Just now, Smithy said:For tastings, what about something edible along the lines of pretzel sticks? One of our markets does that for their salsas, jams and other condiments. I'm not much of a jam-and-pretzel stick fan, but for getting the idea of the flavor it works.
Cash is of course preferable for all concerned, but what about checks? Is your venue too large and potentially dishonest for that?
It's a small venue, so checks could be another back-up option for payment.
For jam, bread seems like natural pairing. I could bake some, if time permits, and use it for samples.