Holiday Party Platter Ideas

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Deciding on your platter “theme” is just one more decision to add to your list of party plans. Foods, like decorations, require a theme or central idea that ties the food into a well-planned and flowing meal. Common themes that are followed by most catering platters are ethnic and cultural themes. Vegetarian, sandwiches, meats and cheeses, and fruits and vegetables are also simple platter ideas, and always a favorite for any corporate luncheon or company party.

British-themed platters can include dishes popular in the UK, including Yorkshire ham, cocktail sausages, shepherd’s hand pies, roasted chicken pieces and pickled sides. No British-themed platter would be complete without a large selection of breads and spreads.

Italian-themed platters always include a large selection of meats and cheeses. Sausages, salami, and cheese are perfect main selections for a deli platter. Other options include mini pizzas, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and a large selection of breads with pesto for spreading.

Greek-themed platters can be easily competed with a selection of meats, feta cheese, black olives, onions, tomatoes, and, breads loved by the Greek culture.

Vegetarian-themed platters are becoming more popular as vegetarianism does. The choices of baked goods, bagels, breads, cheeses, fruits and vegetables are endless for a vegetarian based platter choice.

Fruits and vegetables are perfect accompaniments to any platter to bring color, texture and nourishment to your guests. Desserts should not by overlooked by any party planner. Pies, cookies, cupcakes, tarts, are all wonderful choices for a dessert platter and can bring a sweet end to a perfect luncheon.

We carry a wide selection of deli meats and cheeses and have a great selection of delicious desserts from cakes, cupcakes, tarts and trifle.

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Customer Appreciation Gift Ideas

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

The holiday season is a time of giving and a time for showing appreciation to those that have contributed to your business and career. Throughout the year, employees and clients give their loyalty to you, and what better way to show appreciation for that loyalty then a Holiday Client Appreciation gift. Showing appreciation for a client with a gift during the holiday season is a perfect way to boost clientele while it helps with business marketing as well.

Client appreciation gifts, as with any appreciation gift, can be a tricky subject. You want something that sends the right message without making the recipient feel uncomfortable with an extravagant price tag. Something small with the right amount of “comfort” is perfect for this occasion. And since everyone eats, why not bring something delicious to their holiday.

Saying thank you and showing your appreciation is a small gesture that can be completed with a basket of baked goods from our large selection. Pies, cakes, brownies, tarts, breads, bagels and even deli platters will send the perfect message to any of your clients. If you want them to be able to choose their delight, send them a gift card so they can experience whatever they fancy from our elaborate menu of baked items.

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Party Platter Ideas for Office Luncheon

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

The focal point of any great office luncheon is the food and the environment created by a successful party platter. Creating a beautiful and nourishing platter for your office party doesn’t have to be difficult. Following a few guidelines can prevent any platter mishaps that can dampen your office luncheon.

(1) Facilities
When deciding on food selection of an office party, the first consideration must be what facilities are available. Warm appetizers prove to be challenging if the platter ends up sitting for a period and cold platters may require refrigeration necessary to prevent serving tainted food to your staff. Don’t let foods that can get soggy sit and food with a distinctive smell may need to be bypassed completely.

(2) Per Person Suggestions
While having too many leftovers is a waste of money and food, not having enough for your attendees is a cringe-worthy moment for any luncheon host. For a full meal, rule of thumb is four to six pieces per person. Depending on the platter, smaller amounts is appropriate. Most people will not eat 6 subs, while an entire spread of sides with one main dish may require 4 separate “pieces” (or sides).

(3) Variety
Take into consideration any allergies, ethnic, cultural or religious requirements of your guests. Always keep food options separate from each other. Cheeses and meats should not be on the same platter as fruits and vegetables. Nor should nuts be included in a main dish. Always have enough utensils for serving to keep the line from backing up, or people resorting to using their hands. Properly label all foods that cannot be determined at first look.

If you need a platter for an upcoming event, please contact Harvest Bakery & Deli.

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Season of Giving – Presents for Friends and Family

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Christmas is around the corner and Halloween decorations will soon be replaced with Christmas décor. This means that anyone who hasn’t already started their Christmas shopping is running far behind. The hustle and bustle of the season of giving can take the joy out of anyone’s shopping day. For friends and family, why not go straight to what they really want? Great food.

The holiday season is for eating, drinking, loving, celebrating, and more eating. Embrace it, and worry about those calories in the new year. Allow your friends and family to enjoy the taste of the holidays with a gift from Harvest Bakery and Deli. Choose from one of many specialty seven-inch cakes including Skor, Black Forest, Oreo, or Truffle.

If you want a variety of flavors in your bakery gift, mix and match from a selection of almond or butter tarts, or add brownie slices, and peanut butter marshmallow slice. For those family members who were born without a sweet tooth, try serving them up a basket full of delicious, freshly baked bread. Mix and match with Cranberry-Apple, Golden Harvest, or a healthy Flax bread. Harvest Bakery has no limits when it comes to varieties of bread.

And for those picky friends that you cannot decide what they would enjoy, try a gift card. Gift cards can be used throughout the entire year, and your loved ones can enjoy their bagels, deli platters, sandwiches, desserts or other baked goods throughout the entire year.

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Deli Trays for Your Winnipeg Wedding Social

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

The concept of wedding socials is a popular tradition in Winnipeg and surrounding areas. This fundraising-type party is a chance for friends and family to celebrate a upcoming wedding with the bride and groom, and their life together.

Social planning is extensive and time consuming. Choosing from music, liquor, guest lists, and food can be a daunting task. Make your party a hit and your planning process simpler by choosing a party platter or deli tray for your next event.

Perfect Options for Wedding Social Deli Platters:

Meats and Cheeses
Always a favorite, meat and cheeses are easily transportable and will hold for hours. Harvest Bakery offers a wide variety of platters, from the traditional platter with garlic sausage, salami, ham, cheddar, and marble cheese, to a meat-only platter, to cheese-only platter.

Sandwiches
Sandwiches are easy mingling food and will fill up the bellies of every attendee of your social. Including a bread platter with spinach dip or a platter of spreads, you guests will find a beautiful array of dips, spreads and filling pumpernickel or sourdough breads.

Don’t forget Desserts
Nothing says sweetness like a tray full of cupcakes, a cake, brownie slices, tarts or even tiramisu. Mix it up with a selection from the many 7 inch cakes (including black forest, Skor, Oreo, etc) or cupcakes (choosing from white, chocolate, and carrot cake cupcakes).

Bread Artistry
To spice up you platter table and add that extra touch, we offer Specialty Bread Artistry in numerous shapes and sizes. Decide from a turtle, alligator, or even candy cane shapes to make your next social the talk of the town.

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Dessert Tables for Your Party

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Setting up a dessert table takes a keen eye for detail and tons of planning. Desserts and baked goods must have a proper layout with serving utensils, a perfect color scheme, and accessories to compliment your desserts. In the end, after careful consideration of the following decisions, you should have a perfect dessert table that looks almost as good as it tastes.

(1) Layout
When considering a layout for your dessert table, remember to keep similar height items away form each other. You want to vary your shapes and heights, and leave the smaller items in the front. After laying down the tablecloth, be sure to implement different shapes of serving dishes, and use platforms to create different heights. Tiered cookie stands are perfect, or you can create different heights with books covered by cloth napkins.

(2) Color Theme
Number one, try to keep away from shades of brown and beige. With a dessert table, it is likely your dessert will have enough neutral colors and will need a subtle, or not-so subtle, shade to compliment it. Black and white platters is acceptable as long as you keep the metal color throughout. If you must use different colored platters, use black, white, and silver for the other decorations, and use as many colored platters as you can find.

(3) Extras
Candleholders, confetti and lightly scented flowers are perfect for decorating a table. Don’t forget the place cards with item descriptions (and possibly allergy information) on them. Cardstock decorated nicely with a written description in calligraphy or even mini chalkboards help give your table that extra pow.

We have a great selection of delicious desserts from cakes, cupcakes, tarts and trifle for your next special event.

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Try Our Pastries

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

After a deliciously memorable meal of our healthy breads, bagels or deli choices, what better way to end a meal then dessert? Without having to leave Harvest Bakery & Deli, you can indulge your sweet tooth with one of our award-winning pastries, pies, cakes or other desserts. Whether you crave a scrumptious cake, flaky tart or delectable trifle; by the slice or by the pie, we can help you with all of your dessert wants and needs.

Our cakes are perfect for birthdays, mother’s day, father’s day, family gatherings, anniversaries, parties, or for the single eater who wants just one slice. We offer all of the traditional cakes including carrot cake, red velvet or stand-alone vanilla and chocolate cakes. If you crave something daringly different, try one of our handmade Skor, chocolate mint, mocha fudge, truffle or Oreo cakes. Each one of our cakes is made with love and is taste-approved by everyone on staff.

Maybe a cake wasn’t what you had in mind. Maybe you were thinking something smaller and more personal. Luckily, we have cupcakes galore, almond tarts and butter tarts. Brownies can be purchased by the sheet or by the slice; whatever you prefer. Everything you see, and anything you can think of, can be altered to your taste, size and aesthetic preferences. We would love to be on the “sweet-tooth” table for the next party or get-together that you decide to throw. Stop by or phone any one of our locations for ordering information.

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Flax Bread – Benefits of Flax

Posted on July 10, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Flaxseed is a popular seed used to enhance the flavor and nutritional value of breads. Flaxseed gives bread a nutty flavor along with a pleasant change in texture. Along with the flavor changes, flaxseed brings an excess of nutritional value to your loaf of bread. Adding flaxseed to whole-wheat bread yields an end-product high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fatty acids. One slice of bread mixed with ½ cup of flaxseed will result in approximately 1 tbsp (7 g) of flaxseed per slice.

Fiber
Not only does one slice of whole-wheat bread bring a heaping serving of fiber, but adding flaxseed to it almost doubles the amount of fiber per slice. Whole-wheat bread is mainly insoluble fiber and flaxseed breaks down to half insoluble and half soluble, giving you a good balance of fiber. Soluble fiber helps reduce cardiovascular risk and levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), while insoluble fiber helps promote regularity and prevent constipation.

Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens called lignans function similar to antioxidants. Lignans help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. For every slice of bread with flaxseed (1 tbsp or 7g), you receive 21.4 mg of lignans, which is the highest concentration of lignans in seeds (85.5 mg per 1 oz of flaxseeds). Sesame seeds are the next highest seed source of lignans at 11.2 mg per ounce.

Essential Fatty Acids
Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help reduce cholesterol levels as well as promote eye health, nervous system health, and cell structure. Studies have shown that increasing your daily intake of omega-3 by 1 gram a day, you can reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by over 15 percent. Flaxseed has the highest concentration of omega-3 of all plant sources. One slice of bread with 1 tbsp (7 g) of flaxseed will surpass the recommended daily intake for women and equal 100% of the daily value for men.

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Gluten Free Products for Celiac

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Celiac disease is a disease in which sufferers cannot tolerate gluten. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt and oats. When a celiac sufferer consumes these ingredients, even in minuscule amounts, their immune system compensates by damaging the villi, which lines the inside of the small intestines. The villi are what push nutrients into the bloodstream, which are then absorbed by the body. When villi are damaged, nutrients are useless and a person becomes malnourished, suffering from a multitude of symptoms.

Years ago, celiac disease was almost unheard of. As diagnosis became greater, companies began making some foods without gluten. Years ago, removing the gluten in foods meant the food became tasteless, sticky, dense and completely unappealing. After trials and many errors, we now have the knowledge of ingredients and recipes to make gluten-free food that tastes just as delicious, if not more so, than gluten-filled foods.

Ingredients that are naturally gluten free, and safe in any form, for the diet of celiacs include: butter, cheese, chicken, eggs, fish, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, grits, honey, lentils, meats, milk, nuts, seeds, shellfish and sugar.

There are more gluten and wheat-free flours than you may initial think. These flours include amaranth flour, arrowroot flour, brown flour, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, corn flour, cornmeal, maize flour, millet flour, potato flour, potato starch flour, quinoa flour, sorghum flour, soya flour, tapioca flour, teff flour and white rice flour. Try substituting one of these flours for your next baking delight.

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Health Benefits of Fibre Bread

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Harvest Bakery & Deli

Fibre is a dietary requirement that is easily found in many types of breads. Although most fibre is not fully digested, the health benefits received by appropriate daily values of fibre are endless.

(1) A diet high in fibre has been proven to help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

(2) A diet high in fibre helps promote weight loss by keeping you feeling fuller, longer.

(3) Fibre has been proven to slow down digestion and absorption, which helps balance blood sugar levels.

(4) Insoluble fibre is the most efficient way to prevent and relieve constipation.

(5) Fibre found in whole grain absorbs water and helps move intestinal contents quicker than lower fibre-containing bread.

(6) Fibre has been proven to lower the risk of chronic disease.

(7) The more fibre you eat, the fuller you feel, which has been proven to lower the need for “grazing” or nibbling on unhealthy foods between meals.

So how much is enough?
The recommended daily amount of fibre for adult women is 25 grams (0.99 oz) and 38 grams (1.34 oz) for men. Unfortunately, most of us only eat between 11 and 12 grams a day – less than half of what is required. If you feel you in the majority who do not receive enough fibre in your diet, check out the healthy breads post for healthy choices in bread that can increase your fibre intake.

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