Admin, Author at En Ville

Hot chocolate is always nice to serve on a cold evening but there are alternative hot drinks to serve at your holiday party that will wow and delight your guests. These 10 hot drinks that are not hot chocolate should be considered for your next celebration:

Mulled Wine
Nothing says festivities, warmth and comfort in the colder season than mulled wine. It’s perfect for hanging out by the fire, especially after any type of winter activity. A variety of spices such as cinnamon, cloves and cardamom can add to the warmth and delight this hot holiday beverage will bring to guests.
Mulled Cider
This is another taste of the holiday season that is truly a delight. Mulled cider is fragrant and will have the entire home smelling like apple pie. Add some rum or bourbon for the adults in the household.
Chai
Chai means tea in many languages around the world but chai tea can be made with milk, spices, and just the right amount of sweetener to make this hot beverage a full bodied, holiday spiced treat for your guest’s taste buds.
Vanilla Pear Apple Cider
When cider is combined with vanilla, pear and warming spices the result is a complex and delectable drink that is definitely not hot chocolate. This one can be made in the crock pot and kept warm all night for your holiday parties.
Spiced Coffee
Coffee lovers will truly enjoy this holiday spiced version of their daily go-to hot beverage. Just add your best coffee beans to steeped milk and use chai spices. Rum is an additional, fun add-on for parties and celebrations.
Hazelnut Toddy
Similar to hot chocolate but not quite, the Hazelnut Toddy is a mix of Frangelico liqueur, hot water, hot milk or a mix of the two and topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Use hazelnut syrup in the place of liqueur to make a non-alcoholic variation.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Truly a new trend in hot drinks and can easily be made at home using real pumpkin and spices rather than a shot of flavoured syrup.
Ginger Latte
A classic latte is just milk and not coffee so infuse this latte with ginger powder. Use almond milk for a nutty flavour. It’s delectable.
Spicy Coconut Tea Tonic
This is a different recipe combining rooibos tea with coconut milk (from a can) and spices such as cayenne, turmeric and ginger. This is a great recipe to fight off winter colds and flues!
Warm Grapefruit Tea
Grapefruit juice, honey, cinnamon and allspice berries combined in a pot, boiled and strained is an easy and hot drink that is a unique and tasty alternative to hot chocolate.

There are so many suggestions for what to do with your leftover holiday dinner. Even for turkey alone! Leftover holiday dessert is just as common as leftovers at dinner so here are some ideas to use those leftover deserts:

Christmas Pudding

Ice Cream

Christmas pudding freezes really well and if it is mixed with fresh custard and a touch of almondy Amaretto it is a tasty dessert that keeps.

Strudel

When you do your Christmas shopping buy some sheets of filo pastry and fill it with Christmas pudding the next day. Serve with hot custard or ice cream.

Mousse

Iced pudding mousse would be great at New Years Eve parties and keeps for a month if you have guests anytime in January. Use the traditional basin shape and add orange liqueur. There are many recipes out there to help you make this one taste great.

Cookies

Pie Crust

You don’t need to throw cookies away when they start to go stale. One idea is to make a cookie crumb pie crust by crushing cookies (about 12) with butter. Press it into a greased pie plate and find a number of recipes on what to fill it with.

Milkshake

Cookie crumbs are amazing in milkshakes, even if they are a little too stale to eat out of hand. Combine them with a bit of ice cream, milk or cream, and even fruit, in the blender. Blend to your desired consistency. If you want a thicker shake use more ice cream.

Garnish Glass Rims with Cookie Crumbs

If you’re hosting a special event consider garnishing glasses with cookie crumbs. This works really well with winter drinks such as chocolate martinis and coconut based vodka and rum drinks. For a non-alcohol alternative cookie crumbs are also great glass rims for hot chocolate and other hot beverages during the winter season.

Cookie Butter

Just like peanut butter you can make a spread but with your cookie crumbs and it’s very easy. Just mix and blend your cookie crumbs with butter or oil. You can use the spread as a topping for ice cream or just eat it right off the spoon.

Candy Canes

Hot Chocolate

After everyone takes candy canes out of their stockings and decorations come down there are candy canes everywhere. Hot chocolate is a great place to stick them. The hot chocolate will develop a subtle peppermint flavour that will add to the enjoyment of this classic wintertime beverage.

Brownie Toppings

Bake some brownies and top them with candy cane. The taste of chocolate and peppermint together is irresistible.

Milkshake

A simple and delicious milkshake only requires vanilla ice cream, milk and crushed candy cane. Remember to save a whole one as garnish!

These ideas are only a few possibilities of ways to use leftover holiday desserts. If you use your leftover desserts differently let us know in the comments.

en Ville Catering will have unique and innovative alternatives for any event. The company was founded in 1982 by Geoffrey Johnson and is driven by a passion for excellence and a keen attention to detail. For more information contact the en Ville team at, 416-533-8800.

When it gets cold outside many Torontonians want to stay in and hibernate but if you’re in a relationship, winter has many opportunities for fun and romance. These winter date ideas in Toronto are suitable for any pair, young and old and for any budget.

Toronto Christmas Market

The Distillery District holds its annual Christmas Market and this is the perfect opportunity for couples to feel like they’re in Toronto years ago. Holding hands while browsing for gifts on cobblestoned paths, under the illumination of the Christmas lights is a sure way to fire up any couple’s love for one another. Share a drink at the beer garden and don’t forget to walk under the mistletoe.

Board Game Cafe

New couples will find this a great way to get to know each other, and established pairs will find board game cafes to be a fresh alternative to going to the pub.

Ice Skating and Dancing

Ice skating with your sweetheart may seem cliché but in Toronto partners can skate at Harbourfront to the sounds of a live DJ playing great music every Saturday night from 8pm-11pm.

Go to Lula Lounge

Lula Lounge is legendary for providing a venue that includes dinner, live music and dancing and this can include a dance lesson, especially on Salsa Saturdays where you can get a free salsa lesson and use your newfound moves to dance the night away with your love.

Comedy at Bad Dog Theatre

Everyone loves to laugh and going to a comedy show is a great escape from a cold night. Tickets for any show is less than $15 so whether the couple prefers stand up comedy or improv, this theatre will deliver a fun and funny evening.

Casa Loma

Casa Loma is one of the most underrated tourist attractions in Toronto. This is a truly unique place to visit. The Escape Series at Casa Loma takes players on an adventure. In the game Bootleggers you visit a secret tunnel underground the city and visit a speakeasy from the 1920’s. This is truly an escape from winter.

The Sultan’s Tent

The Sultan’s Tent offers a decadent dining experience from Morocco. The restaurant is decorated for getting cozy with your date and features belly dancers and French-Moroccan cuisine. If you can get a reservation, they have an excellent Winterlicious menu.

Visit Ripley’s Aquarium

You and your date can escape the cold weather in Ripley’s Aquarium where you will be greeted by humidity and gorgeous seascapes. The low lighting and peaceful view can be very romantic.

Toronto is a great place for dating but these are our top picks. Feel free to comment and let us know your favourite or unique spots for winter dates.

en Ville is an award-winning catering service that is committed to providing innovative, one-of-a-kind catering events in Toronto and the surrounding areas. The company was founded in 1982 by Geoffrey Johnson and is driven by a passion for excellence and a keen attention to detail. For more information contact the en Ville team at, 416-533-8800.

The holidays are quickly approaching and many individuals have the task of planning their holiday party whether it is a large scale corporate function or just an important family dinner. A catering company can be hired to completely take the stress away, but they can also help with specific details to let you enjoy the party and planning process. Whether you are searching for a catering company to help with the planning of your party, or just seeking inspiration to make the task easier, these are five ways a catering company can help you plan for your holiday party:

The key to planning a holiday party is to start well in advance. This is the best way to not end up in a big rush and panic a few days before the big event. There are a number of details that a DIY planner may not think of, and these tasks can pop up when you least expect it. Two great tips here is to set the date as early as possible, and as the event draws near, start any food preparation that will save you from cooking nonstop right through the actual event.
Plan your menu well in advance and actually cook these dishes, or at least samplings of them, to see where your recipes need changes and tweaks. A great tip is to cook some dishes for your friends and family to get their opinions and insights. Be open to feedback!
If you are planning a holiday party for guests that do not attend your event every year, such as an office party, you will need to send out invitations. Send invitations well in advance. There are many holiday parties and it is best to get RSVPs before your guests choose another event instead.
Approximately two weeks before the event get your decorations in order and create a music playlist. These two tasks can be more time consuming than they seem so it is best to start early. You can even ask friends and family for music suggestions, especially if they will be attending. Many guests will love to hear their favourite holiday song, or otherwise, during your dinner and party.
One week before the party get your complete shopping list in order and start cleaning the house. Start to decorate a few days before the guests arrive so you have a day or two before the event for last minute details; and they do arise. Most importantly, have fun with your planning and if things don’t go entirely perfect, know that it is part of the charm of hosting and catering your own event. Your guests won’t mind.

en Ville catering can assist with planning and catering a holiday party. The company is award-winning and committed to providing innovative, one-of-a-kind catering events in Toronto and the surrounding areas. The company was founded in 1982 by Geoffrey Johnson and is driven by a passion for excellence and a keen attention to detail. For more information contact the en Ville team at, 416-533-8800.

From ready to serve hors d’oeuvre receptions for your afternoon office party, hot buffet lunches, to festive cocktail receptions, we offer you this holiday menu selection. For events with sensible budgets and practical outlooks, to lavish affairs welcoming in the New Year, our team can help with food & drink, rentals, décor, entertainment, florals, and even venues. Then, when all the planning is done, you can sit back, relax, and let us work our holiday magic, making you look like a star. Let en Ville help with your Holiday entertaining — Contact us Today!

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HORS D’OEURVES

COLD HORS D’OEURVES

$17.50 / 6 Pieces

Duck Confit Rillettes Cranberry
Cabernet Chutney, Ficelle Crostino

Chèvre Bonbon
Crunchy Honeyed Walnut Crust

Heirloom Beet Salad with Feta
Candied Walnut, Citrus Vinaigrette, Asian Spoon

Black Pepper Savoury Shortbread Sablé
Macerated Black Cherry, Shaved Parmesan

Roasted Fennel Pesto Grilled Shrimp Skewer
House Romesco Dip

HOT HORS D’OEURVES

$21.00 / 8 Pieces

Bourbon Pulled Brisket
Sweet Potato Waffle, Microgreens

Applewood Smoked Chicken Lollipop
Allspice and Black Pepper Aioli

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Shooter
Crème Fraiche, Spiced Popcorn Garnish

Maple Glazed Salmon Lollipop
Rolled in Crushed Spiced Walnut Dust

Bacon Wrapped Scallop Skewer
Quince & Scallion Sauce

LOCAL ONTARIO TURKEY BUFFET

$29.50 per guest

Canapés are delightfully versatile hors d’oeuvres, usually found in finger-friendly bite-sized configurations. As such, they make an excellent choice as both appetizers and simple snacks. While the ways a canapé can be prepared are practically limitless, they’re usually made with a cracker or pastry base, usually toasted, and then topped with any number of ingredients ranging from meats and cheeses to sushi-esque fish toppings. For dessert themed canapés, chefs are fond of chocolates, jams, and fruits.

As the popularity of canapés has continued to attract the attention of the culinary community, these culinary creations have become more and more elegant, artful, and of course, tasty. If you’re looking for a unique treat for your next event or party, you’d be smart to consider canapés—they can be prepared in so many different ways that there’s sure to be a recipe to everyone’s taste. Let’s take a look at four particularly popular ways to make uniquely delicious canapés.

Healthy Yet Delicious Canapés

The savoury and sweet canapés shouldn’t lead you to believe that they’re all so rich. Healthy—yet very, very good—recipes for canapés exist, and they’re some of our favourites. A favoured combination is a cucumber filled canapé topped with feta cheese, red peppers, and chopped olives. Or explore the salad-like options of canapés with a lettuce and salmon spread recipe. Want to stay healthy but try out a recipe that’s still got enough to satisfy your sweet tooth? You’ll go crazy for sweet potato chip canapés topped with a Greek yogurt spread and honey. Add a dash of lime and you might have the perfect canapé.

Canapé Tartlets: Adorable AND Tasty

Mini tart canapés, or tartlets, are a very interesting take on canapés—these small pastries are usually filled and topped with ingredients. Diners may find them in the form of miniature pies or cup-shaped pastries, and a fan favourite includes a creation filled with dark chocolate and topped with goji berries.

Tartlets don’t always have to be sweet—savoury options are available as well. You might find a tartlet that’s been filled with mushrooms and topped with herbs, cheese, and garlic, or a tartlet filled with a rich, dark gravy topped with shredded peppers. Tartlets are an excellent example of what makes canapés so wonderfully varied.

Potato Canapés? Yes!

Potatoes aren’t the first thing you think of when you picture a canapé, but some enterprising chefs have devised more than a handful of really brilliant ways to use them. Potatoes can help shape and support not only the structure of the canapé itself, but act as an excellent carrier for other flavours. A potato filled canapé might have sharp cheddar in the base mix or melted cheddar on top, accompanied by chives, sour cream, and bacon. Or, for a more textured approach, you could try a canapé with a grilled potato slice, topped with any number of other ingredients such as steak tips or strips, cheeses of all kinds, or grilled leeks.

Toast Canapés

Toast is an amazing base for canapés. As if these hor d’oeuvres weren’t versatile enough, add in some bread combinations and you’ve got what’s potentially millions of different recipe combinations on your hands. Mini baguettes are great, rye is worth a short with the right toppings, and melba toasts are ridiculously good. Toppings could include salmon—spread or smoked—caviar, shredded chicken, and much, much more. If you’re feeling adventurous at breakfast, top the canapé with lemon jelly and raspberries. A light, refreshing lunch canapé might have cucumbers, avocado, and a healthy dose of grilled shrimp. The possibilities with toast-based canapés are just about endless, and are absolutely stunning.

Paying attention to details can become more and more difficult as wedding planning moves into the final stages but it’s more than worth it when you see the final product at the end of it all. The little details are what helps to provide beautiful memories that last forever and leave your guests (and you!) smiling and happy well after the wedding is over. They’re the little touches that make your wedding YOURS. They can be unique and special or just well thought out and fun. Whatever little details you choose to include in your big day, we guarantee you won’t regret it.

We compiled a list of charming and whimsical wedding features, which make a statement and show that you consider the details. Here are some exciting and often overlooked specifics that you might like to include in your wedding.

Just remember that the little things do matter. People notice the hard work you put into planning and appreciate the little details that make your wedding unique and beautiful. Don’t feel like you have to do it all, but do take time to make sure you add little details and surprises here and there.

Photo Opportunities

One of the most important things you get to keep forever after your wedding are the photographs. Not only are they memorabilia, they help you remember all of the other little elements that happen to be captured in that picture. Providing great spaces and props for your guest photos will give you copious amounts of pictures to look back on, laugh, and reminisce.

Photo props like frames and doors to peek through, or decorative reminders to hashtag their photos with your wedding hashtag are great ideas to include. Also consider leaving disposable cameras or scavenger hunt ideas around the reception to keep people snapping.

Mr. & Mrs. Chairs & Glasses

These little elements are great for getting photos in and making the bridal party table more memorable. The bride and groom chairs can be special armchairs or a loveseat even with signs on the back or simply adorned with flowers or ribbons. The glasses are easy to have personalized and etched with your names and wedding date.

Chandeliers

Whether your reception is indoors or outside, chandeliers are great statement pieces that add a romantic vibe to the atmosphere. They can also be made from all kinds of materials and fit many different themes and budgets. Here are some of our favourite wedding decor ideas:

Classic crystal chandeliers hung from trees or rafters
Flower wrapped basic chandeliers
Handmade chandeliers featuring sticks, wire and twinkle lights
Iron chandeliers with dimmed candle lights

Table Toppers

Now we aren’t just talking about the centrepieces for the tables, although those are extremely important. We’re specifically talking about the base that goes over the table and under your centerpieces. Brides are now opting for shimmery fabrics or even glass and mirrors to top their tables and it adds an incredible elegance and magic to the atmosphere. An accent base can also make the centerpieces pop that much more when done right.

Place Cards

This is something literally every guest will notice and see first when they find their place at the table. Make it something beautiful and memorable while still being easy to spot so guests can find their seat quickly and with ease. They will often want to take this item home as memorabilia as well, so make it fun and worth their while. You can hire a calligrapher to write their name on a paper and frame it or you could even insert a pretty little sign into a cupcake or cocktail stationed at their spot.

Recently, everyone seems to be experimenting with a less wasteful method of wedding decoration, which not only saves money, but builds memories for the new happy couple. The expenses of weddings add up and people are realizing that they being more thoughtful in regards to decorative choices means ornamental, or even functional items can be used again or given away, rather than thrown away – along with the money used to pay for it all!

Reusable Decoration Ideas

Wedding decorations form the ambience for your special moments and really enhance the mood of the event, so the idea of choosing design elements that cheapen the aesthetic can feel almost criminal. A current alternative being explored by many brides and wedding planners to deal with that issue is to find decorations that are suitable for use in the couple’s home after the wedding. Not only will you be able to spare a little extra to purchase better quality décor, it will help make your new love nest feel a little homier when you finally settle in. Here are some of our favourite.

One of the most fun and romantic things about doubling up your wedding and home décor is the special reminders that come along with it. Your home will directly reflect your special day and you can be sure to stumble across things on a daily basis that will bring back beautiful memories.

Cups, Bowls, Jars and China

Nothing is more useful than beautiful items to later stock your kitchen with. From cost efficient clear glass bowls to antique china and place settings, they all make for great wedding and home décor. The right piece can add a whimsical or luxurious feel to the event and can be used for centerpieces around the room.

Candle Holders & Vases

You can never have enough candle holders and vases at your wedding so make sure to buy ones that you’d love to use in your house one day. They can be great mantle decorations and side table toppers once you move them from your wedding to your home. They can be found at a range of prices and styles that fit both your wedding and your home themes.

Bird Cages and Lanterns

These are some of the trendiest methods people use to decorate their weddings now because they are beautiful in both events and around the house or even out in the garden. Their versatility extends as far as your creativity does and can be filled with flowers, plants, crystals, or candles. Want to keep those cages closed? Drape them with fabric or strand lights. The possibilities are endless!

Chalk Boards & Pin Boards

Another rising trend at weddings are boards used to write quotes, messages or display pictures or guest tags. These are also incredibly useful items to have in your home; from the kitchen to the office to the kids’ rooms, you’ll always find a use for pin boards and chalk boards.

Pillows & Furniture

Add a luxurious and comfy vibe to your reception using throw pillows and furniture that you would like to use in your home. They are both considered relatively expensive items to have at your wedding, but they are perfect if you have a greater use for them at home. So go ahead and indulge a little bit. It’s for a good cause.

Plants & Flowers

This one may seem obvious, but if you decorate with beautiful potted plants, bushes and even fake flowers or ficus trees, they can be brought home and added to your home décor easily. Whether you plant them in your garden or display them on your mantle, you won’t regret having these at your wedding. Wedding flower decorations such as centerpieces can be also placed at your front door, especially if it’s a summer time.