It appears Chef Morrison and his team are constantly serving up new and interesting hors d’oeuvres for the many J. Scott Catering events. You are never given the opportunity to make a second first impression. The tantalizingly tasty morsels that our servers distribute throughout the party are the event attendees’ first taste of J. Scott cuisine. It is extremely important to be sure that these appetizers generate excitement and anticipation for the meal to come. This week the office conference room was home to yet another client tasting. Our hors d’oeuvres stole center stage as the tasting was set for a cocktail reception. The afternoon’s clients were happy to sit back and enjoy some fabulous finger foods courtesy of the J. Scott kitchen.

First, three different skewered appetizers were served to our hungry guests. They started with a lime marinated chicken skewer with an avocado cream dip. The hint of lime superbly complimented the creamy avocado. The next two Asian inspired dishes were a wok prepared Cantonese Chow Chow beef skewer, and a Japanese style grilled beef skewer with Ponzu sauce. Ponzu has a tart, citrus flavor and is combined with soy sauce to make a unique and savory dressing for the beef.

As our menu direction took a turn and moved away from the Far East, we picked up a few seafood dishes crossing the great pond en route back west. The clients were treated to a seared, bacon wrapped scallop, as well as a set if lump crab cakes with chile crème fraiche. Both dishes sported a fresh caught taste, and were a great addition to the chicken and beef skewers.

Our tasting trip around the globe came to a close as our menu items touched down gracefully back home in Malvern P.A. The journey would not be complete without adding a taste of home sweet home into the mix. The mini cheese steaks with whiz added a touch of Philly flair, and the tray of mini whimpy burgers made for an unmistakably classic American taste. In the end the clients appeared to be incredibly pleased with the selection, and were sure their cocktail was going to be a hit.

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Office tastings are an important part of J. Scott Catering’s Business. It allows prospective clients to sample our kitchen’s finished product, and see exactly what their menu’s dishes will look like on the day of their event. Today a couple was in to sample the menu items for their upcoming wedding reception. The tasting was broken into three courses. First a selection of passed hors d’eouvres would be sampled, second the couple was able to taste the salad course, and finally the reception’s entrée dishes.

The couple was interested in a simple, but tastefully executed selection of appetizers for the evening. Chef Morrison was able to deliver some classics that would definitely exceed the clients’ expectations. First on the menu were skewers of grilled shrimp Neapolitan with basil, red chile flakes and Garlic. Next, a set of American Mini Whimpy Cheese Burger Bites. There was nothing whimpy about the flavor of these minis, as the burgers were complemented by a homemade sesame seed bun fixed with ketchup, blue cheese, and Russian dressing. Some of the other mini dishes prepared for the tasting were a mini chicken pot pie with garden veggies and sherry cream, a mini cheese steak with whiz and grilled onions, a mini Caesar salad in a Parmesan tuile basket sprinkled with homemade pumpernickel croutons, and finally, the all star of the hors d’eouvres cast a “Just like Mom’s” tomato soup shooter with mini grilled cheese. The tomato soup had just the right amount of kick to really jazz up a classic American comfort food.

The salad course was a rocket, watercress & sweet pear salad. The greens were speckled with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese & candied pecans. To top off this delicate dish our chefs added a drizzle of orange flower honey & rose water dressing.

For the final entrée course, our guests could choose between either a classically prepared chicken Marsala, or a flat iron steak with shallot demi-glace. Both selections were eloquently prepared, and accented by our “Simply Marvelous” mashed potatoes and a grilled Tuscan vegetable assortment. The wholesome mashed potatoes were Yukon Gold Potatoes whipped with heavy cream, sweet butter, salt & pepper. Fresh peppers, eggplant, Vidalia onion, squash, zucchini, and Portobello mushrooms were grilled to perfection to finish off the dish.

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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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It’s difficult to truly capture our chef’s beautiful creations on camera. At the tasting yesterday our very own Julianne Faris captured the food perfectly by setting up a linen canvas and taking advantage of the natural sunlight. This first vibrant photo depicts the sesame beef skewers with scallion dipping sauce. The pale peach-colored linen makes the orange plate pop while the sesame seeds on the skewers give a 3D effect that draws you in even more. Our miniature caprese salad skewers are simply mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, and basil leaves on a stick but when drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette and garnished with sliced peppers and lime, it adds more color to this plate making it appear like candy!

Cashew chicken salad turned into a work of art when placed into crispy wonton cups and served in a mini canoe-like tray. The rich wood accents the green scallions in the salad while the sliced cashew on the top provides a nice finishing touch. Moving onto the next color-filled picture, we have gorgonzola cheese and tomato walnut bruschetta. The lime green plate contrasts magnificently with the red diced tomatoes making it look just as good as it tastes. Even the shrimp spring rolls have color against the royal blue plate and next to the bright orange sweet chili sauce.

At first glance, the baguette rounds appear to have sliced ham on them, but look a little closer and you will see that it’s actually ruby port caramelized pear with chevre. Look even closer and you will see the crispiness of the toasted baguette and the thickness of each pear slice. Next, is my favorite hors d’oeuvre picture showing the tuna with mango and lime ceviche corn cups. This glass tray is gorgeous, but still doesn’t take away from the beauty of the toasted corn cups. Notice how clearly you can see every diced mango and piece of tuna. The angle also allows you to observe the depth of each cup.

There were two entrees that we presented; the gulf coast pan roasted red snapper with citrus zest and lemon, lime, and grapefruit extra virgin olive sauce and the seared tenderloin of beef au poivre. Each of these selections was accompanied by grilled vegetable batons and parmesan and garlic smashed potatoes. Once again, these photos were taken so well that you can actually see the spices that went into the fish, beef, and potatoes.

It goes without saying that this tasting was a success and our clients were very pleased with the variety of foods offered.

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