not your average house party
In: Events
29 Jun 2010Deep fuchsia lighting, sleek modern furniture, worldly tunes and pops of exotic flowers. This is what transformed our clients home into a swanky club for a fabulous, one-night-only, kick-off-to-summer event! I could HARDLY wait to get my hands on Amy Vogel’s professional photographs. Well, the time has finally come. Welcome to the party!
The view from the front door. The outdoor tent was more of a natural extension of the house than anything!
If this sparkling white dance floor doesn’t lure you in, I don’t know what will.
Perhaps the professional dancers offering up lessons?
And, of course, a lounge for relaxation when you’re exhausted from boogying!
We’ve found that when setting a particular mood, it’s all about the lighting…
…and flowers and decor and music and originality and food. Okay, on second thought, maybe it’s more about the magic of it all coming together. Thank you to our vendors, Bright Star and Bergner and Johnson, for bringing their magic touch!
Stay tuned for Friday’s post spotlighting the extraordinary food we created for this event. Come hungry!
texas wine
In: Events
25 Jun 2010Need some impressive small talk for your next dinner party? Allow me to help.
Did you know Texas is one the oldest wine growing states in the United States? Neither did I until I took a nice little trip to Fredericksburg this weekend… call it a business trip, if you will, with all the diligent “research” tasting I simply HAD to conduct!
The view from Becker Vineyards in Fredericksburg
Apparently, Texas vines “root” back to a hundred years before California’s do. The first vines were planted in the 1650s but were left to dry when Prohibition hit. Luckily the vines were regrown in the 1970s, and my, how times have changed since then!
Now there are more than 160 wineries in Texas, producing about two million gallons a year! That’s a lot of grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have the highest number of plantings in the state, which are actually A Fare Extraordinaire’s two favorite wines to send to a party, due to their vast popularity and mass appeal.
Here we are trayed up and ready for the first guest of the party!
Well, now that you’re thristy (and not to mention, educated!), pour yourself a nice glass of vino and enjoy your weekend!
another round of shots
In: Food
22 Jun 2010Although there is the occasional time and place for a hardy shot of liquor, we realize those times are few and far between, especially for all of us holding down a 9 to 5.
To accommodate, we have morphed the “another round of shots” conspiracy you hear friends assembling across the party, into a positive thing!
We use them for all sorts of delicious things at A Fare Extraordinaire…
As a passed hors d’ oeuvres: Simply add a shooter-size serving of carrot ginger soup or watermelon gazpacho and voila!
As a unique buffet item: We fill them with ceviche and serve them with miniature plantain chips or present our tandoori chicken resting in them on skewers with cilantro mint chutney and greek yogurt.
We even use them for dessert, which definitly removes the whole portion-control issue! Iced Cappuccinos, Cinnamon Ice Cream Milkshakes, Lemon Sorbet with a dash of Grenadine…the list goes on and on.
And hey, if you’re starting to miss the traditional shot at the end of the evening, we can always add a splash of sake to your lemon sorbet or a dash of Starbucks Liqueur to your mini milkshake!
gastropubs galore
In: Food
15 Jun 2010You wouldn’t expect to see any linkage between the terms “pub food” and “A Fare Extraordinaire,” now would you? Pub food is notorious for being soggy, bland and well, enjoyable only after a few pints of ale. AFE food, on the other hand, is spectacular in every sense of the word.
Houston has developed one trendy little bridge that connects these two phrases, however. A special term called Gastropubs.
Gastropub is a combination of the words pub and gastronomy (the art of culinary cooking), and was coined in 1991 by two Londoners, David Eyre and Mike Belben. David and Mike took over a British pub named The Eagle, and for the first time in history, concentrated more on their quality of food than their drinks.
The first gastropub, The Eagle, in London.
Since The Eagle, this trend has rapidly spread, and all of us at A Fare Extraordinaire could not be more pleased that the trend has finally caught fire in Houston.
How do you know when you’re dining in a Houston gastropub?
1. The food options fit on one page, but the drink menu might as well be a leather-bound book.
2. This said food menu is usually printed on piece of cardstock and appears to be nothing to write home about, but the sophisticated and impeccably chosen food ingredients, restaurant décor and music are anything but.
3. The appetizer menu items are as simple as “popcorn,” but come to find out it’s cooked in delicious duck fat or truffle oil.
4. They sport cheeky names better suited for bars than restaurants like Branch Water Tavern, Block 7 or BRC (Big Red Cock…don’t worry there are red roosters everywhere in this joint to tone this play on words down).
A Block 7 Burger, made with Grade A beef and gruyere. Just how we like to do our burgers!
Branch Water Tavern’s Shrimp n’ Grits Dish. We actually make our own version of this yummy duo at AFE!
So next time you’re headed out for a drink with friends (and you know AFE isn’t catering), head to one of these fun new wine/beer/cocktail joints and let your taste buds indulge as if we were there with you!
familiar faces
28 May 2010A Fare Extraordinaire is catering for another cause! Spring Spirit Baseball is part of the out-reach programs with the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. 
Kalie and Karen with Cal Ripken, Jr.!
“The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation helps to build character and teach critical life lessons to disadvantaged young people residing in America’s most distressed communities through baseball and softball themed programs. Check out http://www.ripkenfoundation.org/ to learn more about what we are doing to make a difference for children in need!”
The best part of this event, was working with the great clients who graciously hosted this event in their beautiful Memorial home. Much to our surprise, A Fare Extraordinaire had actually catered their wedding over 20 years ago, at the Museum of Fine Arts.
It’s amazing how fast the time has flown since we had worked together. If you can believe it, the clients still remembered our signature golden beer-battered green beans from their wedding night! Food really is the way to someone’s heart!
catering for a cause
21 May 2010Food is our middle name here at A Fare Extraordinaire. We eat, sleep and breathe great food and creative ideas. Since food is such a staple in most celebrations, people look for a reason to entertain and build memories together, and we are ready to help make it unforgettable. We recently were invited to cater a reception party for Sprint for Life, a fun run that benefits the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The 13th annual Sprint for Life 5K Run/Walk and Sprint for Sprouts Kids’ Run took place on Saturday, May 1, 2010 on the campus of MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Hosted by MD Anderson’s Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sprint for Life is the event fundraiser for ovarian cancer research. To date, the event has raised over $2.3 million for the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Research Program at MD Anderson.
Held every May, the event celebrates ovarian cancer survivors who come together with their families and friends, local businesses, corporations and MD Anderson employees to help raise funds and increase awareness about ovarian cancer. (http://www.mdanderson.org/how-you-can-help/community-events/sprint-for-life/index.html)
This cause became an unforgettable memory to our team. With so many women affected by ovarian cancer, we all need to research the preventative methods to keep ourselves and our loved-ones safe.
Everyone needs to get involved in making a difference, even on a small scale. Any help to raise awareness for the many foundations within our Houston community will be the most satisfying contribution one could make. You might just save a life.
haute summer
In: Events| Food| Inspiration
13 May 2010Don’t let the hot Houston summer keep you from entertaining! The season is quickly approaching and we want to help you get ready for the rising temperatures in style. A Fare Extraordinaire loves coming up with new ways to keep the guests coming back for more and with a cool and refreshing menu, you can make that summer heat melt away. The key is having plenty of hydrating refreshments, such as our fabulous Ginger Lemonade or try a Frozen Screwdriver. The light and refreshing theme is a great resounding note throughout your whole menu. Just because you hear refreshing doesn’t mean it can’t be filling. Think beach treats, like fruit kabobs and ceviche, even as far as palleta carts with assorted ice creams. Dress up your typical mixed greens salad with some of your favorite fresh fruits and nuts.
Even in the long summer months being creative can be lots of fun and make the best impression on your gathering. From huge weddings to quaint garden parties, the sweltering heat can’t stop you!
After 25 years it’s safe to say we have seen and done it all. The key to being a great host or hostess is knowing the needs and wants of your guests and taking into careful consideration the setting, time of day and purpose of the event. Think couture meets catering, fitting your every want…with a haute Extraordinaire flair!
art house open for parties
In: Events
30 Apr 2010Nestled on a quiet corner of Waugh Street, between West Gray and Westheimer, sits a venue newly open for public parties: 1800 Waugh. (Yes, the address and venue name are one in the same, so no more “I simply couldn’t find it” excuses from tardy guests!)
A Fare Extraordinaire was invited to tour the gorgeous grounds this week, and as soon as we did, my mind began to spin with mental pictures of the parties to come…! Cocktails by the fireplace in the outdoor sculpture garden, sleek dinners on the cement floors of the two-story interior. 
It’s a great space for everything from a 15-person weekday lunch to a 200-person Saturday night blowout.
The best part about this contemporary new location is that it doubles as a studio for artist, Edward Lee Hendricks. His original pieces dot the outside sculpture garden and adorn the crisp white walls of the two-story indoor space.
His work ranges from bold geometric metal pieces to complicated kinetic works, all done with an eye as scientific as it is creative.
After five years of 1800 Waugh being just another Houston address, this plot of land is finally being used at its full potential, as the perfect venue for the modern-day entertainer. We can’t wait to be back!
eat seasonally
In: Food
22 Apr 2010Happy Earth Day, everybody! Since you can’t exactly trim a tree, write your name in the night sky with a sparkler or carve an eerie pumpkin, how do you plan to celebrate?
Well, you could buy tickets to Jack Johnson’s August 18th concert at the Woodlands Pavilion. He was just named Earth Day’s Top Green Rocker, you know…
OR if you’d rather shell out $5 instead of $55, you could drop by your local grocer and buy some seasonal fruits and veggies!
In today’s world, you can purchase any food item at any time of year due to the fact that it can be shipped from halfway across the planet. By eating seasonally, however, the foods you pick up at the grocery store have a higher possibility of being from somewhere nearby, therefore making them fresh and unprocessed! Better for you, better for the economy, better for the environment…plus it just plain tastes good!
So what’s in season right now?
Fruit: Blackberries, Grapefruit, Oranges and Strawberries
Veggies: Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumbers, Greens, Mushrooms, Onions, Spinach and Turnips
We top our Thai Salad with oranges, carrots, cabbage AND green onions!
Check out what’s in season here year-round, and enjoy creating those seasonal recipes!
ants on a blog
In: Events
20 Apr 2010Sunday we got the chance to participate in the inaugural Ambassador Family Reach-Out Day for Texas Children’s Hospital. And although it tried, we did NOT let the downpour of rain ruin our fun out at the Houston Arboretum! Check out how we won the battle…
To counteract the gloomy clouds, we decorated the day with these fabulous bright ribbon treatments, funky tablecloths and spring flowers. Rain: 0. A Fare Extraordinaire: 1.
To distract the kid-os from their soaking wet raincoats, activities such as face painting, a trackless train, a petting zoo and story time were set up all over the Arboretum grounds. PLUS to put a smile on everyone’s face, we pulled them back to their childhood with favorites like ants on a log and dirt n’ worms! Rain: 0. A Fare Extraordinaire: 2.
The fact that our staff was dressed like bugs didn’t hurt either! Rain: 0. A Fare Extraordinaire: 3.
A Fare Extraordinaire is the clear winner. I must say, however, the true champions of the day were all the families who came out to participate. Loads of children’s books and painted pots (created that day!) were donated to Texas Children’s five Project Medical Homes, where many of Houston’s indigent children receive much needed medical care.
We’re glad we could be a part of such a special day! Rain or shine…
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About us
Welcome to A Fare Extraordinaire's blog! We are a Houston based event planning and catering company. 25 years of culinary and event production experience has proven that practice makes perfect! Follow our blog as we seek edgy, innovative ways to throw weddings, galas, mitzvahs and more!