Catering for a Christening

Hi Lovelies,

I know I'm a little early with this one but need time to plan....

DH and I are going home (to SA) to have bubs Christened in June 07. We'll be arriving late Friday evening and the event will be either the Sat or Sun (still deciding). We're travelling by car so can't prep stuff before I go... Also, I'm not sure if I will have access to an oven to heat things up but we're trying to get the hall at the place we're staying at which means we'll have the oven in our apartment. Can you tell me what you've done for any Christening's you've had or been to? I'm expecting about 30 people....

Thanks

MG

Normally we just go out to a small restaurant so we dont need to worry about catering.

But there are catering businesses who arent very expenvie who can do an actual meal, a few courses or even just some finger food.

That might be a good idea, getting a catering company to do it for you. Maybe get a friend (or someone who's opinion you trust) to find a couple of catering companies, and talk to them.
I have no idea about the food to have at a Christening. The last one I went to I can't remember if there even was food! The one before that, was my own as a baby, so can't help you much there, but I know there would have been lots of food (European family!).
Just had a look on the web, suggestions of a morning christening followed by a buffet lunch, or early arvo christening can be followed by arvo tea. Drinks to toast the baby's health (and Godfather gets the first toast apparently). Cake: ideally a white cake with white frosting, bearing baby's initials, name and christening date.
Sorry, not sure if that helps.

I did think about getting someone to cater for me but we'll be in a smallish country location and there aren't a lot of those kinds of services...

On cakes - does anyone know any good (not too expensive) cake places in SA? It doesn't matter if they are in the city as I can get my BF to pick it up for me...

Can the food be casual or does it need to be a bit special?

When we have a gathering for about 30 people, we get some salads, some bbq chickens, some pizzas and a few desserts.

That way you wouldnt really need to cook anything?

Smallish country location? They may have a local bakery who may be able to provide a lot of things.
Danni's suggestion sounds good, but depends on what sort of food you have in mind (ie, 'a bit special'). Salads, bbq chickens, etc would be quite easy for you to do, and probably a lot less of a headache than trying to arrange fancy things, and worring about how they are presented, etc.

I'd go to some places that stock slab cakes (like they sell to cafe's) and get a couple of them and then just do sandwhiches egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, salmon and cream cheese, turkey and cranberry etc etc (I'd say ham and tomato but I hate how tomato makes everything soggy LOL! Find out if a local asian restaurant caters? Get some large plates of entrees, spring rolls, dim sims, prawn toast etc etc And then maybe some sushi (they do great sushi cater plates now)... And if you didn't want to do the sandwhiches you could get subway catering :)

*hugs*
Cailin

and coles do anti pasto platters!

A combination? Not a sit down thing (because I just can't be bothered! Plus people don't tend to mingle in those situations) Need to be careful about the kinds of foods though because some will (hopefully) be pregnant and some are on special diets (including my Dad). Does that make sense? So any chicken would have to be hot, salads I would need to make myself to reduce the risk of listeria, cold meats would be passable so long as I had plenty of other options for the others.

I *was* thinking;
a couple of those platters from Safeway or Coles (you know the ones you get from the deli?)
some mini quiches (can be eaten hot or cold)
a fruit platter
some marinated chicken wingettes/drumettes (if I have access to an oven)
some bread rolls or some pre-made sandwhiches/baugettes
some profiter rolls (Grandpa makes a mean batch)
a cake

I don't want anything that is going to take too much effort to put together because I don't think I'll have the time or energy.... Although I will have my IL's to help...

ETA: I love the Chinese Restuarant idea Cailin! I had also thought about Subway but not sure if there is one around there.... will have to send MIL on a mission to find out!

you sound like you got it happening MG :D

MG - most smallish country towns that have a hall usually have a kitchenette in it. Also you would probably find that there would be a local lions club or rotary, or even CWA, and that they could probably organise something for you. Who ever you speak to about hiring the hall, would be able to give you some info on what is available in town. You won't be the first person to have looked into this, and i guarantee that you won't be the last. At least that way you won't have to do a single thing other than tell them what sort of stuff you want and hand over a cheque, and the country charity groups wouldn't charge much either....hope that helps

Sandwiches are always a good idea, so are sausage rolls, mini quiches, fruit platters, platters with bits of slices on it. Stuff that is easy to eat on your lap or at a table and isn't too messy iykwim...

Good luck hun, not long to go now. Can't wait to hear of your birth announcement.

im hungry, so ive been doing more thinking! hehe

little meatballs, sausage rolls, spring rolls, curry puffs, feta triangles,

I love Cailin's Chinese restaurant idea, I have friends who do this when catering for large crowds :) If you do this you could then do the cold stuff yourself ie. sandwiches ( I have a GREAT chicken sanga recipe!) as Cailin suggested, and I've made these yummy wonton cup treats for catering, they are dead easy! If you decide to go down the path of doing it yourself sing out, I'm happy to hand over some recipes (my friend and I LOVE doing finger food!).

And Shan's is a fab idea too, would save you a whole lot of trouble! I'd definitely be looking into that, sounds like it could be the way to go ;)

sez: looks like ill be hiring you for juniors christening! :D

Shannon I hadn't even thought of the CWA! I know there is one in the town (I think one of my friends is a member of it actually LOL).

Sez I'd love that chicken sanga receipe! I LOVE Chick sanga's! I think I'd like to do as little as possible for the catering myself though - I have heaps of receipes here but know I will be knackered when I get there and short on time... But I don't even know what is deemed "acceptable" at these things and with so many people on so many special diets for medical reasons!!!!

I think you just have to remember that you aren't going to be able to cater to absolutely everybody. As long as you have things that the general population will eat, plus a few other things then you should be fine. You know what your Dad can and can't eat, plus pg women, so just go from there. I'm sure it will all be fine. Don't stress too much about it. One step at a time. Get the venue and get someone to do it and then discuss food....Good luck and i'm sure it will be a beautiful day anyways...

MG, for Liebling's Christening in March I'm just doing coffee and cake for everyone back at my house, then out for lunch somewhere (a pub or something) for the family and the godparents (14 people altogether, including Liebling and Niece - luckily only 3 of my family are coming). Could you do a cake thing back at your parents then a smaller group for lunch?

MG I just wanted to say that for DD's baptism, her godmum went and ordered a pretty lavish cake from Michel's Patisserie, and they piped her name and date and a couple of sugar flowers onto a round disk of chocolate which went on the middle of the cake.

It wasn't white but it sure was a yuuuuuumy cake! (They can do large size cakes too).
:)

I had thought about that Ryn but after the drama with Dad last week I'm not keen on having anything at his place and IL's don't like having visitors (which I can understand) so I'm kind of stuck having it somewhere (which is fine). I'd love a smaller thing for close people but as we hardly get over to SA any more we would then have to spend the whole week going from place to place so it's much easier to make everyone come to us in one hit ;)

Mary - I had thought about going to Michele's. I'm glad you said they were good - I might have to get some quotes from them when I'm at the shops on Sat!

heya MG,

I was going to sugest Michelles too I got a cake from them for Grace's birthday last year and it was yummy, I also wanted to let you know I have a great cake lady that makes such yummo cakes she did our wedding cake and has done both christening cakes and all of our bday cakes except graces last year as she wanted ciderella and saw a pic at michelles and how could I say no LOL her prices are really great she works from home so no overheads and does a beautiful job. she is in the southern subs reynella so I dont know if that is a bit far depends on where you are I guess. otherwise deffinately go with michelles their prices are great and the cake is really good.

I think you are on the right track with the food perhaps if you are really concearned about some dietry requirements of others attending put some plain things out and let them organise themselves ie: plain rolls a green salad some fresh cold meats that sort of thing and then they can make their own roll and have what they like on it.

For Grace and Peiters christenings we have done pretty much what you have mentioned, we ordered coktail pies pasties and sausage rolls from villis on south road, and just heated them, we also ordered some subs form subway and then had finger thigs like frankfurts that sort of thing and it went really well, also some fish and chip or chicken and chip shops do fresh roast meats and vegies I went to a friends party last week and thats what they had and it was a hit and did not cost them all that much and was very easy.

Let me know if you want any research done I can certainly do that for you being in SA.

good luck

MG, sorry I am late replying to this.

Someone else mentioned the CWA. Also, depending on the church, the Ladies Auxiliary might be able to help you out for a small fee. You could hire out the hall next to the church and have it there. Easy.

We had William christened at home and my Mum helped with the food but I considered doing the church hall thing too.

Oh Amy - you're brilliant! Why didn't I think of Villi's????? I LOVE Villies!!!!! I might have to take you up on the offer to help depending on how my MIL goes with things! The cake lady in Reynella would be great too as my BF lives close to there so can pick it up on her way...

Melbo -I had thought about using the ladies Aux from the Church but we're not having it in the Church (it's my IL's church group and FIL is one of the pastors so we're actually not having it IN the Church - I'm prob not making any sense!)...

I will try to find the pics of some cakes she has done for us and email them to you if I can find my USB cable for the printer grrrr I hate moving house LOL. and she is lovely I love going there she is always on super mode and is really funny. and she will make just about anything you want she is really clever.
and yup I am a fan of villi's yummo infact I am craving a vegi pasty right now LOL.

and as I said I am happy to help just let me know what i can do but for now I will email you Francis' number so that you have that if you want to go through her, I will also have a hunt for the pics etc and see if I can email them to you

she makes the best black forest cake and tirimasu oh to die for it really is so so yummy at my brothers 30th I ordered a 2 teir black forest cake with chocolate shards around the sides and she filled the sides up with choc fudge and fresh berries then put shards of toffee all over the top and I tell you everyone got a huge peice of cake and still came looking for more the whole thing got eaten lol