Andrea SkallebergAugust 12, 2018Comment

Catering - A Love/Hate Story

Andrea SkallebergAugust 12, 2018Comment

I read a most hilarious review of the "food blog frenzy" recently (New Yorker - see link) and was struck by its accuracy. https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/if-you-want-my-blueberry-muffin-recipe-you-must-read-this-crazy-long-preamble-first

Yes, we food bloggers tend to "talk" too much. There's just so much to share! As a reader of our food blogs, however, you probably just want to cut to the chase. Where's the recipe? Stop blabbing about your inspiration and give me the darned recipe! So, without further ado here's the first recipe - compliments of Melissa Clark @cooking.nytimes.com - before I go into that crazy-long preamble!

CHILLED CORN SOUP

3 ears corn (shucked, if fresh - I cheat and use the packaged ears)
1 ½ cups buttermilk (I use lättfil in Sweden)
½ cup basil leaves, more for garnish
3 scallions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, more to taste
1 fat garlic clove, roughly chopped
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Slice kernels off corn cobs (you should have 3 to 3 1/2 cups kernels). Discard cobs and place kernels in a blender.
Add buttermilk, basil, scallions, lime juice, garlic, salt and 1/3 cup ice cubes to the blender and purée until very smooth.
Serve in your favorite “catering” glasses and top with a sprig of fresh basil.

And good food, of course! I love the good food part of catering - finding those recipes that best fit the occasion, be it a graduation, birthday or neighborhood get-together. I am less enamored with the mass production involved in catering. One perfect dish is a sight to behold and so much fun to make but add 25-75 portions and suddenly it's not as endearing.

Fortunately, a truly great catering job (blood, sweat and tears) yields some amazing feedback: "Delicious" - "Incredible" - "The Best I've ever tasted." . So I'll keep on catering. . . . and loving/hating it.

Andrea Skalleberg