Need advice for catering a lunch!

[mel_s12]

So I've been asked to cater a lunch and lecture ( I will be doing both) and I need some advice for food. I'm really not being paid very much so that's what is holding me back from making delish, gourmet food.
Here is what I have in mind:

Alissa's pizza with fresh mushrooms, green peppers, and pineapple for the topping with a sunflower seed/nutritional yeast parmesan cheese.

Nori rolls with jicama/ume plum rice, sprouts, red pepper, cucumber, and avocado served with Nama Shoyu

A veggie platter served with cheddar cheese dip and possibly Alissa's spinach dip as well.

As dessert I will serve Cafe Gratitude's coconut creme pie and make little mint chocolates out of this cute Buddha mould that i have.



What does everyone think? I was thinking maybe that I should make zughetti with marinara and neatballs instead of one of the entrees. I don't know! :confused:

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! If you were paying $48 for a lunch and lecture would this be good enough? (I will only be getting half of that for ALL of the catering and the lecture)

Also, for the nori rolls, will they stay fresh if I make them the night before or should i make them as fresh as possible that morning?

[Eva]

Also, for the nori rolls, will they stay fresh if I make them the night before or should i make them as fresh as possible that morning?

I haven't had luck with nori rolls staying fresh the next day.

[Emma-Liza]

The nori rolls will get soggy. I'd choose another entree (or a soup) and not a tomato-based one. Maybe your zucchini spaghetti with pesto sauce?

[annavon]

I think the zuchetti with marinara sauce is a better idea than the nori rolls. I've taken it to pot lucks and had a lot of success. The nori does get soggy rather quickly.

[spicyfull]

My Best to you and Hope all goes well.

[Lady Green Jeans]

Totally agree on the Nori rolls. They really sog out. I've taken several things to potlucks for work. Success on many. The golden curry with butternut squash noodles in Alissa's book is one of my favorites. I add lots of cilantro on top for a nice presentation. I piped Alissa's pecan burger recipe (not dehydrated) into Belgium endive and sprinkle with some black and white sesame seeds. Mock tuna or salmon piped into larger size cherry tomatoes is also nice if you don't have to make hundreds (kind of labor intensive). Could pipe onto cucumber rounds and top with snipped chives. I've served lots of these on a large tray with a base of finely shredded purple cabbage--adore lots of color in my presentations.

One thing people enjoyed more recently was marinated mushrooms stuffed with guac.

Good luck and have fun with your food.

[theresaann]

collard roll ups are cheap and yummy and are even better after the flavors marinate!

[mel_s12]

Ooooh so many ideas! Thank you everyone!!

I like the cucumber roll idea .. and the collard wraps.. there will be about 20-30 people so it wouldn't be toooo labor intensive. I will make my mind up tomorrow and let you all know! Any more ideas would be awesome!

Thanks so much!

[Lady Green Jeans]

mel_s12,

I hope you enjoy all the steps in your lecture and food prep. Preparing food to enjoy with friends, family and persons interested in raw cuisine is simply pure fun for me. I am making a batch of eggless egg salad to stuff in crimini mushrooms to take to work tomorrow and share. Have to label them for the nut content (sadly allergies abound).

Please keep us posted on your event--sound like great fun and great exposure.

[mel_s12]

thanks Lady Green Jeans!

Here's what I have on the menu at the moment and I think I will stick with this.

Alissa's Pizza with fresh veggies on top and a sunflower parmesan cheeze
Quinoa Tabouleh
A tray with campari tomatoes stuffed with cheddar cheeze and marinated, slightly dehydrated criminis stuffed with mock salmon.

For dessert I'm going to stick with the Coconut Creme Pie but add in some bananas and little mint chocolate buddhas