2021--Happy New Year!

I’m baaaack and like most, keeping good thoughts that this year will be the year of comebacks. No, life won’t be quite like it was Jan 2020, but we will ALL be able to create our own new ‘normal’ that allows us to coexist and prosper.

I continue to support, and urge you all to do the same, our fellow Food & Beverage folks out there hanging on to reopen and create those special meals we love going to for soul satisfying food/drink. Show them some love by getting carryout, or gift certs, or social distance dining (if allowed and you feel comfortable doing so). I’m sending positive thoughts that our Universe, our nations, our country, our states, and we as individuals will begin to HEAL…. Looking forward to breaking bread with my faithful client base and treat new ones to our ‘soul satisfying’ cuisine. Take care & stay safe. X0X0X0X0

2020--Insights and New Directions

Hi all….I haven’t been here in a loooong time I know and if truth be told, social media is just not my thang. I know I’m supposed to be engaged to promote the business and stay in touch with our customer base but frankly it’s all so EXHAUSTING to even THINK about not to mention DO!!!

We had a stellar 2019 with plans to keep the momentum going in 2020. It started out as planned but as you might suspect, ‘all went to hell and a hand basket’ when the ‘C’ word invaded! Can you say ‘strange’???!! Events we had on the books for the next several months from March on had to be rescheduled for later in the year or just canceled. I’m all about perspective and believing that everything happens for a reason so I’ve shifted my creative energies to other avenues like gardening, learning guitar, and songwriting. How fascinating during this period to still keep discovering layers of who you are and allowing yourself to think way outside of the box! I’m wishing the same for you all…

In the mean time, please extend great love to my fellow friends who own restaurants and beverage brick & mortars by buying carry-out or delivery. Food and Beverage businesses have been CRUSHED during this pandemic and I send multiple daily prayers for those struggling to keep their doors open. Local is where it’s at and we want a community we can ALL be proud to live in once this nightmare is over. So, until then, please stay safe for your sake and others!

NEW YEAR---NEW DIRECTION

We are 2 months into 2019 and ALMA CATERING has already had quite the year! New phone, new computer, new printer and new parts for my car! And do we have to mention the WEATHER?!!! Yowza!!! I grew up in this so it’s not ME I’m worried about when I’m out there; it’s all the OTHER folks who haven’t a clue how to maneuver the roads when you can’t SEE the road!! But it’s all good; we could be living in the East where they still have another 2 MONTHS (at least!) of the white stuff so count your blessings!!

ALMA CATERING has been busy booking all kinds of events for this year—-out into July right now but we still have openings here and there so remember us for all of your catering needs. We are VERY grateful for our clients who want us year after year for their needs and we LOVE forming new relationships with clients who are referred to us because of our stellar service and SOULFUL food! THANK YOU to all —-old and new!!

Another update for us—-because our catering business has EXPLODED these last couple of years, we have made the painful decision to dissolve our PDS rub line in order to focus ALL of our energy on the catering side of things. It was quite the journey envisioning, developing, and marketing a line of flavors so widely received by wholesalers and end-line consumers alike. THANK YOU to all who’d stop by the demos, sample, buy, and spread the word about the ALMA FOODS PDS line and to the stores around the PNW who truly support great, local products. We’ve made some wonderful relationships and plan to continue supporting the local movement happening all around our wonderful piece of paradise here.

We are ready to ‘feed you and your guests w food for the body & soul’. Call and let’s make your event a memorable one for the ages.

MUAHHHHHH,

Robin

541-513-2253

Business Expo 2018

Happy Fall !!! Well, sort of but not if one based it on the weather! It NEVER fails to happen that RIGHT when I put my Summer clothes away and bring out Fall/Winter that we get an extended forecast of ‘summer weather’. So I scramble to dress appropriately in layers because my days start at zero dark thirty and by noon I’m peeling them off!

What does this have to do with the Business Expo? Not a %$* thing so forgive me for digressing.

So!! Come see me at this year’s Business Expo at the Fairgrounds. I won’t have my own booth as in the past; I’ll be co-located w Home 2 Suites as their in-house Caterer showcasing their fabulous property and my fabulous food. They have a great meeting space for many types of groups and I am tasked to feed those groups when they book the space. Cedric Rudd is the Sales Manager extraordinaire and really keeps me hopping!! We make a STELLAR team along with their stellar STAFF providing the utmost in Customer Service all around! Show goes from 4pm-7:30pm; come schmooze and nosh. Hope to see y’all there!

Happy Summer??!!!

I thought it'd been much longer since I'd posted anything here but I guess I'm not doing too bad after all !!

I'll let you in on a secret; unless you've already figured it out....I HATE Social Media!! I hate the 'requirments' and the 'me-too' mentality and a LOT of people wanting their '5 seconds of fame'.

I grew up painfully shy, always had my nose in a book, and didn't really 'blossom' till YEARS later. When the social media phenomenon came about I just ignored it; didn't want ANY part of it.  I value my privacy so much and was never one to 'put my business in the street'. I'm the same way with other's privacy---whether or not they adhere to the same policy.  When I started my business, my Social Media Team had to DRAG me kickin' and screamin' into this century in order to promote myself.  I resisted every attempt and turned over the reigns to them initially to 'just take care of it'.  But I realized that 'them' talking about what I'm up to is not the same as 'me' talking about it so I 'dipped' my toe into the arena and then a 'leg' and then a bit more. But I'm STILL not liking it so I say all of this to let you know why my posts have a 'larger than expected Gap time'....no offense to y'all but I've never been one to just chatter unless I have something of substance to say (some might think I STILL don't LOL) so I'm here to touch base periodically but just know that when I'm NOT, I'm in front of a cutting board or stove or a grocery isle somewhere doing demos....

Now, having said all of that, let me tell you about a catering gig I just finished, feeding the Women's U20 National Soccer Team from Mexico. Seven days--13 meals and a whole lot of cultural exchange.  I got to practice my Spanish, they practiced English; I fed them Southern dishes; they taught me about cultural foods they like i.e. ANTS which are eaten all over in food carts and grocery stores and some restaurants.  I'm going to try some of the dishes they suggested cause I'm game for just about anything once! When it was all done, the Team Doctor told me it was THE BEST FOOD THEY'D EVER EATEN IN THE USA because it was fresh, flavorful, free of preservatives, gourmet and perfect for their athletes performances. the team presented me w a Team Jersey and we took a Team pic. How's THAT for a Fusion Cuisine Catering Company?!! They go to China and France from here---I offered to be their 'Personal Team Chef'.....a girl can try can't she?? LOL

MY Team w THEIR TEAM....(where's Robin?) lol

Demo & Duty and JOSEPH JOSEPH....oh MY!!!!

I had the pleasure of doing a Demo at the Market of Choice on Belmont in PDX last week which excited me for a variety of reasons! (1), it was a chance to catch up w a lot of other AMAZING vendors in the area; (2), the event was a Customer Appreciation/First Responder Fundraiser which means I got a chance to form new relationships and catch up w existing customers AND raise money for people I highly Respect!; (3), my table was positioned RIGHT in front of one of my FAVORITE Cooking gadgets line, JOSEPH JOSEPH!  If you've never heard of them, seen them or used one of their kitchen tools, check them out.  I actually have a ALMA FOODS PDS YOU TUBE on their Lemon Reamer which I LOOOOVE!! (no, I'm not a paid endorser----yet lol) Their stuff is colorful, fun, but most importantly, FUNCTIONAL!!!  Thanks to Market of Choice for pulling this event together and for giving back to the community!

WHEW!!!!!!

Been wondering where I've been? The first month of this year 2018 started out with a Taste of the NW Trade Show in PDX and then an INTENSIVE 5 week remodel of TWO bathrooms! Can you say CRAAAAZY???!!!

You know the saying "What doesn't kill you makes you better?" Well I LIVED that saying during that period; I rolled up my sleeves and got DIRTY!! Learned TONS from the crew I was working with and the best part is they are done and FABULOUS!!!! Like being in a 5-star Spa...ahhhhhh...

Recently catered an OSCAR party at the BIJOU and that was a hoot!!  Love, love, love the movie industry and going to the theater and being transformed for those 2 hours! Great fun and great food--so I was told over and over....

March 7th is INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY and for the 2d year in a row, I will be at the U of O catering an event for the Women's Studies Dept.  Given the current climate of our WORLD, I expect it will be a very LIVELY, PASSIONATE, EMPOWERING evening.  Check their site for tickets.  The food will be a mix of many cultures--Mexican, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and good ole' American.

Got a variety of other events down the pike--weddings, Veteran's event, non-profit events, the usual mix that an off-premise catering company services.  Keep us in mind if you or your company need food and want to REALLY kick it up a notch with something shall we say "out of the box"?  

Until then, continued success in your professional and personal lives; can you believe we're ALREADY in the 3rd month of the year?!!!! 'One day at a time'.........

Making the Rounds....

Was in Ashland recently demo-ing the product line in the Market of Choice store there.  Had the best time meeting their customer base---enthusiastic tasters who spared no candor in sharing their opinion about the line and any other subject brought up.  Love that!!  Thank goodness the feedback was good!!  One customer couple who instantly became fans (you know who you are Marlene & Larry) had me rolling about their attempts in the kitchen!  They LOVED the PDS line and kept 'recruiting' passerbys to stop and taste....Love that!! Love it when a dialogue breaks out among total strangers about a universal, shared experience--EATING REALLY GOOD FOOD!! I'm stoked to get around to the other M of C locations to meet their customer bases and create the same sort of synergy....I'll keep you posted when I'm coming to the one near you so we can nosh together....until then, HAPPY FALL !!!

Summer Whaaaaaat?

Am I the only one who's wondering 'where the heck did Summer go?'  I mean, weren't we just celebrating the BEGINNING w school-out specials and plans, farmers markets, vacations, and bucket-list things to cross off that we can't get to during the other 9 months of the year?!

My summer has been a whirlwind of catering and demos and catering and ....well you get my drift.  'Time flies when you're having fun' and I have had a great time doing what I love doing most--feeding people.  My events ranged in scope and type--no two events ever have the same menu so that means LOTS of menu planning.  Threw in a festival or two to connect with even more souls and well, here we are, BACK TO SCHOOL ads, Halloween costumes ALREADY in stores! and last minute pushes to get those vacations in before we settle into Fall and (gulp)---THE HOLIDAYS!!!!! YOWZA!!!!

Hope you all had a great summer full of luscious bounty from your garden or the farmer's markets! I believe in supporting local as much as possible and have perused ours with awe at the GORGEOUS produce available and thanking our farmers for providing us with such healthy abundance.  Hard work for sure and they are some of our unsung heroes---toiling away daily to connect and feed our souls with the fruits from their labor.  We are VERY fortunate to live where we live for SO many reasons!!!

So as we move into nature's next 'quarter', I'll continue to cook (2 weddings and 3 special events in my future!), you continue to eat well, and keep me in mind if you have catering needs for the (gulp!) HOLIDAYS!!!

Hello Spring!

I ain't gonna lie; I have been MIA for waaay too long from this part of my site!  Spring brought rain and yard work--and lots of weeds!  Now I can hire someone to do that stuff (and in fact did) but I like putzing in the yard too.  Just don't have as much time as I used to (which is a good thing since it means I'm making money!). I'm FINALLY at a point where I can turn over some of the task to a landscaper/gardener and I am really pleased with how things are shaping up!  I have to be surrounded by beauty and serenity.  Hoping your efforts in your space are producing similar results, if that's your goal.  There's some food growing out there too but not as much as in the past.  It's rewarding but a lot of work; going to support more local farmers instead.  That's a win/win for everyone.