Kofta

Originally from the Middle East and South Asia the name originates from Persia (basically Iran nowadays) where its meaning was to beat or to grind or it can just mean meatball. Think of our mince and how it is both a verb and a noun. Variations of Kofta, with slight variations in the spelling as well, are found in North Africa, throughout the Balkans, Persia as mentioned before through to India and Pakistan. So what is it? A ball of minced or ground meat mixed with spices and maybe onion. Vegetarian variations are common in India. Spices might include Saffron, Cumin and/or Coriander. Cooked in any manner of ways but delicious barbequed on a skewer.

Tandoori

We would tend to think this comes just from India but it actually has very similar origins to the Kofta. An Indian Tandoori dish using chicken would be marinated in yogurt typically with garlic, ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper. Again traditionally cooked in a Tandoor oven it is also great on a hot barbeque. It might well be served with slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato and fresh coriander sprigs, perhaps with a yogurt sauce flavoured with a little sugar and lemon juice.

Kebab

The word kebab again probably has its origins in Persia though the word is used widely in South West and South Asia. For a Shish kebab traditionally the meat is lamb but really any meat can be used. It will be cubed and threaded onto skewers interwoven with onion or slices of courgettes and other vegetables. Fish or seafood and also vegetables can also be used. Cook it on a griddle pan or under a hot grill but it’s probably best grilled on a barbeque. Serve with fresh puffed up pitta bread, opened along the side. Place the meat, still on the skewer, into the pitta bread, grip the bread and slide the skewer out and you are left with all the skewer’s content neatly contained within the pitta bread. Finish with shredded lettuce, red onion and perhaps some chilli sauce if you’re feeling brave.

Satay

This one is slightly different to the other three since it is firmly South East Asian. In South East Asia there are numerous variations on Satay. Common amongst these is chicken strips marinated in turmeric, ginger, garlic and lemon grass. Typically served on a wooden skewer and grilled over charcoal and then served with a peanut and coconut milk sauce.

One thing that is common amongst all four dishes mentioned above is that they are all ideal for barbeques and they all taste amazing.

So which was the odd one out?

You guessed it! Satay. There’s nothing Persian about it.

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Contact us at Mimosa – Traiteur and Outside Caterer – for some great barbeque ideas. We are located in Herne Hill and have a new range of exciting barbeque ideas from North Africa and Asia for you to try.

Over many years we have worked with numerous venues, be they:

1. Church Halls
2. Museums
3. Stately Homes
4. Historic buildings
5. Meeting venues

The key when looking for a venue is to follow an ordered checklist so:

1. Pick 4-6 venues that are in your area-so if you are in South London or more precisely in the Dulwich/Herne Hill area you would look at places south of the river.
2. Go thru in your mind how people will arrive and depart
3. Look at how they will arrive-are you bussing them in or do they need to park?
4. Where is the nearest train station?
5. Is the venue child safe

Once you have your list; and this can be done with your outside caterer, you now need to visit the facilities. A preliminary call for pricing followed up by a visit will give you a feel for the site.

Often the manager or caretaker will be a fountain of information on the types of events that have been staged at the venue in the past. Ask as many questions as possible. I think a checklist  is helpful to ensure you cover all topics.

Now involve your caterer and have them help you theme your space. Whatever the event a theme will give all involved a way of understanding how you see the event. I have listed some key points for you to think about:

1. Flowers
2. Colours, including table cloths and napkins
3. Focal points upon guest arrival-arch way or special lighting
4. Table decorations
5. Attire-casual or formal
6. Music

Venues close to our outside catering business have been listed below. For further information either contact the venue directly or contact our Retail shop in Herne Hill South London. A more detailed listing can be provided.

Venues in South London

BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE, LAVENDER HILL.

Battersea Arts Centre is a popular venue and its Lower Hall is available for hire. Church Hallesque

Available from 2.30pm to midnight.

Capacity :-  180 people cocktail reception, up to 100 sit down dinner

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM & GARDENS

The stunning Conservatory at the Horniman Musuem was built in 1894 in the finest tradition of Victorian cast iron architecture. Available for hire during the day and evening

Available from 9am to 11pm.

Conditions :- access to wcs not terribly convenient.

Capacity :-  maximum 100 persons

PUMPHOUSE GALLERY, BATTERSEA PARK

This is an unusual Victorian lakeside venue in the centre of Battersea Park, ideally suited to cocktail/buffet receptions. The ground and first floors of the Pump House are available for hire.

Available from 6pm (summer) 3.30pm(winter) until 1am.

Capacity :-  approx 80 persons (possibility of hiring marquee to increase capacity)

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Contact us at Mimosa for all your outside catering needs. We are located in Herne Hill and are happy to cater for functions held further afield in South London, such as Dulwich and Brixton.

Your caterer or wedding advisor will help you get the details in the correct order – but you still want some control over quantities of food and wine to order.

Here is a check list of how to plan, and the questions you need to ask yourself:

1. Beverages – We estimate from ½ bottle of wine per person to 1 bottle. However many other factors come into play such as

a. Lunch time or dinner.

b. Age of group – younger men will prefer beer/women often prefer non-alcoholic beverages for lunch etc.

c. How many guests are driving?

d. If champagne is served as an aperitif then this should count towards total wine ordered.

2. Food including canapes – Standard portion sizes for meat and fish for plated meals are easy to find using a site such as http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/perfect_portions. However canapes at the start of an event are more difficult to gauge. Here are our tips.

a. Canape party without dinner

i. 5 canapes in the first 30 mins and then 3 per hour up to a total of 10 per person.

ii. By adding nuts and olives you can decrease the number of canapes

b. Canape party with dinner

i. No more than 5 canapes per person.

ii. Consider just having olives, crisps and dips.

3. Buffets – This can be a traditional buffet served from a set table or enhanced canapés-twice the size of a finger canapé.

a. Traditional buffet – The ratio of meats to salad/starches will be for every portion of meat or fish (175gr per person) provide 240 gr of salad/starch. This means that if you have a poached salmon or breast of chicken you will provide 100gr of potato or pasta salad and two portions of other salad each weighing around 70gr each. If you think about this logically there is a total volume or weight of food a person can eat.

b. Finger buffet – Enhanced canapes. The standard is 10 per person for a party lasting 2 hours. If your guests are known as ‘good eaters’ err on the heavier side when you choose your finger canapes. A hummus with carrots or mini baguette will be more filling than a delicate smoked salmon on toast!

3. Dessert portions – go all out in this area – remember the last food your guests eat will be remembered best. So variety and good display are very important. A tower of profiteroles (croque-en-bouche) would be spectacular with a rich chocolate mousse and perhaps a tropical fruit salad.

Final thoughts – do ask your outside catering professional to explain how they have arrived at their portion sizes – they will be happy to explain and you will feel more in control.

An article in a series published as a blog for South London Outside catering users.

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Contact us at Mimosa for all your outside catering needs. We are located in Herne Hill and are happy to cater for functions held further afield in South London, such as Dulwich and Brixton.

Maghreb first – An area of North Africa generally thought to consist of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia but also potentially including Mauritania and Libya. It’s a region partially cut off from the rest of Africa by the Sahara desert, mostly populated by Arabs of Berber descent. Historically it also had a significant Jewish community which might seem odd to bring up except for the fact that these foods are also popular in Israel but with slight variations to the names.

Tchoutchouka next – This was a new one to me. A dip, relish or stew consisting predominantly of peppers, but in certain parts of Morocco and Tunisia with the addition of tomatoes and onions roasted and then combined. Often served cold but sometimes when hot finished by cracking eggs on the surface and leaving them to cook using the heat of the dish. It’s a popular accompaniment for Merguez, spicy sausages, in Tunisia, with or without the egg.

Now Babaganosh – At its simplest, char-roasted aubergine flesh mixed with olive oil, a little tahini, salt and some lemon juice. As with all these dishes there is no correct or authentic recipe. Other addition might include onion or garlic, other vegetables and flavourings such as cumin and chilli powder. This is beautiful when eaten cold with wedges of raw vegetable or pieces of pitta bread. A typical garnish for this might be a sprinkling of mint leaves or pomegranate seeds.

Last but not least Houmous (or is it Hummus?) – We all know about his one! A dip or spread made from mashed or crushed chick peas. Remind yourself what the other basic ingredients for Babaganosh were and you’ve got your finished Houmous. Both names are valid and there are numerous other possible spellings. There was some upset in 2008 when Lebanon tried to declare that Houmous was a uniquely Lebanese dish in response to the commercial success of various Israeli brands.

Falafel is a bonus! – This had to be included since it fits in so well with the other three dishes. Usually known as a type of chickpea fritter deep fried until crisp on the outside and served in pitta bread. Well this is correct but in Egypt it would be made using fava beans probably more commonly known as broad beans here in the UK. The fava bean is the one bean commonly eaten in Europe that is actually native to North Africa. Most other beans originated in the Americas. Along with the chickpea it has been cultivated and eaten for thousands of years in Morocco and the Mediterranean area.

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Contact us at Mimosa where you will find most of these Moroccan specialities available for your outside catering events.

1. A wedding reception,

2. Christening or naming ceremony

3. Birthday party

4. Bar Mitzvah

5. Major Birthday

6. Or just a gathering of friends

There are a number of points that you should consider:

1. Plan ahead. Parties always take longer to organise than you initially think. This is because your ideas often change as you seek advice from friends and family. Another factor is that the venue may have restrictions on timing or on what you can serve. Most South London venues give you a set of rules to follow that are very helpful.

2. Whatever your event(christening, wedding, significant birthday or corporate) take time to meet with the venue manager to understand how to best use the space and how to work with a caterer.

3. Make an action list and ask yourself the following questions?

a. Is the occasion going to be informal or a rather more formal sit down occasion?

b. How many people will attend? Take into account school holidays and other times when people are away so as to avoid declines on your invitation. Once invitations have been sent out you can call every one and gauge their enthusiasm for the party and ability to attend.

c. What is your budget? Unless you make a clear and detailed list you will certainly be surprised when you add up all the costs. Therefore plan ahead. You can vary the cost based on the type of event.

4. Now you can get into other details

a. Will you serve canapés or perhaps a buffet?

b. Maybe a sit-down dinners which is certainly more intimate especially in the evening.

c. How about an ethnic meals, such as Thai or Moroccan themes concepts. So will it be a Thai Green Curry or a Moroccan Tagine?

d. Other concepts for parties include summer barbeques

e. Whole roast hogs or lambs.

f. Summer is also the time of cold buffets featuring whole poached salmon, Moroccan tchouchoka, babaganoush and of course European fresh salads.

g. Establish the preferences or special requirements of your guests. For example, will there be any vegetarians, or do any of your guests have any food allergies?

5. What about drinks?

a. . What variety would you like to offer? Most caterers offer a full wine and spirits section. Often the caterer will be very competitive and more convenient that an off licence. And the service is usually on a sale or return basis. Wine lists today give an international range of New World and Old. Rose wines are good choices for Summer functions.

b. Are you going to match the food and drink to the décor and entertainment?

6. How much involvement do you personally want to have, or do you want to have a caterer that can take all that pressure off you, even when it comes to passing around the canapés? The services of a professional caterer will be invaluable. Local caterers who know the South London area are often a better match and of course you will be buying local!
Will you be having a cake and who will make it for you?

7. What about equipment.

8. Do you really have enough glasses, plates and even chairs? Again your caterer can point you in the right direction or can quite simply handle all the details right down to place cards and printed menus.

9. Some of the terms out there can seem confusing so here’s a brief rundown of the type of catering you can choose:

a. Canapés / Finger buffet: offers guests bite-sized portions without the need for cutlery

b. Fork buffet: guests can help themselves or be served individual items. Requires crockery and cutlery

c. Sit down dinner: You can decide on the number of courses for your guests and the food you want to serve

Caterers located in South London in the Dulwich and Herne Hill areas have helped many satisfied clients with their special occasions.

We hope this helps you with the first steps in planning your successful party.

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Contact us a Mimosa for all your outside catering needs.