San Diego Catering company, Eco Caters prepares an adult cocktail party with a kid friendly spin in Del Mar

The couple who contacted us wanted one this, “amazing food on the beach”, Eco Caters was happy to oblige. They went for our cocktail party menu, which was served on the beautiful beach in Del Mar.  The family arrived early and secured a space next to the playground. Which was a great tool to keeping the kids happy.

Guest were greeted by a wonderful bar of wine and fresh-squeezed juices for the kids. Eco Caters then set out some stationary appitzers of Tuna Tar Tar in Cucumber Cup with Avocado Oil and Preserve Lemon, and Spicy Chicken Skewers with Marjoram Red Pepper Yogurt. For the hungry toddlers, and the birthday boy, San Diego Catering company, Eco Caters prepared Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, and Grilled Chicken Fingers with Carrots, Green Beans, and House Ranch. We then had servers tray pass bite sized Grassfed Beef Sliders with Smoked Cheddar and Caramalized Onions, Argentinean Lamb Skewers with Chimmi Churri, Seared Albacore with Orange Grapefruit Slaw, Jumbo Scallop Ceviche with Lemon, Lime, Agave and Coconut Butter, and Fresh Bruschetta with Tomato Concasse, Avocado Oil, and Preserved Lemon.

Guest had a great time soaking in the sun and the kids loved playing in the sand. San Diego caterer, Eco Caters then presented a lovely dessert buffet of fresh fruit, Mini Chocolate Tarts with Champagne Raspberries, and Mini Poached Pear Tarts. The family was very happy with the way the day turned out.

Why not hold a party on the beach? This San Diego catering team can help you will all your rentals. All you need to do is secure a permit from the city, this can be much cheaper then any venue! We could do a private dinner, cocktail party or more! Contact Eco Caters today to set something up!

Eco Caters, a San Diego catering company, works together for a Del Mar beach-front birthday party

Throwing a birthday party for a friend is really great, but throwing one on the beach with San Diego catering company, Eco Caters, is even better. We did not have much time to put this party together, so the client chose to have Eco Caters handle all rentals and linens. All they had to do was get a permit and choose their menu.

San Diego caterer, Eco caters started the party with tray passed appetizers. These included some cool seared Albacore with orange grapefruit slaw and a warm and spicy black bean and watercress cilantro shooter with tortilla julienne. Guest mingled, tasted some appetizers and watched as we grilled everything on site. Eco Caters even made a new custom dish for the guest of honor, shrimp burgers. These tasty little sandwiches were served on a mix of homemade bread with cocktail sauce and lemon caper aioli. The burgers were served along side a fresh salad of wild arugula, peach, nectarine, goat cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette. Guest had vegetarian pan sautéed polenta with carrot, celery root, and fire roasted tomatoes, savory mirepoix quinoa, and fresh from the market grilled vegetables.

The guest devoured the birthday dinner while the sun provided the most lovely sunset. This was a great treat for both the guest of honor and his guest. We are lucky to be living in California, surrounded by awesome beaches and amazing weather. Having a meal on the beach can create the feel of an instant pop-up restaurant that only you and all your closest friends are invited to. San Diego caterer, Eco Caters can do everything for you, so you don’t have to do any work and can enjoy the day. Call us today to set up your next wedding, party or event!

San Diego Catering company, Eco Caters, provided many yummy choices for this couples dream wedding

I have been telling you for awhile that Eco Caters loves doing custom menus, and here is proof! We were thrilled when this forward thinking couple asked us to put together a station style meal! A station meal is a new trend that brides are constantly asking us about, and San Diego caterer, Eco Caters, loves!

For this meal we put together a cocktail hour featuring a chilled seafood station. San Diego caterer, Eco Caters, prepared fresh Ceviche, Shrimp, Oysters, Clams, Mussels, all served with our Lemon Caper Aioli, and Cocktail Sauce. Guest mingled and chatted while our servers circled the room with our crowd-pleasing Ground Sirloin Sliders with Smoked Cheddar, Roma Tomatos, and Homemade Aioli, zesty Thai Chicken Skewers, fresh Bruschetta with Tomato Concasse, and refreshing Cucumber Cups with Mango, Preserve Lemon, Chilli and Lime. Guest nibbled on all the goodies while sipping on the couples signature drinks, Mai Tia’s and White Sangria.

Once guest were seated, Eco Caters, a San Diego Catering company, served plated salads of Mixed Greens with Cucumber, Tomato, Sliced Almonds, Garlic Croutons, and Avocado Dressing. Guest were then excused from their tables to enjoy the stations the couple and Eco Caters designed together.

They chose to have a pasta bar with our Angel Hair Pasta Checca and Garlic French Bread, a carving station with Rosemary and Garlic Stuffed Tri Tip served with Sauce Gribiche and Roasted Asparagus Marinated in Grapefruit Juice, Roasted Marjoram and Thyme Scented Chicken with Au Jus and Grilled Farmers Market Veggies. Lastly, they had a Yukon Gold Mashed Potato bar! This was very popular. Served in martini glasses with all the trimmings. Guest topped their potatoes with House Cured Bacon, Roasted Garlic, Chives, Crème Fraiche, Cheddar Cheese, Crabmeat Cream Sauce and a Red Wine Gravy.

To top of the amazing meal, the couple created a beautiful room. It was filled with the most beautiful centerpieces. Some even featured driftwood, which gave it a chic beach vibe. The linens were stunning, provided by our favorite linen lady, Irene of A Perfect Table. The room looked picture perfect! Sharon Cole, of A Dream Wedding really outdid herself, even bringing in square tables, something never done in this space before ! Eco Caters felt very lucky to be asked to cater such a lovely fete!

Thank you to Bobby of Bobby Earle photography for the lovely table scape pictures.

Eco Caters San Diego Catering Division Serves Organic Cuisine at Private Home Wedding in Del Mar

Although we had rough weather all week it cleared up and turned out to be a perfect day for this beautiful wedding in Del Mar.  Eco Caters provided all organic food to the friends and family of the bride and groom on this unbelievable April evening.  The ceremony was held in the back yard and then everyone moved to the front for a drink and some organic hors d’oeuvres.  We started off with stationary hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail hour which included a Chef’s Choice Cheese Display with Market Fruit and Preserves (pictured above), Antipasto with Marinated Artichoke, Sweet Peppers with Arugula, Marinated Cherry Tomato with Mozzarella, and Mixed Olives and a mixed slider platter boasting Curry Chicken Salad with California Golden Raisins, Muffoletta with Olive Salad and Provolone (pictured above), and Grilled Eggplant with Tomato, Arugula, and Marjoram Aioli.  During the cocktail hour the photographer was snapping photos of the guests and our food (all pictures above) which all came out very nice.  They can be found at www.barnettphoto.com.  After about 1 hour of mingling the guests moved back to the back yard where the set up had been transformed by the Eco Caters staff and ready for the dinner buffet.  As guests sat down we brought them a plated salad which consisted of Organic Mixed Greens with Goat Cheese, Sliced Almonds, 9 Grain Croutons, Goji Berries, and Avocado Dressing.  The heartfelt toasts ended as we opened up the buffet which people were very excited about.  The chafers were nicely filled with Rosemary Marjoram Chicken Breast finished with a Wild Mushroom Sauce, Pan Seared Rockfish with Cali-Crystal Beurre Blanc, Wild Mushroom Quinoa and Grilled Farmers Market Vegetables.  We also put out fresh baked organic french bread and honey whipped butter with dinner.  All of the produce was bought from local organic farms, much of which came from Suzie’s Farm in San Diego.  The seafood was sustainably caught by Catalina Offshore and the chicken organic free range from Northern California.

After dinner guests continued to mingle around enjoying each others company and some dessert with Eco Caters organic fair trade coffee and tea service.  The dessert was a spread of different options made by the mother of the bride and friends.  The bride and groom actually came out from the east coast and picked Eco Caters San Diego Catering division specifically because we serve organic cuisine.  We could tell that they had a knack for organic food as well when we saw the organic vegetable and herb garden in the side yard.  It is always great to serve fresh organic cuisine in a lovely setting to people who truly appreciate it.  We look forward to more Del Mar catering events and weddings, especially the ones with a view of the ocean!

San Diego Catering for a January Hawaiian Lunch

On January 28th, Eco Caters, a San Diego Catering company served up an organic Hawaiian buffet to over 150 people. The grand opening/luau had tropical music flowing while guest mingled. The San Diego Catering menu was fresh, fun and a little fruity. The event started with our signature ”Best of Market” salad. Party goers then got to indulge in Kahlua Pork, Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa, Coconut Rice, and Green Beans. For dessert, San Diego caterer provided some delicious Fresh Fruit, Brownies, and Banana Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache, which was devoured by all.

San Diego caterer, Eco Caters, had a great time preparing this sunny meal in January. What a great way to treat your friends or employees suffering from the mid-winter blahs. We know its San Diego, but we still get down in the winter sometimes too. Having a luau could be exactly what everyone needs to snap back into it.

Hawaiian food is a great way to make your party or event a really memorable event. Hawaiian is a melting pot of flavors, with a lot of Asian influences. Traditional cuisine may reign supreme with a lot of residents for its salty, rich flavors and abundance of starchy foods. We have a full menu of Hawaiian inspired dishes for all our clients events. They not only include the mentioned above, but also items like:  Jumbo Scallop Ceviche with Coconut Butter, Fried Mango Shrimp with Papaya, Coconut, and Lime, Chicken Adobo with Corn Chips, Sweet Maui Onion Dip with Farmers Market Vegetables, couldn’t you imagine an amazing summer cocktail party with those appetizer. Now all you need are some Mai Tais and a little island music.

Eco Caters Organic Catering for  an  all Organic Holiday Dinner in Del Mar

We catered a holiday dinner on December 18^th at a beautiful home in Del Mar with amazing views of the pacific ocean. Organic catering in Del Mar is always a treat because we are typically working in nice homes with a view of the ocean.  This San Diego catering event was a nice intimate family dinner. The host chose to have  a wild arugula salad with organic apples from Smit Farms, Creole Gumbo Ya Ya served with organic white rice, a Cajun injected deep fried turkey with giblet gravy, truffled smashed potatoes and broccollini with garlic and shallots. All of which the guest devoured and came back for seconds.

To finish off the night, organic caterer,Eco Caters served some fresh made apple pie with cinnamon whipped cream made with organic apples from Smit Farms.

The Safflower Oil that we used to fry the turkey was given to Wherever Limousine for their biodiesel limo that they use for private events.  For more info on Wherever Limo, go to wherevershuttle.com. The main advantage of using vegetable oil based fuels instead of fossil fuels is that vegetable oil is renewable and better for the environment. Specifically, vegetable oil fuels are sustainable and carbon neutral. Burning straight vegetable oil as fuel, is considered carbon neutral because any carbon dioxide emitted was absorbed by the plant during its growing process and counterbalances the emitted CO2. Any vegetable oil can be used such as soy, corn or walnut oil and also the grease in restaurant kitchens.

Organic catering in San Diego and especially organic catering in Del Mar and other areas of north county has been picking up and we hope to continue working more and more in that area.  Holiday Party catering in San Diego was slow but steady this year and but it was an increase from 2008.  We are very thankful for the events that we have catered in 2009 and we look forward to bringing organic catering to all of Southern California in 2010.

Eco Caters, a  San Diego Caterer, Crafts a Green Holiday Cocktail Party in Del Mar

Eco Caters catered the Biomatrica holiday party at a private residence in Del Mar on Saturday.  The San Diego catering consisted of all stationary hors d’oeuvres including Tuna Tar Tar in Cucumber Cups with Avocado Oil and Preserve Lemon, Spicy Chicken Skewers with Marjoram Red Pepper Yogurt, Grilled Eggplant with Tomato, Arugula, and Marjoram Aioli, Organic Beef Slider with Smoked Cheddar and Tomato, and a Charcuterie Display served with House Mustard, Cornichon, Pickled Onion, and Garlic Rubbed Crostini.

For dessert, San Diego caterer, Eco Caters served bite sized Banana Cheesecakes with Chocolate Ganache and Flourless Chocolate Tarts with Champagne Raspberries.  It was San Diego catering at its finest and we were pleased to serve all organic cuisine to a very thankful crowd.  We sourced the Chicken from Jidori Chicken, the all natural chicken out of Los Angeles.  The beef was grassfed beef from Tallgrass Beef.  All of the veggies were organic veggies from Suzie’s Farm along with other local organic farms in San Diego.  The food was plentiful and everyone was pleased with the meal. To learn more about where we source our food from visit our farms page.

Del Mar catering has been picking up for us lately with 4 or 5 holiday parties in Del Mar this year.  People are really starting to request organic catering throughout Southern California which has helped us grow this year.  Hopefully the trend towards organic catering becomes the norm and we continue to grow into 2010.  Del Mar is a vital area for us and we hope that we continue to book events, weddings and holiday parties in this area.

San Diego Catering company, Eco Caters, works with Alvarado Institute of Skin Care

Another organic and very sweet holiday party in San Diego was thrown by the Alvarado Institute of Skin Care and Eco Caters provided the San Diego catering.  The all organic and fair trade menu consisted of Banana Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache (gluten free and soy free), Flourless Chocolate Tart with Champagne Raspberries (gluten free, soy and dairy free), and Chocolate Dipped Strawberries (gluten free, soy and dairy free). San Diego catering, Eco Caters also served organic and fair trade coffee from Bird Rock Roasters, the local organic roaster in San Diego with the best coffee.  Alongside the coffee was hot mango black tea and hot cocoa made dairy free.  The menu items were altered from our typical recipes in order to accommodate requests for gluten and dairy restrictions which we were happy to do.  San Diego caterers, Eco Caters, knows that San Diego is a very health-conscious market.  We often get requests for diet restrictions and modifications and we are always happy to meet the needs of our customers.  It is fun to try different versions of our recipes.  Because we are involved in all organic catering, people trust us with their health request, which we enjoy doing for them.

The night was cold so the warm organic beverages and bite sized sweets were perfect for Alvarado’s clients who came in to buy some products, get a massage and have a quick treat.  The ladies at Alvarado wanted organic catering because their products are all natural and they offer organic options as well.  They also try to minimize waste and be as eco-friendly as possible.  They also requested the gluten free and dairy free items because of the effects of those ingredients on the skin.  Gluten free catering is quite easy as long as you are willing to substitute alternative ingredients.  Eco Caters was a natural fit for the event and we hope to do more organic catering for them in 2010.  We also hope that as other companies in Southern California go green they also request organic catering for their next event.

Eco Caters, a  San Diego Catering Company,  Caters Organic Baby Shower in Rancho Santa Fe

We had the pleasure of catering an all organic baby shower at a beautiful home in Rancho Santa Fe.  With all of the San Diego catering that we have done this was our first baby shower and it was a success!  The menu was quite good and enjoyed by all of the ladies at the event.  It included a delicious organic  catering spread with Antipasto with Marinated Artichoke, Sweet Peppers with Arugula, Marinated Cherry Tomato with Mozzarella, and Mixed Olives, Spicy Chicken Skewers with Marjoram Red Pepper Yogurt, Beef Wellingtons with Smoked Ketchup and Apricot Mustard, Mojo Shrimp with Pineapple and Chive, Farmers Market Salad includes Best of the Market Greens and Vegetables with Toasted Walnuts and a Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing, Butternut Squash Soup with Crème Fraiche, Pacific Paella with Local Free Range Chicken, Braised Beef Brisket with Tomato, Garlic, Olives, and Preserve Lemon, Grilled Farmers Market Vegetables, Chocolate Covered Strawberries.  The beef came from Brandt Beef, the local natural beef in San Diego.  Brandt Beef raises the best cows in a very humane manner and only feeds them the highest quality feed, much of which is grown organically on their farm.  The chicken came from Jidori Chicken in Los Angeles and all of the organic veggies and greens can from Suzie’s Farm as well as other organic farms at the Ocean Beach Farmer’s Market.

The baby shower went well and we flooded the party with organic food while they played baby shower games.  This was one of our first Rancho Santa Fe catering events but we hope to do many more in this area.   Rancho Santa Fe is one of the premier locations in San Diego for catering and private events.  The Rancho Santa Fe catering market is also one that demands organic catering and green business practices so we hope to be there to satisfy those needs.

Eco Caters, an Organic Catering company, works with Chevy Volt

The Chevy Volt premiered in San Diego and Eco Caters was there to provide a taste of some of our most popular organic items.  This was the very first showing of the Volt in San Diego and one of the first showings of the Volt nationwide so there was a big crowd there to see the Volt for the first time.  We kept the menu simple so not to distract from the main event.  We did a variety of organic breads from Charlie’s Best Bread with our fresh whipped honey butter.  The breads were a big hit and that is no surprise because Charlie’s Best Bread does make the very best bread in town and it is organic.  He also mills his own flour and uses local organic ingredients whenever possible.  In addition to the breads we had some grilled vegetable polenta lasagna and local beef brisket.  The grilled vegetable lasagna and brisket were very popular as many guests came back for a 3^rd and 4^th serving.  With an event like the premier of the Chevy Volt, organic catering is a necessity and we are happy to be the San Diego catering company to fulfill that need.  The Eco Investment Club, who put on the event, is one of our long time customers and we always look forward to catering their events because the people there are all very receptive and appreciative of organic catering.  Suzie’s Farm provided the vegetables for the lasagna so I asked them to set up a farmer’s market booth at the event to tell people about their CSA and they were very happy to do so.

During the event we did get a chance to sit in the Chevy Volt and check it out up close.  I have to say that I am very impressed with the design and the efficiency.  It is a very sleek looking vehicle and it is all electric for the first 50 miles of every drive!  At Eco Caters our San Diego catering division will certainly continue to grow with partners like Chevy and the Eco Investment Club.  We hope that more events like this are thrown in San Diego and that the demand for local organics continues to grow.