As Passover approaches, you may be planning to host a Seder. It’s a great way to share the Jewish tradition with family and friends, both old and new.

The Seder is a religious feast observed during the first two days of Passover. The name means “order”, which is appropriate because the meal consists of particular rituals that pay homage to the history of Judaism.

During the Seder, each ritual corresponds to various aspects of the story of the Israelite’s liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. This story is read aloud from the Haggadah.

The Haggadah, which is Hebrew for “telling”, is the religious text that guides the Seder. It explains the meaning of each food on the Seder plate, recounts the story of the exodus, and contains prayers, songs, questions, and vignettes about Passover.

If you’re hosting a Seder this year, it’s important to ensure your Seder is welcoming and hospitable.

Here are a few tips for being a great host:

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Easter seems kind of late this year, huh?

While it may seem far away, it’s never too early to start planning. Some people even start right after Christmas! Now that’s probably too early, but spring is when the early bird gets the worm and it’s time to get ready.

If you’re in charge of creating festivity in the office, there are lots of fun ways to celebrate Easter.

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It’s no secret we love food. We love to cook it, eat it, and share it. To celebrate the vast Catering by Michaels repertoire, we want to take an opportunity to share some of those items which have become perennial favorites with clients and the entire Catering by Michaels family alike.

Today, we take a look at the humble and oh-so-delicious Parmesan Artichoke Dip.

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Who else is excited to see which food trends kick start the 2020’s?

Foodies are trendsetters, so we know most of our readers are eager to dig in!

The role of the Culinary Analyst at Catering by Michaels serves as the point person in the perfect position to see what our clients prefer at any particular time — with implications for the general population.

Last year (2019) was a big year for special dietary needs. Vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free foods were very popular, and we frequently catered to more unique diets such as keto and paleo.

Plant-based meat substitutes are also growing in demand. Nowadays, we always have an option for non-meat eaters which is something our industry didn’t really do 10 to 15 years ago.

As with all the rest of these food trends in 2020, we’re excited to be able to offer many options for all event guests.

The Top Food Trends for 2020

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Everyone loves a celebration!

And there’s no celebration without food, it seems. Regardless of their culture or religion, people love to eat when they are celebrating.

Food enhances the experience, promotes interactions between people, and provides a platform for bonding. If you love food as much as we do here at Catering by Michaels, you don’t even need a reason to eat.

But why is food so inexorably tied to celebration?

The Role Food Plays in Celebration

During many celebrations, the host offers food both as a gesture and reflex action.

It’s a gesture of love shown to people we care about whether on a sunny Sunday afternoon, at a wedding, or really during any sort of event. It’s also a physiological response to the mood. Naturally, certain mental states just make you want to eat something, both happy and sad.

Food is also an expression of who we are. We associate certain types of food with certain cultures and religions.

Apart from marking the event, the food served reminds the guests that the host has certain beliefs. That there’s something the owner of the event stands for. Without food, this would be difficult to convey.

Then again, who wants to attend a celebration without food?

The Celebration Dictates the Menu

Simply put, the host uses food to send a message to the guests.

That message is something to the effect of “you’re welcome,” “you’re cared for,” “this is who I am,” and “let’s celebrate.”

As the host, you put a lot of thought into setting a menu. So it’s not just that the food is tasty, it also sends the right message for the event.

At Catering by Michaels, we’re always ready with event-specific menus and offer various menu options tailored for different celebrations. We realize that you are looking for great menu options that fit your celebration to help you accomplish your goals, and our staff is eager to attend to your every need.

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