Planning a banquet-- Help!

[SethG]

I have a couple of close friends who recently eloped and they're planning a "hey, we're married" party in their apartment for 20 to 30 people. They've asked me to help with the food, and they pretty much want me to plan the food. Now I love cooking, but anyone who's tripped across a few of my posts here at eGullet can tell you what an amateur I am. So I'm looking for good ideas. I've thought about picking up a couple books that are geared toward this sort of thing. Barefoot Contessa? I've heard good things about it, but I have a rather ingrained suspicion of anything associated with the Hamptons.

The couple in question isn't really looking for party platters, anyway. They're thinking sit-down dinner, keep it to a fairly limited number of courses, make one a salad, and it should be doable. I'm worried.

All ideas appreciated. Books, particular dishes, whatever. I have until the beginning of October.

(Oh, and before you say it, I will: Larb! Maybe, just maybe....)

[IrishCream]

How will they seat that many people? With that many it would really be easier on you to plan a buffet with some cold and some hot items. Also, what is their budget? Cold sliced beef tenderloin with a couple sauces always goes over well and can be prepared in advance.

[WHT]

As would several fish or chicken dishes I could think of. Pasta if done well works too. Remember to factor in the cost of equipment you will have to rent or buy. Chaffing dishes, sterno serving items and alike.

What time limitations are you under? Is there enough room to cook the items there or will you have to precook and hold? How formal an event is planned? What foods do they like or dislike? Will it be self service or served?

[NeroW]

Dude . . . are they *paying* you?

Sit-down service for 20 or 30 people?

[SethG]

I don't want to be paid.... I'm very flattered they asked me, although I question my basic competence. And I don't want to give a misleading impression-- they don't want me to just, like, cater their event for them. They want me to to try to take a leadership sort of role in coming up with ideas WITH them, and they'll be very involved in preparing the food. They plan to draft a few other folks to run plates back and forth.

I do agree, however, that buffet style is much less ambitious than actually serving people and it might be wiser.

I'm not sure what you mean, WHT, about time limitations, but the thinking is that the event will be in the evening, and there may be a very relaxed pacing of things so that there's plenty of time for circulating, talking, and getting the goddam food ready.

Dietary restrictions: I dunno.

We've thought of a few things which might work for this event as a sit-down dinner. For example: there's a leek tart that I like. I could get a huge batch of pate brisee and a bunch of cooked leek together the night before, bake four or five of the suckers in the morning or the early afternoon, and make a simple but refined salad with a viniagrette. That could be the whole first course and it could be done (minus the salad dressing) hours before the start of the event. Or I could make one of those Nicoise anchovy/onion/olive tarts, which would be baked on a sheet and thus serve many people, and that could replace the leek thing. Or hell, why not do both? (There are always ignorant folk who claim to dislike anchovies.) Then for the main course we could figure out some sort of roasted something that could be served warm or at room temperature, so that timing doesn't become a crisis ala "Rocco's."

But enough about me. This is supposed to be about YOU, telling me what to do! Please, don't burden me with these foolish (if entirely necessary) questions!

[rozrapp]

If you do decide to go the buffet route, here is a link to suggestions regarding a buffet menu from Arthur Schwartz (aka, The Food Maven). Links to recipes are included.

http://www.thefoodmaven.com/diary/archives...s/00000266.html

Edited August 21, 2003 by rozrapp (log)

[KNorthrup]

Barbara Kafka's Party Food has quite a bit of advice, logistics, etc as well as applicable recipes, mostly of the finger food variety. Haven't entertained in years but it was useful when I did. May even be available at your local library.

[SethG]

Okay, time's running short, and I'm more panicked than ever, since I've resolved just about nothing with regard to the upcoming event. The above advice is helpful, but come on people! I know you're holding back great stuff.

[Rachel Perlow]

Well, what have you decided on so far? I doubt there's a reasonable way to do sit down for 20-30 in an apartment.* You should either do a cocktail party with all passed hot hors doerves and some stuff (cold) in stationary locations. Or, do a short period of passed hot & cold hd, with stationary nibbles (nuts, veggies & dip, etc), then a buffet dinner.

*Depending on the size of the apartment it may be wise to hire movers to move the furniture out of the way, either into storage for a couple days or just jam stuff into the bedroom. Then you could rent three round tables & chairs and hire waiters & stuff.

[Suzanne F]

So what are the particulars of the site of the party? How much will you be able to fit in the oven at once? How much counter space is there for plating? Will you have anyone to assist you in the cooking and presentation/plating? Will they empty out the fridge for you the day before? How much will you have to cook at home and schlep there? (I'm assuming you'll do all the prepping at home, so that you don't have to schlep extra weight and take extra time in an unfamiliar kitchen with unfamiliar garbage disposal.)

Seems to me that WHAT you cook will be dictated in this case by HOW you can cook it. Also by the easiest serving method. (Don't plan on plating everything individually if the counter is the size of a postage stamp.)

Get back to us with this info, and THEN we can talk more about what's doable.

Oh, yeah, one other thing: as WHT said, RENT ALL THE DISHES AND SILVER AND NAPKINS AND OTHER STUFF YOU NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mixmaster b]

SethG-

You are very generous to help your friends celebrate! Last year, my fiancé and I did a similar thing for an engagement party of some close friends. It was a cocktail party theme with heavy hors d'oeuvres. But it was similar in that we are home cooks and we prepared all the food ourselves. So much work but SUPER fun in the end. I unearthed the post below to show you what we did. A lot of these items could be done as main course buffet dishes.

You can do a buffet and make it quite elegant. It would get you off the hook for perfect timing needed for sit down. You could start with some passed hors d'oeuvres, then do a buffet for the main, and have a separate dessert table. Since it is a wedding feast, some wedding-like elements, like a champagne toast or a wedding-like cake, could be a nice touch.

BTW, I like the leek tart idea very much. If you did the buffet, you could easily offer two kinds of tarts along with your mains.

Where are you located? Will the weather be fall-like and crisp by then, or are you likely to be in the midst of an Indian summer? That bit of info would help me visualize more ideas for your mains.

Try to fill in a bit more in the way of specifics (budget, theme, where you need to cook, as mentioned above) and I am sure you will find more suggestions forthcoming.

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!

[herbacidal]

So what are the particulars of the site of the party?  How much will you be able to fit in the oven at once?  How much counter space is there for plating?  Will you have anyone to assist you in the cooking and presentation/plating?  Will they empty out the fridge for you the day before?  How much will you have to cook at home and schlep there?  (I'm assuming you'll do all the prepping at home, so that you don't have to schlep extra weight and take extra time in an unfamiliar kitchen with unfamiliar garbage disposal.) 

Seems to me that WHAT you cook will be dictated in this case by HOW you can cook it.  Also by the easiest serving method.  (Don't plan on plating everything individually if the counter is the size of a postage stamp.)

Get back to us with this info, and THEN we can talk more about what's doable. 

Oh, yeah, one other thing: as WHT said, RENT ALL THE DISHES AND SILVER AND NAPKINS AND OTHER STUFF YOU NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

very appropriate questions by suzanne.

for something more concrete, you have what mixmaster threw in.

how's that sound?

[SethG]

Okay, okay. You'll get some answers from me tomorrow. And then I want some answers from y'all.

Or from all y'all, as I think I learned it in South Carolina.

[KatieLoeb]

Seth:

Whenever I have a party I always make a couple of sides of gravlax. Tasty, easy, definitely make-ahead and everyone likes it. I serve it with cocktail pumpernickel bread and a goat cheese and fennel seed spread in a bowl next to the fish. I can fish up the recipe and PM you if you're interested.

Quiches and tarts are brilliant, easy make-ahead party food as well. I always make quiches because you can put practically anything in it. Apple or pear and Roquefort is a delicious combination. There's a good list of quiche combos in either Silver Palate or More Silver Palate.

Pate works well.

A cheese platter of interesting cheeses saves a LOT of work as it's all purchased and just plated (unless you want to attempt making your own cheese?) with some fruit and crackers or bread.

A savory cheesecake that's layered with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes has made an appearance on my buffet table once or twice. Also a relatively easy, put-me-out-and-watch-me-disappear type of dish.

[SethG]

Okay, you want some specifics, you got 'em. I've been talking to the happy couple (Time & Jennie) and we'll be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) night for further discussions.

Seating: this is not going to be difficult. They have a rather large living/dining room. It's probably 25 feet long. If they get their couch out of the way (to the side or moved to the bedroom) we should be okay to seat 20 or more people. We may need to rent some tables and chairs-- any suggestions, people? (We're talking Brooklyn, USA here.)

Other equipment: if we do the sit down thing, I'm not sure we need much else. We're trying to design this so that nothing really needs to be kept hot. They already have an inherited set of dishes and flatware for 20 (!) What else do we need that I'm forgetting? Serving platters?

Kitchen particulars: they have a kitchen that I would guess is about 9 x 12. (Pretty big for New York, but not for elsewhere.) They have one standard-issue (read: crappy) gas oven and four-top range. I have about the same, and I live two blocks away. We each have several feet of counter space, and some table-top space as well, but not a lot. I was originally thinking we'd do everything over at their place, but when I talked to Tim today he thought maybe we could do some work in both kitchens and make a car run as the party gets closer. What do you people think of this idea? There's obviously not enough room to cook everything at once, which is why I'm trying to design courses that can be made in advance, and perhaps many hours in advance. (And they will empty out their fridge if needed to provide space, and I may empty mine as well.)

Budget: this is pretty fuzzy. When we were talking today, we couldn't even begin to put a figure on it. $20 a plate? $30? It adds up quick. What would that allow us? We don't really know.

So here's where my head is at right now.

I think guests should arrive to find a table or station or whatever that already has food on it waiting for them. This would be a good place for KatieLoeb's gravlax, or vegetables, or other appetizers. But I guess we'll try to make this as low maintenece as possible, while still having tasty, interesting stuff. Mixmaster b's crostini sound good to me. Prosciutto and melon. Did I mention gravlax? Is it crazy to have nothing hot at this stage? Wouldn't this work fine? Pass around some $10 Prosecco. Okay, $7 Korbell. Let people mix a bit, to the extent they can around the huge table in the middle of the room.

Then, after people sit: I'll have made three or four quiches or tarts (the leek tart I mentioned above was just an example), and we'll have a huge batch of mixed greens made up. So we'll serve the quiche/tart with a salad. First course done.

Then we'll have some kind of hot to warm to not so warm beef tenderloin or whatever with sauces as IrishCream suggested. I've been resisting this idea for the main course because it seems so much like every banquet or benefit or wedding you've ever been to, but hey, I guess everybody does it for a reason. 50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong.

Depending on what we serve with the beef, the beef could come out of the oven right before dinner, since so far nothing else I've mentioned needs to occupy it.

But I don't know what to serve with the beef. Give me ideas, my friends. Let's make it fun. Get some color on the plate. Make it more interesting. Sex it up. Give it a facelift. Help.

And then Tim thinks maybe a cheese course would be cool. And I guess it is, but it seems expensive to me. Everything I've discussed so far is expensive.

And dessert. We need dessert ideas, because Tim & Jennie do not want a wedding cake. They want something else, and maybe cake can play a part, but only a part.

Okay, now I've done what I can to help you. Please, now, will you tell me what else to do?

Edit: All y'all know I'm kidding about how you're refusing to help me, right? Your help so far has been amazing, and I thank you very much for any other suggestions you can offer me.

Edited September 16, 2003 by SethG (log)

[mixmaster b]

SethG-

Well done! It sounds like the plans are coming together.

On the rentals/service stuff, it is awesome that you have the inherited stuff, but make sure there is enough of everything. The last thing you need to be doing is scrounging for dessert forks or washing plates halfway through the dinner. Make sure you are covered on glasses/flutes as well as linens. I would also suggest making a station somewhere outside of the kitchen where you can bus dirty dishes to. A big trash can, a table, and a bunch of plastic bussing tubs in a back room will keep the kitchen less chaotic.

For the service, you will also need to figure out where you can plate the food. Spreading out so many plates at once takes up a lot of space, even if you go in rounds. (You could forgo plating and serve everything family style, but that has its own set of problems.)

For the apps, nothing hot is needed. And I would keep it to just a few choices so people don't fill up befor dinner. I love the gravlax, some crudites, and maybe the crostini with a few toppings.

On the main, there is no reason you have to do a beef tenderloin! They are expensive and a little predictable, as you said. (I happen to love this dish, but there are other options.) I would stick with a rustic French or Italian theme after the tarts.

Here are some random thoughts--some things I have made and have recipes for, others are just ideas:

-Pork tenderloins wrapped in prosciutto (don't overcook them and they will be super), sautéed bitter greens (like broccoli raab--this can sit for a while), potatoes roasted with rosemary or an orzo/mushroom pilaf for the starch. Follow with Italian cheese, dessert could be red wine baked pears a la Mario. Chocolate truffles and coffee, if you feel like it.

- Braise something--this improves if done ahead and will hold--also cheaper cuts work great. Braised short ribs in red wine (finish sauce with brandy and butter) or maybe osso bucco, polenta, braised endive or celery could go well with this. Skip the cheese after a heavy dish like this. A fruit tart would be nice for dessert. (Pierre Herme's strawberry and rice pudding tart. mmm)

- Rack of lamb (this can be pricey but probably less than beef loin), roasted--this would want some sort of sauce. For the veg, you could do parchment packets--put in some trimmed green beans, parboiled baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, parboiled baby carrots, top with butter, herbs/lemon zest/s&p, and bake. These could be made up in advance but would have to be baked at the last minute. Cheese plate. Flourless chocolate cake with whipped cream and halved cherries for garnish.

- Stuffed roast of some type (veal or pork?) could be very special, served with a puree of white veg (potato, celery roof, parsnip, turnip--Alice Waters recipe). This will also want a sauce. Follow this with a fairly light fruit dessert.

Another dessert idea is a pavlova. These are so easy and people love them! Disks of meringue can be made ahead then topped with a berry mixture and loads of sweet whipped cream. I like these best when they are not too manicured--poufy meringue is best!

Let me know if you want more specifics on these ideas.

[redwinegulper]

Hey, what a bash, it sounds like your planning is doing well. I'll add my 2 cents.

First, $20 per plate....yipes, that is just enough for cocktails. Well, hopefully is not a lush like me.

If you get stuck for time, and are keeping costs low, Costco in LIC has a crudite plate all made up. They also have shrimp that u just need to defrost, but I do not think that will make it in the budget.

Cheese as an app, my experience has been that people wolf down the shrimp and the cheese sits there like it is poisonous. It DOES fit the budget, for 20 or 30 people 3 wedges is plenty....just buy good stuff.

The pork tenderloins sound fab....but it may be tough to cook....if overcooked they are dry as a bone. Leg of lamb is a favorite of mine, but how many legs are u going to cook.

I have done beef tenderloin several times and it works really well. I actually don't like the cut of meat personally, but for a big group it is simple, and is well received. I have served it warm and at room temperature with a horseradish sauce. Ok, here is a costco plug again (and I buy very little meat there) but they have tons of whole beef tenderloins.

As a side dish, I like roast vegatables. Put it all in the same pan and there is a wide window on cooking time. Carrots, Beets (use chiogga or golden so everything dosn't turn red) potatoes, celariac, parsnips are a few item you can use

[Suzanne F]

Seth, it IS coming together well! Most important is that you cook dishes you'll feel comfortable with (whether or not you've done them before.)

The gravlax idea is terrific for arrival time; you DON'T want something hot then, because it's just too much work to keep it refreshed. Also, all the work other than the slicing will have been done a week before -- and as long as you wrap it well, you could probably even slice it the day before, too. And it goes so well with bubbly. (Well, what doesn't? ) But where will people mingle as they arrive, if the LR is set up with the tables? Just asking.

mixmaster B is absolutely right about having enough dishes, glasses, etc. If you've got service for 20, that means you're limited to 20 people AND you'll still have to wash up between courses. As long as you'll be renting tables (go with tables for 8 or 10 at the most, so that people can talk) and linens, rent all the tabletop stuff, too -- you'll be able to get all the dishes and glasses you'll need, and you just send everything back without any washing. And you still might want to get a chafer or two with 4" hotel pans to hold the main course.

Which was suggested as braised short ribs. YES!!!!! Not expensive at all, easy to do and especially easy to do ahead, delicious, and the vegetables can be built in. The orzo/mushroom pilaf suggestion would work very well with that. So would a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, but that's a lot more work And, of course, lots of good bread for the gravy, and for the cheese course.

The neat thing is you'll already have a nice red wine for a cheese course. It really doesn't have to be that many -- even just two will work, and very small portions. Not too heavy at all. Just to make a transition to dessert.

Hmmm, if you've served the leek tart as a first, you can't really do a tarte here. How about a spiced baked fruit compote? Nice for the early autumn. You can macerate the fruit days ahead, and bake it off in roasting pans during the main course. Then just plop it into dessert dishes, add a scoop of a (bought) ice cream and a (maybe bought) cookie, and there you are!

And I don't know what/where you're getting for wine advice, but may I suggest you talk to the people at Vintage NY, on Broome Street? Think globally, drink locally.

[elion_84]

Have you considered fish as a main course? You can do cod or bass filets oven roasted with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and capers. There's a great recipe like this in Donna Hay's "Modern Classics." You can scale this to 20 people without blowing your budget. If you use cherry tomatoes on the vine, it makes for very nice presentation. You can serve it with a simple side dish like couscous with vegetables.

Leg of lamb would also be an easy dish - but you may need to get 3 or 4 to cover this many people. If you want to save on the side dish prep, roast the lamb on top of thinly sliced potatoes and onions. Roasted tomatoes make an nice pairing that would add some color, too.

For desert, if you want to avoid a cake, how about simple pastries like eclairs. You can bake the shells in advance and fill them the night before. Another alternative is fruit desert - like vanilla poached or baked peaches. The former should be made a day ahead and chilled. The latter you can prep ahead of time and bake while everyone is having the main course.

Good luck. Cooking for a big party like this can be nerve wrecking, but it's a satisfying experience.

[SethG]

These are great ideas. Thank you so much, folks.

Pork tenderloin, why didn't I think of that? I love pork tenderloin, and it's cheap! It may be tricky to cook properly for a crowd, though.

Leg of lamb would be wonderful, and you can just roast it and forget it, but I worry that it's too expensive (although I could get the boned New Zealand leg of lamb from Costco...). Also, as I've only recently learned, most Americans don't seem to like lamb all that much.

But short ribs... that may just be a winner.

Keep the ideas coming. And I'll follow up with some of you privately on some of the things you've suggested.

[FoodZealot]

SethG,

props to you for taking on this project! I did a similar reception last year for about 65. We had the advantage of having lots of room to grill and prep, and lots of hands to help, but I really think you can pull off some great stuff in this kind of situation. Even some things that a caterer would have a hard time doing. Keep it personal - inside jokes, favorites of the bride and groom, etc.

One of the things I thought about a lot was impact. How can I take things that will be reasonable to cook for this many, but give them an extra boost or twist that will make them out of the ordinary? And as far as budget, what luxury ingredients can I buy that will make the extra difference?

A big part of that, I believe, is having a menu, and what things are called on the menu. It will help you plan, but also give you an idea of what context you are giving the guests. I suggest that you put it out with the food, since it is unlikely that you will be have the time to explain what each thing is - printed on nice paper, etc. (although you and the couple can decide if you feel it is appropriate to display it for guests). For instance, you could call it Leek Tart with Baby Green Salad, but you could also legitimately call it Carmelized Leek and Fresh Thyme Tart, with Spicy Pecan, Mesclun, and Coach Goat Cheese salad, with Champagne Vinaigrette (just an example). Not to show off, but to convey that you've spent a lot of time creating a special meal for a special event. And you can tune it to the level that will be appreciated. In my case, I actually used simpler names of dishes to avoid intimidating the guests, then gave a few more details in the description.

Another thing that helps in this regard is some simple substitutions. Where it makes sense, instead of round onions, use shallots. Instead of green onions, use chives. Instead of buying garlic bread, make your own roasted garlic/roasted red bell pepper/pecorino butter and put it on your favorite bakery's bread. You can do it ahead of time, at it adds quite a bit.

As far as the main course, again I would try to think about what would be out of the ordinary at a homegrown function. Maybe it takes a little technique, so wouldn't be made by the average person. I'm not sure what you're comfortable with, but just to expand on what mixmaster b and others have said, I like the beef tenderloin for a group, but instead of roasting it, then slicing it and serving your sides, maybe you could stuff the whole tenderloin with mushrooms, fresh breadcrumbs, herbs, currants and pine nuts, then tie it and roast it. You can think of it as putting your side dishes inside the meat. It also looks good on the plate.

You could do the same with a whole pork loin (not a tenderloin, but the eye of a pork chop), but that requires a bit more handling and more precise timing. A butterflied leg of lamb could be handled the same way, and you'd probably only need two small ones.

Another thing I did was grill a few trimmed sides of salmon, at the very last minute. I think if all the other menu items can hold well, you can attempt one thing that takes your undivided attention at the last minute. Like a showpiece.

IMHO, another place to splurge is sauce. People like sauces and gravies, but don't usually make anything beyond a pan sauce at home. So it's easy to impress by having a sauce for each item or using store bought demi-glace or reduce a decent bottle of wine or salt packed capers or an exotic ingredient like saffron or sour cherry. You could spend $5 or $10 for demi-glace, and it will catapult the whole meal for all 30 people to a different level.

Just a general point - if you're cooking ahead, remember that warming something up in an oven takes almost as long to heat as it did to cook it in the first place, so give yourself enough time. Definitely get an instant read thermometer or digital thermometer with a probe - takes all the guesswork out of it.

For a bit of flash, edible flowers go a long way, but may not be your style or theirs. Oops, I've taken so long to write this that some other great points have been made. Hope that helps more than confuses.

~Tad

Edited September 16, 2003 by FoodZealot (log)

[mixmaster b]

I love Food Zealot's idea of doing a printed menu! They are easy to do with an ink jet printer and some decent card stock, and they are great for making things seem more special. Kind of fun and slightly over-the-top.

Do you know if there will be any non-meat eaters? I would suggest doing a half-dozen roasted portobellos and a simple veg sauce (mushroom/cream) to have on hand in case you are surprised by a vegetarian. You can easily sub them for your meat.

Another random suggestion: Champagne cocktails. A good one (like french 75 or a champagne julep) is a real treat, and dresses up a Proseco (or--shudder--Korbel) nicely.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Sorry to be late in this thread, but a very easy idea would be a soup party... It can be exremely elegant with a variety of meat-based, vegetarian, and/or fruit soups already made with various stations of crusty bread and butter set around.

I've done this several times to great success -- a potato-leek soup with some side garnish of freshly-chopped chives and sherry to add at the last minute; a minestrone; and an elegant peach/champagne soup served in martini glasses. The soup possibilities are endless and can be upscale or not. It makes for less time in the kitchen as all can be pre-prepared and all the guests can then serve themselves. Easy for $20 a person...

[sabg]

i do few 30-50 parites a year an what i have found works best for me is everything room temp or cold. i did a party last year for 40 and laid out all the food at once and people could just graze wasntsure if it wuld work but it did.

chicken marbella from silver palate (small drumstix only) always a winner

salmon on the grill (you can do early in the day)

gravlax ( you can do day ahead)

orzo salad with chicken orange and pine nuts and mint

filet mignon sliced over salad

green salad

olives bread

some of those ready made spreads from costco

you can steam some vegs the day ahead, baby carrots, asparagus, add some soy dressing, sprinkle with sesame seeds and it looks great

you don't even need knives

are you doing cocktails and wine? just wine really keeps the cost and hauling down. if you are having cocktails, i would really recommend a bartender.

[SethG]

So, after all that.....

My friends have cancelled. The dinner, not their marriage.

They waited too long to invite people, then found out some of their out of town friends wouldn't be able to make it, and... you know the story.

I'm kind of bummed. I was really looking forward to it. But we talked about having it some time in December or in the spring, so I'll probably resurrect this thread when it seems certain that it's on again. (No other weekend in October works for me, and my wife and I are due to have another baby November 1.)

Oh, well. Thanks for your help.