# Guidelines for Crudités



## anneke

I would like to know what the guidelines are for crudités in terms of weight per guest. Also, I'm so tired of seeing carrot celery and peppers on crudité platters. What are some of the more modern alternatives? Any fresh ideas? Thanks.


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## kuan

Wow good question, never really occured to me how much per person. I always went by small, med, large trays or mirrors. A small one about 12" did 20 people, a large one about 20" did around 75 people.

Alternatives include different color Bell Peppers, Blanched Asparagus, Mushrooms, Cucumber, tomatoes, blanched green beans, and of course, blanched brocolli, cauliflower.

Kuan


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## cape chef

I agree with Kaun in regards to wieght per person. I also do S/M/L baskets.

Try Jicama
Endive petals
iceacal radish
easter radish
turned baby artichikes
fennel
sweet cipollini onions
cardoons
salsify
purple kolrabi
baby yellow and candy strip beets (don't bleed)
sugar snap peas
blanched/grilled fingerlings
crispy cucumbers
stuffed squash blossoms

I'll try to think of some more.
Be as creative as you can be,and don't be bound by traditional crudites.Some fruits like apple/pears are tangy and sweet and some cooked marinated items are fine as well.
cc


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## w.debord

I'm not trying to be negative, just honest. In my experience you'll be wasting your money putting using other more "modern" veg.s unless your feeding a "foodie" group. 

Whether you like it or not: califlower, broc., carrots, celery, cherry tomatos are really the only items that ever get EATEN. You wind up throwing the left overs into stock, not filling up their stomachs has you might need and recieving requests for the old standards. 

Why not save the money and give the people what they want?!

YES, by all means give them baby veg. and the "newer contempory" veg.s but use them as garnish or highlights to you arrangement. If they don't know what it is, they aren't going to eat it. Your job as a caterer is to please your clients, not to educate them (unless it's asked for). There are wonderful garnishes and ways to arrange crudite to add interest and bring them into a contempory look.

My two cents.......and years of experience.


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## wagamama

Hi Anneke!
I was thinking about a different style of serving this cruditees,here in Argentina,i serve ,15 or 20 grm. per person aprox.
What do you think about serving like vegetable raw juices ?? It's this madness.
or you can make like vegetable's foam in the whipped cream machine.About the vegetables,it's difficult may be you can mixit with some fruits like eggplant and apples.
Thanks and bye!!
Hasta luego!


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## cape chef

W.Debord,
You make a good point,But I do find that Thinking alittle out of the box can create positive results.I do agree with using certian veggies as a focal point and as a garnish. I think the old school of Crudites has to go out the window.As Chefs and foodies we can enjoy creating interesting vegetable apps that can be more interesting and appealing that the basic raw veggie basket.The basic purpose of a crudite is to get the palette going and stave off a little hunger pang until dinner is served.Maybe we can come up with a new name. 
cc


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## anneke

Thanks for all your good points. I posted my question originally out of frustration in assembling a catering project for class. I was working on menu costing; it's very difficult to do when your price list is in weights and you have no idea how much a handful of sliced bell pepper or a cup of grated cheese weighs. Because it's an elaborate class project I cannot test-weigh all the ingredients on my own as it would be expensive and wasteful. Honestly, I think I spent the whole weekend coming up with what seems like very few numbers... I think I'll go with the 15-20 gr guideline then. Thanks again to all of you.


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## pete

Anneke, I usually figure 1-2 oz. per person for crudite. It will depend on if other things are being served, or the type of event. I have to agree with W. BeBord though about what to serve. Sure you can throw on all sorts of fun, new things to your crudites, but I feel that the core of it should be the standards. Yes, I know. We all get really sick and tired of cutting carrots, celery, peppers, etc., but I have found time and time again, that this is what usually gets eaten. No sense in spending twice the amount for specialty products when they just go into the trash, we are after all, in the business of making money. I look at it this way, to ease my battered ego after a day of cutting carrots and celery, crudite is for the unadventrous in the crowd. They need something that they know and understand. Use your creative talents on other passed foods, cool dips, or hors. About as crazy as I get with crudite is to offer a grilled or pickled veg. platter in place of it.


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## w.debord

Is it Chicago, Pete? I don't know...when I attend parties the ladies who are the big crudite eaters for the most part don't even use dip. They want something with the least amount of calories (and something that won't give them bad breath), period. 

It's rare to see anyone give crudites some real effort in presentation though....most of what I've seen looks like a child threw it on the platter. Usually the chef pays the least attention to this item and puts the least experienced guy on it. To me lumping together a bunch of reg. veg. with a couple baby artichokes or blanched fingerlings is fine but lets not pretend that it's anymore sophisticated then it is. It's like throwing some champangne grapes on a cheese platter. 

I used to make a couple items that were "showie"...to give the ladies something to talk about (like butterflie carrots or I'd make a parrot out of a zuc. and peppers and attach it to the side of the dip bowl or carrot flowers, etc...). Dye a few skewers green (to represent stems) and use cookie cutters to make flowers out of veg. then attach them to the handles of your baskets with wire or twist ties or stick them into a cabage dip container....what you think of as cliche' can be done with style, I guess it's up to the person making it. My words can't convey my thoughts....two of us could stand together and make the same thing but there would be differences in style and presentation stemming from each persons abilities and efforts given to the project.

Working with a limited color palate can make a VERY VERY striking arrangement!!!

Anyway, Anneke you could have gone to your local grocery store to find your answers. They still have scales in the produce section (even though they don't get used much anymore). Just ask your-self how much YOU would eat before dinner. Stick something resembling that on their scale.....same thing with cheese, eye ball the packages of shedded cheese most of them are 8 oz. packages and they look like about 1 1/2 to 2 c. finely shredded, to me.


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## wagamama

Hi every body! can someone reply me ,am i mad in what a propose about serving vegetables juices and vegetables foam??,instead of serving the classical,boring standard of cruditees.Think about "Gazpacho",or other kind of mixed vegetable juices.
Thanks guys.
Hasta luego!


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## anneke

I think it's a great idea Wagamama, but it's no longer finger-food. It looses the whole tactile/texture aspect of it, also the portability and convenience factor. I think there's definitely a place somewhere for your idea!


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## w.debord

I can't see how you'd use veg. juices in a catering situation except set out with a continental breakfast. Health clubs and juice bars would be the places I can think of that would carry veg. juices or try foams. Every sale depends on the type of clients you have.

It's not something the average person is going to purchase.


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## shroomgirl

Yep I agree.....I do alot of buffets and always try to include a large veg platter/basket etc....I try to include a few lesser used veggies for those that would appreciate them and to give a more aesthetic appearance. Baby artichoke hearts in season are a great addition, fennel rarely eaten but beautiful, French radishes pretty....
I do alot of grilled veggie platters during summer and fall on the main dinner menus.


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## nancya

Perhaps if we were served more interesting veggies more often, we would start eating them. Personally, my favorite is lightly blanched asparagus with mint yogurt sauce. Grilled endive is nice. And I like artichoke hearts also. I will run right past the "usual" veggie tray if there is something new and interesting out. Challenge us! Okay, have some baby carrots, but bring on new and exciting tastes too! How about marinated mushrooms? Zuke flowers? There are just so many wonderful fruits and veggies out there!


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