A Golden Super Bowl

It may only be November, but the staff of Taste Catering and Event Planning, San Francisco, CA have their shoulder pads on and their cleats sharpened—full battle mode for securing a number of once-in-a-lifetime catering gigs all on the same theme: the National Football League’s Super Bowl.

The 50th playing of football’s equivalent to the Oscars will kick off the first week of February 2016 in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a weeklong series of public and private events held throughout the region, culminating on game day, February 7 in the city of Santa Clara.

With estimated attendance of 75,000 at the game but up to a million hitting the city for the festivities and associated celebrations including the annual NFL Experience, Super Bowl City, parades, and more, this Golden Super Bowl (so named for the golden anniversary of the game, and also the state it is being played in) is a literal gold rush of fiscal possibility.

Quarterback sneak

Back in June 2015, Taste Catering president Margaret Teskey offered a sneak peek for a number of clients in the Bay Area to taste and see what the company had in store for the event. Sharing what was already in the pipeline and offering insights on venues, décor, and food for corporate and social hosts, Teskey also discussed ideas for at-home party planners and shared how Taste Catering planned to capitalize on football fever.

In addition to creating tailored events for VIP hospitality programs hosted by the Super Bowl’s biggest sponsors, Taste Catering curated a range of new menu and décor options, offering a “party in a box” option that could be adapted for events of all sizes.

Inspired by tailgating traditions, Executive Chef Chris Borges and Executive Pastry Chef Rick Griggs created a menu that put a spin on classic fare, elevating game-day favorites to a new level. Hors d’oeuvre offerings include The Pigskin—a pork rillette on chicharon chip with Chef’s whole grain mustard and pickled bean slaw; a Frito Pie in a housemade Frito cup with Black Bean Chili and Scallion; and Mini Corn Dogs with Taste’s Buffalo Sauce and a Carrot Celery Slaw.

Savory bites also included Super Bowl Chex Mix with dill and avocado scented popcorn, crisp soybeans, truffled almonds, and Rice Chex; Philly Cheesesteaks—a house pretzel roll, aged provolone, and red fresno peperonata; and Orange Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings with ginger yogurt.

For dessert, Griggs prepared housemade Snickers Pops Lollipops; the Hot Mess—a Nutella brownie and Oreo cookie ‘conspiracy’; and Marzipan Almond Shortbread Footballs. Sweet snacks also include fresh fruit flavors in the Raspberry Dark Chocolate Truffle Pom Poms and Mango Passion Fruit Coconut Pom Poms.

Marzipan Almond Shortbread Footballs

Guinness Cupcakes
A dark chocolate cupcake infused with Guinness Stout and iced
with Bailey’s Irish Cream butter cream

Chocolate dipped potato chips

Porter Pub Cookies

A pub snack-influenced cookie incorporating chocolate porter, pretzels, roasted peanuts and dark chocolate

Get the recipe! >>

Super Bowl Chex Mix with dill and avocado scented popcorn, crisp soybeans, truffled almonds, and Rice Chex

House Jamaican Jerky with Caribbean spices packaged with tiny Tabasco bottles

Savory snacks table

Sliders

Kalua deviled eggs with pork belly and pickled serrano

The “Hot Mess”

A Nutella brownie and Oreo cookie conspiracy

Fresh ginger lemon grass tapioca tartlets with passion fruit caviar and fresh raspberries

Mini Corn Dogs with Taste’s Buffalo Sauce and a Carrot Celery Slaw

Chips and guacamole

From left to right: Frito pie; Kalua deviled egg; pimento cheese macaron; and the Pigskin—pork rillettes, chicharon, whole grain mustard, and pickled bean slaw

Orange Szechuan Peppercorn Chicken Wings

Philly Cheesesteaks

A house pretzel roll, aged provolone, and red fresno peperonata

Photos by Kate Webber

Get Fresh November 2015
eNews November 2015