Baby Shower

[lancastermike]

My wife is hosting a baby shower for the daughter of our good friends. As usual when any event is held I am tasked with providing the food. I'm told to expect 25 or so. Help me out here. I have no idea what is expected at such an event. I understand a cake is in order and that is the one item I am not tasked with as it is being provided by the future grandmother.

I know the mom to be can't imbibe, but are alcoholic beverages traditionally offered? And I would guess, real big robust foods are not in order either.

How about a soup? Finger sandwiches? I imagine my favorite party food, smoked meat may be off the list.

HELP!!!

[Katie Meadow]

Probably no sushi, either.

I don't see why you can't have a nice variety of beers and/or wines or even champagne. I wouldn't want to deprive my friends of alcohol just because I wasn't haven't any. And some pregnant women make exceptions for special events; I'm pretty sure I had a glass of bubbly at my baby shower.

As for smoked meats, all I can say is that my middle trimester I ate an unprecedented amount of spare ribs (and pickles of all kinds.) But it is messy. Do you like to make pizza? Home-made thin crust pizzas with a variety of toppings, especially veggies, are easy to eat in slender wedges, and they don't have to be ready at the same time. Unless you are having a real sit-down meal, soup might be awkward. Middle-eastern apps work well, like hummus and babaganouj with pita. A plate of really nice cheeses and fruit is never unwelcome. I don't know why a tomato and sweet onion tart comes to mind, maybe I'm just hungry now.

How did the champagne and spare ribs affect my daughter? She prefers beer to any other alcoholic drink and hates fatty meat.

[PopsicleToze]

Is the shower co-ed or women only?

Rhonda

[snowangel]

What time of day?

[emilyr]

I've thrown a few baby showers, and I think it really depends on the mom-to-be. They can go one of (usually) two ways: 1) Tiny food, mostly desserts and crudite; lots of pastels here, and it usually goes with a super cute baby-baby theme AND 2)Regular party food - whatever that means to the mom/group of friends; most of my "foodie" friends fall into this group. I've done a BBQ shower and one where we made our own panini.

Martha, of course, has a wealth of Baby Shower Ideas.

If your wife is throwing the party, I assume she's friends with the MTB. Unless it's supposed to be a surprise, it can't hurt to ask what she wants. Anyone remember the Sex and the City episode where Miranda refused to have any mini food at her shower - she insisted on fried chicken and sandwiches (not tiny ones, with all their crust on!).

[lancastermike]

Women only and it will be in the afternoon. Maggie is friends with the Grandmother to be, we would like to make it something nice, I don't mind spending some time and effort on it. I enjoy that. Once the event starts, I will be banished to the basement room with the dogs while they do all that secret female stuff. I can say that I do not think my wife, the grandmother to be and the mom to be are really the type looking for cute themed thing.

Edited November 4, 2009 by lancastermike (log)

[snowangel]

Mike, are you thinking meal-like, or appetizery?

[lancastermike]

Mike, are you thinking meal-like, or appetizery?

I think the latter, Susan. Not a full meal and not a sit down event

[heidih]

I find that with women in particular you are always safe with the contrast of healthy looking salad and decadent cheesy goo. For afternoon most women anticipating the party probably will not have had lunch. A variety including a nice salad with protein (Chinese chicken or something including cheese and dried fruit & nuts), shrimp with a dipping sauce (maybe a pureed mango salsa), quiche or something like spanakopita or a pasta bake (lots o' cheese), interesting little meatballs in sauce or potstickers or eggrolls, dates or figs wrapped in bacon or proscuitto. A plate of grapes is nice. Provide scissors so ladies can cut little clusters off. Good luck and let us know your final menu.

[KarenDW]

If this party is post-delivery, then you may want to check w/ the MTB regarding any foods which cause her (or babe via nursing) any upset tummies. If pre-delivery, then again, check whether any favorite foods have become "un-favorited".

I vote for the hearty item plus a fresh salad-y dish. Also, recommend choosing something which can be easily packed away and frozen for a later meal. It's a nice gift to send home w/ MTB, or any one else who has a small child.

[KarenDW]

oh, and do you need to consider the "usual" dietary preferences of something with no dairy, something with no meat, and something with no wheat? With 25 people, you're bound to run into all of that.

[KatieLoeb]

Crudite and dip. Corn chips or scoops with hummus and/or salsa. A big salad with protein as previously mentioned. Some form of pure protein which could be shrimp cocktail, chicken bites, "shark bites" aka mako on toothpicks with dipping sauce, and/or cubes of cheese. Dessert is already provided. You'll have all the bases covered. No one shows up at these things expecting to be fed for the day. Seriously, you'll be fine with nice versions of the classic party food. If you're feeling fancy make some spanikopita or little tartlets or add a pasta salad to the mix. This is a no brainer. Easy peasy. You'll be fine. If you're feeling REALLY fancy do a carving station with a roast beef or turkey. Honestly, this should be a breeze.

Edited November 5, 2009 by KatieLoeb (log)

[PopsicleToze]

If they want a themed party, find out what they want to go with. Ducks seem to be a popular theme around here. Just do some decorated iced cookies to match the theme, and then let your wife worry about the decorations to tie the theme to the party.

For an afternoon baby shower, think high tea – but in a very laid-back, casual fashion. Finger sandwiches served on silver trays are usually a mainstay with chicken salad being the most popular, but you will want more than one type. Just take the time to trim all of the ends, etc., and decorate the salad tray. Cherry tomatoes add color and can be a nice easy decoration.

Spiced nuts – you can make these days in advance.

Fresh fruit and vegetable trays are typically part of the menu. These trays are something I usually order. You’re going to be busy with last minute things, and it takes a lot of time to peel and arrange fruit/vegetable trays. However, make the dips for them yourself (can serve in hollowed out bell peppers for vegetable tray and halved cantaloupes for the fruit tray).

In addition to the cake, make a few desserts and candies: chocolate fudge, truffles, whatever. The sweets are usually the first to go. If you think cupcakes wouldn’t be too much with the cake, google “baby rattle cupcakes” and you will see some adorable ideas. I’ve also seen bird nest cupcakes with coconut on top of the frosting for the nest with little jelly beans for the eggs.

I've never seen alcoholic beverages served. Punch is old fashioned, but if you have a pretty punch bowl it would be nice to serve some since the mom-to-be can't have caffeine. Homemade ginger ale is really good, too.

Good luck!

Rhonda

[Katie Meadow]

Crudite and dip. Corn chips or scoops with hummus and/or salsa. A big salad with protein as previously mentioned. Some form of pure protein which could be shrimp cocktail, chicken bites, "shark bites" aka mako on toothpicks with dipping sauce, and/or cubes of cheese. Dessert is already provided. You'll have all the bases covered. No one shows up at these things expecting to be fed for the day. Seriously, you'll be fine with nice versions of the classic party food. If you're feeling fancy make some spanikopita or little tartlets or add a pasta salad to the mix. This is a no brainer. Easy peasy. You'll be fine. If you're feeling REALLY fancy do a carving station with a roast beef or turkey. Honestly, this should be a breeze.

Spanikopita is a great idea: easy to cut in small portable squares, sinfully yummy and something most of us don't bother to make. FYI, shark bites, or serving ANY fish generally known to be high in mercury would be a no-no for a pregnant woman, and possibly for her friends, some of whom may be pregnant as well, and not telling yet. Shark is one of the fish highest in mercury, along with most tuna and swordfish. Pregnant women and children are strongly cautioned against these fish.

[TAPrice]

My wife has thrown a few of these recently. She always opts for the English tea party theme. Finger sandwiches, homemade scones, fancy jams and lemon curd. Perhaps a chicken salad.

[snowangel]

I'd have been happy with smoked meat, but that's just me. I'd be thinking fingery food. Makes the ladies feel all fancy and stuff.

I'd also think that if the mom to be is in the third trimester, a glass of bubbly or a beer is just fine. Ask Gma-to-be just what her daughter likes.

[lancastermike]

Thanks for all the ideas. I believe I will go with some fresh fruit, some figs stuffed with blue cheese and almonds, shrimp mousse on cucumbers and some olives and nuts for nibbles. Hummus or some other dip with veggies and toasted pita.

I'm thinking of some mixed grill skewers. chicken, shrimp, beef.

Everyone seems to like chicken salad and I can smoke up some chicken for my smoked chicken salad.

I'd really like to have a pot o' something on the stove, soup, jambalaya, rice and beans, beef stew but that may be too much and may be hard to eat as we won't have enough seats for everyone.

Bake some breads or muffins or something. I have preserves I made this summer to go with it.

The cake for desert. I could set up the machine and they could make lattes or cappuccino.

For the beverage I think I'll have some mulled cider and put out my bottle of apple jack so those that care can have a belt of it in their cider. Maybe some sparkling water of one type or the other as well.

The bar is set up so Maggie could mix one for anyone who wants something else.

Once it starts I'm vapor till it's over. I'll cook it all up, but I'm not going to serve it. I'll be hiding in the basement with the dogs watching football or some other manly activity.

Edited November 5, 2009 by lancastermike (log)

[Marlene]

Mike that sounds fine to me. If you really wanted to smoke some pork you could make mini pork sliders or even mini smoked chicken sliders. The only thing with skewers is that the meat can be hard to get off the skewer especially if you don't have enough seats for everyone.

[judiu]

Mike, you might want to check with someone re the blue cheese. I was pregnant long before all the "rules" kicked in, but I remember something about some cheeses now being a no-no HTH!

[KatieLoeb]

Oops. OK - forget the Shark Bites. I was just trying to think of easy little blobs of protein that could be attached to toothpicks or laid out on a platter. Forgot about the mercury thing. I like the ideas you have, Mike. The mulled cider is good for an autumn day and those that don't want booze in theirs can go without. I'd put out applejack, bourbon or spiced rum. Any of those would work well in a cider. You could also consider making a fruit punch that could be topped with either ginger ale/Sprite/soda or sparkling wine depending on whether or not the person were imbibing. Great thing about large format beverages is that folks serve themselves and there's no constant hosting/bartending required.

A selection of quiches is also an easy thing to make ahead. Either full sized or in tartlet form...

[snowangel]

and I can smoke up some chicken for my smoked chicken salad.

Now you're talking!