Gourmondo Founder Dishes on Holiday Hosting Hacks
Are you ready to take your holiday hosting to the next level? We've got the inside scoop on some fabulous Holiday Hosting Hacks from Alissa Leinonen, the founder of Seattle based specialty foods company, Gourmondo. These tips are bound to make your holiday gatherings unforgettable.
Images courtesy of Gourmondo
Elevate Your Appetizers and Side Dishes. Transform traditional veggie salads into individual masterpieces by serving them in small cordial glasses or mini coupe cups. Think endive with candied walnuts, blue cheese, and honey crisp apple – it's both festive and easy to serve. Upgrade your Cocktail prawn platter by turning it into prawn shooters. Place 1-2 prawns in shot glasses with cocktail sauce, celery, and avocado for a stylish twist. For comfort food, try mini mac and cheese baked in small ramekins and serve it straight out of the oven on a tray for that cozy, homemade touch.
Food Styling Magic for Your Holiday Trays and Platters. Garnishes are your secret weapon to make your holiday spread look like it's straight from a professional caterer. Add flair to your buffet with mini artichokes, pomegranates, crabapples, mini pears, rosemary, sage, cranberries, and champagne grapes. Elevate your cheese trays by adding small porcelain ramekins filled with spiced nuts, marcona almonds, and mixed olives. It's the epitome of elegance!
Set Up Your Bar for Prime Time. Ditch the plastic and invest in inexpensive all-purpose wine glasses or stemless wine glasses to elevate your event - a sustainable and stylish choice. Become a bartender pro with unique drink garnishes like dried citrus slices, candied ginger, cocktail boba pearls, and edible glitter. And don't forget the preserved hibiscus flower at the base of a champagne flute for a one-of-a-kind holiday champagne cocktail. Create a polished look for your non-alcoholic beverages by investing in fun vintage ice buckets and stainless-steel ice tubs.
Gourmondo is a specialty foods and catering company founded in 1996 on the belief that gourmet and high-quality food should be accessible and approachable to everyone. With storied beginnings as a four-top café in Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Market, Gourmondo has grown into one of the largest and longest- running, women-owned catering companies in the PNW. The nimble, award-winning team shines within a variety of hospitality experiences. Services include gourmet soirees, retail and wholesale offerings, elevated boxed lunches that give back to the community, and a Corporate Campus Amenity Division with bustling cafes that bring connection back to the workplace. All Gourmondo products including baked goods, dressings, sauces, marinades, and stocks are made in house fresh daily. Ingredients are obsessively curated, with custom imported olive oils and spice rubs that are individually blended by World Spice Merchants in the Pike Place Market. As an equal-opportunity, second chance employer, Gourmondo is passionate about good business practices, supporting team members, and thriving communities. Learn more at gourmondoco.com and @GourmondoCo.