Hugh Groman Catering and Greenleaf Platters
October 2009 Newsletter
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"Thank you for your perfect combination of professional and personal service. I look forward to working with you again."
-Quote from recent Hugh Groman Catering client survey
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THANK YOU
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A special thank you to Dede P., who recently wrote a wonderful review of HGC on YELP. (See menu below!) We are incredibly grateful for these reviews on sites such as YELP, Berkeley Parents Network and Chowhound, as they are one of the most powerful sources of new business for us. THANK YOU! |
Staff Spotlight
Wilma Schroeder
Server
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 Wilma Schroeder is our featured staff member in this issue. We love Wilma for her sweet, unflappable nature, her "can do" attitude, her willingness to help and take on responsibility, and of course for her love of doggies! When Wilma is not working, she keeps busy spending time with her beloved dog and pursuing her various interests. Tillie, Wilma's rescue Pit Bull, has lived with Wilma for four years. They love to take daily morning walks, and play ball most afternoons in the backyard. Wilma lives in a lovely little fixer-upper in Berkeley and has remodeled the kitchen and landscaped the backyard, installing four large raised garden beds. She gardens "a bit obsessively" and hopes to farm full-time in the future! Wilma's other love is Voci Women's Vocal Ensemble. She sings alto, and enjoys both the weekly rehearsals and performances. Wilma has always loved to sing, and is "so happy to have this creative outlet." Wilma says she likes working at HGC and Greenleaf Platters because "Hugh is great at what he does, and has attracted a talented team of fun and interesting people to do the great work of feeding the hungry!'" |
Questions or comments?
E-mail us at nina@hughgromancatering.com
or call 510-647-5165.
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Message from Hugh
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 We're already well into a busy fall season, and I am sensing optimism in the air. Things are wonderful at HGC GLP. As our business has grown over the years, I have been lucky enough to delegate more and more to the wonderful people I work with. Wilma Schroeder, who is featured in our staff spotlight, has stepped in to improve the level of organization in our kitchen and storage areas, and has also taken on much of the "pack out" duties necessary to make sure we have everything we need at our events. What a relief to have someone who is focused and responsible on the case! I've been doing it, mostly myself, for years, and honestly, I'm not very good at it. :) Now when someone asks me if we have serving spoons at an event, I say, "If Wilma checked them off the list, we probably have them." Because she is good! I also wanted to remind everyone that if you are planning an event this holiday season, the earlier you can let us know the better. Some dates fill up quickly and we want to make sure we are able to take care of all of our clients. Thank you everyone for your support! Sincerely, Hugh |
Featured Recipe - Hadele and Nina's Famous Sweet and Sour Barbequed Brisket of Beef (Serves 6)
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"This recipe originally came from my mom, Hadele Groman, and I have modified it by adding red wine. This is a great dish to serve at a dinner party as you can make it the day before in your crock pot and just heat it up for your party. Your guests will LOVE it. Note that it seems like a lot of meat but it shrinks down quite a bit when you cook it."
- Nina
* 4 lbs beef brisket
* 1 jar of your favorite BBQ sauce (approx. 16 ounces)
* 1 jar sauerkraut (approx. 16 ounces)
* 1 cup red wine
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
1) Up to 2 days ahead: Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours. Or...place in a roasting pan and cook in the oven at 325 degrees for about 4 hours.
2) Cool in refrigerator until fat rises to top of pan.
3) On day of event, skim fat off the top and reheat until heated throughout. You can't really overcook this, as long as the sauce is covering the meat.
Tip: Measuring the ingredients exactly isn't really important. Just add in some wine and water and sugar to the BBQ sauce and sauerkraut as you desire. You can't really mess it up.
For conversions between weight and measure, click here. |
Quick Tip - Washing Leafy Greens
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If you buy heads of lettuce, especially greens like spinach that tend to be especially dirty, it's not always easy to get them really clean. Many people put them in a salad spinner or other strainer type device and run water over them. This is not very effective and can leave dirt and grit on your tasty salad. The best way to get your lettuce clean is to put it in a bowl, Cover it with water, swish it around a bit, and then let it soak for a few minutes. Then, instead of draining out the water from that bowl, lift the lettuce out of the bowl and dry using your preferred method. This leaves any dirt and tiny rocks at the bottom of the bowl. If you have especially gritty leaves, pour the dirty water into your garden and repeat with fresh water.
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Environmental Focus
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Compost, compost, compost! Many of us now live in counties where almost all of our biodegradable waste can be added to our green bins and picked up by the county weekly during garbage pickup. As much as 90% of what we used to send to landfills can now be put into our green bins and picked up for composting. I know old habits die hard, so some of us have a hard time adjusting to a new system, but I want to encourage everyone to become more aware of what can be composted, and to set up a bin in their homes and businesses to make collecting the "green waste" easier. And if your county doesn't have this program in place yet, contact your local waste management service and give them hell! For more information on composting in the Bay Area, check out this article that includes links to various composting resources!
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Dede and Eric's Wedding Celebration
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Warm corn pancakes with queso fresco, aged white cheddar and fresh tomato avocado salsa
Grilled chipotle marinated shrimp with honey, garlic, lime and fresh mint
Crisp Yukon gold potato skins with bacon, truffle parmesan aioli and scallions
On the Buffet
Salad of baby greens with toasted pistachios, sun-dried cherries and blue cheese in a balsamic vinaigrette
Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter, sage, fresh tomato, pine nuts and parmigiano reggiano
Fresh white fish tacos with tropical fruit avocado salsa, chipotle aioli and green onion
Roasted filet mignon with a sauce of black olives, capers, garlic, pistachios, fresh herbs, lemon and extra-virgin olive oil
A selection of Acme bread provided with the buffet
For the Kids
Grilled cheese sandwiches and fresh fruit salad
Beverages
Bottled flat and sparkling waters, soda, coffee and tea
Homemade ginger ale
Watermelon agua fresca
Champagne, wine and beer
Mojitos
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Hugh Groman Catering
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Hugh Groman Catering is a full service boutique catering company providing the highest quality food and party planning services for events up to 1000 guests. Our customers want delicious, interesting food, served with warmth in a simple, elegant style, and they want us to make it all easy for them.
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Greenleaf Platters
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 At greenleafplatters.com we provide party platters unlike any others you may have had in the past. We offer the same quality food you've come to expect from Hugh Groman Catering, served on elegant white porcelain platters, delivered and set up at your event. This service is for those who don't need staff party planning services, but want to impress their guests with exceptional food. | |
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