From Maggie’s kitchen, page 3
Practical answers for anyone feeding a crowd in North Texas: headcounts, budgets, office lunches, holiday orders, reheating, and the traditions behind the tamal. Written by Chef Maggie.
Showing 25–36 of 127 articles
What makes a tamal authentic? Masa, meat, chiles, and patience
There is no secret ingredient and no regional passport. Authentic means nobody skipped a step, and every step takes time. Here is what to taste for.
10 min read
How much catering for 50 guests? A tamale caterer’s numbers
Fifty guests is the size where guessing stops working. My exact tamale count, the dozens-to-dollars chart, and the sides that stretch it.
9 min read
Catering for 100 guests: how much food, how many dozens, what it costs
One hundred guests is a two-table party. The tamale count, the dozens-to-dollars chart, and how to serve a hundred people in under half an hour.
8 min read
Catering for 20 people: the small-group order that still needs planning
Twenty people is too many to cook for and too few to feel like an event. The exact tamale count, what it costs, and how to order it without fuss.
8 min read
Catering for 200 guests: the plan, the timing, and the tamale math
Two hundred guests is a production. The dozens chart, the four-line buffet, the week-by-week timeline, and the delivery plan that keeps it hot.
8 min read
How to choose a caterer in Dallas: what to check before you book
Seven things to check before you book any caterer in Dallas, the warning signs I would walk away from, and how my own kitchen answers each one.
9 min read
Fifteen questions to ask a caterer before you book
Fifteen questions I wish every host asked me before booking, grouped by food, logistics, money and people, with the answers that should reassure you.
9 min read
Catering deposits, invoices and payment: what to expect and when
How deposits, final counts, invoices and refunds usually work in catering, and what I put on every quote so there are no surprises on the day.
8 min read
Drop-off catering vs. full-service: which one your event needs
What drop-off catering and full-service catering each include, where the money goes, and a simple rule for deciding which your party needs.
8 min read
Tamale buffet setup: how to build a line that moves fast
The table order, heat, labels and salsa station that let a room of hungry guests get through a tamale buffet in minutes instead of a slow shuffle.
8 min read
Per-person or per-tray catering pricing: which is cheaper for your event
How per-person and per-tray catering prices are built, where the hidden costs live in each, and a simple way to compare two quotes fairly.
8 min read
How to keep catered food hot for hours without drying it out
Chafing dish, slow cooker, oven or a towel-lined cooler: what holds food hot for three hours, what dries it out, and the numbers I use.
10 min readNothing matched
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