Devouring the Party Line The capital’s clever caterers have their knives sharpened for inauguration
| By Janelle Nanos |
This month, Capitol Hill’s pundits and politicos turn their attention from the era-changing election to the party set to celebrate it. Anticipating a hunger for change, the city’s top caterers have been preparing for Inauguration Day for months, perfecting a slew of “bipartisan menus” ready to sate the appetites of the electorate. We the people check in to see how they’re upping the ante for what will, from candidates to canapés, be an event to remember.
PARTY FAVORS Clockwise from left: Molecular gastronomy reigns among Windows Catering’s inaugural offerings this season whether it’s loin of lamb with beet gelée and foam or a quail egg and caviar. Ridgewells does its own deconstructing with a cherries jubilee that gives a chic nod to DC’s namesake.
WINDOWS CATERING Alexandria, VA, www.catering.com THE MENU: In recognition of the bicentennial of Abe Lincoln’s birth, veep Andrew Gerstel and his team decamped to the Library of Congress, where they researched recipes from the period, such as smoked Shenandoah trout, venison medallions with an apple cider vinaigrette, and a brandyspiked dried fruit election cake that Lincoln himself served. “A lot of the items are coming from local mid-Atlantic purveyors,” he says, just as the original locavores sourced their menus 200 years ago. UPPING THE ANTE: Most caterers make meals. The Windows team deconstructs them. Using molecular gastronomy methods, Gerstel employs foams, gels and other food-science fun to present items—and tastes—in new ways. Look for a kalamata olive “spherification” served with red beet oil and sweet red pepper.
RIDGEWELLS CATERING Bethesda, MD, www.ridgewells.com
THE MENU: Ridgewells has been catering inaugurals
since John F. Kennedy took office, so CEO Susan Laz knows how to create a “bipartisan menu” that will satisfy clients, regardless of whether
their candidate is parading down Pennsylvania Avenue. Crave-worthy items like ancho-honey roasted salmon, truffled brussel sprouts with purple kale and Wagyu beef sliders are on the menu, alongside apple raspberry pot pies and a toffee “moose” with a pecan crumble that will assuredly do a heckuva job. UPPING THE ANTE: As the caterer of choice for the Building Museum, Ridgewells is preparing to host an inaugurationnight dinner there. Expect guests to tipple Obama Ramas (rum punch) or McCainaquiris (take a guess) to celebrate, or drown their sorrows.
CORCORAN CATERERS Silver Spring, MD, www.corcorancaterers.com THE MENU: Company president Chuck Corcoran knows that January 20 will be a party that lasts all day. “It’s a grazing sort of thing,” he says. So he’s got a hearty menu lined up to sustain the moveable feast. Options include wood-fired pizzas topped with pesto and pineapple, baby moose burgers on brioche rolls, mini ravioli stuffed with caramelized onion, portabello, and a light gorgonzola, and slow-roasted ribs, pushed up and served like lollypops. UPPING THE ANTE: Corcoran’s crew will be circulating trays to some
150 revelers on a particularly picky pundit’s luxe balcony, which overlooks Pennsylvania Avenue and has Capitol views. Expect a bevy of DC personalities to opine verbosely on the future.
OCCASIONS CATERERS Washington, DC, www.occasionscaterers.com THE MENU: Occasions’s menus reflect the scope of both domestic and international affairs, explains Danielle Shevitz, communications manager for the company. Depending on their clients (they often cater state dinners), they pull from an extensive recipe list to create a mix of “Americana” buffet dishes, like Pacific fish tacos and pulled-pork sandwiches. With both China and the Middle East on the foreign policy agenda for whomever ushers in the next term, you can be certain an international outlook will be represented. Classic presidential champagne cocktails will be de rigeuer at every event. UPPING THE ANTE: The company’s global scope extends to its impact on the planet. As the first certified green caterer in the nation, Occasions implemented a water conservation program and has developed a composting service for all offsite events. Eco-chic partying, indeed!