Cookies, Traditions & The Holiday Spirit

Can you believe Christmas time is here already? Where did the time go?! There are so many things to look forward to during the Christmas season. Whether you listen to Christmas music all month long (if you’re anything like me, maybe even a bit longer!), bake cookies, watch your favorite Christmas movies, or go to church. Whatever it may be, we recognize the people we get to celebrate with, make holidays all the more special.

Maybe this year, some of you are starting a new tradition or carrying out the ones from previous generations.

As for the TBC Family, our favorite tradition has been from our one and only Jamie Bagge. She has been baking the same cookies for about 40 years every Christmas. This Scandinavian recipe was passed along from her mother-in-law. She would make these beautiful cookies every Christmas, and Jamie wanted to share that same experience with others.

Over the years, Jamie would get creative in the kitchen by adding a bit of her very own German influence, baking some delicious gingerbread and Christmas stollen. She shares her Christmas stollen with her family and pastors each year. What makes it so special is in the details for her. As it’s folded over, it represents the swaddling cloth of Jesus in the manger.

The Bagge family has made it a tradition in their home by eating these lovely treats after Christmas dinner with some good ol’ eggnog mixed with Vernor’s ginger ale. One recommendation Jamie has is that “it must be Vernor’s brand. Only ginger ale connoisseurs understand Vernor’s. Canada Dry just doesn’t cut it.”

Jamie hasn’t just kept this tradition within her own family but has expanded that to the TBC Family by incorporating these recipes.

They have been a hit every year!

I will say, if you have yet to purchase the gingerbread man from our Holiday Cookie Platter, you are missing out; he is just too cute not to eat!

As you can see, these recipes are anything but ordinary – they’re something that has been carried out for generations. A recipe can be a simple thing, but the love and stories passed down from these simple traditions make the Holidays all the sweeter.

We are so grateful to have such a delicious tradition included on our menu. If you have yet to try these wonderful cookies, we hope you give it a try and allow our tradition to become yours too!

We look forward to receiving your orders in the years to come! Happy Holidays!

The Winemaker’s Reserve

We’re excited to share that we’ve partnered up with The Winemaker’s Reserve in Woodinville! While enjoying some of Washington’s finest local wines, you’ll have the option to try a few of our featured menu items! What goes best with wine? Cheese & meat! The charcuterie boards feature various rotating cheeses and meats and paired alongside our homemade rosemary crackers. Still hungry? Well don’t worry, we are also offering seasonal flatbreads. Looking for something on the lighter side? Throughout the season choose between our hummus or tapenade spreads as well. For all details about what we are serving each week please ask your tasting room attendant!



Trying to plan your next corporate holiday party, or thinking about where to have your wedding reception at? Check out The Winemaker’s Reserve website and social media pages. Or check out our other great venues. Established in 2019, The Winemaker’s Reserve’s owner, Matthew Loso wanted a unique open, modern, romantic event space where guests could eat, drink, and be merry. Hosting up to 400 guests, The Winemaker’s Reserve is a two-floor, indoor venue with multiple rooms, including a private tasting room where you can learn about the winemaking process and taste a variety of locally-made wines.



Interested in learning more about how our offered retail food pairs with the Winemaker’s delicious wine? Check out “Cheers for Peers” that was a live virtual Facebook event on Woodinville Wine Country page on November 5, 2020 at 6pm PST where you can tune-in to hear Twelve Baskets’ owner, John Bagge, Executive Chef, Tim Kramer, and Event Specialist, Olivia Gassner discuss the in’s and out’s of what we do and where some of our inspiration comes from along with a live tour from the winemakers at the Winemaker’s Reserve and some discussion about some of their favorite wines to pair with Twelve Baskets food! You can view this streamed video on the Woodinville Wine Country’s Facebook or Instagram page under their live story section!


Experience Corporate Woodinville 2019

It was the second annual Experience Corporate Woodinville event this past Spring and we were thrilled to be a part of it again! Columbia Winery hosted us and the other awesome caterers on their exclusive list. Each section of the venue featured a different season, and we were lucky enough to be out on the sunny patio for the “Fall” themed area. Tolo Events designed and planned the theme and did a great job putting everything together. We got to work with a lot of talented event professionals as well and all the guests seemed to have a great time! Check our vendor team list at the bottom of this post. We hope you’ll join us next time in May 2020.



Our station highlighted some of our favorite cooler weather bites, which would be perfect for a fall or winter gathering or meeting.

Hors d’Oeuvres

-Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates: dates stuffed with blue cheese, wrapped in bacon, baked and drizzled with a balsamic reduction
-Chimichurri Steak Skewers: seared seasoned beef tender with chimichurri sauce
-Pear and Gorgonzola Crostini: caramelized d’Anjou pear butter, gorgonzola crumbles and crispy sage served on a warm toast point











After enjoying a crisp fall setting on the transparent tent-covered patio, guests stepped into the beautiful “Columbia Room” which was fully decorated for winter with muted Christmas tones and lots of sparkle and flair.





Meanwhile, downstairs in the “Barrel Room” was a fun mix of spring and summer with lots of bright colors and pops of flowers and sunshine! As you can see below, LightSmiths did an amazing job bringing a fun atmosphere to the space. It makes you really see how versatile this room is and you can turn this blank canvas into any setting you’d like!






Amazing team of vendors:

Venue and Wine: Columbia Winery

Catering: Twelve Baskets Catering

Furniture: AFR Furniture Rental

Tent: Alexander Party Rentals

Linen Rentals: BBJ Linen

Transportation: Butler Seattle

Florals: Iris & Peony

Lighting: LightSmiths

Photography: Mike Nakamura Photography LLC

Planning and Design: Tolo Events

Photo booth: The SnapBar

Alumni Open House Special Event

We love being able to cater for all types of events and gatherings. This group of Alumni from Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School had a great time at their class reunion reminiscing, laughing, and just enjoying themselves with some good food and drinks. We were happy to be a part of this fun affair that brought old friends together from across the country!

A few words from our happy client: “I wanted to thank Twelve Baskets Catering for helping put on an amazing event! Everyone raved about the food and service. I appreciate all you did with quick responses and making it easy for me to trust a vendor across the country to have a successful event.”

Thanks to Danielle Barnum Photography for sharing these wonderful photos with us.

The group enjoyed some tray-passed Encrusted Beef Tip Bites and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, then we opened a heavy hors d’oeuvres buffet with a Grilled Vegetable Platter, Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin Crostini, Brie and Poached Pear Cups, Hummus Stuffed Cucumber Cup, Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates, Warm Artichoke and Parmesan Dip with house made pita chips, Smoked Chicken and Apple Crescents and Cilantro Spiced Prawns. Their dessert table consisted of our trio of bites: Brownie Bites, Meyer Lemon Bites, and Sweet & Salty Blondie Bites.


Valentine’s Special Dinner Idea

If you, or anyone you know, are hosting a group around Valentine’s Day, we’ve come up with a fun menu with options that we could provide that could be perfect for your get together. Please give us a call at 425.576.1000 to discuss your party!

Hors d’Oeuvres — Pear & Gorgonzola Crostini or Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin Crostini

Entree — Chicken Marsala with Pasta or Roasted Garlic Wild Salmon & Roasted Root Mash

Vegetable Side Dish– Brown Butter Broccolini or Grilled Asparagus

Salad — Mixed Field Greens or Winter Greens Salad

Dessert — Chocolate Dipped Strawberries or Flavorful French Macarons

Twelve Baskets Catering Salmon | Kelly Lemon Photography

Photo: Kelly Lemon Photography

 

Twelve Baskets Catering | Lorraine Fisher Photography

Photo: Lorraine Fisher Photography

Twelve Baskets Catering | Sasha Reiko Photography

Photo: Sasha Reiko Photography

Twelve Baskets Catering Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Photo: Twelve Baskets Catering

 

Experience Corporate Woodinville 2018

Seattle Farm Tables | Pink Blossom Events | Grand Event Rentals | Fena Flowers | The Fix Photo Group

We had the honor of participating in the 1st Annual Experience Corporate Woodinville tour this past May and had so much fun meeting all kinds of event planners and working with an incredible team of pros. Most people think of weddings when they think of Woodinville venues, but many of these beautiful spaces also host great events for corporate or social gatherings and meetings! The day of the tour was perfect… nice and sunny, not too hot, blue skies and sunglasses all around. All the guests were saying how much they enjoyed viewing the venues, drinking wine, and eating all the tasty food at each location. One of the coolest parts of the event was that they asked guests to bring items to donate to local school programs who would give the items to those less fortunate in our communities. It was a huge success! We hope that we will have the opportunity to be a part of your next special event in Woodinville, so give us a call today!

Continue reading “Experience Corporate Woodinville 2018”

Twelve Baskets added to Local Wedding Resource Guide

Twelve Baskets Catering was interviewed a couple years ago in the Pacific Northwest podcast, From Ring to Veil, a wedding planning resource. Since then, we have been added to their recent Resource Guide in the catering category! If you are interested in seeing a list of great event professionals and venues in our area, as well as an awesome guide to planning your wedding including Checklists and Timelines, you should check out this book! It’s reasonable priced on Amazon in paperback and Kindle version, and the proceeds go towards helping keep this super helpful podcast running!

Check it out!

From Ring to Veil Resource Guide

Miller Hull 40th Anniversary and MarketFront Celebration

© Joshua Lewis Photography

The city of Seattle has many famous tourist attractions, but the Public Market at Pike Place has always held a special place in the hearts of visitors far and as near as the city center itself! The Miller Hull Partnership has just extended the visitor capacity and ability for more artisans and vendors to take part in the market with the new MarketFront at Pike Place! This fabulous modern space has indoor and outdoor areas with gorgeous panoramic views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains; a perfect blend of city, culture, and nature. We were so pleased to be a part of Miller Hull’s 40th Anniversary party, being in good company just having celebrated 40 years ourselves, where they celebrated their history and hard work in the beautiful setting they created. We are hoping to be able to cater many more parties in this lovely venue! Continue reading “Miller Hull 40th Anniversary and MarketFront Celebration”

Environmentally Friendly Catering

We love sourcing products and foods that support a sustainable future. Over the last couple years we have been working on getting rid of disposable plastic in our company as much as we can. We’ve been pleased to find amazing quality eco products that are not only good for the earth, but easy on the eyes too! Since last year we have been sending wood/fallen leaf and sugarcane products for our drop off catering, and it’s great to hear from the companies we source our products from that they are choosing to do good work! We love not needing to sacrifice style for sustainability! Let us know if we can provide some lovely platters for a gathering soon.

Here are some photos from some of our recent compostable drop off events (if it looks like plastic, it is not!) :

Cheese Display - Twelve Baskets Catering Sandwich Makings - Twelve Baskets CateringLunch buffet in high rise - Twelve Baskets Catering

 

Here is some news we’ve received from the company PacknWood about their impact on reducing carbon emissions. We order a variety of products from them and have always been impressed with their merchandise. Click the icon below for more information.

CO2 Neutral Company

PacknWood is proud to be a CO2 Neutral Company
Working in collaboration with CO2logic, we estimated the carbon emissions generated by our bio-based products and developed a carbon calculator to assess our product-related emissions. This calculation includes all relevant contributors of a package’s carbon footprint such as raw materials, energy use (for manufacturing and storage) and logistics. End of life emissions have been excluded as no reliable data is available for the customer disposal, after the products have been delivered to our clients. However, we want to stress the importance of not sending compostable products to landfills to minimize the environmental impact.Amongst our bio-based products, palm leaf products emit the lowest emission, while sugarcane products emit the highest (but are still much better for the environment than plastic alternatives). Taking direct responsibility for our emissions is our commitment as a sustainable packaging innovator. This is why all our sustainable and innovative packaging solutions sold in North America are certified CO2 Neutral in compliance with the PAS 2060 standard.

We offset all unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions by supporting a climate project in Uganda. Thanks to PacknWood’s annual contribution and active participation of local communities, we preserve about 5,000 trees. This investment also supports the local infrastructure, avoids toxic fumes and offsets more than 1,000 metric tons of CO2.

co2-info
Every customer who uses our certified CO2 Neutral packaging solutions is making an active contribution to protecting the climate. At the same time, the use of CO2 neutral packaging can have a positive effect on your company or event’s own carbon footprint.

 

Open House Tasting at Within Sodo 7.11.17

Colleen Carroll Photography

Come join us for a fun night of food, drinks, and festivities with some of the best event professionals in the area! We are so pleased to be a part of this evening that Sarah with Eventful Moments has put together at Within Sodo. Click on this link to register your party! Please invite anyone you know who is in the market for catering for their wedding or special event!

Click here to RSVP!

 

Here is a list of the fabulous vendors who are a part of this special event!

Venue and Bar: WithinSodo

Planner: EVENTful Moments

Caterer: Twelve Baskets Catering

Photographer: Melissa J Soule Photography

Florist: En Fleur Event Design

DJ: Otto-Matic Mobile Music

Rentals: Pedersen’s Event Rentals

Vintage Rentals: Vintage Ambiance

Chalk Art: Chalk Boss

Cake: The Cakewalk Shop

Hair and Makeup: Yessie Libby Makeup and Styling

 

Here are a few photos from some of the many fun events we have worked at Within Sodo!

Colleen Carroll Photography

Colleen Carroll Photography

Aya Sato Photography

Aya Sato Photography

Aya Sato Photography

Aya Sato Photography

Ashley Mae Scott Photography

Ashley Mae Scott Photography

Ashley Mae Scott Photography

Ashley Mae Scott Photography

Mike Fiechtner Photography

Mike Fiechtner Photography

Mike Fiechtner Photography

Bat Mitzvah Photo by Twelve Baskets Catering

Bat Mitzvah by Twelve Baskets Catering

Napkin Folds for Special Events and Weddings

David Lai Photography

David Lai Photography

Looking for an interesting and creative way to make your table look extra special? Here are some various folds we have done for clients as well as a few unique new styles we have seen recently!

Vintage Plates with “Waterfall Fold” linen napkins

Sasha Reiko Photography  Green Ginger Photography

Sasha Reiko Photography                                                              Green Ginger Photography

Flatware tucked into a “Pocket Fold” linen napkin

Alyssa Wilcox Photography  Aya Sato Photography

Alyssa Wilcox Photography                                                   Aya Sato Photography

Printed menu on top of a “Rectangle Fold” linen napkin

Twelve Baskets Catering

Twelve Baskets Catering Photograph

Use of greenery or leaves on simple “Rectangle” or “Pocket Fold” linen napkins

Amanda K Photography  Mike Fiechtner Photography

Amanda K Photography                                                  Mike Fiechtner Photography

The classic “Triangle Fold” on charger or straight on the table

Amanda Lloyd Photography  Angela and Evan Photography

Amanda Lloyd Photography                                                 Angela and Evan Photography

DIY (by the bride’s father!) Copper Napkin Rings on beautiful blue linen napkins!

Erin and Ray Photography

Erin and Ray Photography

Calligraphy name tags wrapped around a “Pointed Rectangle Fold” linen napkin

Mariah Gentry Photography

Mariah Gentry Photography

Here are a few looks that we hope to fold for your next event!

“Knotted” napkin fold

Delbarr Moradi via Pinterest

“Pocket Cone Fold” linen napkin with tucked herbs

The Cone Fabric Napkin Fold

via DIY Network

“Envelope Fold” with linen napkin

Envelope Napkin Fold via Martha Stewart

via Martha Stewart

Weddings in Woodinville 2017

We are so excited about being a part of Weddings in Woodinville again this year. We will be stationed at Woodhouse Wine Estates with a great team of incredible wedding professionals. Come sample our food and chat with us about your special day – We hope to see you there! Give us a call or email us at info(at)twelvebasketscatering(dot)com for special show pricing. 🙂

Weddings in Woodinville 2017

Winter Menus and Holiday Packages

Holiday Table

The holidays are just around the corner. Book your event now and you won’t have to worry about that aspect of your to-do list for the rest of the season! Take advantage of some of our delicious new menu items and old Twelve Baskets classics like our German and Scandinavian cookies and candies made from recipes passed down from our owners’ grandmothers. There is still a lot to choose from and your guests will be so impressed! Take a peek at our new menus and packages available and give us a call today to plan your social or company get-together!

Holiday Packages

Winter Dessert Menu

Winter Dessert Packages

 

Holiday Beverages

Expertise.com names Twelve Baskets top Caterer

expertise-award

Expertise.com looked at 283 caterers in the area and named us one of the top 20 caterers in Seattle! The award was based on:

  • 1. Reputation

    A history of delighted customers as a signal of outstanding service.

  • 2. Credibility

    Building customer confidence with licensing, industry accreditations, and awards.

  • 3. Experience

    Masters of their craft, based on years of practical experience and education.

  • 4. Availability

    Consistently approachable and responsive, so customers never feel ignored.

  • 5. Professionalism

    Providing customers a seamless experience both online and off.

  • 6. Engagement

    Actively engaged with their customers across a number of platforms.

 

Best Workplace for Waste Prevention – 6 time award winner!

From the King County Newsroom:

King County’s Best Work Places for Waste Prevention and Recycling 2016 Award

“Commitment to innovation, cutting waste and saving resources are common traits among a diverse group of 112 businesses – along with their inclusion to the King County Solid Waste Division’s 10th-annual “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list.

“King County businesses are doing a lot to lessen the impacts of climate change by reducing waste,” said King County Solid Waste Division Program Manager Karen May. “We want to ensure businesses get the recognition they deserve for their efforts and inspire others to take action too.”

Companies that have made the list five years in a row are recognized with an Honor Roll designation. This year, 24 businesses joined the “Best Workplaces” list for the first time, and 54 businesses received the Honor Roll designation.

The organizations on the 2016 Best Workplaces for recycling list implemented innovative ways to reduce waste and increase recycling.

Last year, businesses and institutions in King County sent more than 276,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill.

All businesses operating in King County outside of the City of Seattle are eligible for the list. To qualify, businesses must meet five basic criteria, as well as 10 additional waste reduction and recycling criteria. To learn more, visit www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore.

To learn more about the program, contact Karen May at 206-477-528 or karen.may@kingcounty.gov.”

Twelve Baskets Catering, based out of Kirkland, remains on the list of Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling Honor Roll for the sixth consecutive year. As one of the first earth-friendly restaurants and catering services in Puget Sound, they are proud to say that they have been recycling since 1978, even before curbside collection was available. Twelve Baskets Catering infuses reuse, reduction, and recycling throughout their business model. Food scraps go into compost totes for bi-weekly pickup, and the business also donates safe leftover food to the Union Gospel Mission every week.

The business’ waste prevention and recycling practices have definitely led to savings and reduced costs. They have been printing on paper less and less each year, and in addition to saving money on paper and printer ink, they have also been able to get payments more quickly from clients because they use a digital online signature company. It is easier for clients to digitally sign the contracts and everyone now has access to the contract digitally. They have also saved money by switching to longer lasting light bulbs.

Advice to others: “In the food industry there can be the potential for a lot of waste. Nowadays there are so many options for biodegradable and even edible food service products, but they can be even cheaper than their non-compostable counterparts! We have found our clients to be not only receptive to these items, but also pleased to be a part of the green scene at their events. We also provide appropriate compost or recycle bins at our events for the guests to use. We can be creative with our menu and service options and help our clients choose packages and service ware that is good for the Earth.”

BWP-honor-roll-2016_190x220

Available Positions at Twelve Baskets Catering! Seattle Wedding and Event Catering

Banquet Cook (part to possibly full time and seasonal )

Twelve Baskets Catering (strictly off-premise) and Executive Chef Phil Collins are seeking to hire talented Banquet Cooks. This position will be a mix of AM and PM shifts preparing and finishing both hot and cold menu items. Candidates with experience in “from scratch cooking” who are detail oriented , reliable, fun to work with, and have a desire to work and learn from a highly trained and skilled executive chef should apply today.

The ideal candidate will have at least 2 years line and banquet cooking experience in a busy mid to upscale from scratch kitchen, will be culinary driven and dedicated to their craft, and will work hard with a sense of urgency while having fun in a team environment. Hotel cooking, banquet cooking and a culinary school degree are a huge plus. This is a part time position with flexible hours along with potential growth opportunities for the right candidate. Full time possibility for the right person.

Related skills needed:
Proper Kitchen procedures and organization knowledge
Work in a team atmosphere
Strong knife skills
Understanding of from scratch cooking
Can read and speak English
Entry level understanding of pastry and desserts (not mandatory)
Fish cookery knowledge +
Meat cookery knowledge +
Charcuterie
Exceptional palette
Knowledge of Gluten and Dairy Free cooking +
Curious and inspired by food and creating something special
Culinary driven and want to take our catering clients experience to the next level

Seasonal and On-Call Event Staff

We are looking for quality seasonal on call event staff for serving, bartending, and a few lead event captains to work our off premise weddings, social and corporate events. We are looking for team players that are friendly, outgoing, hard working, efficient and who really care about the guests and clients. We are a regional top ten award winning catering company located in Kirkland but we work all over the Seattle Metro area.

 

CLICK ON EACH POSITION FOR MORE INFORMATION ON POACHED

 

 

Snohomish Wedding Tour 2015

Come see us on May 31st at the Snohomish Wedding Tour! You’ll be able to visit up to 21 event venues around the beautiful Snohomish area and talk with some amazing event vendors at each location. Tickets are just $5/person for this self-guided tour of 21 venues scattered in and around Snohomish. Check-in begins at 9:30am at Snohomish Center at 506 Fourth Street, Snohomish. At check in you will receive your map and driving directions.

The great vendors who we will be working with at Belle Chapel:

Planning: Blush Celebrations

Catering: Twelve Baskets Catering

Beverages: Pour Girls and Some Guys

DJ: Triple J Music

Photography: Melissa Miksch

Rentals/Decor: Something Borrowed

 

Seahawks Playoff Package! Seattle Catering

Twelve Baskets Catering

presents

Seahawks Package

 

12th Man 12 Baskets Play-Off Package | Only $25 per person for 20 guests
This menu will be given to you cold with reheating instructions.

 

All American Mini Burgers served with cheese, lettuce, tomato & ketchup sweet pickle aioli
Wild Alaskan Salmon Sliders served with Napa slaw & agave chipotle aioli   
BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders slow-cooked with BBQ sauce, served with a tangy coleslaw on a soft bun
Hawk Wings choice of Caribbean or Frank’s Red Hot sauce, served with celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing
Meatballs served with your choice of sauce:  BBQ, Swedish, teriyaki or marinara (2 per person)
Bacon Parmesan Dip served with sliced baguettes and our signature pita chips
Macaroni and Cheese penne pasta, baked in our three cheese sauce
Pigs in Blanket bratwurst wrapped in puff pastry and served with stone ground mustard and bbq sauce
Potato Skins loaded with Jack & cheddar cheeses, bacon, sour cream crema and topped with green onions
Fresh Vegetable Platter fresh vegetables served with our signature creamy Parmesan dip
Mini Fresh Fruit Kabobs featuring bites of cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and grapes
Football Sugar Cookies traditional sugar cookies shaped like footballs and frosted
Blue and Green Vanilla Cupcakes mini cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

 

Please let us know if you would like us to provide plates, forks, and napkins for an additional charge.

The Knot’s Fall Mixer Event | Networking with the Industry’s Best | Seattle Catering

Our team had a blast at The Knot‘s Fall Mixer event a few weeks back. Getting to work alongside some of the Seattle event industry’s finest is one of the reasons we love what we do! We provided some delicious Fall inspired appetizers that our fabulous staff tray passed throughout the evening. Think about choosing one of these wandering friendly hors d’oeuvres at your next event!

– {Strolling Wrapped Field Greens} a Winter twist on the classic summer roll

– {Stuffed Mushrooms} hearty sun-dried tomatoes

– {Flat Iron Steak Crostini} two bite bruschetta

– {Filo Wrapped Asparagus with Caesar Dip} one of our popular new Signature shooters

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Gorgeous Venue: 1927 Events

Planning and Beautiful Florals and Design: Jen’s Blossoms

Beverages: BevMo

Bartending: Invisible Hostess

Furniture: Rented Elegance

Rentals: American Party Place

Lighting and Ambience: Green Light Event Design

Photography: Hildebrand Photography

Photo Booth: Drunken Pixel

among others! See photo below for full vendor list…

.

 

Northlake Wedding and Events Tour – November 9th – Seattle Wedding Catering

 

We can’t believe the Northlake Wedding & Events Tour is just under a month away! If you, your friends, wedding party, business associates, vendors, or clients haven’t purchased your tickets yet, don’t miss out! This tour  will be amazing! A number of great vendors and venues are signed up for a day full of fun!

Twelve Baskets will be stationed at the Center for Urban Horticulture, which also happens to be the first stop on the tour as well as registration, so please make sure to come and see us. We’ll be passing out some treats and beverages and would love to see you. Each venue along the way will have their own team of vendors and their own special theme showcasing their talents. We’ll have a terrific group of event professionals working alongside us to create a festive elegant Circus themed party, or  Cirque du Soiree, as we’re calling it! Think, Big Top!

Can’t wait to see everyone there. For more information and to purchase your tickets, go to www.northlakewedding.com

Random House – Outlander Retreat Seattle

Thank you so much for taking a look at our page! We have LOTS of ideas for you from more recent events! Check out our current work here:

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Random House – Outlander Retreat Seattle

 

Last weekend we had the opportunity of being a part of an awesome event at Fischer Pavillion at Seattle Center. Random House put on a retreat conference to celebrate New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon’s new book in her Outlander series and we were so pleased to participate in the fun. We served an assortment of cheese from the British Isles and France, traditional Scottish breads, oatcakes, pickled onion, and chutneys, displayed dramatically with in-period decor, on silver and pewter platters with tartan accents, tray passed Mini Shepherds Pies, Smoked Salmon Oatcake Canape, Scottish Meatballs, Gazpacho Andaluz Shooters, and had Dessert Buffet of Scottish Shortbread Cookies, Lavender Fudge, Traditional Chocolate Fudge, and fruit kabobs with honey yogurt dip. It was a real medieval feast! We also served some fun non alcoholic beverages with ice cubes holding frozen herbs and berries – what a cute look. Our team had so much fun putting this event together and loved being able to create such a dreamy and magical set up. The staff on hand at the event had a blast as well; we even had traditional Scottish outfits on our bartenders – which of course the guests absolutely loved!

The biggest compliment we received that day were all of the photographs being taken on handheld devices and guests’ smartphones. We knew we had made an impression!

Can’t wait to check out the new Starz series starting August 9th. But first, need to pick up a copy of Outlander to read 😉

Photos in this blog were taken by Twelve Baskets Catering. For more lovely photos from the event photographers, O’Malley Photographers, click here.

Gorgeous floral installations: Love Blooms Event Design

 

   

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Liquor Laws for Washington State thanks to Twelve Baskets Catering owner, John Bagge

Yesterday, our owner, John Bagge, made catering history! With the assistance of Representative Larry Springer, John Bagge was successful in introducing House Bill 2680 which allows catering companies to finally be able to apply for a liquor license without having their own restaurant or storefront. Appreciation also goes to the Washington Restaurant Association and the Liquor Control Board for their generous support. Here is John Bagge with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee getting the bill signed into law! Time to celebrate! Here are a couple links to more information:

http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/251005811.html

 

Open House Tasting at Within Sodo

 

Click the picture above to RSVP

We are so excited about our Open House coming up on Thursday, January 30th at Within Sodo. This is a great chance to come out and try a variety of our menu items, as well as get a feel for the general ambiance of Twelve Baskets Catering. We are excited to also be featuring a few of our favorite local vendors. There will be tunes and ambient lighting from Adam’s DJ Service, beer and wine from BevMo, sweets and cakes from The Sweet Side, photography by Colleen Carroll, delicious coffee drinks from Espresso Elegance, creative florals from Bash & Bloom, Invitations and Stationery by Just Milled, photo booth by Emerald City Photo Booth, displays and beautiful rentable contributions from MG Davis EventsVintage AmbianceSeattle Farm Tables and AA Party Rentals. We are excited to see you at gorgeous Within Sodo!

 

Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Awards 2014

Seattle, WA – January 20th, 2014 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading online wedding marketplace, named Twelve Baskets Catering as a winner of the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards™ 2014 for Catering in Seattle!

The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards™ 2014 recognizes the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. The esteemed awards are given to the top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their professional achievements from the previous year.

While many industry award winners are selected by the host organization, the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards™ winners are determined solely based on reviews from real newlyweds and their experiences working with Twelve Baskets. Award-winning vendors are distinguished for the quality, quantity, consistency and timeliness of the reviews they have received from their past clients.

“There’s no better way to start the year than by honoring the hard work, commitment and success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Network,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “It is exciting to celebrate a sixth year recognizing businesses whose clients believe they are committed to quality, professionalism and all around top-notch service. We are honored to recognize Twelve Baskets Catering for their impressive achievements within the wedding industry.”

As a Couples’ Choice Awards™ winner, Twelve Baskets Catering is highlighted within the WeddingWire Network, which is comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout North America and abroad.

Twelve Baskets is proud to be one of the top Caterers in the Seattle area in the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding sites such as WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. We value all of our clients and truly appreciate the positive feedback that helped us earn the WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards™ 2014.

For more information about Twelve Baskets Catering, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at www.weddingwire.com/twelvebasketscatering.

To learn more about the Couple’s Choice Awards™, please visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire™, the nation’s leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.

Get Hitched Give Hope – November 14th, 2013

Please join us and many more talented event industry professionals at this fun “Paris in the 20’s” themed charity event! We will be donating a pre-wedding glam-picnic package up for auction for you and your closest friends – come bid on this and other amazing items and services while enjoying lovely hors d’oeuvres and cocktails from The Four Seasons Hotel. This is an event you do not want to miss! If you or someone you know is getting married, please pass along this info to them and get your tickets right away before they are sold out!

Autumm Open House Tasting Event – 10.24.2013

Please join us for a tasting event at Glassybaby Studio in Madrona on October 24th from 5pm-8pm. We will be sharing a sampling of some of our Fall favorites as well as some of our most popular menu items and delicious treats as well.

Click here to RSVP.

Here are some of our friends who will be participating as well! Hope to see you there.

Host/Caterer: Twelve Baskets Catering

Venue and Decor: Glassybaby Studio

Photographer: Laura Marchbanks

Cake/Baker: Honey Crumb Cake Studio

DJ/Lighting: Adam’s DJ Service

Beer and Wine: BevMo

Rentals: AA Party Rentals

Florist: Fiore Blossoms

UW Botanic Gardens Vendor Showcase Event

Please, come join us and a bunch of other talented local event artisans at this open house put on by the UW Botanic Gardens. It will be at the Center for Urban Horticulture on September 11th from 2:30pm – 6:30pm. If you are hosting, planning, or even thinking about throwing a party, you should come check out this gorgeous venue and meet some great people who could help you throw a great bash! We will be serving up some tasty treats and beverages, so be sure to stop by! Here is some more info from their website.

Open House Tasting – The Landing Banquet and Lounge

We had a great turn out for our Summer tasting at The Landing in U Village. What a beautiful space! We were thrilled to work with Rasa and Erika of PlanningSavvy.com to bring this fun event together. We chose a light color palette to contrast with the industrial romantic feel of the space and it worked really well! The venue has gorgeous windows with flowy drapes that let in a lot of light and really open up the space. Eleanor with Bash and Bloom created the most exquisite floral pieces that fit just right and tied everything together! Wine World and Spirits poured some wonderful wines to pair with the menu and Carla from Honey Crumb Cake Studio made some delicious treats to share along with having a live cake decorating station where she frosted and put together a fabulous cakes topped with one of her signature sugar flowers. Ashley Webster played some beautiful music throughout the night and AA Party Rentals provided all of the lovely linens and other equipment. Thanks to Jenny of Jennifer Wohrle Photography for these amazing images and for taking the time to get all the little details!

Make sure to contact these great vendors for your next special event!

Here is the menu from the event:

Passed Hors D’oeuvres

Smoked Salmon Cakes, Roma Tomato Bruschetta, and Brie and Poached Pear Purses

Buffet Menu

Fresh and Grilled Vegetable Display, Warm Artichoke and Parmesan Dip, Stuffed Baby Red Potatoes, Apple Smoked Chicken Breast served with a blackberry balsamic sauce, Grilled Flank Steak served with our tri-peppercorn & sherry sauce, Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Seasonal Sautéed Vegetables, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Macrina Bakery Multi-Seed Breadsticks and Rolls

Desserts

Brownie Bites, Meyer Lemon Bites, Sweet & Salty Blondie Bites, Shortcake Shooters, French Macaroons, and a S’mores Station

Beverages

Citrus Water, Passion Orange Guava Sparkling Punch, Vanilla Mint Lemonade, and Freshly Brewed Caffe Vita Coffee Service

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

Venue: The Landing

Catering: Twelve Baskets Catering

Photographer: Jennifer Wohrle

Event Planner: Erica and Rasa with PlanningSavvy

Flowers: Bash and Bloom

Music: Ashley Webster, Pianist

Wine and Beer: Wine World & Spirits

Specialty Desserts and Cake: Honey Crumb Cake Studio

Rentals: AA Party Rentals

February Open House – “Around the World” Food Station Tasting Event

Well, another round of applause is in order for the great people and local companies who helped us put together yet another successful tasting event. We couldn’t have done it on our own and we are so grateful and appreciative for their support and generosity in sharing their talents! Thank you, Catherine of CALIMA Portraits for the beautiful photographs. See the list at the bottom of the post of all who participated and be sure to give them a call for your next party!

This “Around the World ” themed event had three international food stations as well as some tray passed hors d’oeuvres and a dessert bar!

Also, click here to look through our Pinterest inspiration board and how we developed the theme and colors!

   

South of the Border

-Chicken Santa Fe-
 lime-marinated chicken breast, grilled to perfection over an open flame,
served with a salsa fresco
-Build Your Own Steak Fajita Bar-
with fresh local Blue Mesa Ranch tender steak sautéed with red & green peppers and red onions, served with soft flour tortillas
-Mexican Quinoa Salad-
a colorful medley of quinoa, fresh tomatoes, lime, corn,black bean tossed in a garlic, cracked pepper, cumin, chili powder, fresh lime and olive oil dressing
-Pork and Pineapple Tamales-
fresh signature tamales with carnitas, mole sauce, baked pineapple, chili peppers and cilantro, wrapped in a corn husk shell

    

Pan-Asian

-Vietnamese Summer Rolls-
fresh cilantro, basil, bean sprouts, red leaf lettuce and carrots all wrapped in rice paper,
 served with Thai peanut lime and a sweet chili dipping sauces
-Pho Station-
choice of beef meatballs or tofu with seasonal vegetables and rice noodles in broth with cilantro and onions
-Steak Satay-
 with Teriyaki sauce

      

Mediterranean

-Chicken Souvlaki Skewer-
fresh grilled chicken breast seasoned with lemon, olive oil and Mediterranean herbs and served with tzatziki sauce
-Greek Salad-
Romaine, red onion, feta cheese, kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh diced tomatoes, pepperoncini peppers and cucumbers all tossed with our Mediterranean dressing
-Warm Artichoke and Parmesan Dip-
served with sliced baguettes and our signature pita chips
-Beef Tenderloin Bruschetta-
slow-roasted tenderloin with herbs & garlic, sliced thin and served on a thyme & roasted garlic toast point topped with a creamy tarragon horseradish sauce

    

Northwest Tray Passed Hors D’oeuvres

-Smoked Salmon Cakes-
fresh wild Northwest in-house apple wood smoked salmon,
served crisp, topped with a Cajun remoulade sauce
-Brie and Poached Pear Purses-
D’Anjou pears poached in mulling spices over a slice of Brie in an Athens phyllo shell,
 topped with a caramelized walnut and a lavender-infused honey drizzle
-Baby Red Potatoes-
stuffed with sour cream, dill, Boursin cheese and chives

 

Dessert

-Brownie Bites-
a blend of bittersweet chocolate chunks, chips and Hershey’s kisses
-Meyer Lemon Bites-
with a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust
-Sweet & Salty Blondie Bites-
chewy, buttery sea salt blondie bites featuring butterscotch and chocolate chips, walnuts piece and shredded coconut

-Lady Yum Signature Package-
mini cake
chocolate cake pops
mini ombre frosted sugar cookies
mini vanilla cupcakes
salted caramel French macaroons

      

Beverages

Citrus Iced Water
Passion Orange Guava Sparkling Punch
Vanilla Mint Lemonade
Freshly Brewed Caffe Vita Coffee Service
Assorted Hot Numi Teas

                           

Venue: The Great Hall at Green Lake

Photographer: Calima Portraits

Event Planner: Pink Blossom Events

Flowers: Laurel’s Floral Decor

Specialty Rentals: Vintage Ambiance

Stationary and Signage: Just Milled

DJ: Bugsie Productions

Wine and Beer: Wine World & Spirits

Specialty Desserts: Lady Yum

Linen Rentals and Chair Covers: Platinum Designs

Photo Booth: Fun Frames

Rentals: AA Party Rentals

Striped Linen: Pedersen’s Rentals

 

 

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Twelve Baskets Catering February Tasting

Please join us for a tasting event at The Great Hall at Green Lake Thursday, February 28th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, where we will be showcasing some international food stations.  You will also have a chance to speak with one of our coordinators about your upcoming event and meet some great local event industry professionals as well, such as Pink Blossom EventsPlatinum DesignsWine World & SpiritsJust MilledFun Frames Photo BoothLady YumVintage AmbianceAA Party RentalsBugsie ProductionsLaurel’s Floral Decor, and Calima Portraits. There will also be some special offers and give-aways that will be presented.

Please RSVP here at our Evite page and we look forward to seeing you there!

Hurry! Space is limited!

 

January 2013 Open House Recap

Another new year, another open house – but not just any open house! This January, we pulled off our best one yet, with help from some of our dear friends and colleagues! We brought the theme from our booth at the Seattle Wedding Show – “Mint to Be“, and with all the talent in the room, it was just fabulous! We would like to thank all of you who came out to support us, try our food, and see us in action! We truly love what we do and are grateful for the opportunity we have to be a part of such great events in Seattle from the grand weddings and corporate meetings, to the simple and intimate social gatherings. We love it all!

These stunning photographs were taken by Angela and Evan Photography and we are so thankful to all of the other vendors we joined forces with to create such a magnificent soiree. From the fantastic florals provided by Lola Event Floral and Design, down to every last little vintage glass bottle from Vintage Ambiance. Everyone made their mark and deserves a round of applause!

Venue: 415 Westlake

Photography: Angela and Evan Photography

Event Planner: Melody Davis

Florist: Lola Event Floral and Decor

Bar: BevMo

DJ/Lighting: Wave Link Music

Farm Tables: Seattle Farm Tables

Vintage Rentals: Vintage Ambiance

Handcrafted Party Details: Heathoriginal

Rentals: AA Party Rentals

Specialty Linen: Creative Coverings

Specialty Dessert: Lady Yum

Wedding Gowns: The Dress Theory

Event Painter: Sam Day

Invitations/Stationary: Just Milled

Photo Booth: Emerald City Photo Booth

Transportation: Butler Valet

Coffee Catering: Espresso Elegance

Coat Check: Coat Check Complete

View more photos here on our facebook page!

Winter Open House Tasting Recap

What a great winter wonderland open house we had at the amazing, industrial and historic EM Fine Art in South Lake Union this past November! A big thanks to Laura Marchbanks Photography for capturing it just perfectly! We were not alone in our efforts, Melody Davis of MG Davis Events and Melanie Benson floral created a gorgeous tablescape, Wine World and Spirits showcased some of their favorites at the bar, Choice Linens provided some fabulous, sparkly overlay linen, and AA Party Rentals shared some amazing equipment, while Wave Link Music set the mood, and Lady Yum shared some beautifully scrumptious treats! We love working with these awesome local vendors and hope you will have the opportunity to as well!

As for the food, we had tray passed tomato bisque soup with grilled cheese bites, risotto cakes, vegetable stuffed mushrooms along with a delicious sampling of some of our most popular hors d’oeuvres in station style. Hover your mouse over each photo for a little more information.

Take a peek and be ready to be inspired for your next event!

 

September Open House Tasting

What a beautiful event our September Tasting was! Guests arrived at The Woodhouse Wine Estates in Woodinville on a crisp autumn evening and were greeted with warm butternut squash soup shooters, crab cakes, and brie and poached pear purses, followed by a bountiful dinner buffet sampling of Twelve Basket favorites! Lola Event Floral and Design created the most beautiful arrangements, rentals were provided through AA Party Rentals, Woodhouse shared their wine,  Lady Yum provided sweet treats, and the lovely Cozbi Jean captured it all!

Dinner Menu

Grilled Flank Steak
local Blue Mesa Ranch steaks marinated in red wine, garlic and our special blend of spices, then seared to perfection over an open flame and served with our tri-peppercorn & sherry sauce
Braised Fresh Wild Salmon
locally caught fresh wild salmon braised with lemons, white wine and capers
 served with a light pesto garlic cream sauce
Apple Smoked Chicken Breast
locally raised chicken breast smoked in-house with apple chips and served with a blackberry balsamic sauce
 Vegan Stuffed Artichokes with Curried Rice
brown rice tossed with water chestnuts, soft tofu, peppers and green olives and then baked
Pumpkin Ravioli
served with a nutmeg cream sauce
Vegan Quinoa Rotelle Pasta
a corn & quinoa pasta tossed in truffle oil and tossed in our homemade marinara primavera sauce
   Seasonal Sautéed Vegetables
an eclectic mix of market fresh vegetables
Mixed Field Greens Pear Salad
fresh mixed greens served with poached pears, candied walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese and Champagne vinaigrette
  Fresh Macrina Bakery Sliced Artisan Bread and assorted rolls served with butter 

Lady Yum Signature Dessert Package
mini cake
chocolate cake pops
ombre cookies
mini vanilla cupcakes
mini spice cupcakes
salted caramel French macarons

Venue: The Woodhouse Wine Estates

Food: Twelve Baskets Catering

Desserts: Lady Yum

Florist: Lola Event Floral and Design

Rentals: AA Party Rentals

Photography: Cozbi Jean Photography

Late Night Snack // A Cereal Station!

We had been thinking about how to incorporate cereal into our menu for a little while now; such a tasty treat that often gets forgotten! We were contacted recently by Seattle Bride Magazine asking for ideas of late night snacks to print in their upcoming spring/summer issue, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to put the cereal bar to the test! We set up a mock station with all the goodies and fixings and did a little photo shoot! Afterwards, we all went to town and got a little sugar high in the afternoon!  We hope you like it!  The options are practically endless, but you could choose from sugary nostalgic childhood favorites to a more healthy granola and Kashi route. We can set up an apothecary jar and vase filled DIY station or serve them up tray-passed with a milk shooter that the guests would pour over the cereal themselves! Ask one of our sales coordinators about the options for this fun and interactive item at your next event. Here is a direct link to Seattle Bride’s feature on Midnight Snack Ideas where our cereal bar was showcased.

 

{colored bowls and ceramic spoons not available}

 

Target & David Stark’s Produce Launch Event

On October 4th, we had the unique pleasure and honor of catering Target’s Westlake Park produce launch event, designed by none other than renowned New York event designer David Stark, celebrating the unveiling of Target’s new fresh produce line in their local stores.

We served fresh-squeezed lemonade and hot spiced apple cider from giant fruit-shaped “pods” to downtown Seattle pedestrians throughout the day while Target passed out gift bags of fresh produce. Later in the day, we prepared and handed out pears & apple crostadas, complete with printed recipes for future baking. Additionally, Top Chef judge and Food & Wine Magazine event coordinator Gail Simmons hosted a cook-off with local chefs Ericka Burke (Volunteer Park Cafe) & Joshua Henderson (Skillet).

The following photos were taken by our own Jaffrey Bagge – when we receive more photos from the event, we will post them in an additional blog post. Enjoy!

Inrix Company Party – July 16th

Talk about beautiful!  The Inrix company party at Bothell’s Dragonfly Retreat on the 16th was a feast for the senses.  Blue skies, green grass and trees, red and white gingham linens and our Deluxe Burger Bar set the scene for an idyllic corporate picnic.  Something new we’re trying out, the S’more Station was a hit with the kids and the parents — make sure to ask about it for your next picnic or evening event.  Thanks to Matt Campbell for the great photos below.