This past weekend was a whirlwind at J. Scott.  We had parties all across the Delaware Valley for all different kinds of clients.  Over the next few days we will give you a snapshot of all the festivities and the wonderful food we served.

The first event was for one of our long time corporate client’s annual three day conference. Members from across the country and the world come to celebrate and learn in their respective fields.  It is a great opportunity to find out what is going on both domestically and internationally while enjoying good food and good company.

The first evening’s dinner took place in a beautiful naturally lit hall that faced the west, allowing guests a view of the sunset as dusk fell.  Tables were covered in fun linen called theory rouge; it had a ruby background with mosaic style pattern in blue, white and orange. The client decided to utilize one set of flowers for the weekend’s events in an effort to cut costs in the tough economic time.  In doing so they chose an exquisite red and orange toned arrangement in a low wide trifle vase.  Other events throughout the weekend followed the same color scheme changing the linens and other details slightly for the different events so as not to seem repetitive.  This is a great tip if you are having a multi-day event and are looking to save money but remain stylish throughout.

The evening began with a cocktail reception that included a wine, beer and soda bar and passed hors d’oeuvre including pumpkin bisque with crème fraiche, wild mushroom and local goat cheese crostini with honey drizzle, a mini Maine lobster and prosciutto taco, ancho rubbed chicken roll-up, apple and blue cheese turnover and barbeque braised short rib on Yukon chip.

The salad and entrée were served on one plate at the clients request to keep the dinner service short.  Arugula, goat cheese, dried cranberries and roasted pumpkin tossed in a red wine vinaigrette sat next to an asparagus bundle and prime tenderloin steak with crimini mushrooms and caramelized onion rosemary jus. After dinner, each table was presented with two small dessert stands with a variety of miniature pastries for the guests to choose from.

This style of service worked well for the awards ceremony that was taking place during dinner.  It kept wait staff interruption to a minimum but still gave guests the opportunity to enjoy a sit down dinner after a long day of meetings.

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Fall is in the air and with it all of the fantastic fall wedding themes and colors.  We had a great time working with the couple who got married at the Foundry this weekend, designing a very original look.  The bride decided to mix and match several colors and prints to create a rich look with lots of trendy flares.  Some tables had mulberry kiwi linens, a fun green zebra style sateen linen, while others had chocolate brown and forest green stripe linens.  These two styles of tables were accented with kiwi, chartreuse or eggplant napkins.

Flower on the tables were simple but vibrant with multi-colored Gerber daisies.  The Foundry was also given a makeover with assorted greener throughout; some of which had up-lighting to highlight the stairs on either side of the dance floor.

The couples menu was as complex and intriguing as their décor.  Hors d’oeuvre included vegetable potstickers, panko crusted scallops with bacon and chicken satay.  The highlight of the cocktail hour was the quesadilla station on the mezzanine featuring brie and papaya quesadillas, smoked chicken, wild mushroom and fontina quesadillas and chorizo and grilled corn quesadillas with cojita cheese.

The first course was a composed salad of Bull Blood micro greens and baby arugula with oranges, pomegranate seeds, shredded red onion, black garlic and Hawaiian black lava salt, drizzled with pomegranate vinaigrette.

The entrees included a seared tenderloin served with or without lump crab, topped with hollandaise, accompanied by potatoes au gratin and baby vegetable bundles.  The other entrée was a black sea bass with lemon zest, drizzled with lemon walnut oil, accompanied by wild rice pilaf with sundried cranberries and baby vegetable bundles.

The couples wedding cake was ornate with the colors of the décor and added silver edible beads. The cake was lemon with rich vanilla buttercream.  As always we thank the couple for choosing J. Scott to take part in their big day.  We wish them all the best in the future.

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This past weekend we helped a wonderful young couple celebrate their marriage with friends and family at a backyard tent wedding.  This non-traditional couple had big ideas for their big day that included fun passed hors d’oeuvre and stations that represented their backgrounds and celebrated their lives.

The passed hors d’oeuvre included our signature mini Caesar salads in parmesan tuile cups, mini Philadelphia cheese steaks with whiz and grilled onions, quintessential pigs in a blanket, chorizo and grilled corn quesadillas and chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce.

Stationary hors d’oeuvre during cocktail hour included a garden vegetable crudite accompanied by roasted red pepper and spinach dips.  The other, a bruschetta station, included four types of crostini toppings.

The couple chose to pay homage to their individual heritages by serving dishes from Korea, Belgium and Memphis.

The Korean station’s dishes were served from woks with subtle Asian décor.  Mandoo, a steamed dumpling filled with chicken and potato, vegetable japchae, a vegetable stir fry with sweet vermicelli noodles and grilled beef bulgogi served with lettuce, offered guests a taste of classic Korean fare.

The ode to Belgium included pommel frites served from delicate paper cones, with several dips and toppings.  Moules marinieres, a dish of mussels sautéed with white wine, shallots, parsley and butter, finished off the station.

The next station brought guests to the southern United States with Memphis style barbequed pulled chicken served with our homemade corn bread.  Molasses baked beans and baked macaroni & cheese rounded out this station.

Dessert was no less exciting then dinner with a Belgian waffle station offering made to order waffles with a hazelnut cream topping.  The bride and groom cut a waffle and shared it “Lady and the Tramp” style finishing the bite with a kiss.  Just another example of an option other than a wedding cake, and a very delicious one at that.

This fabulous tent wedding was exquisitely understated with taupe linens on the guest tables and ivory linens, with grey rattan accents.  I hope this wonderfully non-traditional wedding will inspire other young couples to celebrate in any way they choose.

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In last week’s post we detailed some of our latest décor layouts that were showcased at a recent event for Philadelphia party planners. Although décor is of the utmost importance, J Scott Catering was not named Best Caterer of the Main Line for being talented interior decorators! The tasting dishes were without a doubt the highlight of the event. Chef Erin Morrison ensured that each and every guest in attendance left with a healthy grin on their face.

As the planners filed into the venue, they were greeted by an assortment of various passed hors d’oeuvre. The crowed favorite appeared to be the smoked salmon tartare with a caper chive crème fraiche. Servers were barely able to make it through the doorway with the platter before eager guests hurried over to assist in lightening their load. That being said, that salmon’s popularity in no way overshadowed the other three delightful appetizers. These included a seared tuna with mango salsa on top a lotus root, curried shrimp salad with grilled endive and candied lime zest, and last but not least, wild mushroom goat cheese crostini with peppered honey. Needless to say that even with a long list of assorted entrees still to come, the planners made sure that none of these delicious appetizers went to waste.

Like the themed décor layouts, this showcase’s dishes were broken up into the categories of Asian Fusion, Eco-Chic, and Fall Harvest as well.

The sushi bar would not be complete without a sushi chef preparing sashimi and various combinations of veggie and seafood rolls. Guests were able to observe the chef’s talent and precision with the knife as he prepared each platter by hand. For those attendees that preferred hot Asian cuisine, the station also featured my personal favorite, braised beef short rib dumplings with a Sriracha infused dipping sauce. There was a spicy Kung Pao chicken on fried rice dish as well as a citrus braised baby bok choy.

The next station was our enviro-friendly Eco-Chic display. The key word was freshness as each dish was highlighted by garden enriched flavors. First up was a pan seared Halibut on top a seafood risotto cake with asparagus and sofrito. Next, a savory roasted tenderloin of beef topped with celery root, parsnip puree, and caramel fennel with espresso mocha demi glace. Finally, for the true veggo’s in the room, we served a summer vegetable Portobello tower accented by herb goat cheese and fresh tomato sauce.

Our last set of entrée samplers was a collection of fall harvest inspired dishes. A variation on the Asian braised beef short ribs, in our first dish they were barbequed and served with a cheesy polenta and crispy shallot rings. The second platter was a pan roasted organic chicken medallion with Kennett Square Mushrooms, a collection of herbs and Madeira. The last entrée of the afternoon was a Cape May pan seared jumbo scallop paired with smoked gouda, and chive risotto with hickory onion cream.

No meal is complete until the all important sweet tooth has been satisfied. The final display was a colorful desert wall filled with a variety of apple, pumpkin, and blackberry cobbler cups. Like a slice of pie in the palm of your hand, these colorful and tasty treats were the perfect way to finish off delightful event.

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