Love Is In The Air- Celebrating a Birthday With a Valentine's Day Twist

If your birthday happens to fall around Valentine's Day, it is no surprise that your birthday celebration would involve an intimate gathering of your closest friends, great food catered by A Bite of Heaven Catering, exquisite champagne and wine, and of course....the love of your life. Thomas threw a lovely birthday party for his beautiful wife in their gorgeous suburban home. This couple is amazing- they are so much in love that it shines and lights up the room. The night was filled with great company, lots of laughter and of course lots of love!

Margaret's Pasta

(Penne tossed with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Red Onions, Black Olives, Cilantro infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Grilled Chicken Breast)

Mixed Grilled Kebabs included

Citrus Tarragon Chicken Kebabs,

Rosemary Dijon Steak Kebabs, and

Pomegranate Lamb Kebabs with Herb Marinated Grilled Red Peppers

Spanakopita

Greek Salad

We also served Eggplant Rollatini

Hummus with Pita Angles, Olives and Carrot Chips

Rice Pilaf

Dinner Rolls with Butter

Elegant Trunk Show

I know it has been a while. We’ve been busy: Surprise 69th Birthday Party, Surprise 30th Birthday Party, Corporate Breakfasts and Lunches, Wedding Menus to plan and more wedding menus to plan. Meanwhile we did an event at Kian Matthew Shoes. They were having a trunk show for the Lorenzo Banfi collection. We served light Hors d'Oeuvres, Wine and Sparkling Juices while customers shopped...and shopped.

Pumpkin Soup with Bread Sticks

Pear, Prosciutto and Goat' s Cheese Drizzled with Honey on Multi Grain Crackers

Fresh Ciliegine Mozzarella and Tomato Skewers with Freshly Crushed Black Pepper and Basil

Fire Roasted Vegetable Display

Meow....Mazel Tov

This was one of the most fun events we did this year. I love love love parties for teens and Zoe had just become a teen! It was her Bat Mitzvah and we wanted to make it special. Zoe, a precocious and thoughtful girl, is a feral cat rescuer. She really loves cats so naturally, that was her theme. We had a very talented ice sculptor create a regal cat to overlook the festivities. We were inspired by the regal and majestic cats that stood guard at Cleopatra’s castle....like this one.

Jimmy, the sculptor did a wonderful job. He even gave Zoe’s cat a ‘diamond cut’ collar! We displayed Zoe’s cat on the dessert table (this picture was taken before the set-up).

In addition to cats, Zoe loves Chinese food. Thus, the menu was created. A Bite of Heaven Catering served traditional Chinese fare for lunch. But first, there was an Oneg Shabbat, nosh that congregants and guests share after the service, in the hallway outside the synagogue. For the Oneg, we served Assorted Cookies, Potato Puff Pastries, Spinach Potato Crowns, Cows in Comforters a.k.a. Pigs in Blankets, Spicy Chicken Pastries, Mini Rugelach, Cinnamon Rolls and Apple Juice.

Lunch Menu

Vegetable Lo Mein

Fried Rice with Peas, Carrots and Onions

White Rice

Sesame Chicken

Pepper Steak

Vegetable Spring Rolls

For dessert Zoe wanted an Ice Cream Bar where she and her friends could make their own sundaes. We served Vanilla Bean, Chocolate and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream out of an old fashioned ice cream cart with an umbrella. We also set up a dessert station serving:

Miniature Triple Chocolate Chip Brownies

Assorted Cookies

Strawberry and Blueberry Cheese Cake Tarts

Vanilla Cake with Butter Cream Frosting

The Lunch Buffet with A Bite of Heaven Catering staff in position

Zoe’s color scheme was blue and red. Her mother supplied the lovely napkins, which they folded in pyramid design. We alternated the colors at each setting. The centerpieces were actual cat scratching posts, which were donated to feral cat rescue shelters after the affair.

Zoe’s Big Scoop Ice Cream Bar with toppings: Oreo Cookie Crumbles, Plain M&Ms, Rainbow Sprinkles, Maraschino Cherries, Warm Chocolate Fudge, Caramel Syrup, Strawberry Syrup and Whipped Cream – For the Kid in All of Us!

Zoe wanted a Shirley Temple Fountain. I thought it would be cute to garnish the ‘mocktails’ with Maraschino Cherries and Parasol Umbrellas. I carved Pineapples and used them as holders for the Cherries on Umbrella Picks. The kids loved it! They felt mature while sipping their Shirley Temples and noshing on Chinese food.

Summer Engagement Brunch

Michael and Virginia, a very lovely couple from Manhattan hosted a Summer Brunch to celebrate their recent engagement. It was a beautiful day for the bride to be's family to meet the groom to be's family for the first time.

I was inspired by the beautiful garden and lawn at the home of Michael's aunt. It was the first sunny day I can remember in July. The summer had been so wet and rainy until that Saturday. We were all concerned about rain...but it turned out to be remarkably warm and sunny. In addition to the weather and the garden, I also drew inspiration from Michael's Puerto Rican heritage to come up with the following menu.

Roasted Breakfast Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, Rosemary and Thyme

Garden Vegetable Lasagna featuring Spinach, Broccoli, Red, Green and Yellow Peppers

Avocado Salad featuring Romaine and Green Leaf Lettuces tossed with Sliced Avocado, Purple Onions, Lime Juice, Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Sliced Roast Beef

Wild Rice with Dried Papaya and Pineapple

Breakfast Burrito Bar featuring Scrambled Eggs, Sausage, Salsa, Shredded Cheddar-Jack Cheese and Bacon

Fresh Baked Butter Croissants

Fresh Baked Apple Strudel

Warm Cinnamon Rolls

Fresh Fruit Display featuring Cantaloupe, Grapes, Kiwi, Pineapple and Strawberry

Freshly Brewed Coffee

Orange Juice, Apple Juice and Peach Nectar Bellinis

The Slanted Juice Carafes are so elegant!

I carved the Cantaloupe to hold loose Grapes but also presented some on the vine.

We thought it would only add to the elegance of the celebration to display the Breakfast Burrito Bar toppings in over sized Martini Glasses. It really looked fabulous.

White Hydrangeas go with just about every type of event.

The guests had a wonderful time and most importantly, so did Virginia and Michael. They are a very loving couple, with a brilliant future awaiting them.

A Graduation Celebration Fit For a Princess

The guest of honor, Kirsten a.k.a. Kikee is a vegetarian. But her parents and some other family members are not. A Bite of Heaven came on board about one month before the event and worked closely with Kikee and her mom, Sherry. Together, we created a menu that would please both- with a Mediterranean twist.

We were all excited about Kikee's high school graduation party. Tragically, about one week before the event, the family suffered two terrible tragedies- a death in the family and sudden illness. Everyone was devastated, and needed a festive event to elevate spirits even more now. The morning of the event, A Bite of Heaven staff members decided to pack twice as many linen tablecloths (an unusually large amount for 'just in case') but I didn't bother to object. Our staff is the best in the world and I trust each member's judgement. Upon arrival at the location, my party coordinator, Vladimir noticed a number of tables (DJ tables, beverage tables, gift table, etc.) that were being covered with plastic table cloths. Although additional linen was not part of the agreement, A Bite of Heaven truly wanted the event to look amazing and help the guests feel special. Voila! the double packed linens were not only used for Kikee's party but really helped tie the black and purple theme together. The guest tables were draped in alternating colors of black and purple linen, the napkins were folded in the pyramid technique and were also alternated black and purple on each guest table. The room looked absolutely amazing.

Menu

Chicken Souvlaki- Tender Marinated Chicken Breasts with Feta Cheese, Diced Tomatoes, Onions and Green Peppers with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil, Presented with Flatbread Pita and Tzatziki Sauce (which wound up being Kikee' father, Larry's favorite)

Asparagus Mushroom Pasta- Penne tossed with Asparagus and Shittake Mushrooms in a Rich Gruyere and Boursin Cheese Sauce

Fried Eggplant

Spanakopita

Hummus

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Greek Salad

Assorted Dinner Rolls

Fried Eggplant- Tender Slices of Sweet Eggplant, lightly breaded and Fried to a Golden, Crispy Finish, Topped with Parmigiano- Reggiano

We originally were going to make Veal Milanese, but decided on Eggplant instead...Kikee's favorite which wound up being Sherry's favorite

Basket of Fresh Baked Rolls consisted of Pumpernickel, Rye (without seeds, they can be a bit pungent to some), Sesame Seed, Plain and Seven Grain - Presented with Butter

I came up with the flower arrangement on the spot- Vladimir purchased white hydrangeas and tall green stalks with tiny clusters of purple flowers at the top. I felt it needed more to really stand out on the long buffet (18 ft). So I cut some of the foliage plants, which consisted of lilac hanging flowers, from the hostas growing in front of the test kitchen facility! I had no idea how I would arrange them or if I'd even use them. But they looked fabulous!

Spanakopita with Grape Tomato Halves, Kikee's favorite

Greek Salad

Hummus Sunflower Presented with Pita Angles, Carrots and Black Olives

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, Sherry's mom's favorite

Sherry put together these fantastic centerpieces that glowed in the dark! With every one's bellies full, the lights went out and the dancing began! The glow sticks in the vases doubled as necklaces for the guests.

The dance floor was illuminated- It really looked beautiful.

Sherry and Larry- Kikee's kind and generous parents

Sherry sent me a letter a week after the event. They really enjoyed themselves, their guests were quite impressed...and most importantly Kikee had a blast. Sherry exclaimed A Bite of Heaven really exceeded her requests and expectations for the affair. This story has an even more beautiful ending though; Jaquan, who lost his only living parent one week before the event, was able to be added to the head table due to Vladimir's quick decision making and flexibility. In the end, Jaquan had a smile on his face, even if it was only for a couple of hours. A smile is a smile.