Adding creative drinks to holiday catering

Question:

How are you adding creative drinks to your catering menu this holiday season?

Answers from FSD's Culinary Council

One of the great things about our ability to work in some fun beverages, both alcoholic and non alcoholic, is that there are so many options. On the alcohol side, we have the hard ciders, ginger ales, root beers and colas, giving us the ability to do some interesting adult-themed soda fountain beverages.

We are having fun with the Moscow Mules as well, including the nonalcoholic mule or even a Faux-jito (mojito). French press coffee stations, pour-over coffee stations and more make coffee the coolest thing at an event. We offer these to our clients on an event-by-event basis, and it’s exciting to see their reactions.

—Jason Morse
Chef
5280 Culinary LLC
Highlands Rach, Colo.

We’ve done creative aguas frescas and horchatas in traditional glass barrels. Among the favorites for fruit flavors are pineapple-cranberry, pineapple-lemongrass-ginger and melon-mint.

For sweet options, pumpkin spice horchata with Mexican dark chocolate, Mexican vanilla and cinnamon is a popular combination. They are all perfectly served with or without alcohol. 

—Brent Trudeau
Executive Chef and Production Manager
Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Houston

We are planning on teaming up with our dairy plant to either make ice cream drinks or borrow their tabletop ice cream maker and make some alcoholic ice cream with items like amaretto or brandy.

—William Brizzolara
Campus Executive Chef
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, N.C.