Brian and Mick's blog

Holiday meals are the perfect opportunity to extend your thanks through food. For those who don’t like to cook, the idea of preparing a meal for 5, 15, 30 people can sound like the antithesis of showing thanks.We are here to to share some tips on how to make holiday meals easy! 

1. Plan your recipes in advance:
   Preparation is key! The internet, cooking shows, and family members have tons of recipes you can use. Make yourself a mini cookbook of shorts, by accumulating recipes for your turkey, sides, apps, and desserts. Read them over, write down the ingredients needed, and most important, note the cook time / temperature for each dish. This will help you later!

2. Go shopping a few days before your get together:
   Getting your grocery shopping out of the way is a big help!

3. Prep the food the night before:
   You can prep most, if not all, of your sides / desserts the night before your event. Prep means you assemble the dish, but don’t cook it. This way, on the day of your holiday dinner, you can just pop everything into the oven! 

4. Heat your sides while your turkey rests:
   A lot of people worry about not having enough space in the oven. The thing with turkeys is they need to rest for a significant amount of time, up to 45 minutes, depending on the size of your turkey. When the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165℉, pull it out to rest. Increase the temperature of the oven, and heat up your sides while the turkey rests. If your dishes need to be cooked at different temperatures, like 350℉ or 375℉, set the oven at 360℉, and slightly change the cook time of the dishes.

For those who don't want to cook at all, B&M offers a wide variety of Holiday menus including: fully prepped meals, sides, apps and more.

You get to sit back, relax, and leave the cooking to us this holiday season!

Celebrate with our "Heat n Serve" options.

Order all your tried and true favorites while avoiding the supermarket
(and a sink full of pots and pans).

You can have us cook your complete meal or simply help out with the side dishes.

Our famous sides are available for individual ordering!

A perfect pairing makes your job just a little easier.

Please order 7 days in advance.

Sit back, relax, and leave the cooking to us this holiday season!

Celebrate with our "Heat n Serve" options.

Order all your tried and true favorites while avoiding the supermarket
(and a sink full of pots and pans).

You can have us cook your complete meal or simply help out with the side dishes.

Our famous sides are available for individual ordering!

A perfect pairing makes your job just a little easier.

Please order 7 days in advance.

If you are attending a holiday party, or hosting one yourself, you might be wondering what to serve or how to make the event extra special. Signature cocktails have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and allow hosts to give their events a personal touch. Whether you are using B&M's bar services, or are crafting your own cocktails, here are three drinks that are guaranteed to bring extra flare to your holiday event.

1. Mulled Cider: This Cozy drink is infused with cinnamon and clove, and guaranteed to make your house smell like a candle shop. You can make it on the stove top, a slow cooker, or in an instant pot. 

   1. Toast the spices: Add the nutmeg, allspice, cloves, star anise and cinnamon to the bottom of a pot (or to a skillet for Slow Cooker instructions). Toast over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

   2. Stovetop cooking instructions: Turn the heat to low. Pour in the apple cider and bring to below a simmer, just barely bubbling. Warm for 1 hour on low heat (don’t let it simmer). Skim off any particulate if desired, or stir to re-incorporate it.

   3. Slow Cooker & Instant Pot instructions: Place the apple cider in the slow cooker or Instant Pot (pressure cooker) with the spices. Cook on low for 3 hours OR Normal using the Instant Pot “Slow Cooker” setting.

   4. If using, stir in the rum. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries, then serve.

2. Poinsettia Cranberry Champagne Cocktail: This is a vibrant and refreshing drink, with only three ingredients. Simply mix cointreau (or other orange liqueur), cranberry juice, and champagne, then garnish with cranberries, and a rosemary spring. 

3. Peppermint Martini: This vodka-based drink is perfect for those who have a sweet tooth, but want a kick. You'll need your choice of vodka, peppermint schnapps, heavy cream, and Creme de Cacao. We also recommend crushing up candy canes to add a festive rim to your martini glasses. 

   ________________
   Many people do find that hiring a bartender for their holiday event not only gives them more of an opportunity to spend time with their guests, but it also take the responsibility off of their shoulders.  Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about our bartending services:

   We offer open bars, cash bars, flexible packages, liquor liability insurance, champagne toasts, glassware rentals and more.

   B&M allows you to choose the level of service that best fits your needs and your budget. 

   Q: Can you supply just a bartender?
   A: Unfortunately we cannot supply just a bartender. We do however have a BYOB package that might suit your needs. 

   Q: Can we supply our own alcohol?
   A: Yes. You'll want to see the details about our BYOB Package 

   Q: Is there a kid’s option?
   A: Yes. We have a 4-hour children’s juice and soft drink open bar available.

   Q: Can the bar last longer than 4 hours?
   A: Yes. We do have 5-hour bar packages. We can provide pricing upon request.

   Q: Can we do an open bar during the cocktail hour and a cash bar for the remainder of the night?
   A: Yes, town permitting. We can provide pricing upon request. 

   Q: Will your bartenders check IDs?
   A: YES!  Our bartenders will under no circumstances serve anyone under the age of 21, no exceptions

   Our Bar Services

   • Beer/Wine/Soda Bar
   • Full Bars
   • BYOB Bar
   • More Stuff That You'll Probably Want To Know...
   • Cash Bars

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Other stuff you might want to know:

B&M Provides the Following:

• Travel
• Labor
• Tips certified bartenders
• Liquor liability insurance
• Covered, skirted serving tables
• Trash cans, liners, trash removal
• Portable serving station & bar equipment
• Ice, fruit, cocktail napkins, stirrers & plastic ware

 Miscellaneous

• Approximately one bartender for every 75 guests
• Glassware is available
• Champagne toast is available (includes glass flutes)
• Children's bar available
• Cash bars are also offered
• Any license fee for city or town paid by customer

We will be pleased to quote you a specific price once we know:

• Location (City & State)
• Number of guests
• Date of event

With the holidays right around the corner (we know, how is this possible?), engagements are inevitable.

If you’re thinking of popping the question, or have a loved one who is getting engaged, now is the perfect time to start planning for future wedding related events.

If you’d like to celebrate an engagement with friends and family, B&M has plenty of menu options that will suit any food craving.

If you want something more formal, the Slammin’ Lamb and Salmon menu is a great option.

If you want something more casual, while still alleviating the stress of cooking, you could opt for our taco station, with beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian options. 

B&M has proudly catered many wedding events, from bridal showers, to bachelor parties. We love to join you all during your special days, and appreciate your kind words regarding our service, food, and employees.

We are happy to share some thoughts from just a few of our many happy customers.

“B&M was by far the most incredible, expectation-exceeding aspect of our wedding”. -Meagan S.

“From the moment we walked in the door, we were greeted with friendliness and professionalism”. -Christopher S.

“Tim was very responsive and supportive throughout the process of planning our backyard wedding. The quality of the food was superb! Nothing but compliments all night from our guests. The crew even packaged away ALL of the leftovers (and let me tell you there was A LOT of leftover food!) and they put it in our fridge, which to me is above and beyond”. -Mark A. 

When you are ready to plan your special day, contact our professional event support team to help guide you to create your perfect menu.