Customers Archive
Giving Back in 2012, Moving Forward in 2013!
We can’t let 2012 come to a close without thanking everyone who chose Saint Germain Catering for their catering needs! Our clients are so important to us; we truly enjoy making each event down right delicious and delightful from top to bottom. It’s a privilege to serve you! Your loyalty and appreciation for our passionate pursuit of excellence has made this past year another extremely successful one.
Our passions extend beyond our catering business, and a main driver for us each day is that the success of our business enables us to support a number of organizations that do phenomenal work helping military families, children, K-9 medical research/detection dog training and more. Please read about these terrific groups in our spotlights below. They are full of talented, caring, passionate people who’ve made a tremendous difference in 2012, and will continue to do so in 2013 and beyond with our help, and others like you as well. From all of us at Saint Germain Catering, we wish you and yours a safe, successful and happy 2013!
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OPERATION HOMEFRONT DC CHAPTER http://www.operationhomefront.net/dcmetro/
Saint Germain donated $25,000 to help military families
Operation HomeFront Partners With Wounded Warrior Project to Expand Service to Wounded Warriors
MISSION: Operation Home front provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors.
VISION: Through generous, widespread public support and a collaborative team of exceptional staff and volunteers, we aspire to become the provider of choice for emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. Where there is a need we do not provide, we will partner with others for the benefit of our military families.
In 2011, OH has met 155,984 needs for military families, including active duty, Guard and Reserve members from all branches of service. Since its inception, Operation Homefront has provided more than $128 million dollars of funding to programs to benefit military families. Moreover, it has served more than 4,200 wounded warriors and their families.
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NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (NICU) AT INOVA Children’s Hospital in Fairfax, VA
www.inova.org/healthcare-services/pediatrics/types-of-services/nicu.jsp
* Saint Germain sponsored an $8,000 event for the return of graduated children who had been born premature
The NICU at Inova Children’s Hospital is the first in the nation to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for Prematurity. This certification represents the highest level of care for premature birth patients.
INOVA Children’s Hospital is home to the largest subspecialty neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Northern Virginia. Their 75-bed, level III NICU cares for high-risk infants requiring specialized care and observation.
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PENN VET WORKING DOG CENTER http://pennvetwdc.org/
* Saint Germain made sizeable donations, to sponsor a year’s training for a new working/detection dog, to help conduct a study to drastically change how sick dogs are administered anesthetics, and for K-9 training products.
Established in 2007, the Penn Vet Working Dog Center, is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and serves as a national research and development center for detection dogs.
With the U.S. national security under constant threat from attacks, detection dogs are still the best tool that we have to detect and mitigate potential threats. Search dogs are also critical for the detection of victims of natural and man-made disasters. Our goal is to increase collaborative research, scientific assessment, and shared knowledge and application of the newest scientific findings and veterinary expertise to optimize production of valuable detection dogs.
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INTERVENTIONAL PAWS http://www.interventionalpaws.org/
Interventional Paws, founded by Saint Germain President Mina Ebrahimi, is a non-profit, 501C3, working to advance veterinary medicine while helping to improve the lives of pets everywhere. We work closely with the Animal Medical Center in New York City and the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary School at the University of Pennsylvania—home of the country’s first minimally invasive interventional radiology service— though our reach extends far beyond.
An established tool in human medicine, interventional radiology has tremendous potential for the treatment of serious maladies in pets. With expert veterinarians like Dr. Allyson Berent, the veterinary community is acquiring and refining similar procedures to those in human medicine to provide nonsurgical alternatives with decreased morbidity/mortality rates, minimal anesthesia time, shorter hospital stays, and lower costs.
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Saint Germain Catering is a (certified) woman-owned business staffed with talented chefs who proudly use the freshest natural ingredients, and drivers who deliver exceptional service with a smile to Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Visit our homepage at www.saintgermaincatering.com. Call us at (703) 506-9396. Known as corporate catering specialists (Food That Means Business!), we exceptionally cater all events, large and small, full service or drop-off: weddings, bridal/baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, Bar/Bat-Mitzvahs, graduations, funerals, BBQs, holiday parties and more.
Here We Come To Save The Day!
It’s an oldie but a goodie, the theme song to ‘Mighty Mouse’. Have you heard it before? You’re greeted by the hearty singing of “Here I come to save the day!”…inferring the mightest of mouses is on his way. And if we may have a little analogy lattitude, Saint Germain Catering loves making, and saving the day for our clients!
Whether you plan well in advance, or contact us with a last-minute plea for help in feeding a holiday gathering of any size, we excel and delight in exceeding expectations for full service or drop-off catering events in Washington D.C, Maryland and Northern Virginia. The size, expertise and operational capability of our business enables us to manage any and all requests. We have dozens of staff, from talented chefs and knowledgeable event planners, to friendly drivers who steer a fleet of delivery vans to any location in the DC Metro region. Some of our drivers even have security clearance, to enable the most mouthwatering food to reach the most secure locations.
One of our exceptional Saint Germain Catering delivery drivers.
Recently, we received a call to feed 300 people with just three hours notice! We were able to seamelessly fulfill that request, on time, with exceptional food and service for all. We’ve had one day’s notice to cater a wedding, the type of event normally planned many months in advance. Our team pulled together, and pulled it off, without a hitch. There are very few catering operations anywhere that are equipped to do this, and we’re proud to say we are one.
Our corporate clients love our online ordering system, which enables anyone to quickly and easily submit catering orders through our website. For repeat customers especially, our robust website makes the whole process of planning and ordering a snap (with just a few clicks). Our Customer Loyalty Program lets you rack up and view points each time you order, to redeem for awesome rewards.
If we could sum things up: if you have a food request, we’ll make it, from the freshest and highest quality ingredients. If you have 10 mouths to feed or 5,000, we’ll feed them. And if you have plenty of time to plan ahead, or need someone to step in last-minute to save the day…here we are…ready, willing and more than able! Let us save and make your day today…your guests will be delighted that you chose Saint Germain Catering!
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Saint Germain Catering is a (certified) woman-owned business staffed with chefs who proudly use the freshest natural ingredients, and drivers who deliver exceptional service with a smile to DC, MD and Northern VA. Visit our homepage at www.saintgermaincatering.com. Call us at (703) 506-9396. Known as corporate catering specialists (Food That Means Business!), we exceptionally serve all events, large and small: weddings, bridal/baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, Bar/Bat-Mitzvahs, graduations, funerals, BBQs, holiday parties and more.
A Heaping Serving of Thankfulness
Thanksgiving is such a special time of year for our Saint Germain Catering family, and not just because today is such a food-centric holiday (of course we do LOVE that part!). We love Thanksgiving because it brings us together with the special people in our lives – family and friends – and reminds us to be truly thankful for so many others that touch our lives in different ways.
We are so thankful for our clients. We consider you friends, and part of our Saint Germain Catering family. It’s a pleasure to serve you, and you make it easy for us to be passionate about what we do. We take great pride in what we do, and your trust in us helps keep us on track providing the absolute best food and catering service possible in the DC Metro area.
We’re also tremendously thankful for all of the men and women serving in our military, at home or abroad, making sacrifices each day so we have the freedom to live and work and love in the greatest country on the planet. We can only imagine what it’s like for families celebrating Thanksgiving today with an empty chair, because a loved one is in Afghanistan, Iraq, or some other far away place. Other chairs are permanently empty, because someone made the ultimate sacrifice. Our sacrifices pale each day compared to that, but we are passionate about making a difference, and doing all we can to support those serving our country.
Operation Homefront DC Metro Chapter & their Holiday Toy Drive for military families
We love partnering with organizations like Operation Homefront, Washington DC Metro Chapter, which provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of our service members and wounded warriors. Did you know that November is Military Family Month? In this month that we celebrates Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, it’s appropriate to remember the family members that are the backbone of those serving in the military. When a Soldier or Marine or Airman or Sailor or Coast Guardsman serves, his or her family serves right with them, behind the scenes, making sacrifices each day as if they were wearing the uniform as well. We salute the families who serve, both in uniform, and at home, in support of their loved ones. Thank you!!!
From a Facebook Page called ‘Dogs are Family’. This pup has obviously enjoyed a big Thanksgiving meal!!
Another of our passions is dogs. We love our dogs!! They are family, and we’ll go to the ends of the earth to care for them. We’re extremely thankful for organizations that help animals, dogs especially, and count the Penn Vet Working Dog Center among our dear friends. We’re so appreciative of the important work they do, providing cutting edge health care and training to detection dogs across the country. We also pour our time and treasure into a non-profit called Interventional Paws, which works to advance veterinary medicine while helping to improve the lives of pets everywhere. To the talented doctors who keep our furry family members healthy and happy, Thank You!!!!
We could go on and on, but want to keep this brief, because we know your time is precious with family and friends today. Enjoy the day…and remember, whether it be a holiday meal or life itself, remember to savor each moment, and leave room for dessert!
~ Mina, Sarah and the entire Saint Germain Catering staff & family
Making it Simple to Give Thanks at the Office This Season
This is a season of Thanksgiving, a favorite time of the year, where food, family, friends and colleagues come together to set the table for wonderful gatherings…reflecting on all we have to be thankful for. We’re especially thankful for our wonderful customers, who trust us to make special events…special. We don’t take that trust lightly. Trust us with your next Thanksgiving catered event, and leave all the stress behind!
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.“ ~William Arthur Ward
Whole Roasted Turkey
Whether you’re having a holiday lunch at the office for a group of 10 or 200, planning a Thanksgiving meal for work colleagues and guests can be overwhelming. That’s where we come in! A simple call to Saint Germain Catering will answer all of your questions. We offer drop-off or full service office catering in Washington D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. Whether your staff or guests have certain dietary restrictions or are health conscious, we can deliver delicious meals that satisfy any palate.
Our, fiendly, expert catering team can quickly set things in motion to make everything from planning to delivery to mealtime a stress-free, delightful (and delicious!) experience. We can cater the entire meal, with our Fresh Baked Whole Turkeys and gourmet selection of sides such as cranberry stuffing, whipped mashed redskin potatoes, sourdough rolls and green bean casserole (yes, as good as they sound). The bigger the party, the more the variety of appetites and preferences to satisfy, so we can offer Spiral Glazed Ham with our own pineapple glaze, and a selection of vegetarian dishes as well. Whatever your needs, we can accommodate them!
Mouthwatering Homemade Pies
Contact us at 703-506-9396 and let one of our catering sales specialists help plan your meal. Just let us know how many guests, date, time and location…and we’ll take care of the rest, putting together a customized menu and the perfect package to fit your exact needs and budget. Oh, and don’t forget dessert. We bake our pies fresh each morning, offering scrumptuous pumpkin pies, apple pies, pecan pies and more. All of our pies are baked from scratch without use of artificial flavors or preservatives, just like Grandma used to make. If she still makes them, maybe keep this between us. We don’t want her to be jealous!
“Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants.“ ~Kevin James
via Quote Garden
SGC is ServSafe Certified!
Have we told you lately how much we love catering? Whether we are hosting a corporate catering event or a wedding event, one thing is certain — we’re having tons of fun helping our clients throw the perfect event. While it may look like all fun and games, we’re extremely serious and cautious about food safety and handling. Did you know Saint Germain Catering is one of the few ServSafe certified catering companies in the area?
ServSafe is a food safety training and certificate program administered by the National Restaurant Association. The program is accredited by ANSI and the Conference for Food Protection. Every employee at Saint Germain Catering is ServSafe certified to ensure the best service and top quality food for our clients. The courses our employees take to become certified discuss foodborne illnesses, including information on specific foodborne pathogens and biological toxins such as shellfish poisoning, contamination, and food allergens. Prevention is also covered, with information regarding purchasing and receiving guidelines, food preparation, holding and serving guidelines, food safety management systems, sanitation guidelines for facilities and equipment, and integrated pest control, as well as food safety regulations and employee training. In fact, we have a ServSafe administrator that completes monthly walk-throughs with our staff, helping guide them throughout the kitchens to ensure best practice standards.
Try one of our many delicious August Monthly Specials handled careful in SafeServ standards!
Have any safety tips? Let us know and respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook Fan Page!
Creative Summer Treats
At Saint Germain we like to have fun when we cook for our friends and family and this usually means lots of delicious experimenting. We are very passionate about pushing the boundaries of conventional dishes with our creativity. You may recognize some of these inspired dishes if you are one of our amazing Facebook fans; we love to frequently showcase them. Here are of our recent creations:
- Mini Pancake Skewers
- Piña Colada Dessert Shooters
- Buffalo Chicken Party Cups
- Seven-Layer Dip shooters
Sometimes we find interesting inspirations online like these watermelon grilled cheese bites from the Brit.co.
Ingredients
- 1/4 watermelon, seedless
- 8 ounces halloumi cheese (firm, Greek cheese found at gourmet supermarkets)
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil to coat grill racks
- Special Equipment: Grill
Directions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high. Toss arugula with balsamic vinegar.
- Cut off sides and ends of the watermelon to create a rectangular cube; slice into thin pieces, about 1 centimeter in width.
- Trim your block of halloumi to match the size of your watermelon slices.
- Then slice halloumi to match the width of the watermelon slices.
- Line a plate with paper towels to catch the juices of the watermelon after grilling. Place the watermelon slices on the grill and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn slices over and add the halloumi to the grill. Flip halloumi after 1 minute. Cook for 1 more minute and then remove both watermelon and halloumi slices from the grill, and place on the plate lined with paper towels.
- Now it’s time to assemble! Place halloumi slices on half of the watermelon slices. Top halloumi with arugula and then another watermelon slice. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Have any creative inspirations you would like to share? Let us know and respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook Fan Page! (Image and recipe from brit.co)
Healthy Summer Foods with Secret Health Benefits
It’s a beautiful summer in Washington D.C. and we’re spending it being healthy and active outside. Of course, your favorite DC caterer has an abundance of fresh, delicious and healthy choices. We thought this week we would focus on the many summer’s fruits and vegetables that are full of with secret health benefits. Here are some of our favorites and why they’re a particularly good choice in the summer.
1. Corn: There’s a reason why we place corn is in so many of our summer meals besides it being so delicious. Corn has plenty of healthy antioxidants, like lutein and zeaxanthin—which help against the sun’s damaging rays and help lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration—the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60 .
2. Iced coffee: Start your summer mornings with a refreshing pick-me-upper and one of our many delicious breakfast items. Did you know drinking a single cup of coffee daily may lower your risk of developing skin cancer? A recent study by the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, determined those who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee a day reduced their risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer by about 10 percent.
3. Tart cherries: Sweet, tangy and they deliver a host of health benefits. You may have heard that drinking tart cherry juice can help you get a better night’s sleep and subdue post-workout pain. But did you know the anthocyanin in tart cherries activate a molecule that helps rev up fat burning and decrease from fat storage.
4. Tomatoes: The perfect addition to any meal for when you’re out laying by the pool! There’s no question that sunscreen should be your first line of defense against the blazing summer sun but did you know eating tomatoes could give you a little extra protection and protect your skin from sunburn.
5. Watermelon: Try our wonderful Classic Red White & Blue from our summer menu which comes with juicy watermelon wedges. Watermelon is 92 percent water so it keeps you hydrated with your memory sharp and your mood stable. It also helps you feel more full with less calories.
6. Raspberries: Have you tried our Brie & Raspberry Tarts? Raspberries are a great source of fiber—some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol. One cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber—and a study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating more fiber may help prevent weight gain or even promote weight loss.
7. Iced tea: A tall glass of iced tea on a hot day is not only refreshing, but good for you. Studies show if you drink tea regularly, you may lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and diabetes, plus have healthier teeth and gums and stronger bones. Tea is rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. Iced tea would be perfect to wash down our irresistible roasted sirloin salad from our July monthly specials.
8. Blueberries: July is national blueberry month so it’s a great excuse to indulge in juicy, fresh blueberries which coincidently are full of antioxidants that may help ward off muscle fatigue.
Have some deliciously healthy summer foods we have missed? Let us know and respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook Fan Page!
Beat The Heat with Saint Germain!
Saint Germain does DC catering, which means we experience the Washington, DC heat like no other in the summer and we thought, seeing that the Summer Solstice was this week, we could focus on foods that keep cool in this scorching heat! So when the mercury rises, here’s what to eat during the summer months.
One way to stay cool is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content. These include leafy lettuces, corn on the cob, cucumbers, watermelon, and summer squash. All are nutritious and supply a significant amount of water that can help thin the blood, helping your body release heat.
Up for an alternative approach? Try adding more spice to your diet to help cool your body through sweating. Hot peppers, fresh ginger, horseradish, and black pepper would all do the trick. As for preparation, try to focus on fast cooking methods like steaming and quick sautés as opposed to more heat intensive ones.
Saint Germain’s menu also has plenty of options that beat the heat!
Try our Summer Concerto from our Summer Picnic Boxes To-Go! A juicy filet of Salmon with creamy dill sauce, fresh berry salad, orzo pasta salad, roll with butter and a scrumptious homemade cookie to finish it off.
Or go on our Thai Adventure from June’s Monthly specials! Tender grilled chicken breasts with coconut cilantro sauce, beef strips drizzled with sweet Teriyaki sesame sauce on mango coconut basmati rice and garnished with grilled pineapple rounds. Enjoy a tropical salad with sliced strawberries and fruity vinaigrette and an irresistible mini mango mousse cake.
Go healthy with our Heart Healthy Chicken from our Heart Healthy Menu. Tasty grilled 6 oz. of chicken breast with strawberry pineapple salsa, marinated vegetable salad, black bean corn salad with wheat rolls with margarine. Only 427 calories per person, 2.5 grams saturated fat and 466 milligrams sodium!
Have a great tip on how to beat the heat? Let us know! Respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook Fan Page!
Father’s Day with Saint Germain!
Father’s Day is this weekend and it is the perfect time to show Dad just how much you care! The fastest way to Dad’s heart is, of course, through his stomach. So what better way to show Dad that he has a special place in your heart than to fill his day with amazing food from your favorite DC catering company?
Let Dad sleep in and serve him our delicious Saint Germain’s Breakfast Pockets! New breakfast pita pocket sandwiches stuffed with scrambled eggs, melted cheese, crispy bacon, sausage and peppers served with diced breakfast potatoes and a bowl of seasonal fruit salad.
After a morning of relaxing with the family, Dad is sure to be in the mood for a big satisfying lunch! Take Dad outside for a picnic and treat him to one of our delightful Summer Picnic Boxes To-Go. Our Summer Jazz Boxed Meal would be perfect with boneless chicken breast marinated in fresh rosemary and lemon, grilled to perfection, served with fresh berry salad, orzo pasta salad, a roll with butter and a delicious brownie for dessert.
After a long, eventful day Dad is going to need a feast fit for a king. Pick one of our many meals in our latest Summer menu. You can’t go wrong with our Fiesta Fun meal: carne asada, grilled chicken breast ole, Spanish rice, refried beans, fresh garden salad, chips with salsa, guacamole, sour cream, tortillas and some healthy fruit salad. The perfect way to end any Father’s Day!
Have a great idea for Father’s Day? Let us know! Respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook Fan Page!
Tips on How to Throw The Perfect Bridal Shower
August 3, 2012
It’s wedding season, and your favorite wedding caterer in DC has had their hands full with some absolutely amazing catered weddings and, honestly, we couldn’t be having more fun! But the good times don’t just start at the wedding; before you have the wedding you need to throw that beautiful bride-to-be a bridal shower!
Bridal showers are a great and fun opportunity for a bride to celebrate her upcoming marriage with her closest friends and relatives. But whether you are planning or attending a bridal shower, you probably have a few questions. Never fear, the SGC team is here with some tips on how to throw the perfect bridal shower!
Who’s Planning: Generally the maid of honor and the bridesmaids will plan the bridal shower, but relatives and even coworkers can also be involved.
Who’s invited: First, you need to finalize your guest list. Generally the guest list should include your closest female friends and relatives (and your fiancé’s mom, sis, and other close female friends and family). As for far-flung guests, sending a shower invite is a nice gesture even if you know they can’t attend — it shows them that they’re important to you and that you would have wanted them there.
When: The traditional time is anywhere from 6 months to a week before the wedding, if you have guests from out of town, it makes sense making it closer to the wedding day. As for time of day, traditionally they are on Sunday afternoons, but day or night is fine.
Games!
Toilet Paper Bride: All you need is TP! Divide the guests into groups of three or four, with one member of each group selected to model a bridal gown, veil and even accessories made entirely from toilet paper! The bride then selects the winning group, with each member of said team receiving a prize, bragging rights or both. This game is full of fun memories and potentially hilarious blackmail.
Clothes Pin Game: Usually topics of conversation at bridal showers revolve around the upcoming wedding. So, how hard would it be to talk about the event without actually saying wedding-related words? You see where this is going right? For this game, give each guest a predetermined number of clothespins. Announce a list of four or five wedding-related words that are taboo to say for the duration of the shower, such as the groom’s name, “wedding,” “church,” “love” or “honeymoon.” If a guest catches anyone uttering a taboo word, she can grab all of the offender’s clothespins and add them to her collection. The guest with the most impressive array of clothespins at the end of the shower wins a prize.
Memory Lane: The bride’s secret love of Backstreet Boys is sure to shock some partygoers when it’s revealed during this hilarious game. The idea is simple: Guests jot down a funny memory they share with the bride, such as the time they skipped class in high school or sat front-row at a Justin Beiber concert. The guests take turns guessing out who had the memory with the bride. Hostesses might be wise to keep the guest list in mind when giving directions for this game. If the bride’s future mother-in-law is present, keep the memories clean! She might not want to hear about every memory with bride!
Need a hand? We would love to cater the event for you! Contact us!
Have bridal shower tips of your own? Let us know and respond in the comments below, tweet us at @SGCatering or post on our Facebook FanPage!