea of marine life in various ways. The beach or venue overlooking the sea is the best option for this wedding. You can also try for places like a boat house, harbor, or cruise ship for this event. Use the marine life such as sea shells, fish, plants, mermaids, crystals, and interesting rocks. The menu should reflect the sea theme with options for non fish eating guests. Even the cake could have shells and coral in the design.

Seaside Menu
Cultured Abalone with Snipped Dill
Local Sea bass with Vegetable Pearls and Port Jus
Napolean of Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes and Mozzarella
Potato and Celery Root Puree
Tiny French Beans with Shallots

Modern Chic
This is urban approach; big city chic look is prominent throughout the reception. Drama and simplicity are hallmarks of this theme. The modern wedding reception is a clean and clutter free idea. Florals are as simple as a perfect orchid, a Wang like wedding dress with simple, clean lines, table top design with simple patterns. The colors are subtle and a modern feel is there. The Deco or neo-classic look are hallmarks of this theme. The food should be simply, clean, unfussed and rely on superb ingredients.

Menu Moderne
Jumbo Sea Scallop in and Edamame Puree
Ginger-Lime Butter
Beef Tenderloin on an Asparagus Raft, Tarragon Jus
Fondant Potatoes

Garden or Tent
A garden or outside wedding is a classic in Santa Barbara. There are many options from public parks to private estates. You will be surprised that the management of such places is very friendly and welcoming. Look for the amenities that make for a wonderful reception like great views, interesting landscaping. If you have the chance to be part of a historic or beautiful setting there is nothing like it. If weather is a concern have a plan B and a tent option. Consider wind and sun. Work with your event planner to make sure all the amenities are in place from lighting to restrooms. Food and wine are as varied as the venue.

Garden Wedding Menu
Curried Chicken Pot Stickers
Wild Rice Pancakes with Pecans
Gougieres with Gruyere Cheese
Avocado Salad in a Pastry Shell
Baja Shrimp and Pearl Pasta
Served with Spring Mix Lettuces
Balsamic Vinaigrette and Crisp Leek Julienne
Roasted Filet of Pork Bernaise
Parmesan Croquette Potatoes
Bouquet of Vegetables
Red Wine Shallot Sauce

Seasonal or Ethnic Celebrations
Seasons can be an effective theme that can dictate flowers, dress, menu and even music. You can celebrate the seasonal presence with colors, light, and beauty of the season. The food should include seasonal delicacies. While all types of wine, meat, vegetable and fruit are available through out the year, there is a time when they are the best and freshly available. Challenge the chef to suggest a seasonal menu. You might be surprised to find that locally prepared meals and foods come at better value and are fresher. Whatever theme you choose, always keep in mind the timeframe, material, suppliers, and budget. Menus can be spring, summer, fall, Greek, Asian, Middle Eastern.

Seasonal Menu
Passed Canapés
Gorgonzola Mousse with Grapes on Bruscetta
Spinach Greek Style - spinach balls, breaded and fried
Hummus - with Sundried Tomatoes
Bibb Lettuce Blend
house croutons and Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
Penne Pasta with Vegetables-Putanesca Sauce
Poached Local Sea bass with a Basil-Tomato Relish
Chicken Breast Ragout - slow cooked with
mushrooms, herbs and red wine sauce
Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes
Thin Green Beans with Shallots
Baguette Bread with Butter
Wedding Cake from Bride and Groom

 

Cêpes - Steinpilz - Porcini Mushrooms

I found this little gem of a porcini mushroom yesterday in the Santa Barbara area. After consulting my mushroom books, I think it is a pale version of boletus edulis, the fabled porcini. It is not common in the Santa Barbara area but commercial quantities have been found this year in the northern part of Santa Barbara county. Porcini tend to get maggots so always check for "tunnels." Always consult an expert when hunting wild mushroom for consumption. There is an old say, "There are old mushroom hunters, there are bold mushroom hunters but there are no old-bold mushroom hunters."

On of my favorite methods of preparation is to wash and slice the mushrooms. I sauté sliced shallots and a little garlic in butter, add the mushrooms, salt and freshly ground pepper and cook them until they are slightly browned then finish with chopped parsley and a little, very little, lemon juice or white wine. Serve with brioche toast, in a puff pastry shell or on pasta.

From Wikipedia, "Prized as an ingredient in various foods, B. edulis is an edible mushroom held in high regard in many cuisines, and is commonly prepared and eaten in soups, pasta, or risotto. The mushroom is low in fat and digestible carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Although it is sold commercially, it has not been successfully grown in cultivation. Available fresh in autumn in Central, Southern and Northern Europe, it is most often dried, packaged and distributed worldwide. Keeping its flavour after drying, it is then reconstituted and used in cooking. Boletus edulis is one of the few fungi that are sold pickled. The fungus also produces a variety of organic compounds with a diverse spectrum of biological activity, including the steroid derivative ergosterol, a sugar binding protein, antiviral compounds, antioxidants, and phytochelatins, which give the organism resistance to toxic heavy metals."

CAMA Hidden Gardens Tour Catered by Michael's Catering

CAMA, Community Arts Music Association, support the musical arts in Santa Barbara. Every year they conduct a tour of some of the spectacular gardens in Santa Barbara in order to raise funds to support concert series and music education in public schools. CAMA, Santa Barbara’s oldest arts organization, brings the finest classical musicians from around the globe to Santa Barbara, CA. Now in its 93rd season, CAMA presents an exciting mix of internationally acclaimed orchestras and soloists in two concert series.
Enjoy a lovely afternoon, strolling through three unique gardens, each conceived, designed and nurtured with love by their owners. The first house is a lovely, colorful cottage garden designed with grandchildren in mind. The second, a splendid succulent garden, was cultivated from tiny plants to magnificent specimens all laid out to surprise the visitor. The final is at a hilltop estate with breathtaking 360-degree views and the restrained beauty of an Asian-inspired retreat. There you can enjoy music, hors d’oeuvres, a glass of wine, a silent auction and an opportunity for a drawing. We are preparing "garden fare" appropriate to a spring late luncheon.

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

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Local Porcini

Wonders never cease. From my perch at the Berry Man Produce company, I see what comes through the warehouse on a daily basis. This past couple of week, porcini from Santa Barbara County have shown up. I had never heard of commercial amounts of porcini being available on the market.

They are pale in comparison to the boletus edulis that I know from Europe and central California. I am taking a few pounds home to try them.

Ernie's Restaurant Menu at Sly's - Carpinteria

Sly's Restaurant in Carpinteria, is honoring French culinary traditions in America. For the next few weeks, the shuttered Ernie's restaurant has inspired a menu from the golden area of French restaurants in America. This is a time of ornate dining rooms, tuxedoed waiters and table side service. Think Steak Diane, Veal Oacar, Chateaubriand, Crêpes Suzette.

From Citizedium: "Ernie's first opened around the turn of the 20th century, owned by Ernie Carlesso, who was also its chef. At the time it was a simple Italian trattoria called Ernie's Il Travatore. Located at 847 Montgomery Street near Jackson Square, it was just on the edge of the Barbary Coast, an anything-goes district that had been known throughout the world since the 1850s for its brothels, saloons, opium dens, gambling and dance halls, and restaurants with discreet private dining rooms upstairs where more services than mere food could be provided. The little restaurant serving traditional American-Italian food was so successful that in 1935 ^[2] Carlesso and one of his waiters, an immigrant named Ambrogio Gotti, ^[3] bought the building, continuing, however, to rent "rooms upstairs to 'boarders'." ^[4] The building itself had been the site of one of the more notorious landmarks of the Barbary Coast, the 'Frisco Dance Hall and some of its elements were still there. Carlesso, the namesake Ernie, died in 1946 and his partner, Ambrogio Gotti, retired in 1947, selling his share to his two youthful sons, Roland and Victor, who had already been working at the restaurant as busboys.^[5] Only 21 and 25 years old when they became sole owners, the two brothers continued in that role for the next 48 years.

Sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s, the brothers made an important decision: they replaced the old red checkerboard tablecloth-type decor with a completely rebuilt interior. Their goal, says De Groot, was to 'make it the most beautiful restaurant in the world.'"

 

 

Wedding Cakes Santa Barbara Style

The wedding season in Santa Barbara spans from May to October. Christine Dahl, pastry chef extraordinaire, specialized in those celebratory confections, wedding cakes. Designs flow out of the tip of her pastry bag like water from a spigot. In the course of the year Chef Christine solo creates dome 150 wedding cakes with little repetition. What dreams she spins from butter, sugar, flour, fresh fruits and flowers.

 

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Op Art Bar Mitzvah Cake

Op Art Bar Mitzvah Cake

This cake looks like something out of a 60s NY Gallery show. I would expect Jane Fonda to show up in a mini skirt and boots. The lucite cubes have shredded cellophane and blinking lights. Fonsant was used to decorated the exterior. Created by Chef Christine Dahl.

 

Sablé aux Fraise

Gaviota Berries

Chef Albert Roux created a dessert called Sablé aux Fraise for the MOF, Meilleur Oeuvre de France, competition. The dessert is the essence of simplicity consisting of French shortbread disks layered with fresh seasonal berries and a coulis of the berry for a sauce. At Roux's flagship restaurant, we made the dough by hand and finished with a sort of smearing technique that mixes the dough and keeps it tender.

I recall on morning at Chef Albert's flagship restaurnat, Le Gavroche. The apprentice pastry chef Joel and just pulled some slightly overcooked sablé disks out of the oven and set them on the landing near the stairs. Naturally, Chef Albert came into the kitchen. A shout came out, "Joel, venez ici." The chef took his cane and wacked each disk to bits. Lesson learned.

Over the years I have made a number of variations on the sablé theme and burnt a few trays as well.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

 

Chocolate sablé, mocha butter cream and raspberries

Pistachio Sablé, lemon curd and tangerines

Hazelnut Sablé, caramelized apples and cinnamon anglaise

Graham Sablé, chocolate ganache, marshmallow cream

Macadamia Nut Sablé, caramelized bananas, coconut cream

Sablé, peaches, raspberry cooulis, vanilla ice cream

 

 

Mixed Berry Sablé with Sorbets

 

 

Key LimeTarts

I love these mini key lime tarts. The crust is a sweet pie dough and the filling is a key lime curd. The topping is a meringue that is browned with a kitchen torch.

Spring Potatoes with Sage

Simplicity is the hallmark of a master. Think Mozart, that little black dress with a string of pearls or a brilliant cut diamond. I, on the other hand, think potatoes, par cooked, peeled, slit and filled with a sage leaf then roasted with EVO, salt and pepper. I used mini Yukon gold potatoes.  Serve them with a roasted leg of spring lamb and asparagus hollandaise. If you must have mint jelly, make your own.

Zebra Cake

Pastry Chef Christine Dahl made this cake for a wedding at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Inside was a devil's food cake, chocolate mousse and berries.

Summer Wedding Cake

Posting all of Christine Dahl's wedding cake designs would take a lifetime. Here is a gem she made last season. Vanilla chiffon, lemon curd, raspberries...

Wedding Cake For Summer

Wedding Cake, Just in Time

This past weekend, my pastry chef-wife had a last minute(24 hour) call for a wedding cake. Chef Christine made this little gem and then raided the garden for the plant decorations. THe filling was white chocolate mousse with raspberries. Results: Happy wedding party.

 

 

 

 

Vegetables Rock - Michael's Catering

It's Spring. Every week, I prepare a vegetable display for one of my clients. Tired of just raw vegetables, I started blanching and roasting some of the veggies to add appeal. I like to use curry powder as well as other spices to add interest.

We are already lucky in Santa Barbara as we are close to the farming areas in the county. The local Farmers Market brims with great produce this time of year. I use about ten different vegetables for the tray and make  pesto and hummus dips to serve alongside.

See you at the Farmers Market...

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eighteen Chefs in the Kitchen

This past week Noah's Anchorage held a fundraiser in Santa Barbara. Noah's Anchorage is a program from the local YMCA that assists youth. Local chef Vincent Vanhecke organized the event that features some 18 chefs and twenty  students and faculty from the local city college's culinary program. We needed all those hads as we had 1,400 canapes to serve and 1820 food items to plate.

The evening was a great success and help raise much needed funds for the Noah's Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter. Many thanks to my fellow culinarians for their generosity and talents.

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

 

 

Pasta all'Amatriciana

This past weekend, I catered a cooking class-dinner for 18 people. We made a lot of fussy canapés and then a simple pasta dish for dinner. It is a recipe that is a sum of its simple ingredients, pancetta, onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, pasta and parmesan. They key is to buy good ingredients, as it is in all cooking.

I prefer canned tomatoes that have been preserved at their peak. THey also save time in making this simple pasta sauce. Be careful with the chili flakes as they always "bloom"  with their spice after a while of cooking. Use plenty of parmesan!

 

Chef Michael Hutchings

Ingredients on Parade

Wedding Cakes by Christine Dahl Pastries

Pastry Chef Christine Dahl, Christine Dahl Pastries, creates the most amazing cakes and pastries. Besides the thousands of cake designs, Chef Dahl's cakes exhibit her classic training with the "from scratch" cooking that yield delicious desserts.

Christine Dahl opened her business in 1995 and quickly became renowned for her visually stunning and delicious wedding and special occasion cakes as well as her classic pastries. While she is best known for her wedding cakes, her classic pastries and special occasion cakes have graced many tables in the greater Santa Barbara area. Christine’s creations have been featured in numerous national magazines including Martha Stewart and Grace Ormonde Wedding Style. Please view the video to learn more about Chef Dahl's wonderful cakes and see a few examples of her classic style.

 

Wedding Cakes for 2012

Chef Christine Dahl has amazing cake designs. Two of her latest creations are inspired by nature. Her seashell cake features sea shells from around the world or they can be white chocolate.

The Butterfly Cake uses faux butterflies and fondant and marzipan to create a spectacular wedding cake. Both are made in a variety of cake flavors and fillings. My favorite is vanilla chiffon with white chocolate mousse and raspberries.

 

Chef Michael Hutchings

 

Seashell Wedding Cake


Monarch Wedding Cake

Wedding Catering Santa Barbara

Wedding catering requires a great deal of detailed planning. At Michael's Catering, our approach is to ask lots of questions, prepare a great plan and make perfect lists. Surprisingly, the food aspect is the easiest of what we do.

Here are a few things you might want to know about our wedding catering service. While we are not wedding planners per se, we plan many of the aspects of a successfully catered wedding. We place a great emphasis in getting every detail "on paper" to serve as a blueprint for a successful day. Many of the services we provide are akin to "Day of" wedding coordination. We are happy to work with your planner if you have one. Many smaller weddings often rely on a friend or relative. We are happy to supplement this with our our experienced staff.

 

Wedding FAQS

Planning Your Wedding

How do you approach menu planning? We plan a menu around your personal food preferences, the style of your wedding, your budget and what is seasonal and local.

What style of service do you offer? We offer several style that reflect personal preference, budget and level of formality of your wedding and this includes Tray Passed, Stationary, Small Plates (Tapas), Family Style, Buffet, Served Sit Down, Food Stations, Butler Style and Seated Family Style. Please click Here for details on service style.

What other factors influence style of service? Oftentimes, location will influence service style, whether there is a kitchen available, time considerations and time of year.

Do you offer tastings? We are delighted to do tastings. Due to the high cost of preparing small portions for a tasting, we may have a small fee. We often waive that fee for larger wedding that has booked already and want to have a sense of the cuisine we prepare.

How do you plan the various details for the location? We will meet with you at the location and walk through the entire event. From this we do a detailed scenario, event blueprint, time line, kitchen and scullery plan and power assessment.

Do you charge for cake cutting? We do not.

Do you permit outside food? No, liability consideration means we are the only source of food.

Do you provide food for the other vendors? We need to know what you needs are ahead of time and will provide a meal at an agree upon cost.

What about equipment and rentals? We work with all the rental companies to get you the right equipment at the best price. We suggest what you need, obtain bids and adjust the quantities based on your final guest counts. The delivery and pick up times are specified. You will pay the rental companies directly.

When do you arrive at the catering site? We will work with you to determine the best timing for our arrival. Often we do basic set up earlier in the day with a lower cost crew. At times, we must work around the venues time lines. We put all of this into our time line. We like to be "guest ready" thirty minutes before start time just in case there are early guests arrivals.

What happens when guests arrive? We will help greet your guest with any beverages that have been planned, help with any gifts, direct them to the ceremonial area if applicable or assist with seating as needed.

How do you interact with other vendors? We work with other vendors and the time line to help insure that all that was planned comes to pass including, toasts, first dances and cutting the cake.

What do you do at the close of the event? We restore the event site to its original condition as required by the site contact or better. Rentals are pack for pick up and stored in a pre-determined location. We will inventory the rentals for an additional hourly rate.

There are a thousand other details that are part of the key to success. Call us today to arrange a meeting to start planning your wedding day.

Chef James Sly

Chef James Sly, Sly's restaurant in Carpinteria, was guest chef at local private club. Some eighty folks dined on a sampling of chef Sly's classics. Chef James hails from Fullerton, CA but boasts an international training from Monaco to Paris. His eponymous restaurant has put the city of Carpinteria on the culinary map, discounting the Avocado Festival.

Frank Ostini was there to serve his terrific wines from the Hitching Post winery. Frank is famous for his wines, his restaurant ( featured in the coming-of-age flick "Sideways") and his affable nature. Frank's family have had a restaurant in the Santa Ynez Valley for over 50 years.

Sous Vide Cooked Breast of Duckling Salad

 

 

Pixie Tangerine from Ojai

The Santa Barbara News Press ran a story today about the Pixie Tangerine from Ojai, California. In short, they were developed by Howard Frost at UC Riverside in 1927. The pixie tangerine resulted from his open pollenation of Kincy mandarines. They are small, seedless and sweet. The season is March and April.

I took a call from Scott Stapelton, the writer, and offered a couple of great recipes using the tangerines. My pstry chef wife, Christine Dahl of Christine Dahl Pastries, makes a tangerine curd that is piped into a pate sucree tart with white chocolate mousse, tangerine sections and white chocolate straws. They can be made as mini bites or full dessert size.

My contribution was a lobster dish on butternut sauce with a lobster-tangerine sauce. The lobster is steamed until just done. The butternut squash is is cooked in a mixture of tangerine juice, honey, ginger and butter until tender and then pureed. The sauce is a lobster essence infused with saffron, tangerine juice and a touch of sherry vinegar. This dish is finished with a drizzle of chive oil.
This recipe also works well with Santa Barbara spot prawns.

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering