Dining Divas - December
Dining Divas - December
Dining Divas
Holiday entertaining can be such a chore. You want to spend time with friends and family, but time in the kitchen takes away from the evening’s festivities. This month, with tree trimmed and the spirit of the holidays filling the room, Bakersfield Life asked Lisa Borda of Bord A Petite catering to take control of the kitchen as the Dining Divas enjoy time together and give tips for your next holiday party.
Everyone Loves a Party
Lydia – I love this time of year and I have to say it’s the get togethers that I enjoy most. Whether it’s casserole surfing at the office potluck or champagne sipping as we greet the New Year, I savor the time reconnecting with friends and family.
Tracy – There is nothing like opening up your home and sharing holiday cheer with everyone near and dear. Katie’s home was all of that and more. Located in Downtown Bakersfield, Katie’s Spanish home is perfect for her, Brian and little Chase.
The Setting Lydia – After arriving at Katie’s house, I realized a big part of a holiday party is setting the scene. Every room sparkled with silver, glass and lit candles. Her tree was exquisitely decorated, combining classic antique silver ornaments with live white orchids spraying from between branches. The setting quickly had us all thinking eggnog and mistletoe.
Lisa Borda
Tracy – Lisa Borda is a Bakersfield native who has an outstanding catering business. She has worked for Marilyn Curtis Catering and at Cafe Med and Valentien Restaurant and Wine Bar before branching out on her own.
A Drink at the Door Lydia – When we walked through the door, Lisa started us off with a white cosmopolitan. The icy mixture of white cranberry juice, Ketel 1 Citron and fresh lime juice served in wide martini glasses was crisp, fresh and easily adjustable to be as strong – or not – as you like. Lisa’s unexpected garnish of a few pomegranate seeds made the drink uniquely festive. The bright red seeds glistened in the bottom of glass like garnets.
Party Tip
In lieu of a full bar, Lisa finds the best way to handle drinks at a holiday party is to adopt a signature drink that can be served at the start of the event. From there, move on to beer or wine.
The hors d’oeuvres
Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce
Penny – The first selection of the evening was Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce. The deep-fried shrimp were golden brown and plump with the coconut accent. They were presented in a glass cup with the chili sauce accenting the bottom and the shrimp garnishing the top. The sauce was a surprise – it was sweet and spicy and I needed to double dip in order to experience all of the flavors this dish had to offer.
Katie – Lisa served the shrimp room temperature as she prepared them ahead of time. Shrimp are always a good choice to serve a crowd. They are small enough to eat in one bite but have the flavor of three bites in one.
Prosciutto Wrapped Dates Tracy – Prosciutto Wrapped Dates could be considered a dessert because of their texture. These were amazing, creamy and rich.
Stuffed with goat cheese, these Medjool dates make this appetizer taste like caramel candy. They are chewy and meaty and just melt in your mouth.
Lydia – At first glance, the neatly arranged platter of dark cylinders looked more like decorated chocolates than dates. I was shocked by the explosion of flavors after popping one into my mouth. The dates were at once intensely sweet, salty and savory, and chewy, creamy and crispy. They were complex little nuggets of decadent deliciousness. Made with local dates grown by Atlas Produce, I could not put them down.
Lamb Chop Lollipops
Penny – My thought was, “What could she possibly do to top these two dishes?” The answer: Lamb Chop Lollipops with an apple, rosemary and cranberry chutney. This dish was presented beautifully with the chops artfully arranged on a glass serving tray with the colorful chutney acting as an accent to the brownness of the chops.
Lydia – Smoky and tender, the sweet fruitiness of the chutney seemed to soften the lamb’s usual strong taste. I also appreciated Lisa’s use of classic winter fruits to tie in with the seasonal theme.
Party Tip - How does Lisa determine the right amount of food for a party? She recommends five appetizers for the average gathering: one each of beef, chicken and seafood or lamb, along with two vegetarian – one of those cheese based and one vegetable based. She figures for one-and-a-half pieces of each appetizer per person, but figure for more if the appetizer is shrimp. “Shrimp is one of those things people tend to grub on,” she said.
Salmon en Croute with Spinach and Emmentaler Cheese Katie – The only dish Lisa actually made in my kitchen was her Salmon en Croute.
Lisa took a salmon filet and partially cooked it with lemon and butter, then wrapped the whole thing up in puff pastry and finished it off in the oven. The outside was buttery and flaky and the inside was moist and tender.
Penny – Emmentaler Cheese is Switzerland’s oldest and most important cheese.
Emmentaler has a distinctively nutty-sweet, mellow flavor that makes it a perfect compliment for the flavor of the fresh salmon, the flakiness of the pastry and the crunch of the spinach. All of these flavors were enhanced with the addition of the horseradish sauce cut with Dijon mustard.
Mango Avocado Spring Rolls
Tracy – Mango Avocado Spring Rolls were next. These rolls are filled with baby spinach, red bell peppers, carrots, avocado and mango and served with a garlic chili sauce and fresh mint. They created a great presentation of color for the table and provided some substance.
Party Tip
Lisa suggests offering bite-sized finger foods to start and gradually move to larger sized “main” courses that still fit on a single small plate that can easily be eaten standing up while carrying on a conversation.
Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos
Katie – Lastly, Lisa prepared one of my husband’s all-time favorite hors d’oeuvres: bacon wrapped grilled jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese. I am afraid there is a chance that Lydia, Penny and Tracy may not have known these were on the menu because Brian ate so many. Grilled jalapenos are easy to prepare and a real crowd pleaser.
Penny – The coolness of the cream cheese tempered the heat of the jalapeno. No one flavor overpowered the other; it was a nice delicate balance of spicy and salty.
Tracy - These are bite size, salty and full of flavor. But remember to make sure and get all the seeds out of the jalapenos. Otherwise they would be way too hot.
A Perfect Party Lydia – This proved to be a perfect get-together for the holiday season. Lisa Borda left me armed with some fabulous new serving ideas and food and drink guidelines for the next time I find myself as a hostess.
Penny – As I reflected on the way home, I found that this was a less stressful way to host a holiday gathering. Having Lisa in the kitchen allowed the hostess, Katie, to mingle with her guests and partake in the food and conversation. My hope is that you will be able take the time to share and rejoice with each person who enters your home this holiday season.