News to Use, Volume 1, Winter 2009

Cost Saving Recommendations for Entertaining!


In this complex economy, knowing how to get the party started without breaking the bank can be mind-boggling. Three Tomatoes Catering offers many suggestions to streamline your budget, and get the most bang for your buck when entertaining.


Corporate Deliveries

Have your delivery be a drop off vs. a delivery set-up and pick-up. Three Tomatoes Catering offers delivery service complimentary when doing a simple drop off which applies to all room temperature buffet and cocktail items, heat and serve selections, as well as dozens of boxed meal options. We also offer corporate discounts for bulk orders. So if you cater on a regular basis, contact our Director of Sales and Marketing to coordinate arrangements. Minimizing service is the quickest way to save. Offer a self-serve beverage station/bar and order food from Three Tomatoes Catering! See below for Food Specifics for ideas on what to order, or see our Menus for additional selections.


In-Home Social Catering

Often when entertaining, you already know what type of food you’d like to serve, but may not have time to create each menu item from scratch. Select the most expensive food item and do that part yourself, like the entrée protein for example. Order the labor intensive side dishes and fabulous desserts from Three Tomatoes Catering and have it delivered. We deliver for in home parties with a complete set of professional catering equipment available. We’ll deliver, set it up, and come back the next day to do clean up for you! Contact one of our event planners for more information.

Food Specifics

Passed Hors d’oeuvres

Cut costs here by minimizing expensive ingredients and sticking with flavorful, artfully presented, colorful vegetable items or inexpensive proteins. Select passing items that can be consumed in one bite vs. several to minimize quantities, and present items in a unique way so that even the simplest hors d’oeuvre has wow factor.

Displayed Hors d’oeuvres

Minimize expense by staying away from manned stations that drive up labor costs, and consider skipping a displayed hors d’oeuvre table that adds cost with additional rentals. Place finger food items on the bar with cocktail napkins, like nuts, olives, and specialty popcorns that are inexpensive but still offer a nibble for guests that need a bite right away.

First Courses

Salads that require considerable labor for assembly or that contain several expensive ingredients drive costs up. Select ONE really special ingredient and add it to seasonal fresh salad greens or herbs. This also simplifies the labor on the plate up which allows for less personnel and a drop in price while providing gorgeous color and desired flavor.

Plated Entrees

Selecting a single entrée for guests saves production costs, and waste. Offering a dual entrée plate with small portions of two proteins, allows for variety without the additional cost of selection on site. Switching from expensive proteins like tenderloin to more traditional selections like small partially boned game hens or rolled and stuffed flank steak allow for flavorful presentation without the added cost. Also, skip the veggie on the entrée plate. First courses often act as the vegetable and a flavorful protein paired with an artfully presented starch will wow your guests without breaking the bank.

Desserts

Although offering guests choices of desserts is trendy, it’s more expensive to offer handmade individual pastries. Instead, consider flavored sheet cakes, or less expensive house made cookies, bars, and brownies = “comfort food flare.”

Additional Arrangements

There are many ways outside of food to decrease overall expenses when planning an event. Rentals can add considerably to the price, so consider using disposable products that cost less, and require minimal staff on site. However, when rented items are required, creativity in the menu can help decrease costs. For example, forget the Bread and Butter plate and knife, and serve a homemade foccacia breadstick across the salad plate. This saves approximately $2 per person. A few modifications like this, can really add up. Contact one of our event planners for more cost saving measures. Did you know that Three Tomatoes is a GREEN company and maintains a full line of compostable service ware? It costs just pennies more than typical plastic ware with a dramatic decrease to the environmental impact.


Awards

Unfortunately, we didn’t cater the Academy Awards on Sunday, or attend. Actually, we all sat at home watching comfortably from our couches in our PJs like the rest of the world. However, we do have our OWN awards show coming up, and the owners and staff at Three Tomatoes are really excited about it. Confetti Magazine, a publication of New West Publishing, hosts the annual awards gala called ICON specifically designed to celebrate the best of the best in Denver’s event planning industry. Three Tomatoes Catering is celebrating FIVE finalist nominations this year. Best overall Event Under $75,000; Best Event Produced for a Corporation or Association; Best Event Produced for a Non-Profit (two nods); and for the 5th year in a row, Best Food Presentation at an Event. Awards will be presented live at the ICON Awards Gala, Thursday, February 26th at the DCPA Seawell Ballroom. Check our website for a full list of finalists in the News Du Jour section. Or starting on Friday, February 27th visit our blog for photos from our night out at the Gala with our owners, managers, staff, clients, and industry friends.

On a Philanthropic note, Three Tomatoes Catering supports local non-profit organizations thru in-kind and pro-bono gifts annually. Our core philosophy directs these funds to groups dedicated to cultural vitality thru the arts and children’s organizations. Given the impact of our contribution over the years to dozens of worthy organizations, we humbly announce that we have been nominated for the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Philanthropy Award. The awards luncheon will be held on March 5th at the DCPA where winners will be announced. The requirements for the Philanthropy category include: “Corporate philanthropic support is critical to sustain arts and culture, the cornerstone of community vitality. A commitment to the arts supports a wide variety of community priorities, including quality of life, education and economic development. At the same time, charitable giving generates goodwill and adds value to business enterprises. This category recognizes exemplary corporate citizenship and generosity to arts and culture.” The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) is a catalyst for Colorado's business community to leverage the arts for economic vitality. CBCA is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit member organization of leading companies that have a philanthropic commitment to the arts and recognize the link between our cultural vitality and success. Over 130 metro area businesses, with over 75,000 employees, are members. CBCA offers programs, arts and cultural activities, economic research, training and advocacy that connect companies and their employees with the arts and cultural community. Click here for more information regarding the awards criteria, judges and past winners.


Just Yummy!

Tempt your taste buds, recipes don’t have to be complicated to impress.


Fresh Melon with Prosciutto

1 melon (or to mix it up, try fresh figs, mango, or papaya)

½ lb prosciutto, sliced paper thin

(ask your butcher to slice it for you with paper between slices to make it easier on yourself)


1 lime


Cut the melon in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 10-12 thin wedges. Seed and peel. Arrange 3 or 4 melon wedges on each plate, and cover with 2 or 3 slices of prosciutto. Serve with a wedge or slice of lime.