SEASONAL SIZZLES— 'Green Catering'

'Greening' is not a just a 'fad' or a 'trend' and will affect the entire special events industry, and it's a cause we fully support….and besides, seasonal, organic, and local food Tastes Amazing!!! What does 'Green Catering' really mean?

• We believe in creating delicious meals that are created without harmful chemicals and additives.
• We're proud to present seasonal menus with flavorful foods, made with the freshest ingredients possible. We don't use canned products or 'ready-made' items.
• We are moving to more online content, fewer printed materials, and printing on recycled paper for both in-house and external materials.

SEASONAL FOODS

Consider the benefits of eating foods at the peak of their season: Seasonal foods offer the most flavor, pack the biggest nutritional punch, and are the most cost effective.

Today's global marketplace makes it possible to buy all types of food year-round, but buying seasonal produce provides an opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes. And it simply tastes better! Click here to see what's in season, year round!

Eating seasonal foods just feels right, and it reminds us of the associations we formed when first developing our love of food. Chomping on sweet, juicy watermelon on a hot summer's night while watching fireworks (summer fruits and vegetables are naturally high in water content to quench our thirst and cool us down from the heat)….Slurping on steamy cup of hearty vegetable soup, filled with sweet potatoes and winter squash, on cold night (these winter veggies provide sustained energy and generate warmth as the temperatures get colder).

LOCALLY GROWN

There are many benefit of buying local food. It is fresher than anything in the supermarket, therefore tastier and more nutritious. By purchasing produce from local growers you are also supporting your local economy, and saving natural resources (fossil fuels used in transportation as well as packaging materials). Local food enthusiasts (known as "Locavores") aim to have all fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and meat products produced within a 50-mile radius of their final sale.

Our primary produce supplier, Moceri Produce, who's been wholesaling produce in San Diego for over 100 years, does a great job of providing produce grown in local San Diego farms whenever possible.

HELPFUL HINT: The best way to keep the produce within a menu 'local' is to be flexible about what is served; that way our Chef can select whatever is freshest and ripest in San Diego at that time of year.

ORGANIC

Organic foods are grown without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers, and are processed without radiation or additives. Organic livestock are raised without antibitics, growth hormones, or genetic modification. Since the early 1990's, the organic food industry has grown at over 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry growing at only about 2-3% a year.

Labels on foods can say anything, but the production of REAL organic food is legally regulated and requires organic certification, so be careful of labels that use alternative, undefined terms like "authentic" and "natural" instead of "organic."

Organic products typically cost significantly more that their non-organic counterparts. Prices are higher because organic produce is produced on a smaller scale, needs to be milled or processed separately, and there is often an increase in shipping costs. If you are planning a full Organic Menu for a catered event, be prepared to spend a little more, but to take comfort in the fact that you are serving your guests foods free of additives, pesticides and hormones.

SUSTAINABLE FOODS

Sustainable Food is defined by raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports the farming community.

For example, in a sustainable system, soil is kept in balance. Various crops are rotated throughout the fields to replace nutrients in the soil. Where there is livestock, animals graze the land, and then those same animals fertilize the soil. In a sustainable system, we take from the land, but we also give back.

Sustainability is also applied to water environments; All of the seafood in our menus is sustainable, with the exception of some specialty seafood items (Chilean Sea Bass, Certain Shrimp Varieties). Sustainable seafood sources, whether fished or farmed, can maintain or increase production in the long run without jeopardizing their ecosystems.

BIODEGRADABLE

Biodegradable waste is capable of being broken down into organic matters found in nature. Therefore, using biodegradable items doesn't clog up our landfills.

Upon request, we utilize biodegradable, sustainable packaging, including boxes and bags, napkins, plates and utensils.

Whenever possible we opt for recyclable plastic, bamboo or corn-based products over Styrofoam, and do our best to accommodate clients needs.

Cool site to check out for Recyclable/Biodegradable Wedding/Special Event Invitations: Made from recycled, plant-able paper, and filled with pure North American wildflower seeds, so that when your guests are done with it, it can be planted in their yard! http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com