PYM: Plan Your Meetings

Garlic, garlic and more garlic: September 2007 Monthly Morsel

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Folks, there is such a thing as too much garlic. I know, hard to believe for you garlic lovers out there, but it is true in a banqueting situation.

Yes, of course, garlic is a great sensory introduction to a reception: Oh, to walk in and smell the aroma of a pasta station. But save that for the end of the business day.

As planners and food buyers, you need to understand there are other herbs, especially during a business meeting, when people have to speak with one another. I advise you to take a hard look at menus and reduce the use of garlic, where possible.

So what do you replace this beloved spice with? When in doubt, go with mixed herbs. Let me give you an example: Take garlic mashed potatoes, garlic bread, garlic and lemon roasted chicken, and replace the word “garlic” with “herb-roasted.” It reads just as nice, and gives your guest a more balanced flavor.

Give this a try, and I will personally applaud you for stepping out of your overindulged garlic comfort zone.

— Claire R. Gould

Claire R. Gould is the owner of Rx for Catering, LLC, a culinary and logistics company that works globally negotiating and designing menus for meetings and events. Her company has done work for Coca-Cola, IBM, Honeywell and Randstad, among others. Gould teaches and writes about culinary and banquet trends and topics, and publishes a quarterly online newsletter “The Claire Diaries.” If you have any feedback for her, please leave a comment.