The holiday season is upon us, and with it is a chance to entertain and spend time with family and friends.
One place knowledgeable about holiday entertaining is Copper Kitchen.
In 2011, co-owners Jennifer DeVos and Chef Kevin Miller founded Copper Kitchen, a catering company. DeVos ran a boutique concierge service, and through her business, she noticed a demand for private chef services, so DeVos reached out to Miller.
Miller had made a name for himself as executive chef at Baltimore’s renowned Ixia restaurant. Realizing their shared passion for food and hospitality, DeVos and Miller joined forces to create Copper Kitchen.
Copper Kitchen cooks on site to ensure fresh dishes for their guests, sources local ingredients and uses local purveyors. The catering company also customizes menus to clients’ event themes and dietary preferences. Every recipe is made from scratch by Copper Kitchen’s chefs, and the team manages set up and clean up.
Copper Kitchen offers cocktails, antipasti, and charcuterie displays. One dish is their versatile crabcake, which appears in about nine out of 10 menus as a hors d’oeuvre, slider or entree size dish.
DeVos loves classic style dishes, and Copper Kitchen’s short ribs and Miller’s mini Beef Wellingtons are exceptional, she said.
A key point to holiday entertaining and catering is communicating with your catering team, she said. Make sure to convey your preferences, dietary restrictions and special requests clearly. Collaborating with your caterer ensures that your holiday celebrations go without a hitch and leaves lasting impressions on your guests.
Here’s other advice DeVos has for holiday entertaining:
Plan ahead: Start early by planning your holiday gatherings well in advance. This allows you to choose the best dates, coordinate schedules and make any necessary arrangements.
Menu planning: Consider your guests’ dietary preferences and any allergies when planning your menu. It’s also a great opportunity to add some festive twists to traditional dishes. Don’t hesitate to ask for input or share the cooking responsibilities with your guests for a potluck-style feast. Additionally, keep in mind that the style of the event plays a significant role in determining what to serve. Whether it’s an open house with cocktail-style offerings or a formal dinner, tailoring the menu to match the event’s ambiance can elevate the overall experience.
Decor and ambiance: Set the mood with holiday decorations and lighting.
Entertainment: Think about activities or entertainment that will engage your guests. Whether it’s holiday-themed games, music or even a movie marathon, it adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the event.
Simplify where possible: Don’t overcomplicate your plans. Hosting can be less stressful if you simplify your menu, or use make-ahead recipes. It’s also a good idea to have a well-thought-out schedule for the day to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Delegate and share: Don’t be afraid to ask for help or delegate tasks to willing guests. Sharing the workload can make the experience more enjoyable for everyone and create a sense of togetherness.
Overall, the key is to plan, prepare and prioritize creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for your guests to celebrate the holidays together.
Here are several recipes from Copper Kitchen to add to your holiday menu.
The Clover Club Cocktail
The Clover Club cocktail is a classic cocktail with a history that dates back to the late 19th century.
The original Clover Club cocktail recipe typically consisted of gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup and an egg white. The egg white gave the drink a frothy, silky texture and a visually appealing pink hue, thanks to the raspberry syrup. Over the years, the cocktail has seen variations, and some modern versions may use grenadine or fresh raspberries instead of raspberry syrup.
To make this cocktail vegan, use aquafaba instead of egg white for the foam. For the aquafaba, give chickpea brine a dry shake, then a cold shake with a little bit of ice to get the foam effect needed.
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounce gin
- ½ ounce dry vermouth
- ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
- ¾ ounce raspberry syrup (see recipe below)
- 1 ounce chickpea brine
- Fresh raspberries for garnish
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
Dry shake for 30 seconds.
Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the cocktail is cold, about 30 seconds.
Strain into a coupe glass
Add the finishing touch by garnishing with raspberries, creating a festive and visually appealing presentation
Ingredients for raspberry syrup:
- 1 cup water, filtered
- ½ cup granulated sugar or sugar alternative for sugar-free option
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries, rinsed
In a small saucepan, add water and sugar and cook on medium-high heat until sweetener dissolves. Add raspberries and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer, and remove any foam that forms over the raspberries. Simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain syrup over a clean bowl. Discard fruit (most of the bright red color will be transferred to the syrup). Clean the saucepan or use another, and place the red syrup back in the pan. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Mini Beef Wellingtons
Yields 12 pieces
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces beef tenderloin, cut into 12 even pieces
- ¼ mushroom duxelle (see recipe below)
- 3 ounces puff pastry, cut into 12 1-inch circles
- 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 12 pieces
- Egg wash (beat 2 eggs yolks with 1 tablespoon cream)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Ingredients for mushroom duxelle:
- 6 cremini mushrooms, chopped fine
- 1 shallot, diced small
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 spring fresh thyme, chopped fine
In a hot pan, add butter, and sauté the mushrooms, shallot, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper and fresh thyme leaves. Let cool completely.
In a hot pan, quickly sear all sides of the tenderloin pieces in 3 tablespoons of butter. Let cool completely.
Wrap each chilled piece of beef in prosciutto.
Place ½ teaspoon of chilled duxelles into the center of each puff pastry round, and top with prosciutto-wrapped beef.
Pinch ends of pastry to form a ball. Place in muffin tins, brush with egg wash and bake 425 degrees F for 7-8 minutes.
