Spring is, perhaps, the most social of seasons. As the weather warms, it’s like everyone takes a collective sigh of relief. Plans are made and weekends are booked, as neighbors, friends and families work to reconnect after the isolation of wintertime. Adding to the feeling of reawakening are all of the holidays and special occasions to celebrate: Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, graduations, showers, First Communions, birthdays … the list goes on.
Parties and gatherings take a bit of planning, and letting someone help with the cooking can take a lot of the stress and pressure away from the duties of hosting. No matter the occasion, Carlino’s is up to the challenge of knocking the catering out of the park! Its wonderfully extensive catering menu is all about seasonally-inspired, crowd-pleasing rustic dishes, handcrafted by its in-house team of chefs. Carlino’s is conveniently located in Ardmore and downtown West Chester and all orders are available for in-store pickup and delivery. And thanks to its online ordering system, entertaining has never been so quick and easy!
To help get you inspired for your next party, we’ve put together four sample menus, drawing from our favorite items on the Carlino’s catering menu:
Baby Shower Garden Party
Help a friend or family member welcome a new baby in style with a garden party shower! Enhance the blooms and blossoms of your yard with extra fresh bouquets on the table, pitchers of cool lavender-infused lemonade and a light, vegetarian lunch, perfect for a sun-drenched afternoon.
- Starter: Deluxe Vegetarian Antipasto: Enjoy all the snack-y, savory deliciousness of a antipasto platter without the meat! Carlino’s version is abundant with fresh and aged cheese, bruschetta, grilled peppers, olives, roasted baby artichokes and more.
- Salad: Strawberry Spinach: Spring is all about berries! This nutrition-packed salad features a bed of tender baby spinach topped with strawberries, blueberries, oranges, pecans, onions and feta, all tossed with a zesty lemon poppyseed vinaigrette.
- Entrees: Crab Cakes & Pennette: Jumbo lump crab cakes hint at the seafood bounty of the approaching summer, and penne with sun dried tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic and a creamy white wine Asiago cheese sauce, makes the perfect pair.
- Dessert: Wheat-Free Selection: Make sure the gluten-free guests don’t miss out on a sweet treat with this lovely tray of toffee pecan bars, chocolate covered strawberries, coconut macaroons, chocolate truffle bites and amaretti cookies.
Family-Friendly First Communion Celebration
Throw a relaxed, fun bash for a First Communion, and remember: Today is all about the kids! Just because the menu is family-friendly doesn’t mean it has to sacrifice quality. Carlino’s has got you covered with scratch-made favorites that will keep everyone coming back for seconds.
- Starter: Cheese & Fruit Tray: Save the funky and stinky cheese for a grown-up party and choose this approachable selection of Carlino’s extra sharp provolone, medium cheddar, pepperjack and Swiss cheeses, green and red grapes, strawberries and water crackers.
- Salad: Classic Caesar: Getting the younger guests to eat their veggies is a cinch with this crunchy, tasty salad of romaine lettuce, shredded Parm, croutons and Caesar dressing.
- Entrees: Chicken Tenders & Kids’ Mac N’ Cheese: Light years ahead of the frozen and boxed stuff, these golden-fried chicken tenders come with a side of honey mustard or Carlino’s sweet and smoky barbecue sauce, and the kids’ mac n’ cheese keeps it simple with fusili pasta and a cream cheese sauce.
- Dessert: Yummy Kids’ Tray: We bet the adults will love this one, too! Mini cupcakes, cake bites, candy-coated cream puffs, decorated sugar cookies and garnished rice crispy treats will end the party on a sweet note.
Stress-Free Graduation Party
Most graduation parties include a wide range of guests, from the grad’s fellow students, to grandparents to tots. Designing a menu to suit all of these tastes can be a stressful, but not when you’ve got Carlino’s on your side!
- Starter: Antipasto Carlino: This overflowing antipasto tray has something for everyone, including cured meats like imported prosciutto and artisan salami, snacks like pepper shooters and olives, plenty of cheeses and homemade crostini.
- Salad: Spring Mix: Everyone can get behind this bistro-style salad with baby lettuces, Gorgonzola, walnuts, dried cranberries and a simple balsamic vinaigrette.
- Entrees: Meat and Cheese Lasagna & Tomato Pie: Please everyone with a hearty tray of lasagna and an equally-satisfying vegetarian entree, tomato pie topped with Carlino’s signature fresh chunky tomato basil sauce.
- Dessert: Sweet Treats: This tray covers all the sweet-tooth bases! It includes apple almond tartlets, bite-sized lemon bars, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate chip cookies, brownie bites, caramel pecan biscotti, chocolate-covered pretzels and old-fashioned sugar cookies.
Memorial Day Picnic
Kick off the unofficial start of summer with a chill, outdoor picnic. No need to mess with the grill or end the night with a giant sink-full of dishes! Enjoy this spread of seasonal dishes from Carlino’s, and enjoy a stress-free evening of catching fireflies or watching fireworks.
- Starter: Chilled Firecracker Shrimp Tray: A succulent shrimp cocktail makes a classy (and easy) start to this warm-weather meal.
- Salad: Arugula & Fennel: This verdant, crunchy salad tastes like it’s fresh from the farmers market! Peppery baby arugula is topped with thinly shaved fennel, pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano and Carlino’s roasted pine nut citrus vinaigrette.
- Entrees: Grilled Balsamic Chicken Breast & Brick-Oven-Roasted Wings: Because Memorial Day wouldn’t be complete without some of that smoky grilled flavor, try Carlino’s signature balsamic marinated chicken breast with grilled bell peppers and onions, and crispy, addictive brick oven roasted wings.
- Dessert: Traditional Cookie & Brownie Tray: An assortment of everyone’s favorite cookies, like chocolate chip, peanut butter and oatmeal raisin (plus brownies!) ends the picnic on a classic note.
Please note: 24-hour notice is appreciated for all Carlino’s catering orders.
Carlino’s Market has two locations: 2616 E. County Line Rd. in Ardmore; phone: (610) 649-4046; and 128 W. Market St. in West Chester; phone: (610) 696-3788.
