Tips For Organising An Unforgettable Private Party

1 Comment

There is a tremendous amount of planning and organisation that goes into a successful private party, which can make them very daunting to plan. Fortunately, there are a few simple tips and tricks to reduce stress whilst also ensuring that it is a fun and memorable night for everyone in attendance.

There is no greater way to celebrate than a private party. Whether it is a birthday, anniversary, graduation or any other reason to celebrate, a private party allows you to do so with all of your friends and family in an intimate setting. These parties often end up being one of the social highlights of the year, but they can also be extremely stressful to plan because there is so much that needs to be organised. Here are a few top tips for organising an unforgettable private party.

bertrand munier image

Establish a budget :

The very first thing to do is to set how much money you want to spend on the party. You should come up with a price and write this down and then do everything to stay on budget. You will need to factor in the cost of the venue, catering, drinks and entertainment.

Guest list :

It is also crucial that you assemble a guest list and send out invitations as soon as possible. People’s calendars get booked up quickly, so you will want to give them plenty of warning, plus it is also helpful to have a list of how many people will be attending as this can help you to decide on the venue, catering, etc.

House party :

If space permits, it is a fantastic idea to host the party at your home. This will save you an enormous sum and can be much more comfortable than at a private venue. If you have a house party, you must inform your neighbours and be prepared to do a lot of preparing beforehand and tidying after the event.

Catering :

It may be tempting to save some money by preparing the food yourself, but this can be an enormous and very stressful task. Instead, it is best to opt for private party catering from an established catering company. They can provide you with a talented professional chef that will be able to prepare delicious fresh food at the venue for your entire party.

Entertainment :

If your budget permits, it is worth hiring a band or DJ to play the event as this will keep your guests entertained. If you have musical friends, you could ask them to play as this will be more personal and it could cost less. If your budget does not permit this, then you could simply create a playlist and connect your MP3 player to the venue’s sound system.

As fun and enjoyable as private parties usually are, they can also be extremely stressful and arduous events to organise. The above tips will help any host to throw an unforgettable party that your guests are sure to love.

Visit http://www.bertrandmunier.co.uk/parties for more info!

The benefits of getting your dinner party food delivered

Leave a comment
https://www.bertrandmunier.co.uk/online_shop/canapes
Cooking food for a large group at a dinner party can be intimidating for the host as there is an expectation to impress the guests. One great trick is to order your food online from a catering company. It ensures that everything tastes fantastic, reduces stress and allows the host to spend more time socialising at the party.

Hosting a dinner party can be very stressful as there is so much pressure to impress. Even experienced dinner party hosts will have anxiety in the run up to the big night, and often it is the food which causes the most concern. Cooking a range of dishes for a large group can be intimidating, but fortunately, there is a great hidden trick which can considerably reduce stress and dazzle your guests.

This is to get your dinner party food delivered by a catering company. A caterer can provide everything that you will need for the evening. The list includes starters, main courses, desserts and even a cheese board. You will have an enormous range to choose from so you can cater to every taste and choose something which will leave a lasting impression on your guests. The food comes with storage and serving instructions – means you simply have to serve it up on the big night.
One of the key advantages of this trick is that it frees up a huge amount of time during the party. The host often spends a large part of the evening hidden in the kitchen, but by ordering the food online, it allows you to spend more time sitting at the table and enjoying the company of your guests. It also means that there is less to wash up too!

If you have a dinner party coming up and have concerns about the food, this is a great trick that will reduce stress and impress your guests.

Chef Bertrand Munier
ideal party food by chef munier
ideal party food by chef munier

Be the perfect Host by getting the best Dinner party caterers in london

Leave a comment

If you are hosting an event whether it is a party or conference, you will want your guests to have the best experience. You can make sure this is exactly what they get by hiring dinner party caterers who will ensure that everybody gets something delicious to eat.

IMG_4978

There is no better way than to treat your guests when you are hosting an event than with delicious canapes. These are the perfect addition to any evening as guests can have as few or many as they like without you needing to worry about serving a full dinner. Having delicious and carefully prepared canapes  can make the world of difference for your event.

product10112016080309

Canapes come in many shapes and sizes, such as cold canapes, hot canapes, sweet canapes or shot glass canapes. You can tailor your menu to your tastes and the type of event you want to host, whether evening or daytime, formal or informal.

 

To ensure you pull off your party with panache, dinner party caterers in London can help you out. These companies can offer a bespoke service which fits your needs and leaves your guests happy and impressed.
Whether you want mini eclairs and other delightful small versions of well known desserts, or something different with shot glasses of salmon mousse and more, you can have it all. By serving canapes London you will leave your guests’ taste buds tingling. Make sure you arrange your caterers today to ensure your big party goes off without a hitch.

 

Thanks

Bertrand Munier
Bertrand Munier Ideal party

La Galette des rois .. a French treats

Leave a comment

La Galette des Rois, traditional recipe .

Traditionally, the galette des Rois is made to celebrate Epiphany, which falls on the 6th of January, twelve days after Christmas. The cake is eaten in celebration of the arrival of the three kings who have travelled from afar with gifts for the newborn baby. In practice, people eat this galette throughout January and, dare I say, it is a rather unreligious event for most.

A dried bean, known as la fève, is hidden in the cake, and whoever receives the bean in his piece of cake, is crowned king or queen for the duration of the party. Other popular traditions, include having the youngest member of the gathering sit under the table and designate to whom each piece of cake should be served.\

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Baking time: 30 min

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg for painting
  • 1 tablespoon rum (optional)
  • 1 pound puff pastry (2 rounds)
  • 1 large dry bean or fève figurine

To make the frangipane, blend the butter with the sugar until well combined. Blend in the almonds thoroughly. Beat in the 2 eggs one at a time and then the rum if you are using it.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg.

Roll out half of the puff pastry into a round about 12 inches in diameter. Place it on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, paint the outer 1 1/2 inch circumference of the pastry with beaten egg.

Spread the frangipane in a round in the center of the pastry so that it just meets the painted on egg. Press the bean into the frangipane somewhere close to the outer edge.

Place the other puff pastry (rolled out into an equally sized round) on top of the first. Use the times of a fork to press the edges closed. Brush the top of the galette with the beaten egg.

Use a paring knife to etch a pretty pattern into the top of the galette. Traditionally this is in a cross-hatch pattern, or concentric half circles, but you can make up your own pattern if you are feeling creative. Don’t cut through the pastry, just etch.

Cut a small hole in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Place the galette in the refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes before baking. You can make it a day in advance as well – just be sure to keep it refrigerated.

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place the refrigerated galette in the center of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is dark golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Bertrand

CANAPES IN LONDON – THE BEST FINGER FOODS FOR PARTIES

Leave a comment

 

https://www.bertrandmunier.co.uk/online_shop/canapes

Imagine a scenario where you’re hosting a sleek, reception for your event in London. Every one of your guests has turned out in their best clothes and are looking elegant and stylish. So, would you just stick to cocktails and call it a wrap? No, because as host, you cannot let your guests leave the party hungry. Also, due to time or space constraints, you can’t squeeze in a formal sit-down meal either. So, what do you do? Look for canapes in London of course!

You serve them, canapés of course

It’s often said, “Good Things come in Small Packages”. And, canapés are no exception to this adage. They are exquisite culinary creations that not only look good but pack a punch when it comes to taste. Thus, the ever-increasing popularity of canapés in London corporate events and other private parties requires no explanations.

Enter Canapés – The most preferred finger food at parties in London

Canapés (pronounced as “can-a-PAYS”) are small finger foods that are usually served before dinner often accompanied with cocktails. It’s a type of hors d’oeuvre and is a two-bite food whose base is either a small bread or cracker with a topping of savoury or sweet ingredients.

Modern canapés use a kind of pancake called as blini or a pastry shell as the base. Even chefs make use of fluted cutters to cut round or shaped slices of plain white bread that serve as the base. At times, you can also find small baguettes as the base of the canapé. You can mix it up and serve different types of canapés and provide your guests with a broad range of choices.

Why are Canapés immensely popular at private parties?

There are various factors that contribute to the popularity of Canapés. Let’s have a short look at some of the notable factors:

Easy to Eat

No one likes to mess their favourite cocktail dress. Canapés are easy to bite into, non-messy and above all don’t leave you with sticky fingers. You can have waiters serving them on trays to your guests.

Varied Selection of Flavours

No one likes to eat the same thing over and over again at a party. With Canapés, you get to experiment with a vast range of flavours. The topping can be sweet, savoury, hot or cold. You can choose from meat, fish, cheese, caviar, steak, lobster, prosciutto ham and shrimp. The more luxurious the topping, the deeper are the flavours.

Apart from the topping, each canapé is finished with a garnish placed on top of the topping. By garnish, we don’t mean something that looks beautiful like a sprig of parsley but something that adds an extra dimension to the dish.

Very often, a garnish is what sets a canapé apart and makes it tantalising. It’s usually small like minced herbs that lend an earthy smell, slivered red or yellow peppers that add a dash of colour or minced onions for that extra crunch.

With so many permutations and combinations, you can serve a wide variety of flavours and textures all with a single dish.

Serve Canapés and Impress your Guests

Happy tummies make people happy. Serve a broad range of canapés to your guests, improve the mood of your event and, feel proud of hosting a successful party.

THE SPIRITED PUDDLE JUMPER

contact us :

 

Keep your guests happy with the mouthwatering canapes

Leave a comment

Food is an important part of a party, as this is how you encourage your guests to relax and unwind. Finger food, and canapés, in particular, are a great form of food to serve as they taste fantastic and look just as great too. This is sure to impress your guests and keep them content throughout the event.

When arranging a large party or social event, there is a lot to organise. This can make it a particularly stressful and daunting prospect, especially if you have little to no experience in hosting such large events. The location, guest list, decorations, music, guest list, theme, dress code, drinks and food are just a few of the aspects that need arranging. One key element which is sometimes overlooked is food. If you do not supply your guests with a range of delicious food, then they will struggle to relax and feel content, which could result in most people leaving early. However, if you have a large spread of food it will help people to get into the mood, feel content and it can even work as a fantastic conversation starter and get people to mingle.

IMG_4978garden platter

There are hundreds of different types of canapés that you could serve, including hot and cold canapés, as well as sweet canapés. As there are so many different bases, garnishes and toppings, it should see suffice everybody’s wants. Creating this many canapés for a large group is a daunting prospect, which is why it is best to use the services of professional catering companies. This way, you can get a huge range of delicious and beautifully presented canapés delivered to the location with plenty of time to spare. You can then just serve this up and focus on other aspects of the party. As they will both taste and look fantastic, it is sure to impress your guests and help your party to be a complete success.

Food is an essential ingredient for any successful party. Finger food is the best type to serve as it encourages people to mingle while they eat, and canapés are a fantastic and elegant form of finger food to serve.

a bientot on my blog

Chef Bertrand Munier

bertrand munier

 

 

 

 

Is time for Asparagus.. how to cook it !

Leave a comment


Green British asparagus, with its intense, complex
flavour, is considered – by the British, at least – to be the finest in the world. It’s deep, verdant flavour is attributed in large part to Britain’s cool growing conditions. ( The green asparagus are better served hot with chicken, veal and soup).
White asparagus preferred in Europe ( France and Germany) has a delicate flavour and must first be peeled before use. Trim the woody ends and starting from the bottom and using a vegetable peeler, peel a very thin strip toward the tip. Often, only the lower half need to be peeled. (The white asparagus are better served warm or cold with hollandaise & mayonnaise sauce.

My Tips!

Blanched

When cooking asparagus, you can tie them into little bundles, which makes them easier to remove. Drop these bundles or individual spears into some boiling water, cover and cook for three to five minutes, depending on the thickness of the spears. Take them out, drain and plunge into some ice-cold water, or serve straight away.

Steamed

To steam, place the spears in a steaming basket with a little water underneath. Cover and cook for three minutes.

Griddled

Asparagus loves to be griddled in a pan – simply drizzle with a little olive oil and turn occasionally or try Jamie’s recipe for griddled asparagus with olive oil, lemon and Parmesan.

Stir fried

Asparagus is often used in Asian cooking, either in salads or in stir-fries. It needs only a minute or so in a hot wok, so always remember to add it in towards the end of cooking the rest of your dish. A splash of soy and a sprinkle of sesame seeds work well.

 

My favorite !  is It would be a crime not to mention hollandaise – a classic French sauce made of melted butter, fresh egg yolks, lemon juice and a little mustard or a pinch of cayenne – the pairing of which with asparagus is simply heavenly.

a bientot

Bertrand
www.bertrandmunier.com

Canapes parties, Food in miniature….

1 Comment

Canapé.,

Delicate piece of pastry, toast, vegetable, etc., with small savoury or sweet delights ; food in miniature; perfect flavours constructed in one mouthful..

 

Idealparty Picture 2

 

Ideal party reputation for truly talking point canapés – presented in the most amazing ways, constructed in perfect miniature, and tasting just delicious. We use the best, freshest, seasonal produce, just in tiny portions.

garden platter

We can create a full meal option based on canapes alone or you can compliment these with some bowl food, in order to give your guests a more substantial alternative to canapes.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We can take care of all aspects of organizing your cocktail party or if you prefer, we can simply deliver the food freshly prepared to you. Have a look at our canapes box option for more informations.

Bertrand

The french Christmas Logs ” la Buche de Noël”

2 Comments

Recipe Story
The Bûche de Noël, also known as the Yule Log, is a traditional French dessert served during the Christmas holidays. Made from sponge cake; this rolled cake can be filled and frosted with everything from butter cream to rich chocolate ganache. The cake is decorated to resemble a log by creating a bark-like texture with the outer frosting, sprinkling powdered sugar to resemble “snow”, and crafting “mushrooms” out of meringue or marzipan as a final garnish. It’s no wonder this beautiful (and delicious!) cake has been around since Napoleon I!!! Enjoy and Merry Christmas everyone from Bertrand Munier

Ingredients
What You Will Need
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

nstructions
Preparing the Plain or White Génoise

1. Cover the cooled layer with a clean piece of parchment paper, and then
cover the paper with a clean sheet pan
2. Whisk the eggs, yolks and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add
sugar in a stream while whisking
3. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently whisk until the
egg mixture is lukewarm. Whip by machine on high speed until the egg
mixture is cold, light yellow in color and increased in volume. Remove
the bowl from the mixer and sift the cake flour mixture over the egg
mixture, in a few additions, and fold in with a rubber spatula
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly with
a spatula
5. Bake the layer for 10-12 minutes. Be careful NOT TO OVER BAKE!!
6. Loosen the cake with a sharp knife from the sides of the pan and invert
to a rack; immediately invert again so that the cake layer cools on clean
paper right-side up

For Chocolate Génoise
Substitute 1/3 cup cake flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup unsweetened
cocoa powder, and a pinch of baking soda for the dry ingredients used in
the plain génoise. Continue to use 1/4 granulated sugar, 3 large eggs
and 3 large egg yolks, and a pinch of salt.

Preparing the Cake
1. Cover the cooled layer with a clean piece of parchment paper, and then
cover the paper with a clean sheet pan
2. Invert the cake between the pans
3. Lift off the top pan, and peel off the paper stuck to the bottom of the
cake layer
4. Replace the just removed parchment with a clean piece of paper
covering the cake, and place a sheet pan on top of it
5. Invert the pans again; remove the top pan, and parchment paper. The
cake layer now rests on a clean piece of parchment
Assembling the Bûche
1. Spread the filling of your choice (flavored whipped cream, butter
cream, ganache) on the layer with a metal spatula
2. With the long edge of the layer closest to you, roll the layer by picking
up the edge of the paper and easing the layer into a curve
3. Continue to use the paper to roll the layer into a tight cylinder
4. Wrap the paper tightly around the roll, and twist the ends like a piece
of wrapped candy
5. Refrigerate for 2 hours (1 hour in the freezer) so cake can “set”
6. Remove the rolled cake from the refrigerator and unwrap
7. Trim the edges diagonally, cutting one piece to be 2 inches in length
from the end of the log
8. Place the roll on a platter, and position the uncut end of the 2 inch
piece about two thirds along the top side of the roll, making a short
“branch” or “knot”
9. Cover the bûche with butter cream, ganache, or whipped cream
(whipped cream is not the usual choice for the outer covering), making
sure to cover the curve up the protruding branch on top of the log
10. Leave the branch ends unfrosted, or frost one of the two ends. Always
leave the protruding branch end unfrosted

11. “Streak” the butter cream with a fork or decorating comb
12. Dust plate sparingly with confectioners’ sugar to have “snow”
13. Cut diagonal slices to serve
14. ENJOY!
Bertrand Munier