Party food

[Ron Johnson]

My home is located in a historical district that hosts one of the largest juried art shows every October. As a result, my place becomes the refueling station for all of my friends who come down to shop for art. The last couple of years, I have started to offer food and wine,liquor, beer and it has turned into a three-day party basically.

My request is for food that is especially adept for being served with cocktails, can hold at room temp for several hours, can be prepared ahead of time, and is off the beaten path.

Thanks.

[tommy]

ron, there have been a few threads on this with good ideas that might fit your criteria. searching on "hors" or "appetizers" might get you there.

for me, pigs in a blanket are good even cold.

[Suzanne F]

Do you have a warming tray, or will everything be held at room temp and/or over ice?

First thing that comes to mind is mini-gougères: cream puff dough with shredded cheese mixed in, dropped in little bits on a sheet and baked. Easy easy easy to make -- just remember to puncture them once they come out of the oven, so they don't stay all wet inside -- and they hold well. (Inspired by our lunch last week at Artisanal)

[Ron Johnson]

ron, there have been a few threads on this with good ideas that might fit your criteria.  searching on "hors"

Tommy, I did a search for hors but that was on another site and it didn't give me many ideas for food.

[Suvir Saran]

ron, there have been a few threads on this with good ideas that might fit your criteria.  searching on "hors" or "appetizers" might get you there.

for me, pigs in a blanket are good even cold. 

Could this be one you speak of Tommy?

[mixmaster b]

My S.O. and I recently provided food for about 100 people for a close friend's engagement party. Here is what we did:

Crostini table: Lots of sliced grilled bread, in baskets, and good breadticks.

Toppings were serve yourself: white pean puree; tomato/garlic/basil (basic bruschetta); mixed mushrooms (sauteed and finely chopped).

Cheese, cornichons, saucisson (sp?) and proscuitto.

Crudite done Martha style --long sticks of various veggies, some raw, some blanched and chilled, served upright in glasses. The dip was aoli.

Dessert table (all homemade):

Pignoli cookies

Small white cakes with cream, raspberry syrup, and raspberries on top (these tasted disurbingly like raspberry Twinkies.)

Lemon squares

Truffles

Passed: Peking duck rolls

Raw oysters with champagne mignonette (thanks to Liziee for the sauce recipe)

Small potatoes, twice baked, with pancetta and truffle oil (these would hold well)

Sesame chicken salad in crisp wonton cups

Dolmas with feta (these would hold well, too)

Rare roast beef on mini-palmiers and horseradish sauce (also thanks to Liziee for the sauce recipe)

Smoked salmon roulades

Shrimp gyoza with dipping sauce (these hold fine if you don't mind them at room temp; you can also do pork or beet, which might hold better.)

Being non-pros, we had very little idea about necessary quantites, and ended up with WAY too much food. (Better to much than too little! ) I think it was because the crostini bar worked so well. People liked the concept a lot, and seemed to fill up on that before many of the passed things made it out.

I would be happy to give recipes (most are from basic books like Martha Stewart's Hors D'oeuvres and a recent Williams Sonoma book, but a few are improvised or from more inspired sources) or additional info.

I have also had good responses to cheese straws and also sweet/hot spiced nuts. They can sit endlessly and are very tasty, though perhaps not very unusual.

Best of luck with the open house!