Eat This Pie NOW!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pie

Here’s a Valentine inspired question:  What food could you not live without?  A recent column in the food section of the Washington Post Newspaper www.washingtonpost.com
titled “Food We Love” asked editors to provide stories of their favorite food items, memories, can’t live without ideas.  So I ask you readers – what is the first thing that pops into your mind when it comes to what you can’t live without? (…not who…) and how can you NOT want to eat this?
It’s interesting what each of us consider a comfort or a can’t live without.  My Dad’s favorite thing in the world when eating in a restaurant was fried clams.  When he was laid low with any type of sickness, my Mom would cook him a batch of “Milk Toast” which sounds dreadful, yes?  Truthfully, I loved it as well, and wondered why we only got it when we were sick.  I never fully understood it’s appeal given the name until I was older and cooked myself:  it was toast covered with a rich and buttery bechamel sauce. We will revisit toast momentarily…
I asked my friend Michael, pianist extraordinaire, and his response was a popular reply:

Pig Candy

Yup, bacon!  There are few food aromas as heaven sent as frying bacon.  Or bread baking.  Or beef roasting.  But I digress…
I asked several of my catering staff, how about you?  Terri said her roommate offered pizza.

tomato basil pizza

I can’t argue with that, we see it in my own personal kitchen weekly.  My current riff involved a flatbread with caramelized onion, prosciutto, walnuts, fig and Gorgonzola cheese.  I’m not sure if this is technically “pizza” but it is indeed bread with yummy stuff on top.  Another staffer, Anita, offered “Tacos”.  All three of us agreed on one item:  tomatoes.  “I live for summer home grown varieties.  I believe I just last week said tomatoes are my life”.  
Living in the Fairfax County area of Northern Virginia, I know I impatiently await the opening of our local farmer’s markets.  By June-July we are rewarded to the impossibly delicious heirloom varieties that explode with flavor.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Ask my husband?  I don’t need to ask, I already know.

Cup of Jo

The man drinks coffee from dawn to dusk.  Add that aroma brewing to the list right after bacon, bread and beef roasting!  In my house it’s the first ritual of the morning:  grind the beans, brew the coffee, read the Washington Post.
My staffer Gio offered one of the most interesting must haves.  “mangos and cucumbers!!!  I love them…they make good snacks.  I usually eat them with all the skin peeled off and add lime juice, salt, and some hot sauce.”  Do we put that on one of our wedding reception menus?!


I heard many versions of “Chocolate”.  Whether it be Dark, Milk, or White, Chocolate holds a very dear place in many hearts.  After all, Valentine’s Day rocks the chocolate heart.  We catered a wedding reception recently that featured a chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache and to gild the lily, dark chocolate curls.

Chocolate Curl Wedding Cake

I will wrap up this essay with a simple entry that I could not live without.  Toast. I love the simplicity, the crunch, the butter, the ease of preparation.  If I have been traveling and enjoying fabulous meals graciously prepared in homes or in restaurants, nothing centers this caterer than brewing that cup of coffee and toasting a slice of bread.  The bechamel can wait.

I’m home!

Tell us your favorite or must have foods that you love.  We  at Catering By Teatime would love to hear from you.
www.cateringbyteatime.com