Need ideas for a bar mitzvah dessert

[zilla369]

Another question. Please bear with me in my ignorance. About decorating: how okay is it to decorate with the Star of David? On these catering websites i see it piped in icing all over everything, and it would be easy to do. But i know that, for instance, it wouldn't necessarily be "cool" to make cookies with a cross on them at a Christian birthday party. Is it fairly standard and inoffensive? Or would the guest of honor and his friends think it's sort of square? I was picturing tuxedo strawberries with little Stars of David on them.

I know it's lame that i have to ask; but if i have to ask, where better than here? Now please be gentle.

[KatieLoeb]

Another question.  Please bear with me in my ignorance.  About decorating:  how okay is it to decorate with the Star of David?  On these catering websites i see it piped in icing all over everything, and it would be easy to do.  But i know that, for instance, it wouldn't necessarily be "cool" to make cookies with a cross on them at a Christian birthday party.  Is it fairly standard and inoffensive?  Or would the guest of honor and his friends think it's sort of square?  I was picturing tuxedo strawberries with little Stars of David on them.

I know it's lame that i have to ask; but if i have to ask, where better than here?  Now please be gentle.

I think it's OK as long as the use is subtle and tasteful. Cake decorations would be fine, a big honking plate of Star of David cookies might be a bit over the top.

Leave the tuxedo strawberries as is. They look cute just the way they are! I LOVE tuxedo strawberries and helped to make a huge tray of them for my friend's "late in life" Bat Mitzvah last spring. They were a big hit!

[Malawry]

I am personally amused by Star of David cookies. I don't think it's offensive, but I don't know if it would be offensive for some reason to the more observant. (Although, if this bar mitzvah is not Kosher chances are they won't be offended either.)

[bloviatrix]

<<observant jew piping in>> I don't have a problem with Star of David cookies either. Just don't go overboard with them. If you're doing sugar cookies and then piping an icing design, what about torah scrolls on some?

One other thought. I recently went to an event where the guest were given warm chocolate chip cookies on their way out which acted as an "on the car-ride home snack." People went wild for it. It may be worth suggesting to the parents (and pricing accordingly, of course).

Edited October 29, 2003 by bloviatrix (log)

[JFLinLA]

Serious reform Jew piping in**

Our "party favors" were torah shaped sugar cookies, rather large, decorated with a "Kof", the Hebrew letter from his Torah portion (Korach).

Other popular favors I've seen are a box of 4 Krispy Kreme's handed out on the way home, with or without a copy of the Sunday New York Times.

** Reform -- don't keep Kosher, not "Shomer Shabbas" but observe all major and many minor holidays, light candles on many Friday nights even if all I can manage it take out pizza on the table though usually succeed with more, attend temple way more than 2x/year, etc.

[bloviatrix]

Our "party favors" were torah shaped sugar cookies, rather large, decorated with a "Kof", the Hebrew letter from his Torah portion (Korach)..

This leads me to think about cookies with the kid's name in hebrew piped on it. Or, if his hebrew name can translates into an animal (for example: Ari is lion, aryeh is wolf)) you can do animal cookies (I can help with translation).

[JFLinLA]

This leads me to think about cookies with the kid's name in hebrew piped on it.  Or, if his hebrew name can translates into an animal (for example: Ari is lion, aryeh is wolf)) you can do animal cookies (I can help with translation).

Very cool idea. The younger one's Bat Mitzvah is over a year and a half off but I'll be consulting you, Blov, as it gets closer and I start dealing with the details. I'll probably be consulting with the whole e-Gullet community.

Actually, I know what her Hebrew name translates into and it may not be and object. Maybe the Parasha or something else.

[hillvalley]

is the adult portion of the meal entirely plated, or do you have the option of giving them a dessert bar?

The adults have already chosen my bourbon sour mash bread pudding with sorghum creme fraiche as their plated dessert.

Man, you guys weren't kidding about the dessert bar being all the rage at bar/bat mitzvahs. I've been browsing caterers online and this is almost always an option. I've also seen lots of torah scroll cakes. Do people use a special pan for this, or is there a cute shortcut to making the "scroll" half-cylinders on the sides?

aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

That was me all day. I kept sneaking peeks at the thread while my class was working (I'm a special ed. teacher), and wrote and rewrote my response during my class this evening.

Z, the brownie bar is VERY popular among the B.M. crowd, but I have a few secrets that may jazz it up. I have used it at black tie affairs and small, not too fancy events. Kids love the control. Plus, when the cute guy is at the dessert bar you go over and get a refill.

Don't just have plain brownies, but blondies, mint brownies, caramel brownies, etc. Also have some bowls with the brownies cut up into chunks. A few kids will think you are a genious.

Flavored whipped cream. (I am going to assume that your restaurant would know better than to leave whipped cream cans around 13 year old boys who at some point during the day sat still for about two hours. ) Since you are whipping your own cream, go crazy. Vanilla, raspberry, lemon, the list could go on. I would not use any liquor what so ever. My first drinks were at B.M's where the people tending the bar didn't care that they were serving a 13 year old. Put it in the whipped cream and the kids who weren't as daring as I was will be in heaven.

Go for "retro" candy. Pop rocks come to mind. If you want to impress the clients, order some candy necklaces or braceletts or ring pops to "decorate" the dessert table. Kids love these but at 13 they are too cool to buy them. Pretty cheap and an impressive "little extra". Let me know if you need to know where to get them by the bulk.

Whatever you have for the kids for dessert, plan on at least 10-25% more for the adults. There are always some who will go for whatever the kids are eating. They are fufilling their inner child. It is fun to watch grown men in tuxes make their own brownie and grab a candy necklace for his wife.

As for the Star of Davids, I would ask the client before you used them at all. It depends on the family. A few too many and that is all they will remember.

One more B.M. trick that the clients will remember. If this is a buffet affair, chances are pretty good that your clients will not eat. Figure out before hand what they are looking forward to, put a plate together and then while they are talking with their guests hand it to them. If it is a seated affair, 5-10 minutes before you are going to serve the actual client (not all the other guests) let them know. I have seen many clients get caught up in talking to their loved ones who never got to eat, especially at buffetts.

Let me know if you have any more questions. It feels so good to finally get that all out!

[zilla369]

Whoa! Thanks, hillvalley. I had the day off today but called my boss and pitched the brownie bar with toppings idea. He said we would "offer them that". I'll probably still have to have a cake for the tasting.

I love the idea about the retro candies. I was already thinking chunks of candy bars and gummi candies. I can't go too wild for just 15 kids - but if these clients like it i could see us getting a lot more business from good word of mouth from this function.

My current idea is a chocolate cake with a candybar icing middle layer, with an ice cream and topping bar. Sound like a good combination of all the ideas so far?

[herbacidal]

One more B.M. trick that the clients will remember.  If this is a buffet affair, chances are pretty good that your clients will not eat.  Figure out before hand what they are looking forward to, put a plate together and then while they are talking with their guests hand it to them.  If it is a seated affair, 5-10 minutes before you are going to serve the actual client (not all the other guests) let them know.  I have seen many clients get caught up in talking to their loved ones who never got to eat, especially at buffetts.

Let me know if you have any more questions.  It feels so good to finally get that all out!

all hillvalley's advice is good, but just wanted to comment on this in particular. it may be more for service staff than you though.

don't have to figure out what the client wants, just check with them to see if they have eaten before taking down the buffet.

can always check their place at the table or check with their server if that's easier.

make a plate with everything, 2 if necessary.

[Toliver]

Marsha,

I wanted to haul this thread back up and ask how it turned out.

What did you end up doing? And how did the kids like it?

Did the adults partake, as well? Was there a food fight? Were the paying customers happy?

Details, details...

[zilla369]

The actual party isn't until January 16th. The tasting was two weeks ago today. I made my mom's chocolate cake recipe split into two layers, and filled the middle with a peanut butter-butter cream icing layer, a layer of peanut butter and chocolate morsels, and another layer of peanut butter butter cream. Enrobed the whole thing in ganache. Sliced carefully just before presentation, and garnished with some chocolate sauce and a mini Reese's cup. It turned out great tasting and great looking. The kid loved it. His mom asked if he thought that would work for his party or if he'd rather have something else. He said enthusiastically "No...this will be just FINE!"

When Chef tasted it later, he said gruffly: "Hmph. Nailed it on the first try. That doesn't happen too often."

Pretty high praise from him

[Toliver]

The cake sounds wonderfully decadent. Will you serve that same cake to the adults, as well, or do you put a "grown-up" spin on it for them?

Nailed it on the first try, plus you've been hitting almost 50% dessert penetration in a night's seating...time to ask for a raise!

[hillvalley]

Zilla, how did the BM go?