Signing Day Cometh

We are gonna sign.  We are gonna sign.  We are gonna sign.  Tomorrow!!!

Cheers

Palmares

Palmares is a cycling term meaning a list of great accomplishments. Our version of palmares.

"John, Thank you for catering our event on Saturday. The food that you provided was fantastic and our guests really enjoyed it. You and Pete did a great job putting the menu together. The cook that was on site also did a great job." - Zuzana (Bellevue Athletic Club Tour, lunch at Reininger and appetizers at Dunham)

"Dear John,
We are so appreciative of the wonderful lunch you prepared for our wedding at Grant House. The entire menu was fabulous, with such wonderful attention to detail. From the fresh vegetables (those heirloom tomatoes--oh, heaven) to the delicious dolma to the outstanding flank steak skewers (I think several people wept at the experience of eating them) everything was perfection. Our guests loved their meal and your ears must've been burning from all the compliments. You made our special day all the more special. Thank you for everything. I really look forward to eating your food as soon as I can. We will certainly recommend you to anyone looking for the best." --- all best, Marie and Rick (Wedding luncheon for 50)

"Hi John: Thank you so much for all you did for our wedding. It really was a perfect day for both of us, and we received rave reviews about the food, so many thanks to you and your crew on that end." -- Carrie and Dean (Wedding at Mill Creek Garden for 120)

"This morning our folks were still talking about last night's dinner. The food and your staff were wonderful!" --- Amanda, Washington State Dental Association (Basel Cellars Buffet for 60)

"We all thoroughly enjoyed it. One couple in our group is relatively new to me. I didn't know he doesn't like beets and she dislikes lamb. He ate every single beet and loved it and she still hasn't stopped talking about the lamb. She usually eats half of what is on her plate for weight loss, but licked it clean. Two converts!" --- Zari (Dinner for 12, five courses, at Reininger)

New Favorite Things:

• I am always running into clients who would make really really really great catering coordinators. Amanda from the Washington State Dental Association would be perfect. When she tried to book us for their yearly gala event, which they hope to hold at Basel Cellars... in 2012, I knew she would be perfect for the job.

Cheers

Time flies... when you are busy.

My father reminded me the other day I haven't posted anything on the blog in a while. When he named the date, June 22nd I realized two things. 1) My parents pay more attention than I think, and 2) that was a long long time ago.

So here is what Graze Catering has been up to the last month and a half.

Shanna got hitched at a private residence and we did a family style dinner under a big old tent and a pretty blue sky for a bunch of people. And Caitly and her beau tied the knot and partied down at Mill Creek Garden.

The Columbia County Grain Growers ate a bunch of prime rib at their annual meeting, and the Farm Credit folks let us grill up some tasty meat at Mannina Cellars for their special guests.

Prescott High School held their annual all class reunion and Reininger hosted some folks for a good old fashioned hootenanny. Rachel's daughter had a reheasal dinner on the Fourth of July, and the folks at Con Agra had us back to do a posole feed for their entire work crew. Then we went back to Reininger for a WSU event, and then back again for a really fun and yummy intimate dinner.

What Now Productions let us cook lunch and dinner for an entire month for a movie shoot, Leah got married at Mill Creek Garden, Kristi got married at the future site of Reynvaan Family Vineyard, Sykes had us do a company bbq for 800 employees, Washington Dental Association ate like kings at Basel Cellars, Carrie and Dean tied the knot at Mill Creek Garden, Nikki bound herself in matrimony and threw a big old party at Assumption Parish Hall, Tracy's daughter tied the knot and we cooked it up at Three Rivers Winery, Shakespeare UnCorked let us host their pre-opening night dinner, and Rick and Marie hitched up and had us do a really pleasant luncheon.

Somewhere in there the family went camping in Hood River, the wife and children went to Portland, the wife and I escaped without children to Joseph OR for one glorious and peaceful night, my softball team reached the championship game before losing in heartbreaking fashion, and I missed the 2009 Walla Walla Wiffleball Tournament due to a very special wedding (even though I vowed to cater and win the thing last year, I re-vow for 2010).

And just this last week a space came up for lease downtown... there may be a few more hours in the day.

Cheers

Palmares

Palmares is a cycling term which means a list of great accomplishments. Our version of palmares. A thank you from our Greek Wedding.

"Hi John,
I just wanted to tell you how impressed and utterly amazed I was by your quick and perfect set-up, great servers, and most of all, your fantastic food! I knew you guys were good but WOW.... we were blown away and so were all of our guests. I had at least 10 people independently comment on how fantastic the food was and how pleasant the whole wedding was... which would not have been possible without you and your crew. It was such a pleasure to work with you...

So, please pass along to your servers and staff how pleased we were by the top-notch, friendly, efficient service and to you: what an amazing meal. We LOVE good food and eat out frequently at delicious restaurants and your food was some of the best I've had.

Thank you again for being so easy to work with and helping make our wedding night and party memorable and highly enjoyable.

All the best,
Carolyn (& Pete)

Carolyn's Greek Fest and Leann's Tex-Mex Throwdown

Two more down. Fourteen more to go (we picked up another wedding this week).

Here is how a typical conversation with a bride and groom transpires. I ask what they like food wise, what the feel of the reception will be like, and if any themes are possible to build around. Carolyn let it slip that her future husband has a crazy long and confusing Greek name, something like Korfilaiatisisas (but not really, I never once tried to pronounce it, people mangle my seemingly simple Lastoskie daily). So I proposed a greek buffet and they loved the idea. Leann told me she loved mashed potatoes, and heard we made really good ones, but then she mentioned many family guests were from the Southwest, so we tossed the mashers idea out the window and went with a simple Tex-Mex theme.

The Greek Bazaar was in the Dunham Cellars Hangar Room (they are still undecided if wedding receptions will be held there often, but it is a great spot, beg and plead to let them be your host). Here is a shot of the reception room.

Mill Creek Garden played host for the Tex Mex Reception, awesome hosts as always. We didn't bring the camera to the reception, hopefully some will be emailed our way.

New Favorites Things

• Greek Mothers. Pete's mom approached me towards the end of the evening and offered beautiful words regarding our food and service. I thanked her profusely and asked if the buffet was Greek enough (as this was our first crack at a Greek themed... anything). "It was soooo Greek!" she exclaimed. "Oh my goodness, my husband even told me this is better and more Greek than his cooking!" Kinder words could not have be offered.
  
• The Grill at Dunham. We grilled/roasted 20 whole chickens that had been marinating in oregano, lemon, pepper, and salt for 24 hours. That machine is incredible, it sounds like a jet engine when the burners are on. I can't wait to use it again.

Cheers

Andrea and Michaela's Weddings (Not to each other)

Two down, Fifteen to go.

We kicked off the wedding season in grand style Saturday. Andrea and Marc celebrated their union at Hence Cellars with 175 guests and a huge appetizer buffet. Michaela and Taylor filled Areus for a 130 person family style meal blowout.

Taylor and Michaela's Menu
- passed appetizers during cocktail hour
- whole leaf ceasar salad, poached salmon, poached shrimp, seared scallops, garlicky croutons
- red wine glazed grilled beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce, rosemary grilled chicken with herbed vinaigrette, israeli cous cous and spring vegetables
- blanched asparagus, roasted walla walla spring onions, sauteed morels

Andrea and Marc's Menu
- too many appetizers to list... here are the highlights
- deviled whole egg, caper, shallot, dijon, mayo mixture
- french styled pulled pork
- paninis, turkey and bacon, portabella mushroom and roasted red pepper
- shrimp and scallop skewers with lemon butter

New (not so) Favorite Things:

• My son was born 5 1/2 years ago. After a short nicu stay and a healthy period of growth the head lady and I threw a party in his honor. I was a teacher at the time, but did the food for the 70 or so guests out of our little kitchen. It was a Spring theme, asparagus, grilled oysters, a picnic ham, and one of my favorite things ever, deviled eggs (a version ever so similar to Chef Rick Mahan's at Waterboy in Sacramento). To be tricky, I perfectly hard boiled 150 eggs, had my 80 year old grandmother peel most of them (she always wants a job, to this day she reminds me of her slow egg torture) (which left us with 100 perfectly intact eggs), sliced off a bit from the bottom, sliced off a cap from the top, scooped out the yolk (which left us 80 intact eggs), made the deviled mixture, piped the mix into the standing eggs (which left us with 70 intact eggs), and put the original top back on. The end result is a standing hard boiled egg, unblemished, filled unbeknowst to the guest with pure delight. I was thrilled with the result, but downcast due to the amazing amount of time and effort it required. I vowed never to do them again for more than say... ten people. But I am stupid, and forgetful, and temporarily lost my mind when discussing the menu with Andrea and her mother (Anne from Amore Flowers). And so I agreed, no proposed, to do my special eggs for 175 people. And the day before the reception I spent 5 and 1/2 hours working on eggs... only eggs. So again I proclaim (and will probably forget) to never again do my special eggs for more than 10 people.

Cheers

Palmares

It has been a busy May here at Graze Catering. So busy we keep forgetting the camera. Here are two very nice thank you's from two very nice clients.

From Shari and Otto's 25th anniversary dinner at Longshadows. A four course family style meal. Arugula and Beet Salad, Sweet Onion Soup and Caramelized Onion Custard, Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Red Onion Jam, Fehrenbacher Farm Leg of Lamb with Crispy Polenta Cakes and Creamed Spinach, Dessert from The Patisserie.

"John: We can't thank you enough for what was truly the highlight of our anniversary weekend. Our dinner at Longshadows was absolutely amazing, from the appetizers through dessert. I could live on that beet salad! The tables were beautiful and your crew did a great job. Right down to the full moon and beautiful view, the evening was perfect. If you ever need recommendations, please use our name. We think we had one friend taking pictures that night. We will check with him and forward you anything we have."

Thanks again.Shari and Otto Klein

From the Kirkman House luncheon. A plated composed salad, Butter Lettuce Leaf with a Roast Chicken Waldorf Salad, Patisserie Mini Croissant, Blanched Asparagus with Romanesco Sauce, and a Perfect Hard Boiled Egg.

"Hi John, Thank you so much for all of your hard work; I cannot say enough about the perfect meal and service for the Kirkman House’s inaugural luncheon! The mix of foods, the portions, the presentation….it was all wonderful. I look forward to working with you in the future."

Regards, Kirsten R. Schober Executive DirectorKirkman House Museum

Cheers

Palmares

From our 'party in the snowstorm'. (see our post in December.)

"My name is Kristy Guldhammer. You probably don’t remember me, but you catered some very delicious food for my dad’s 90th birthday in December 2008. Every time I think back to that event, I think of the wonderful food and how much I appreciated how you guys braved that snowy winter night to make our party such a success. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the effort you had to make so that it could happen for us. I had many comments about the high quality of the food, and I have made four or five referrals to Graze Catering as a result of that event. People just loved your food."


And from the Steelheaders crab and shrimp feed.

"We went to the Tri State Steelheaders Crab feed on May 14th that Graze catered. I wanted you to know that all of the salads, bread and beans that you provided were wonderful! I just loved the spinach salad and the asparagus salad. Those were fantastic. Good job and very well done! Thank You"….Jan Torland


And from my wife.


"Oh, honey! You are so great. But why do you cook nice food for other people and make the children and I eat leftovers."... Becca





I guess you can't please them all.


Cheers

Palmares

Palmares is a cycling term which means a list of great accomplishments. Our version of palmares.

A note from Libby, who coordinated the Desales senior class dinner at the Wine Country Golf Club.

"Dear John and Crew,
Thank you so much for the awesome catering job you did for our senior class dinner last Sunday! People are still raving about the food! .... Thanks again! (and send any recipes you share my way.)" - Libby

And another one. A note from Forgeron regarding their brunch.

"Everything was Awesome!"

Cheers

I started this blog to market my catering services. It worked, and was fun. The group Tourism Walla Walla even had me join as a guest blogger for their website. And then something strange happened this Spring. I got too busy, and every time I thought "I better add this to the blog", I didn't, because I was just too busy. Between my part time teaching at the culinary school, a pretty full catering schedule, watching our two children, and trying to have an occasional conversation with my wife and our friends left little time for the blog. New potential clients call or email and I keep referring them to the out of date blog, which is embarrassing.

It has gotten so bad I keep forgetting to take the camera to events. Anyway, here is a quick run down of what we have been up to since March.

Lots of luncheons, sandwich platters, and box lunches.

A great trip to Portland and Hood River with my parents, grandmother, brother, sister, wife, and children.

Went to the ACF Conference in Seattle to watch my friend Jeremy's culinary team compete and win a gold medal.

Did the Whitman Alumni 40th reunion dinner at Basel Cellars

Threw a big ole party for our one year old daughter at our house, complete with a jumpy house and pig in a box.

Spring Release Weekend we did six events in two days, brunch at Forgeron, box lunches to Basel Cellars, dinner at Dunham, appetizer reception at Corliss, lunch at Dunham, and dinner for graduating seniors and their parents at the new wine country golf club. After doing appetizers for 300 at Corliss we then whipped up a big batch of paella for the last 35 guests. Here are a couple pictures of the empty room after the event and the paella.

A shot of the tent at the new Wine Country Golf Club.

Cheers