Cheat A Little "Think INSIDE The Box"

September 2020

"Cheat A Little" eNews Updates

Dear Friend,

We’ve been busy lately and I just want to express my sincere gratitude for our loyal clientele. We consider you part of our Cheat A Little family, and we’re very appreciative of your business. It’s always a pleasure to be of service.

If we haven’t heard from you in a while, please know that we send our best wishes out to you and your families. We’re all going through a lot of challenges these days. Drop us a line to say “hello” … or if you happen to have a need for catering, feel free to reach out.

Many of our clients and friends have been cooped up for an extended time, and have contacted us to cater a small event … for no other reason, but just to be around others they have not seen in a while. We love providing our food service “just because!”

Get SOCIAL with PHYSICAL distancing.

Call us if you just need food delivered, or full service for a smaller affair … whether a family gathering, a special occasion, a corporate board meeting … or “just because” … we’re here for you.

Thank you,

Brian Morriss

President & Owner

THINK "INSIDE"

THE BOX

Boxed meals and treats are one of the biggest trends since the onset of Covid-19. So, our team got together recently to think of different ways for our clients and guests to socialize with friends and family safely and responsibly during the current times. We decided it was time to bring back a service we’ve offered previously, the Keepsake Box.

We create custom meals, treats, and food packages, and place in a unique, beautiful, or interesting “keepsake box.” The “box” can be anything from a picnic basket, tool box, small luggage, beverage chiller, wine box, flower pot … you name it.

This is a great way to personalize your special social gathering… baby showers, birthdays, or anniversaries. Also, a perfect opportunity for marketing with your business partners or employee appreciation. Our keepsake boxes balance safety, taste and style to make your event that much more memorable.

Who wouldn’t want a delicious meal and a “box” that you can take with you? Opening the box should be just as exciting as the food inside. Special touches include individually labeled or named for each guest or attendee; personal notes and note cards, mini menu card descriptions, reheating instructions, additional gifts or keepsakes placed inside, any other color scheme, commemoration or branding can be added.

Get more Keepsake Box information and download our brochure.

KEEPSAKE

BOX

Here are some of the options available for Keepsake Box.

But, let us know your ideas also …

... and we’ll think INSIDE the box together!

Picnic Basket Box – Grilled chicken, potato salad, cornbread muffin, fresh watermelon wedge and mini apple pie, lined with red and white check napkins

Micro Wedding Box – Compact version of the wedding meal, delivered to guests unable to attend the ceremony and reception in person

Snacks & Swag Box – Perfect for a bridal shower for your girlfriends, or a corporate fundraiser “thank you” … complete with easy-to-eat snack foods and a personalized gift

Ladies Who Lunch Box – Planning a regular get-together can be made easier with a delicious, personal meal of entrée salad, cup of soup and breadsticks

High Tea Box – Afternoon Tea with assorted tea sandwiches, scones, berry preserves, clotted cream, a variety of teas, and a unique and personal teacup and saucer gift

Dine & Develop Box - An elevated Business Luncheon or Dinner, not only with a tasty hot meal, but we include your corporate branding and other marketing materials, and add a bottle of wine or champagne for extra special attendees

Lunch & Learn Box – Great for corporate training sessions, seminars, and virtual meetings, with easy-to-eat classic sub, deli salad, fresh fruit and dessert bite

Night at the Movies Box – Fresh-popped popcorn, candies, soda, hot dogs and condiments; add movie tickets and 3D glasses to complete the package

Happy Hour Patio Box – Themed snacks and elevated “bar food” … spicy marinara meatballs, Buffalo wings, quesadillas, sliders and nachos … coupled with an ice-cold beer or mixed cocktail

Holiday Box – Appetizer plate, cheese and charcuterie board, cookies and hot cocoa, or any other mix of menu options … add a gift card or other small trinket ... all placed inside a special holiday box

REIMAGINING WEDDINGS ... and other events

Part 1

As caterers and event planners, our team at Cheat A Little Catering is used to being flexible. From time to time, we’re faced with unforeseen challenges on the day of. When I hear my lead captain say, “we have to MacGyver this one,” I know she’s already thinking of a solution.

Considered traditional features of a wedding reception; cocktail hour, dance floors, pre-set salads, photo booths … now require more creativity and flexibility.

Ceremonies likely require assigned seating or grouped seating, and perhaps with a meandering aisle to ensure proper distancing. Photographers need to up their game so as to capture guests in new and varied seating setups, as the common “theater-style” seating takes on a new look.

Mindful of co-mingling and communal aspects of the “cocktail hour,” we’ve implemented distance passed appetizers, using individual cups, small plates, compact one-bite hors d’oeuvres, and soup shots. As well, pre-plated appetizers with 3 to 4 variety are passed to individual guests.

Another safety concern is the dance during a wedding reception or company holiday party; where guests crowd together in close proximity. We can create a box, circle or puzzle piece design on the dance floor for groups who are seated together.

A great way to create unity and extra fun among your guests is to incorporate live entertainment, such as a band, traveling performers, hiring a DJ with karaoke, and holding dance competitions between tables 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and so on.

As socializing evolves, we remain on trend, implementing all the safety measures recommended to make sure you and your guests are comfortable and safe. We'll continue this feature next month with even more helpful tips and inside information.

Meanwhile, take a look at our Wedding Packages and we'll work with you to revise menu and services as needed to accommodate a smaller gathering this year, or to plan your dream wedding in 2021!

EVENT

HIGHLIGHTS

A few weeks ago, it was one of the hottest days in the bay area. But, the “shower” must go on! The family of one of our long-time clients invited us in to cater a lovely baby shower. The ladies in attendance were having fun, with distance seating, temperatures checked, and each wearing a fashion mask.

This is our beautiful cheese and charcuterie board. Additional items on the menu included shrimp cocktail on ice, finger sandwiches, freshly tossed salad, platter of fresh fruit, and a scrumptious chicken pasta.

Congratulations to the family!

A glimpse into how we are currently serving appetizers during cocktail hour … this features small plated hors d’oeuvres that we passed to guests at a recent wedding cocktail reception.

On the menu, bacon deviled egg, spicy crab salad on artichoke bottom, and chicken salad tartlet.

Backyard, outdoors, open-air … and tall standing cocktail tables … make this an easy way for guests to enjoy some nibbles as they socialize … with a bit of distance.

Check out the many services we offer as your "go-to" full-service caterer.

Who loves French Fries?

Nearly everyone … and especially a gathering of professionals for a corporate Happy Hour on the rooftop of a Peninsula penthouse.

Also served, our tasty beef empanadas with avocado cream, truffle mac-n-cheese cups, rustic tomato soup shots, and Buffalo chicken skewers.

Stunning views, fresh air and ample space for appropriate distance, and top-tier “bar food" all made for a fun and memorable evening.

Visit our website to peruse menu ideas for your next gathering.

FOOD FEATURE:

PEPPERS

Peppers have such a wide range of utility and usefulness in nearly every kind of dish, from main entrées to dessert. They impart heat, flavor and color, and there are tons of varieties.

First, you must understand a pepper's Scoville heat unit, the measurement of a food's spice level or sensation of heat. Mild types, such as bell peppers, range from 0 to 4,000 units. Foods with 15,000 to 50,000 units (think serrano and cayenne peppers) are hot. And anything over 50,000 units, like habanero and ghost peppers, delivers intense heat.

Once you've picked which peppers suit your taste, start thinking about their uses with the foods you enjoy cooking. Green, red, orange and yellow bell peppers are crunchy and juicy, and great eaten raw in salads, sautéed, roasted or stuffed.

Banana peppers have a milder, sweet taste and add flavor to sandwiches, pizza and salads. Pepperoncini peppers have a fairly mild heat with a hint of bitterness, and are often pickled as a great addition to Italian recipes, including crowd-pleaser antipasto platter.

Serrano chiles are tasty roasted and in salsas. Cayenne, often found ground, enhances soups, rubs, even sweets. And habaneros star in sauces and jerk recipes.

Tips & Tricks

No matter which pepper you prefer, when handling, wear gloves, avoid touching your face and wash hands thoroughly.

If you want to scale back the heat with any type of pepper, especially with jalapeño and hotter varieties, remove the white membrane and seeds. This is where the capsaicin is held.

While cooking, tone down the heat with dairy, adding some cream or plain yogurt. Adding something sweet, like honey or sugar, will also help balance the spiciness.

Recipe Request

If you'd like to receive one of our chef's unique recipes featuring peppers, drop us a line and we will email you a delicious recipe to try!

DROP-OFF MENUS

DELIVERY & SETUP SERVICES

IN-HOME & IN-OFFICE

BOXED BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER

HYBRID & FULL SERVICE

MICRO WEDDINGS

MICRO EVENTS

Visit our website for more information:

www.cheatalittle.com

SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOL

Cheat A Little Catering maintains strict adherence to all food safety regulations for cleanliness and food preparation, as mandated by the San Mateo County Health Department. Our Social Distancing Protocol includes: employees are prohibited from working if they are experiencing any illness; those working maintain six-foot distance and ensure no physical contact, and work alone on different shifts whenever possible; facility is cleaned and sanitized at the beginning of work times, in between stages of food preparation, and at the end of work times; high-contact surfaces are disinfected frequently; non-employees are not permitted at our place of business; we require contactless payment system.