Getting their heart on - celebrating Valentine's Day + Russell's 40th Birthday

great food, excellent champagne and lots of love flowed through out the evening.

Even the chefs had a romantic dance

(in between courses + in the kitchen, of course!)

Getting Their Heart On

If your birthday happens to fall on or even near Valentines Day, it's not surprising that the plans for your 40th birthday celebration would involve an intimate dinner for two with foods that you love and the woman you love. Russell threw a great party for Savi, catered by CuisinEtc, on her big birthday a few years ago, but for his landmark birthday, his hearts desire was to spend the evening alone (well almost alone, besides the two chefs) with the woman he loves with all his heart. This couple is amazing - they are so happy together - and so much in love, that it positively glows and lights up the room.

So through the meal, hearts abound

with delicious+ decadent tastes.

Hors D'oeuvres before the 5 course meal

included

our favorite petit samosas with chili lime dip

and

heart shaped crab cakes infused with

lemongrass, peanuts + ginger

served with spicy lovers peanut sauce.

the birthday boy loved the

over the top lobster mac and cheese

butter poached maine lobster mac and cheese

(ode to Thomas Keller)

After enjoying the hors d'oeuvres

and some romantic dancing

and cuddling in the living room,

the first of 4 dinner courses

was presented in beautiful fantasy

champagne goblets (Savi's fav drink)

and immediately the compliments

were flying across the table and

drifting into the kitchen

"this is outrageously good"

enjoying the lobster mac and cheese

and EACH OTHER!!

plump juicy ruby red grapefruit

and warm panko crusted herbed goats cheese

perfectly complimented the wild arugula,

baby organic spinach, fresh mint + Vermont bacon

Since both Russell and Savi love lamb

and especially meats that are on the bone,

rosemary infused baby lamb chops

with pomegranate glaze was perfect!

nestled on a bed of heart shaped

Israel cous-cous primavera,

accompanied by grilled asparagus bundles,

and roasted veggies,

deliciously sweet jerusalem artichokes

(neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke)

roasted whole shallots

+ cumin scented roasted cauliflower.

Starfruit, commonly used in Trinidad,

where Savi hails from

made a delicious and beautiful garnish.

The stars are aligned for this fantastic couple!

oven roasted veggies included

jerusalem artichoke,

a creamy sweet tuber vegetable.

closeup of heart shaped israeli cous-cous

and asparagus bundles wrapped

in yellow+ orange carrot strands

This meal was made with lots of love

Originally for dessert the Valentines menu
included desserts that centered around chocolate

- however, that was the only
request that Russell had
he emailed me to say,

"As far as dessert
I'm more of a vanilla,lemon, citrus, creamy, crunchy type. "

in that mode we created the following delectable dessert...

Not Your Mama's Baked Alaska Finale

Grilled Pineapple +

Rosemary Brown Sugar Shortbread Base

with Vanilla Bean Speckled Ice Cream

and Meyer Lemon Meringue

Flambeed Tableside with Meyers Rum

by Chef Andrew Alexander-Crossan

Savi and Russell enjoying the show

as Chef Andrew flambes their Special Baked Alaska

Dark Rum is lite and poured

atop the Meyer Lemon Baked Alaska

Indian Fusion Again - well this time Indian Italian Fusion

Seems like Creative CuisinEtc Catering has garnered

quite a fine reputation for Indian fusion catering.

Try googling Indian Fusion catering or caterer and our blogspot c

omes up number one around the country

and even across the pond in the UK.

Absolutely Amazing...

With so many intercultural marriages these days,

we get a stack of emails weekly enquirying about

ethnic food catering which is one of our passions

This particular couple, Jede and John, own a hipster bar in Williamsburg called Artland. A very cool and friendly spot. Check it out

http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/bars/archives/2005/03/_art_land.html

So due to some family health issues with the brides mom,

they decided to finally "tie the knot"

and had less than 3 weeks to plan the entire event.

We came on board about 2 weeks before the nuptials

and worked closely together to plan a menu

that would include the grooms favorite foods

along with touches of Indian cuisine

to pay tribute to the brides heritage

and to make her mom ever so happy.

Jede and Johns Wedding Celebration

Sunday June 29, 2008
San Cono di Teggiano Social Hall

231 -33 Ainslie St. Williamsburg

Pre Ceremony Hor D’Oeuvres
Chef Pasta Station
a wonderful pasta station
Our Chefs use a whole wheel of pecorino romano
to sauté and flambé a delicious pasta dish with roasted vegetables, oven roasted tomato, cream sauce and of course cheese, using orchette pasta.

Along with the Pasta station

your guests will also enjoy a Med Rim Display including

Heart shaped herbed cream cheese torta
With garlic and herbs & sundried tomato garnished with edible flowers




marinated mushrooms,

and assorted Italian style olives
displayed in unique platters and vessels,

tandoori corn satellite

Antipasto of roasted peppers, pepperoni & Italian sausage

jardinière,
olive and artichoke tapenade

surrounded by crostinis, breadsticks

East Meets West - Bhel Puri Chaat -
with a CuisinEtc attendant mixing together

the traditional cilantro potato, chickpeas
crispy noodles & vegetables with

housemade tamarind & cilantro chutneys




The Wedding Ceremony was followed
by passed hors d’oeuvres while chairs were being rearranged

…Individual shrimp cocktail passed on a round votive tray

…Mini Indian Samosas with

Chef Andrew's signature southern Indian coconut cilantro chutney




…Italian lollipops


…Kyoto smoked salmon rosettes with wasabi cream cheese


Buffet Dinner Service










Buffet Service Featuring Waiters Serving the following:






Rosemary Garlic Roasted Leg of Lamb
carved by our Chef at the Buffet

Seafood Linguine with Diablo marinara sauce
With shrimp & mussels

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Garlic

Herb Roasted Baby Red Potato

Cumin Kissed Carrot Salad

our Signature Housemade Caesar salad

Italian Bread

Dinner Followed by desserts and wedding cake provided by Bride
Coffee and Tea Service to be provided by Creative CuisinEtc

Suzuki Car Show Javits Center

CuisinEtc, a boutique NYC caterer is often asked
by our clients to create customized menus for special events.
This menu was designed to cater an after party a for Suzuki.

The menu was specificially customed designed
to highlight asian fusion, along with cutting edge,
innovative hors d'oeuvres, modern shapes,
presentations and healthy indulgences for
upmarket clients and media reps


The use of unique props such as the wooden
handcarved truck below evoke memories of
childhood and association with handcrafted
well made items that were designed for function,
durability and craftmanship.


Associations that any car manufacturer would want to have

This beauty of a truck, handcrafted and lovingly stained
was purchased in the crafts market in San Jose, Costa Rica
on one of our numerous buying trips around the world.

Catering and travel working together

That's just one of the things what we love about our life's work

hand carved wooden truck used for flowering garden display

hand carved vegetable displays

by our own Chef Andrew Alexander - Crossan







more stunning hand carved vegetable flowers



Chocolate Dipping Pond with Fresh Fruit Display

An elegant Watermelon Peacock with Fruit Kebab Tails
and a luscious Chocolate Dipping Pond, accompanied by skewers of fresh strawberries, pineapple and other delicious dipables.

unfortunately we don't always have the time to
take all the photos we would like
but see our other carved watermelon peacock photos

Flowering Garden Truckload of Seasonal Crudité Vegetables, Dips & Cheeses set out on Polished Wood Tree Sections.

The vegetable display is both fresh and whimsical
with vases of carved vegetable flower displays

Jazzy Soft Drinks Station

Large Crystal Punch Bowls
with an Array of Colorful Drinks:

Freshly squeezed lemonade

Strawberry, and Old Fashioned Lemonaide
with Floating Lemon Circles

Black and White Bow Thai Ice Coffee

Tropical Mango and Passionfruit Ice Tea
with Floating Oranges Circles

Assorted Sodas and Waters


Creative CuisinEtc…More Than Just Great Food 646-932-3496





BUTLER PASSED TEMPTATIONS



Passed On Geometric Triangular
and Circular Platters

Garnished With Colorful Spring Botanicals

**Kyoto Crowns

Jewel Like

Citrus Scented Tobikko Caviar

atop a Cucumber Crown

with a Dollop of Crème Fraiche

**Monsoon Dumplings
Tasty Chicken and Vegetable Dumplings
Passed on Asian Spoons with Wasabi- Soy Sauce

**Martini Olives
Vermouth and Vodka Soaked Giant Olives

Encircled in Flaky Puff Pastry

**Japanese Catfish Critters
Speared Spicy Panko Breaded Catfish Bytes
with Sweet Chili Jam Dipping Sauce.

** Chicken Orbits
Rings of Chicken Breast

stuffed with Spinach and Mushrooms
Floating on Brioche Toastie Squares

** Harvest Moon Blu Bytes
Gorgonzola Blue Cheese

and Creamy Mascarpone Puffs

that Melt in Your Mouth

** Cherry Blossoms
Pink Tinged Mission Figs
Stuffed with Chevre Goats Cheese

and Sundried Cherries
A tangy sweet and savoury combination!!

** Yakisoba Crab Spheres
Crispy Asian Skewered Crab,

Tonkatsu & Ginger Balls
Served with Sweet Chili Jam Sauce

** Flying Saucer Satay
Asian Satay Peanut Chicken and Scallions
on a Crispy Colorful Shrimp Chip Discs

**Japanese Ballpark Mini Hot Dogs
Byte Sized Kosher Cocktail Franks in Pastry
Served from a Catcher’s Mitt

in a Field of WheatGrass

** Edame Bytes
Smoked Tofu, Edame Beans and Mustard Greens
In Crispy Lotus Cups

** Unagi Kabayaki
Teriyaki Grilled Eel Sushi Rolls

Cut on the Bias

and Sprinkled with Black Sesame Seeds

** Joseon Dynasty Jewels
Cucumber Crowns Filled with Strips of

Grilled Filet Mignon

with Slivers of Red Peppers, Cilantro,

Mint & Scallions in a Soy Ginger Glaze

Creative CuisinEtc…More Than Just Great Food
646-932-3496