DEER VALLEY RESORT At the Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, meeting break menu items can be as educational as they are edible. Julie Wilson, director of F&B, explains that meeting planners can choose several hors d’oeuvres and schedule a cooking demonstration with Executive Chef Jodi Beros as a meeting break option. At a recent meeting, attendees watched and learned as Chef Beros prepared two types of bruschetta—Fresh Mozzarella with Tomato Basil Conasse as well as Goat Cheese, Garlic, and Shrimp—and then spent the rest of the break enjoying the outcome.

“Other types of cooking demonstrations with Executive Pastry Chef Letty Flatt have been done for cocktail parties and retreats. And since we offer so many freshbaked goods on our meeting break menus, these demos are available for breaks,” Wilson adds.

Baked items on the meeting break menus feature scads of sweet temptations, including muffins (apple cinnamon, raspberry banana, and blueberry cornmeal); nut breads (banana and chocolate zucchini); scones (dried currant, lemon ginger, and dried cherry); and specialty items like Mexican wedding cookies (powdery butter cookies), Snowshoe Bars (blonde brownies with oats, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, dates, and coconut), and Chocolate Snowballs (chocolate, bowl-shaped tortes with piped whipped cream stars).

When asked about her cooking demos, Flatt tells of one that involved the “true, German style” preparation of Apple Strudel, in which she hand-stretched the dough to a “thinner than phyllo” extreme; rolled apples, raisins, cinnamon, and sugar inside; and then went back to the kitchen to bake before presenting it to guests. At a recent retreat for a mutual fund group, she taught a workshop on fruit phyllo tarts. “Individual stations were set up for attendees with melted butter, sugar, and phyllo, and I instructed them on how to mold the phyllo into cups, cut the fruit (strawberries, kiwis, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, and/or plums) and place them just so, then melt and pour apricot jelly over the cups for a shine.” Each person made six tarts, and of course, they got to take home the fruits of their labor!

DRAKE HOTEL At the Drake Hotel, a Chicago landmark and gathering place for dignitaries and the like since 1920, meeting break menus represent European elegance and a “touch of class,” says Budi Tanzil, director of catering and convention services.

“The range and quality of the breaks offered here play a significant part in the overall success of our clients’ business meetings, and they are a key source of income for our food & beverage operations, adding value for money. Our aim is to provide guests maximum flexibility and choice, so Executive Sous Chef Chi Ping Xu and his kitchen team are actively involved with the sales and catering team to create the break selections. Location, season, mood, and tempo determine the offer.“

Currently offered on the menu are breaks like the Mini Sandwich Break, which consists of deluxe finger sandwiches (egg salad, cucumber and tomato, roast beef and ham, and asparagus rolls), assorted miniature pastries, freshly baked scones with whipped cream and jam, and Dundee Cake.

“Dundee Cake is a rich, fruity cake topped with almonds, a traditional Scottish dessert that became popular at the end of the 19th century. The Drake is one of the best classic hotels in the world, and we use many European influences on our menus,” says Tanzil. Other evidence of this influence includes Stroopwafels (thin waffle-like cookies with rich, caramel filling); Amaretti (Italian macaroons); and Cantuccini (Tuscan biscotti), all selections on the Cookie Break menu. In addition, there is a variety of French cheese and Mini Croque Monsieurs (grilled ham and Gruyere cheese sandwiches) on the French Country Break menu.

Other unique options include several fruit-themed menus such as Strawberry Delight (strawberries dipped in white and dark chocolate, strawberry milkshakes and tartlets, and virgin strawberry martinis); Seasonal Berries (raspberry and blackberry purees served in shooter or champagne glasses, blueberry charlottes (blueberry mousse cakes), and raspberry and red currant tartlets); Lemon, Lime and Orange (mini key lime pies, mandarin orange parfaits, and lemon tarts); and, finally, the Pear, Apple & Mango menu (thin crust pear and chocolate tart, apple strudel with vanilla sabayon, whole pears and apples, and sliced mangoes).

“In developing these menus,” adds Tanzil, “we’ve taken into consideration that breaks should be creative, light, healthy, and appetizing, and that there is a growing demand for a wider variety of breaks and special dietary requirements.”—Ashley Brown Allen