Club Classic
The Classic Catering People is primarily known as an off-premise caterer, but some of our favorite events take place right at home. Here’s a peek inside Classic at some of our occasions which bring our team closer together and includes guaranteed laughter.
We are nothing without our team members, and on November 30th, we honored 2 groups of people who help shape Classic. We are lucky to celebrate our third round of team members who have been with us for 20 years: Nicole Hicks, Donald Smith, Kim Jackson, Will Mitchell, Wanda Mitchell, Ron Flowers and Fredy Sagastume. Their contributions will resonate for 20 more years and beyond, and we are delighted to honor them. We also applauded Katelyn West and Vicky Barkley, our most recent Golden Spoon winners. Our Golden Spoon winners are recognized for their consistent positive impact on others, their commitment, and their empathy. We celebrated in the best way we know – with the team’s favorite foods and family.
Secondly, for over 15 years, Santa has made a stop at our commissary to celebrate the holidays with the children and grandchildren of our team members. It’s a welcome opportunity to engage with the extended Classic family (and in some cases, like Edgar’s son, Elias, be introduced to future team members). Santa arrives bearing gifts personalized to each child and even has time to read a holiday-themed story.
We are very thankful that Classic is on the nice list!
Pure Goodness
Apple cider syrup is one of several historic foods that is slowly regaining traction as new generations are recognizing the value of previous food options that were being used before the advent of processed and mass-produced foods. I first encountered the condiment in the King Arthur Catalog which makes perfect sense since it once was a New England kitchen staple. Hard cider was the go-to thirst quencher in colonial America. Boiling the cider until it was a thick dark liquid was a frugal, yet delicious method to preserve precious apple harvests due to its stable shelf life; combined with being an inexpensive and easy way to add sweetness to everyday cooking. During the American Revolution, the sweet syrup was the patriotic option, to avoid the imported sugar from the British West Indies. Politics intertwined with apple cider syrup’s fate once again, when overzealous citizens burned down apple tree varieties during Prohibition which diminished the cider’s production so much so, that by the 1940s, there was barely any apple cider syrup being commercially produced in America. Currently, boiled apple cider is on The Slow Food’s Ark of Taste, which means that it is designated as an endangered food, and at risk of disappearing.
Let’s hope not. It is delicious. There are several options available online or if time permits it can be made at home by reducing fresh apple cider to about one seventh of its original volume. Traditionally, adding it to baked goods, especially apple pie, baked beans, mincemeat, and apple fritters was common. The syrup, with its caramel apple notes, is a natural topping on pancakes, ice cream, and oatmeal as well. And it’s a perfect addition to a winter hot toddy or to give a touch of sweetness to a vinaigrette.
Holiday Book Picks Noma 2.0 Vegetable Forest Ocean by René Redzepi, Mette Søberg, Junichi Takahashi ![]() Smitten Kitchen Helpers, New Classics for your Forever Files by Deb Perelman ![]() Want to have weeknight fun in the kitchen? Eat well? Get invited to a lot of pot lucks? KeepSmitten Kitchen Helpers, New Classics for your Forever Files in your kitchen and let author Deb Perelman’s enthusiastic, practical magic take over. Perelman is a self-taught cook and an internet sensation. She does plenty of pre-work for her readers by eliminating steps (but not flavor) to create an assortment of appealing recipes. For example, in her chicken parmesan recipe, she uses boneless thighs to avoid pounding and then eliminates the flour step in a typically three part process of breading the meat. Turkey meatloaf for skeptics, tomato corn cobbler, luxe s’mores bars, and apple butterscotch crisp are invitations to take it up a notch with minimal investment of time and effort. Is This A Cookbook? Adventures in the Kitchen by Heston Blumenthal ![]() Is This A Cookbook? Adventures in the Kitchen by Heston Blumenthal is an apt title for a chef whose approach to cooking and life is to question everything. Blumenthal was a pioneer of multi-sensory cooking and investigated how smell and taste link to memory and our emotions. As he has matured, his thinking has expanded to include its effect on our broader well-being and outlook. Puns, experiments, line drawings, photos, cartoons, reflections and even recipes fill the unexpected pages. All of this is an admirable effort to encourage the reader to open up possibilities and perspectives to enrich their lives. Wild and wonderful. Read and reread. Savory Baking Recipes for Breakfast, Dinner, and Everything in Between by Erin Jeanne McDowell ![]() The Miracle of Salt, Recipes and Techniques to Preserve, Ferment and Transform Your Food by Naomi Duguid ![]() |
Cranberry Mustard by Chef Therese Harding Make for a party, or jar and share with friends! |
1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup water 1 1/2 cups of dried cranberries 2 tablespoons of mustard seeds 1 tsp of dry mustard 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard In a small saucepan, heat white vinegar, water, dried cranberries. Remove from heat, cover and rest 15 minutes. Then stir in mustard seeds, dry mustard and Dijon until combined. Put in food processor, process until smooth enough to spread. Then add enough water (up to 1/4 cup) to achieve right consistency. Put into airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. |
Click here for a printable version of this recipe. |
Classic Comics by Katelyn West ![]() |