Functions and banquets
It will be necessary to know the nature of function, as special facilities may be required. The type of function could be a wedding breakfast, silver or golden wedding anniversary, coming of age, retirement, presentation, conference, etc. If there are any special diet requirements of guests, such as vegetarian dishes in place of meat, then the kitchen should know of them in advance. The type of meal for functions can vary from a formal sit-down meal to a buffet, which can be light, hot, fork, or cold. Foods may be served from behind the buffet or guests may help themselves. Many buffets consist of a selection of hot and cold foods.
The cost of the menu is agreed with the organiser of the function, and if any of the following are required then they will be charged as extras: • floral decorations; • place-name cards; • special menu printing; • table plan; • orchestra; • toastmaster or MC; • cabaret; • hire of rooms; • invitation cards; • special decorations. Light buffets (including cocktail parties) • Hot savoury pastry patties of lobster, chicken, crab, salmon, mushrooms, ham, etc. • Hot sausages (chipolatas); various fillings, such as chicken livers, prunes, mushrooms, tomatoes, wrapped in bacon and skewered. • Bite-sized items: quiche and pizza, hamburgers, meat balls with savoury sauce or dip, scampi, fried fish en goujons, tartare sauce. • Savoury finger toast to include any of the cold canapes; these may also be prepared on biscuits or shaped pieces of pastry; on the bases the following may be used: salami, ham, tongue, thinly sliced cooked meats, smoked salmon, caviar, mock caviar, sardine, eggs, etc. • Game chips, gaufrette potatoes, fried fish balls, celery stalks spread with cheese. • Sandwiches; bridge rolls, open or closed but always small. • Fresh dates stuffed with cream cheese; crudites with mayonnaise and cardamom dip; tuna and chive Catherine wheels; crab claws with garlic dip; smoked salmoe pin wheels; choux puffs with camembert. • Sweets such as trifles, charlottes, jellies, bavarois, fruit salad, strawberries and raspberries with fresh cream, ice-creams, pastries, gateaux. • Beverages: coffee, tea, fruit-cup, punch-bowl, iced coffee. Fork buffets For these functions individual pieces of fish, meat and poultry are prepared so that they can be eaten by the guests standing up and balancing a plate in one hand. Salads should also be sensibly prepared so that they can be easily handled by the guest using only a fork; the lettuce should be shredded and kept in short lengths. Chicken or ham mousse, galantine, terrine, pate, mayonnaise of salmon, lobster and chicken are all suitable dishes.
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