One More Bite Catering and Events

Author: Eric

Eric’s Orlando Trip

As i’ve mentioned on the blog before, fall is my favorite season. One of the highlights is definitely the annual trip to Orlando that my friends and I go on. We’ll hit our favorite spots: Disney’s Magic and Animal Kingdoms, Universal Studios (mostly for Harry Potter World), and of course Epcot for the International Food and Wine Festival! Here’s a brief overview of the trip! Check out the gallery for some highlights of the eats!

Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is quintessential Disney. My favorite thing to do is head straight to Space Mountain. It’s one of my favorite rides in the part. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is also a favorite. There’s so much to do in Magic Kingdom. One must do is to have lunch or dinner at the Be Our Guest Restaurant (Beast’s Castle). You’ll need to plan ahead for this and make a reservation well in advance. You can even dine in the West Wing and there is Grey Stuff….and it is delicious. Another must-do is grab a Dole-Whip…which is pineapple soft serve and it’s amazing.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

We always go back to the Animal Kingdom for three reasons. Each of which make this park worth the price of admission: The Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Avatar Flight of Passage, and Expedition Everest! Yak & Yeti is a great place to eat and features some unique pan-Asian fare. The last two are some of the best rides at Disney.

Epcot

Epcot is Epcot…and one of my favorite places on earth…especially for International Food and Wine Festival. The festival features great regional recipes from around the world. I haven’t had a bad bite there…and I’ve had A LOT of bites. The rides at Epcot are a lot of fun too; Test Track, Soarin’, and Mission: SPACE are a few favorites. Spaceship Earth (the ball) is also a classic with a time traveling ride narrated by Dame Judi Dench. The Land is also a great experience which brings you on a journey of agricultural history and includes a trip through the greenhouses and labs. Group tours are also offered of the greenhouses. I haven’t done the tour yet, but it’s on my to-do list!

Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure

Harry Potter!!!! I love Universal Studios…but since they put in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that’s all I’ve cared about to be honest. You can pick your wand at Ollivander’s and buy sweets at Honeydukes, not to mention ride the Hogwart’s Express (with park-to-park ticket). The other reason we love Universal Studios this time of year is Halloween Horror Nights! This is an after hours event were you can walk through various scare zones, go on rides, and of course get spooked at the houses. If you’ve ever been to a haunted house you know there are jump scares and creepy decorations. This is so much more! With some houses bringing you directly into the worlds of shows and movies like Stranger Things, Halloween 4 and Poltergeist…it’s absolutely terrifying. Not to mention a lot of fun!

Universal is also home to Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, which is one of the best places on the planet! They have great food and drinks, a fun atmosphere, and plenty of chocolate!

Have you been to Disney World or Universal Studios? What was the highlight of your trip? Tell us in the comments below!

November 1, 2018
Caramel Apple Martini

It’s Halloween!!! It’s also National Caramel Apple Day! Caramel Apples are crisp, refreshing, sweet and decadent. We decided to make an equally crisp, refreshing, sweet and decadent drink! This martini is a great way to celebrate caramel apple day, after the trick-or-treaters stop of course. This drink packs a punch though, so drink responsibly.

Make one for yourself with the recipe Here!

October 31, 2018
Chocolate Bacon Panna Cotta and Peanut Butter Mousse

Chocolate, Bacon and Peanut Butter…OH MY! If you’ve never had Panna Cotta, it’s a silky Italian dessert like a thick pudding. Top that with a creamy Mascarpone Peanut Butter mixture and you have pure heaven. This dessert will be an instant hit at any event!

Make this incredibly decadent dessert Here!

October 28, 2018
Charred Flank Steak with Gorgonzola and Fig Balsamic Flatbread

Tired of plan old pizza? Try a flatbread! They’re versatile and easier to make then pizza. The main difference is that there is typically no sauce. Your local grocery store likely carries flatbread in the bread isle. Make one with your favorite toppings!

This particular recipe takes juicy charred flank steak and adds some creamy gorgonzola cheese. Adding earthy arugula, fresh tomato and sweet fig balsamic to road it out. This is a very filling dish!

Make your own with the recipe here!

What flavor combinations would you try? Comment below!

October 22, 2018
Butternut Squash Soup with Pomegranate Creme

Winter is coming!!! Stay warm with this classic dish: Butternut Squash Soup. With added Pomegranate Creme this is sure to be a hit on a cold autumn evening. This is a personal favorite dish of mine. There is a lot of strong flavors in this recipe, but the squash can hold it. Serve on its own, or take it to the next level and put it in a bread bowl!

Get the recipe here!

What’s your favorite dish to warm you up on a cold night? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or in the Comments below!

October 16, 2018
Managing Party Stress

The holiday season is coming! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years. Those are just to name a few. It’s a wonderful time to host and go to parties with friends and family. Unfortunately, we can get in our own way and make these events a nightmare.

Hosting?

If you’re hosting a party this can be daunting. Whether you drew the short straw with your family, or are graciously opening your home, it can be stressful. After all, there is a lot to do: cleaning, cooking, decorating, coordinating activities. Our one big tip for hosting. Plan in advance. Doing as much as you can ahead of time can help you stay on track and eliminate some stress. It also gives you more time to enjoy the day. Cooking? Choose recipes that keep a day or two ahead and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer. Clean and decorate a day or two in advance as well. This will help you to visual the event and you can focus on all the other details. Overall…have a plan, stick to it, and don’t overthink it.

Attending?

Chances are you’ll be invited to some events this season. Even though you want to go, you may be on the fence or have social anxiety. This shouldn’t stop you from enjoying yourself and the company. Our tip here is to find someone to stick with. If you know someone very well, stick with them. Knowing the guest list ahead of time can help you plan. Discuss with another guest and let them know how you’re feeling. If there is no one you know, ask the host if you can bring a plus one. Another tip is to take breaks. Step outside and get some air, or go to the bathroom to freshen up.

The holidays are a great time to enjoy with others. Don’t let stress get in your way, and have a great time! How do you fight party stress? Tell us in the comments below!

October 15, 2018
Lemon Shortbread with Passion Fruit Sabayon Parfait

A sabayon is a great French take on a classic Italian dessert. It’s a thin custard which typically contains champaign or a liquor. Adding in a fresh and fruity component like passion fruit will take your sabayon to the next level. But why stop there? We added some buttery and crisp shortbread cookies. These cookies have an added brightness from some lemon zest which pairs wonderfully with the smooth and silky sabayon. Top off with whipped cream and watch these opposites attract to make a fun and delicious dessert!

Try this recipe out for yourself here!

October 9, 2018
Don’t Forget the Thank You Note!

There’s nothing better then getting to share a moment with friends and family. With the holidays just around the corner, there’s a lot of opportunity for that. It’s important to be thankful, and what better way to show that than with an old fashioned thank you note! Whether someone gave you a gift or came to your party, a thank you note is an intimate and thoughtful gesture that the recipient won’t soon forget. Think about it. How many times have you gotten a thank you note or card? I bet you remember some of the times you did, especially if it was unexpected. Here are some ideas to make your thank you unforgettable!

Say More Than Just Thanks

Sending a thank you is more than just saying a simple “Thanks.” This may be obvious, but you want to write something meaningful and heartfelt. If you’ve received a gift it’s always a good idea to mention it in the note. You can also add how you’ll use it, or what you’ll do with it. That’s a small way to let the gift giver know how grateful you are.

If you’re writing the note to thank someone for attending a party there is a few ways you can show how appreciative you are for them coming. Did they help set or clean up? Did they bring something? Were they simply the life of the party? Thank them for that! Telling them how thankful you are that they just showed up will mean a lot.

Add a Little Something Extra

Sending a thank you note in a card is a good start. But think of some ways to add a little something extra. For example, did they come to your party and love a song you played? Remind them of the name and artist. Maybe they loved that dish you made? Add the recipe to the note! Better yet, make it for them!

Set Up the Next Time

How many times have you finally gotten together with old friends and promised that you won’t let the next time be so long. So often the next time is just as long…or longer. Sending a thank you note is not only a great way to show your appreciation for seeing the person, but also a great invitation for the next time. Putting in a place and time helps to solidify a plan, instead of just throwing out the idea.

We hope you found this post insightful, and we want to thank you for reading! (See what we did there?) If you have any other ideas for sending a thank you note we’d love to hear it! Send it to us or show us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook!

September 28, 2018
DIY or Why Bother?

So…you’re planning a party. In the world of Pinterest and Instagram you might feel obligated to really up your game when it comes to the food and décor. That’s when it happens; you go right down the Pinterest rabbit-hole. You’ve pinned and shared so many ideas that you don’t even remember what type of party it was. What’s worse is everything starts looking the same. How can you decide!? Which diaper cake looks the best for your sister’s baby shower? What’s the correct number of candy options for the candy bar? Which phallic food option do I serve at my friend’s bachelorette party!?

The answer…who cares? Honestly. At the end of day guests remember three things. Whether or not the food was good, who was there, and did they have a good time. The fun decorations and party favors certainly add to the overall atmosphere, but they’re not the core of the party. Here are some pointers to keep your party planning under control, and to figure out if DIY is right for you.

Stay On Theme

The first thing is to have a theme, and stick to it. There are a lot of great ideas out there. Having a theme in mind first will definitely help you to stay focused. That way you don’t end up rationalizing why there’s a watermelon cut into a shark at your movie night party (and no…. it’s not shark week and this is not Jaws). The key is not having to explain the decorations. When you take a step back and look at everything, it should make sense.

Don’t Go Overboard

Even if you find a great theme, there can be tons of ideas to sift through. You don’t want to go overboard on the theme. Every element of the party does not have to beat you over the head with the theme. Not every food item needs to have a gimmick and not every decoration needs to be over-the-top. Find one or two centerpieces, two or three other decorations, and one or two food/drink items. The rest can simply match the color scheme and fit in perfectly. Having some simple decorations also highlights the showstoppers, rather then having them compete or blend in.

So Should I DIY?

So now you have a theme and an idea of what you want to do. So…do you take a trip to Party City or start thumbing through apps for ideas? There are a few things I like to consider: cost, ease and the overall vision. Is the cost of making something that much lower? Will it be that much easier to make? Can you buy something that looks like what you want, or would you have to make it? All these factor in to the answer of “should I DIY.” A really good recent example of this was when Zoe was helping to plan a family wedding. She needed a chuppah (a traditional canopy in Jewish weddings where the ceremony takes place). She was looking at $750 or more! She priced out building it herself for about $300. That was an obvious DIY.

In some cases half the work is already done! In a DIY world there are retailers that sell kits. All you have to do is buy the kit, follow the instructions and ta-dah! All of the materials are already sourced. You just have to put it together! Some kits make it easy to customize.

Above All…Have Fun!

The most important part of the party is to have fun and make memories. Don’t stress yourself out. If needed, enlist help. In my opinion, DIY is better with friends!

If you’re having a party and thinking of doing some DIY we hope this article helps. If you have some projects you’d like to share or have suggestions for a topic to cover, send them to us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to hear from you!

Special thank you to our friend Grace for modeling in the cover photo! Follow her on Instagram HERE!

September 21, 2018
Review: The Fix Burger Bar
IT’S NATIONAL CHEESEBURGER DAY!!! What better way to celebrate then heading to The Fix Burger Bar! We headed there over the weekend to bring you this review and we’re glad we did. Check out our thoughts below.

The Fix Burger Bar in Worcester, MA is the cities “first true burger bar.” The restaurant is one of many in the area owned by Niche Hospitality. Never having had a bad meal at any of their restaurants, we felt this would be a great “first true restaurant review.” Located in the Northworks building on Grove St. this feel-good burger concept has maintained a steady following of patrons since its start on Shrewsbury St. With good service, casual atmosphere and great food it’s no wonder why.

We first tried to visit The Fix on a Friday afternoon…unfortunately for us, there was a gas leak which closed the kitchen. We knew they’d be very busy the next day, but that didn’t stop us. Of course, we were right. We put our names in for a 30 minute wait, but got a text saying that our table was ready after about 25 minutes. It’s also important to mention there were three of us, so we needed a four-top. We were seated in the very back corner which was a bit quieter than then the main dinning area. On the way to the table we observed every single table filled. They were definitely packed. They also seemed a bit short staffed, so we expected long waits and a bit less than our server’s undivided attention.

The first category we looked at was service. Our server scored major points for starting us off with waters right as we were seated and acknowledging they were exceptionally busy. As crazy as it seemed she was still fairly attentive. We ordered appetizers (Fried Pickles, Quebec Poutine) and our meals (The Crunchy, The Spicy Tuna, and The Mushroom) at the same time, about 10 minutes after being seated. It was only another 10 minutes for the pickles to arrive and about another 5 minutes for the poutine. We got our burgers after about 40 minutes, which was a good pace. We also ordered a dessert (B5 Chocolate Spring Rolls) and coffee, which at most took about 5 minutes.

Our second category was atmosphere. The overall style is New American with a light circus/vaudevillian theme with references to strongmen and acrobats. The lighting is dim, but not too dark to see. The music was at a good level, but blended in with the ambient noise. They generally played upbeat top 40s. The building is beautiful with high ceilings and exposed brick and beams. The dinning room and bathroom were both very clean. The overall vibe plays very well to a younger and more hip crowed. With tasteful decor they achieve their theme well.

The most important part is of course the food. We’re rating seven items for this review. The two apps, three burgers, dessert and the coffee.
- Fried Pickles – So often when I get fried pickles they come out soft and soggy. The Fix’s fried pickles were anything but that. The pickles were cooked perfectly with a slight bend, but overall very sturdy feel. This made them very easy to dip in the horseradish sauce; which paired perfectly with the tang from the pickle and wasn’t at all overpowering. The batter coated the pickles well and didn’t break apart while holding. Both the pickles and batter had a great crunch. Of the fried pickles I’ve had these are certainly among the better.
- Quebec Poutine – The poutine at The Fix comes multiple ways. We opted for the more traditional “Quebec” style, but we also added the duck confit. The fries were cooked very well with a crisp exterior and soft interior. The rosemary and black pepper gravy seemed a bit light for the dish and caused some fries to get rather soggy. However, the flavor was great. The Maplebrook Farms’ cheddar cheese curds were melted well and had a great mild flavor. One problem was that the room was cool and the cheese began to clump together after a little while, so it was difficult to separate. The duck confit was sweet and tender, which added a nice dimension to the dish. Overall the flavors all worked very well together and was very good.
- The Crunchy – This is one of my personal favorites. This burger delivers on its name with major crunch. I ordered my burger medium well and it came to order. The sesame bun was nice and soft with a light toast. The patty itself was well seasoned and held together well. The fried prosciutto was more like bacon and added a good saltiness. The parmesan crisp and potato chips likewise added a lot of crunch, but not too much flavor. The good thing about the parmesan crisp was it kept the bottom bun dry. The garlic aioli was light and didn’t have a very strong garlic taste, which could be good or bad depending on preference. I personally like a strong garlic flavor. One component I didn’t care for much was the mustard pickles. I love pickles, and they were as crisp and flavorful as the fried ones from the appetizer. I felt the mustard was just a bit too strong. Everything together worked very well, and despite the strong mustard taste I enjoyed it very much.
- The Spicy Tuna – I only had a taste of this burger, but it was very good. The tuna was ordered medium rare and came out perfect and was well seasoned. The tuna steak was a bit thin, but still held it’s shape and was proportional to the rest of the ingredients. The spicy kimchi and sriracha aioli added a nice heat along with the sweeter and more mild soy sauce. The bun was nice and soft, but the bottom was a bit soggy from absorbing the moisture from the sauce and tuna. Overall it was a good burger and was well composed.
- The Mushroom – As with The Spicy Tuna, I only had a bite of this. The patty again, was cooked to order and was well seasoned. The sautéed onions and mushrooms added a nice sweetness and earthiness. The truffle aioli also added another dimension of earthy flavor. The pepperiness of the arugula went well with the truffle and mushrooms. Finally the sharpness of the swiss cheese rounded out the burger well. Unfortunately, the bottom of the brioche bun was also a bit soggy. Overall this burger has a well thought out flavor profile and great taste.
- B5 Chocolate Spring Rolls – I wasn’t expecting to get dessert, but my god I’m glad I did. These things are magical. Thin crisp wonton wraps are cover an incredibly most cake, which is soft and spongy, yet somehow creamy. The spring rolls also have a semi-sweet chocolate sauce which pairs perfectly with the cake and dipping sauces. The sauces included the ginger strawberry and whipped cream, but also a bourbon caramel. All were nice a sweet, but not too much. I tried many different flavor combinations with the sauces and spring rolls. All were phenomenal. The caramel and ginger strawberry together almost taste like Dr. Pepper, which was a great discovery. This may well be my new favorite dessert.
- House Blend Coffee – I didn’t plan on reviewing the coffee, but man was is good. It is the same house blend Niche serves at their other restaurants, and was brought to the table in a french press. I drink my coffee black, and this was very mellow and smooth. A great way to end a great meal.
September 18, 2018