Edible Reality

On a recent weekend in June, Bex catered an event for a family who requested a special theme.  This catered event really highlighted what Bex excels at taking simple, straightforward, healthy, and tasty food and elevating it to the level of art and a positive lasting memory. This is what sets Bex apart from your average greasy spoon or catering company. 

Bringing Artistry to Culinary 

Chef Becky is great at taking vague customer ideas and turning them into beautiful presentations on the plate. This sounds cliche or something oft-repeated on cooking shows, but you really have to see it iterated specifically at Bex to understand. The customer wanted something middle eastern-inspired, so Bex delegated that theme out to her team, and – Lord-willing and the creek didn’t rise – all the pistons fired and it came together wonderfully like it has time and time again. Chef’s Executive Assistant Chris Callahan, an artist himself, even chose a specific font and design for the food labels (see picture), showing how Bex brings attention to detail and passion where others only phone it in. 

The Birthplace of Agriculture and Civilization 

Middle Eastern cuisine – and this case, Moroccan-inspired –  draws heavily upon grains, given that modern-day Iraq, Egypt, and what is loosely referred to as Persia, were the cradle of early civilization. After thousands of years of hunting and gathering, humanity figured out how to divert precious desert waterways to sustain crops in a hot, challenging environment. When you see ancient grains advertised in the market, it is often referring to these early staple crops that allowed humanity to settle down and pursue agriculture rather than gathering based on nomadism and nature’s unpredictable whims. For protein, there is an emphasis in Persian cuisine on lamb and goat, meats that are delicious and just as versatile as beef, chicken, and pork. 

From Kitchen to Camera-Ready

“Middle Eastern grains are great,” the Chef remarks. “I stock quinoa regularly, which is easy to make and can take on flavors in many directions just like tofu. I love themed special events because it gives me a chance to be creative and solve problems. There’s a time and place for cookie-cutter experiences: going to Chuck E. Cheese, buying a house in suburbia, going to Disneyland, etc. But what we do here is get passionate about a customer’s ideas and turn that into edible reality.” And why North Africa? “Besides the customer requesting it, Morocco is a fascinating place for food, as it sits at the crossroads of cultures, east and west, ancient, modern, and postmodern,” the Chef explains. Her dessert trio was as delicious as eye-pleasing. 

A Horn o’ Plenty of Protein, Grain, and Vegetable

For the customer’s event, the Chef mixed finger foods with hearty portions: Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon as a starter/appetizer, followed by North African Fish Cakes in a Chermoula Tomato Sauce, and Smoked Salmon on Potato Latke with Crème Fraîche and Caviar. These may sound fancy, but they’re actually just satisfying meals made from a basic base and zhushed up with a little thoughtfulness. For non-meat-eaters, the Chef put together Zucchini with Whipped Feta, Roasted Red Peppers, Carrots, and Sprouts. And because the Chef is of all things pragmatic, she made Beef Tartar on Toast Points for those who are of the meat & potatoes ilk. She also prepared Chicken B’Stilla – a scrumptious roast chicken in sauce with almonds and phyllo pastry, and a Carrot Halloumi with Dill Croquettes.  Variety, like middle eastern spice, is truly the spice o’ life. 

At Home

You can take cooking back to our agricultural roots with a relatively simple harissa dip. Mediterranean cuisine is often very healthy and provides lasting energy given its emphasis on bread, vegetables, dips, and oils. Americans have never really gone for goat, which is odd, but it’s a delicious, rich meat that pairs excellently with rice and curry (sauce). The Chester Meat Market is a great place to get good ol’ fashioned meat and they can point you in the right direction for lamb and goat. 

Summer at Bex

Make summer special and especially memorable with Bex catering. And our cafe, open Thursday – Sunday (and holiday Mondays) will make you feel like you stepped into a French cafe – in New Jersey of all places!