Heuriger: New excuse for a lawn party

First off, you will know it by the pine bow above the door. There may never be any additional indicator. Remember that, it is critical. It is an old world signal, maybe a touch 007, a carefully guarded centuries-old remnant in part of this world. Neon signs be damned.

When you go to Vienna, and by all means, you should, you will have a great deal to do and little time to do it. You will have to pull yourself away from great music and architecture - not to mention Sacher tortes - to get loose of the city and make your way into the suburbs.

And (not that I wish to write your adventure for you), if you are sharp, you will turn up there on or after November 11th of each year and either stay for 300 days or some part thereof, and commit to getting yourself off the beaten path. Tip: If you are on a tour bus, you are already not living the dream... You will and should get lost. You need to come to terms with right this instant.

Now then. On those lightly beaten path's, truly known well only to locals, you will find heurigers; The vineyard houses belonging to wine producers where new wines are served in the year of their birth. Vienna, until recently when Madrid horned in, was the only metropolitan city that was also a wine growing region. Consequently, when oggling in downtown Vienna, you are never that far from the vine.

There is a great deal of imperial-law stickiness involved with heurigers but let's leave it at this: Vienna (Wein) producers may sell wines of the current vintage (For example: Grapes harvested in the fall of 2010 may first be served on November 11, 2010 or anytime for 300 days thereafter and still meet the criteria for "new" in Wein) directly from the vineyard houses, unbottled. An authentic heuriger will likely not use stemware but very average table water glasses or the like. Nothing about a heuriger is precious, so conquer your inner glassware princess before you pull up a picnic bench.

These establishments are not licensed as restaurants and in many ways were grandfathered into the Austrian equivalent of the food service governing bureau - gratefully.



They serve from a "communal table" or buffet, by law.


Initially, one had to provide their own food, heuringers in the modern age provide great buffets of local cuisine.

In my research I discovered the menu that follows. It's not health food, but look, if you do stay for 300 days, go easy on the meat drippings but remember, you only get one shot at life; balance. Chances are, this menu is incredibly appealing in its home and cooked by experienced hands: I'm in.

Geselchtes
Smoked bacon and other pork parts cut thickly and served with crusty bread.

Heurigenplatte
Sausage; cold, sliced pickled meat, cheese, chopped onions, sour pickles and a Laberl (bread roll).

Liptauer
Soft cheese generously spiced with paprika.

Quargel
Small cheese with chopped onions.

Saumeise
Ground meat smoked and boiled in a pig's net.

Saure Blunzen
Slice of blood sausage marinated in vinegar.

Schmalzbrot
Crusty bread spread with meat drippings.

Schweinebraten
Cold, sliced pork with bread.

Surbraten
Meat that has been pickled three weeks and then cooked and eaten warm.

Verhackerts
A spread made of minced sausage and meat.

- Global Gourmet

Locals will say the new wines always taste better under an open sky but their DNA has been refining its sensitivity to heuriger since the Middle Ages. I will take it indoors or out although the romanticism of drinking a new wine next to its vines is not lost on me either.

Austrian wines, in any environment, are glorious creatures, though I suspect they sparkle just a little more on the palate in a heuriger tasting. Roughly one-third of the regions' wines are blended, both red and white. Nearly all of it is consumed within Wein so you will likely need to go in person if you mean to taste them. The vast majority are whites which you may recognize: Gruner Veltliner, Muller-Thurgau, Reisling, Silvaner, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay (though these varietals are labelled with their local names). Reds are just as familiar: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

There is a 300 day "new" period for wines of each vintage as some wines are aged for a period and take months for release versus some of their un-aged counterparts. Conceivably, throughout the newness time frame, you may find yourself back at a heuriger on several occasions to taste new releases of different blends and varietals. Obviously then, like an vineyard or winery, the time not to visit is during harvest and press: September through early November.

Although there is a heuriger in the United States - just one by name, it is far closer to a restaurant than the heuriger's I've described here you should really just go or...

Create a heuriger on the lawn when spring arrives and serve a pile of gorgeous new local vintages and have a heaping, gorgeous buffet? Once again, not being to precious about anything, which is patently against both the concept and everything Blushing is, anyhow.

Put a pine bow on the invitation and one over the door, don't forget.

The Crudite Party: The Wilderness Years

In conversations with other hosts and hostesses I have become fearless about making outrageous statements, such as "Crudite is enough."

And then with raised eyebrows and ever-widening American girths, everyone wonders what on earth would cause me to feed the guests only food suited to figure-obsessed rabbits.

Risking my reputation and willing to become a six gun entertainer of the wild-west type in defending a party type which has very much fallen off in popularity in American homes, I will step into this breech.

Martha Stewart demonstrated in her first book, Entertaining (Clarkson Potter, 1982) that the crudite party was indeed both possible and magnificent with her all-crudite party on the lawn of the Copper-Hewitt.



(Further, I believe she was correct in noting the word "dip" as one gracious entertainers are stuck with; what other word have we? I cannot utter it without the notion of a Super Bowl party crashing violently and gracelessly into my consciousness... but anything else is inaccurate.)

Stewart's crudite party in 1982 was not genius for the selection of fruit, blanched vegetables, dips, crackers, and cheeses. While the food is both - here I go again - plenty for cocktail hour and and easy for guests to consume while holding a glass, the genius of crudite is in the color and texture of the presentation. As it always should be when presenting crudite; festive, colorful, and in immense mountains of varying textural beauty.



The absolute key is to have a lot of food; huge wheels of cheese mixed with blocks and wedges as well as a veritable sierra of crackers, crostini, and toasts.



The crudite presented can be as easy as mounds of ripe fruit and blanched vegetables, or the masterful employ of Japanese carving techniques.

In either case, I dare say, everyone will love it. But none more than the host who never has to return to the kitchen to check on the state of affairs with the hot food service, no?

photo credits: marthastewart.com, proluxe.com

The Pantry Shower

I often receive bridal shower invitations requesting I bring a favorite handwritten recipe. I adore the idea of one thoughtful bridesmaid to include a lovely monogrammed recipe card with my initials which she had printed herself for each guest. When we arrived at the shower, all of the cards were pasted into a very special handmade rice-paper book. A card file, like that above from Dabney Lee would be just as appreciated. The book was attractive, cohesive, and well put together. I have no doubt it will neatly and thoughtful withstand the test of time for the bride.

Further to that fine time-tested concept, a new, different, and expanded bridal shower theme could include a request for the chief or most-difficult to find ingredient in the recipe for the couple who enjoys cooking, no?



It would be much easier to get a kitchen up and running if those fire-roasted tomatoes, harissa, vanilla beans, and instant espresso were already in the pantry. A recommendation from a friend early in our marriage led me to discover the many uses of instant espresso; I employ it endlessly in meat rubs, tiramisu, and chocolate desserts and it is the first item I would contribute along with the recipes in which we have enjoyed it.

What specialty item would you contribute to a new pantry?

photo credits: merrymartini.com (retailer of Dabney Lee items as above), countryliving.com

Shower with ease

This is a great idea for shower-throwers with little time to get the party together: The pre-packaged parties below are available from Social Couture in completed groupings (only those with bamboo and reusable melamine are featured as BH does not dig paper goods and neither does the earth.). A great find for a little peace of mind.

Mount up

It seems like a good time to pause. Just stop all the equestrian posts and instead have a Kentucky Derby Post, okay? I just got finished rambling about horse decor and gazed upon my trusty Blushing calendar only to realized it is almost gate time so I had better get cracking with some thoughts on the festivities.

I have put together an inspiration board as you can see. Writing of that: What is the story is on polyvore.com? Why are these boards so small and fuzzy when they are vibrant and well-sized before they are exported from the tool? It is a smidge frustrating. For those who do not know what polyvore is: Think of it as virtual scissors, glue, and poster board only in a community where you have to share everything you clip. Like preschool, only more absurd.

Here is a bit of pretty paper for your planning, new this year and most importantly, none of them showing a crop raised above a horse: One of the many things about horse racing the Hostess despises.

Understated, elegant, and with a little sparkle though the font lacks polish and sophistication. Otherwise fabulous and available here.


Artistic and nostalgic. Available here.

Iconic and layered with tradition. Available here.

You will need a bottle of Woodford Reserve, the official julep Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. And if you are a sharp cookie it will be the Limited Edition, 2009, 135th Anniversary bottle. Read about this at Luxist. You'll want to have this on hand in order to be a winning party giver or if your horse is a loser.

Now some reference books on the subject: Do not be afraid of an older book, this event is steeped in tradition and so what is 20 years now, 135 years later?

Derby Entertaining by M.Stone Dobbs available here.


Hospitality Kentucky Style by Michael Edwards Masters can be found here (for $1.97 used!).


The Kentucky Mint Julep, by Joe Nickell is available here.

Resources for your planning:
Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby Party Planning Resource, I kid you not.
Official Derby Party Website including historic recipes as well as Bobby Flay's.

Don't forget the Hostess if you pick the trifecta, remember to drink and gamble responsibly and generally not at the same time, and have a great one.

The Players, an inspirational tale

The Clubhouse, Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass and home of The Players, a PGA major which this year expects to see Tiger Woods return to challenge last years winner, Sergio Garcia, the first week of May.

The tournament is played over four days, Thursday to Sunday. While we are club members, the PGA Tour takes over the club for week to host the contest on the grounds. No special treatment for members: You're out of the clubhouse on your ear for the week unless you possess clubhouse passes. The idea, not my favorite one ever, is that the TPC actually belongs to the players/ pros and during that week the clubhouse is off limits without those gold-plated passes. I value the priority parking passes far more than the house pass because I am not getting on a bus to come down from the regular parking area, though.

Anyhow, we're lucky to be headed to the clubhouse for the tourney. Phew. Otherwise we would not be able to eat an $18 BLT named after Sergio Garcia (the previous years' winner wields the right to change the menu at the ol' club and he also gets some money - 1.7 million dollars - but I'm sure he is more psyched about the BLT). Below is the grill room. In the end, all clubs look similar in a few predictable ways at this level: Wood paneling, leather chairs, single malts, cigars, polo shirts. A bit too boys-clubby for every occasion.

We can always invite friends to the members rooms or tents to dine during the event but truth be told, we're young and fun. I have to bust out the pique and roll around in camphor before turning up for dinner at Champion's in the clubhouse. Besides, PGA events are an unmitigated zoo. I much prefer to have a private room for a Saturday celebration or have people in either for brunch before the leading party tee's off at 2 in the afternoon, or for dinner Saturday evening. Brunch for a before-event gathering would require a lot of help to be sure I am out of the house in time to deal with the aforementioned parking, so I am leaning towards Saturday evening.

To get the planning organized, I like to create a swipe/ inspiration board for everything; a lovely holdover from a couple of years in apparel design. I like them to look like a work in progress, because they are. I make notes in the margins. They are endlessly useful. This is the first I am sharing with readers, they have previously been my own conceptual roadmap. You may find something useful in them or at the very least, understand how I make decisions. Below is the card I am using for this golf concept; my first on polyvore.com. Before Polyvore, I liked to reduce them and keep them in a small notebook. When the event is passed, I save all the relevant items in an Entertaining Book: Swipes, guests lists, invites, menus, demented ramblings on tiny slips of paper, to-do lists, photos. I like to remember and refine from previous experiences.

As I share this, you may note that while it is a golf-related gathering, it does not include overt ball and golf bag photos: References within the details rather than pointed iconic symbols, are preferable for me over dye-cut wildly colored golf bag-shaped invitations and crowded "tablescapes" consisting of every golf related item one could find at the craft store. Less is so very much more, Sweets.

Top row: Green event, Kentucky Historical Society. Green flatware, replacements.com. Green cake, perfectwedding.com. Rosemary centerpiece, Fiore Blossoms, Seattle. Middle: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra, FL. Lime on napkin, celebrations.com. Moss bowl, HGTV.com. Green textured favor boxes, squidoo.com. Bottom: Fresh hydrangea napkin ring, southernliving.com. Placemats, horchow.com. Mossy spheres, potterybarn.com. Green and white hydreangea centerpiece, realsimple.com.

The Invitations:

I choose the William Arthur Green Plaid Border card, below. Again, you understand it has something to do with golf, a game originating in Scotland therefore the plaid, but I did not hit you in the face with a juvenile golf shoe invitation or some similar horror (yes, the neighbors are aware when an invitation of this caliber has arrived from my animated behaviour and occasional fainting spell at the mailbox.).

The Centerpiece:

While both the moss in bowls and the hydrangea on my board are colorful gorgeous centerpieces, the shot below is my centerpiece inspiration. My concept is:

1. Keep the sand; a nod to the vicious sandtraps at Sawgrass and our sandy, beachy Ponte Vedra. 2. Replace the shells with golf balls the guests can keep (making a note here to look into having them initialed for the guests as a keepsake of this years open, to buy tournament-marked balls if available, or to get TPC Sawgrass-stamped balls which are available in the pro shop.).

3. Flower cones: Keep the green hydrangea but add Lily of Valley as a nod to the Dye Valley course at Sawgrass.

The Menu
Stengah (up)
French 75

Blue Cheese Gorgere
Roasted Chickpeas
Za'atar Pita Wedges and Hummus Selection
Veg and Marmalade Dijon Dip

Roasted Salmon with Ancho Shallot Sauce

Grilled Asparagus in Parsely and Cilantro Vinegarette

Olive Oil and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Individual Airy Chocolate Cake

The Placesetting:

Raynaud, Limoge, Festivite

And with that, I am on my way to a great Players celebration. What are you planning?

Or, call a professional

Children, animals, and entertaining; I receive emails on these subjects often always with some version of the same complaint: The kids/dogs are wild and take too much effort when you are trying to entertain. Or, the baby is too young. The truth is that if you suspect the guests would be put out, you already know you need to head the issue off at the pass.

Problem 1: The pitter patter of little feet.

I can relate. When my Daughter was tiny, she slept and we could have anyone in at any time. Now that she is a toddler, she is a whirlwind. At the house in Florida, where we do not have Grandparents to visit, we can ask the sitter to come to sit while the guests are there. Generally, our Daughter eats at about 5:30 and is in bed by 7 pm but the guests do not eat until after cocktails at 7. At all costs, I try to keep to her toddler schedule and regardless of company (whom she visits with only until she is bored and needs to move on); she has her dinner on time usually before anyone arrives. When she is off to bed, her humidifier drowns out the guests’ noise for the most part. Now that we have two, this will be more challenging but I would not think of inviting unless the sitter agreed to work first.

By the same token, for parties including children, I still need the sitter to help play with the children and give Mom and Dad a few minutes to chat and enjoy the party. We set an easily visible and accessible room or the enclosed porch aside for them and pile tons of toys everywhere. A snack table is lovely for them, but the host must be attentive to allergies and hazards.

Problem 2: You avoid entertaining because your house is not clean enough or too cluttered.

First, declutter. There is no reason for it and it is okay to let go. You do not need stacks and piles and storage lockers. Just let it go. Don't let things rule what you can and cannot do in your home. If you cannot do this yourself, call a professional... often. Second, clean. But, you are exhausted, maybe? You work. You care for others. And so on. But cleanliness and order is important for you to enjoy your sanctuary and for hygienic reasons, never mind guests. If you cannot manage, call a professional... often.

Problem 3: The dogs are wild.

Either sequester them or take them to the kennel overnight.

Here is the truth about this entertaining thing: This nonsense about how it is only important that you enjoy the guests is just that.

Your job, as the host or hostess is to see to the details to insure they enjoy their visit. And the hard truth is, a guest who has nowhere to sit or is reeling from the filth around them is not going to enjoy themselves, be a great guest, or be back again; no matter how much they enjoy your company, okay? It is a lot of work and the less you can or choose to do yourself, the more costly it becomes. Know yourself, be prepared for this reality, and plan accordingly by (you guessed it) calling professionals if you cannot manage on your own.

In any event, I beg of you: Commit to getting it right, not to getting by. Be willing to deal with the myriad obligations entertaining creates. Or, call a professional.... and get someone to deal with them on your behalf. As a character of Michael Caine's once said, “‘Easy’ doesn't enter into adult lives."

The Trouble with Doing the Food Yourself

Is really that it affects your ability to take pictures for your kind readers, I have discovered. In any event, here are a few with more to follow here and at Blushing Hostess in the days to come. If those kind souls in attendance wish to volunteer their photos as well, I would be very grateful.

Here is a brief overview in photos of the party this past weekend:


The dining room buffet about 15 minutes before the appointed hour.


My hip 1950's-era grilled pineapple and bacon creature. I love him still.




I love olives, bar garnishes, and small nibbles in martini glasses for two reasons:
1. They look swank, airy, and creative.
2. Every set of martini glasses has suffered breakage. This makes great use of those that remain.
I love to mix stemmed and unstemmed martini glasses for varied presentation heights of like objects: Nuts. Small crudites. Dips. Olives.


The rosemary skewers. Bane of the Hostesses pre-party prep.

That is the photo update for today. I have settled on doing a couple of interesting
projects regarding this party at Blushing Hostess as well as passing along the recipes we enjoyed. Namely, I will forward my menu to local caterers to get their
cost for the same party. Secondly, I will advise you, as closely as I am able the cost and time involved in the food for this party. You can decide for yourself whether, in your book, it is worth the effort for you to try your hand at this yourself. See you there.

Cocktail Open House Wrap Up: What I have learned

This weekend's party was big and well attended but was intended to be even larger: Twelve people begged off the night before or day of. We won't even discuss those who neither called nor attended. The invite was "regrets only" since the party was an open house which anticipates people coming and going throughout the afternoon. Regrets. As in: If I don't hear from you, I'll see you there. I won't make mention again of how very much I detest waste...

In any event, we have not sent a regrets-only invite in many years around here, and I while I love the concept, we probably will not do this again. We have a couple of other fabulous invites to great annual holiday parties on the fridge and they all require an RSVP by the week before. While none are open houses, the potential for waste in food, set ups, liquor, and space is an equal danger and I would prefer to have these be more accurate at future events.

The subject of whether the culture has ventured too far from good manners to issue a regrets-only invite is beyond the scope of this post but I genuinely hope this is not the case. I know one regimented Navy-spouse hostess who does not fool around on this point: She said she keeps a scrapbook of all her gatherings with her guest lists, menus, photos, and notes. She told me that she returns to her notes on old guest lists and does not reinvites those who have not RSVP'd or showed, "Life is too short," she said, "not to concentrate on inviting those who really would enjoy attending." I find it difficult to disagree but I am still thinking this over. It will take some time to speak to other hostesses and service people and get their feelings on the subject.

We had several passed hors d'oeuvres which found different fates:

1. Pulled pork tostones: The pork shoulder and ten plantains yielded about 8 dozen which was far more than I needed and still left half the pork shoulder unused.

2. Mini antipasto on rosemary skewers: Beautiful and extremely frustrating. They did not thread easily, could not hold both the sopresseta and the cheese causing the cheese which was far too crumbly to need real toothpicks. Myself and several other vinegar lovers really liked the marinade, those who do not care for pickled items did not. This is unavoidable: Not all foods at a party will cater to every palate.

3. Lobster stuffed mushrooms: Were a great hit with guests and yours truly. They were easy to make and freeze, tasty, and perfectly bite sized.

4. Salmon and creme fraiche on buckwheat blini: I just ran out of time on these and did not have the counter space in the two hours before the party to execute this item. I do not feel they were missed. I will probably make these into a great pot luck item for something I am going to this weekend.

In hindsight, I would keep the mushrooms and would certainly make the tostones again for an even larger party. For this number I will reduce the passed items to three items and continue to test recipes for something people enjoyed as much as the mushrooms.

We also had a small-bite buffet on the dining room table intended to be safe at room temperature over several hours:

1. Grilled tenderloin with horseradish sauce and caper toast: Was popular and I thought, delicious. These two peeled tenderloin cuts came from Stew Leonards butcher and I would recommend them to you. The will remove the silver skin and tie them for you.

2. Spiral sliced brown sugar ham with buttermilk biscuits and mustard assortment: There was a lot of discussion in the family before hand as to whether sliced or whole hams have more flavor. It may very well be true the solid ham is the better of the two, however: I am seven months pregnant with a lot of guests to think of, an ambitious labor-intensive menu, and another infant to care for. I no more want to slice up a ten pound hunk of pork than I wanted to make individual souffles for 70! I was okay with the pre-sliced ham and in the end people enjoyed it.
The cheddar and parm biscuits were the most popular and a significant investment in mustard was not at all necessary and I will pass on it the next time.

3. Grilled pineapple display: I thought it was a great food display item and it was tasty but I think it was too intimidating for people who had not seen this method before (very popular in the 1950's and not really since) and they did not know how to approach it. I still love it and will try to put this big crazy thing back in vogue single-handedly.

4. Bread stick and palmier display: Different venues than ones own home can mean different priorities. There was a lot that needed dealt with in the two days before the party which were not food related. Bread sticks and palmiers need to be made the same day and this became impossible. We went with Grissini Bread sticks and a cracker assortment from Balducci's who choose their items painstakingly. They worked fine.

5. Cheese station: One of the issues we had logistically was that we needed to reduce the size of the dining/ buffet table to accommodate more sitting space. We had to pull two large leaves from the table causing us to reduce the space allotment for the two largest space concerns: cheeses and dips. Beautiful displays for these gems require multiple bowls or vessels and eat up space. I was forced to pull the delicious shallot thyme cheese cake and the liver mousse altogether. Margaret suggested I label the cheeses in the future: This goes to the Hostesses own sensitivity to cheese types in the end and I do not have one. I am an equal opportunity cheese consumer and will try anything, I continue to be hopeful others feel likewise.

6. The bar: The punch worked out well and everyone returned for seconds. There was a good deal of booze in the punch but it was not discernible evidently. We had stocked a lot of hard liquor which was not as popular by far as wine and punch, as we suspected. Nonetheless, Mom is a believer that one should always have a stocked bar and mixers on hand and is not comfortable with the concept of well drinks. I have to agree that if you can afford it it is the only way to cover all the booze bases.

That is a brief bit of my thoughts. Tomorrow I will discuss the issue with the rental items once I know the end of the story.

Check in at Blushing Hostess over the next few days for the pictures. Happy party planning, ya'll.

Things Change. Live and Learn. Party Planning Crash Course Part 4

Well. We're in the thick of it now, Chums. Three days and counting to our holiday party and I am pleased to tell you the baking is complete. We finished the remaining food procurement this morning.

I wish I could tell you it all went swimmingly. If this were a stylized entertaining and cooking coffee table book, it would have. But the reality of anything that runs is that occasionally it breaks. A husband in the Navy has taught me a lesson in appreciating my own skill to resolve issues that arise myself instead of weeping, balling up my apron, and stomping off down the hall to beg the caterer to take over while I repaired my eye makeup in the mirror. You know, when something breaks aboard ship they have to fix it themselves, no one is coming to bail them out. They have to be capable, always testing themselves, repairing, refining, moving on. I admire this attitude, especially in those who do have a choice and do not have to do it themselves. I am modeling a world on this mindset. I see no reason I cannot cater my own parties and clean my own carpets. And fix everything that does not work along the way.

This cocktail party for 50 which will now be 70 is a small study in repairs, changes, and the importance of flexibility. If one did not roll with the ever expanding guest list and the lack of availability of quality products or preferred serviceware, one would be a petrified statue with unwashed hair in the middle of their party when the food ran out one hour into the festivities.
Look, the fact of the matter is that the fruit you planned on may not look fresh, something will burn and you will have to whip up gorgeres and still need to clean and dress yourself properly, and someone will get a crazy idea about reorganizing your venue an hour before the bell rings. It will all happen, and you will have to overcome it all. And you will. Swim, Cher. Never sink. Because this is war and it is fought before anyone arrives and in places no guests see when they are there. This is your war. Do not surrender. Never, ever let them see you sweat.

The menu has changed a bit based on what looked best, availabilty, and the Hostess schedule of execution:

Passed hors d'ourves:

Caviar and Smoked Salmon on Buckwheat Blini with Creme Fraiche
(Frozen Vodka Display)
Jerked Pulled Pork Mini Sandwiches on Tostones with Mango Chutney
Lobster and Porcini Stuffed Mushrooms
Marinated Aged Salami and Provolone on Rosemary Skewers

Cocktail Buffet:

Sliced Tenderloin on Caper Butter Crostini with Horseradish Sauce
Sliced Ham on Rosemary or Cheddar Biscuits with Mustard Assortment and Cornichon
Cheese and Mousse Display
Bread stick and Pretzel Display with Dips (Cheddar Horseradish, Crab, Tampenade, Spinach)
Grilled Pineapple Display

Milk and Cookie Display

Gingerbread Cake with Sweetened Cream
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Chip Cupcake Cookies (two passes, we ate the first first batch)
Lime Meltaways
Five Layer Bars

Bar:
Christmas Champagne Punch
Wine and Beer
Mixed Cocktails
Soft Drinks
Waters

For your reference, the followingn items are complete and refridgerate or freeze well, allowing yours truly to pace herself doing a little each day:

Buckwheat Blini
Lobster and Porcini Stuffed Mushrooms
Caper Butter
Rosemary and Cheddar Biscuits
Gingerbread Cake
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cupcake Cookies
Lime Meltaways (dough only)
Five Layer Bars

The decorating and trees are finished and complete but the cleaning is still to go. That is where we stand at little over 72 hours and counting. Stick with me, our moment of greatness awaits, Pals...

Into your hands

When it comes time to decide how you will get your party food from buffet to the guests, you have several options but all require thorough consideration:

Appetizer plates are a very nice choice provided there will be a bit of space if a guest needs to put a glass down for a moment in order to eat and hold their plate. Additionally, if you do not have help to clear plates away from every flat surface the aesthetic of the party can take on the less than aesthetically appealing feel of a fete held in the dirty dish bin.

If you have help, you can rent appetizer plates in a number of patterns and shapes from any party rental company usually at a cost of about $5 per dozen to be returned rinsed. If you plan to throw buffet parties of this nature every year or more often, it will be more cost effective in the long run to have your own set if you can store them safely when not in use. Here are some very reasonable options which will pay for themselves after their second use and come in reams of styles for every occasion and style:

Crate and Barrel Appetizer Plates, $1.25 each or $9.95 a dozen right now with free shipping over $100.
Cb2 Square Appetizer Plates, $.95 each

My most favorite little luxury of this season, the stunning Art Nouveau Plates from Pottery Barn, $39.50 for a set of 4.


For the whimsical holiday party. Pottery Barn Graphic Reindeer Appetizer Plates, set of 4 for $36


Colin Cowie's Glittering Appetizer Plates, HSN.com, $39.95 for a set of four


Whimsical Martini Appetizer Plates, martiniart.com, $28 for a set of four

If you are a one person army throwing a cocktail party as many hostesses and caterers are every day, one can opt for a paper cocktail napkin service: Strategically place loads of festive, good quality, color coordinated napkins every few feet on a buffet, next to the canape tray on coffee tables, and in conspicuous stacks throughout the party which is also a wise practice to encourage guests to use them as coasters on the rosewood buffet, good sweet Lord.

So you want to serve something... Party Planning Crash Course Part 3

Alright then, we will be needing something to eat and drink at this party of ours. Whether you have ten or a hundred people coming to a party, you need to create a menu and the food and service ware in advance. If you are a novice at this sort of work, I suggest you consider committing to this at the time the guest list is created and simultaneously drawing up a work list for yourself against a set timeline.

Here are a few tips for first time do it yourself hostesses after you have set a budget for your spending:

1. Create a manageable menu.
a. If you are alone on party day, consider buffets of food served at room temperature which is small enough for appetizer plates or pretty napkins: You will not run out of oven space, burn things, or have to run around with a canape tray.
b. account for your time in a realistic way: Determine how much you can realistically prepare in advance and freeze, cook in the days and hours before advance, and what should be purchased.
c. Be sure you have enough food and emergency fillers (Cheeses, charcuterie, breads, bread sticks, and crackers. If something goes wrong, these will save you a world of heartbreak.
d. As a rule of thumb, plan for 4 to 6 hors d'oeuvres per person. The less the food displayed, the more hors d'oeuvres you will need. If small desserts are planned,
I plan for two servings per person (I can always wrap up the leftovers and send them with the last guests).
e. If you are on a very strict budget, consider more fruit and veg than meats, cheeses, and fishes or use a cost club to help offset these higher costs.
f. Determine what drinks will be served: Liquor is a significant draw on the budget and I am not a fan of stocked bars unless a caterer is involved with a bartender and liability insurance. It easier and more efficient and cost effective to have a signature drink and/or a punch as well as well drinks (beer, wine, soft drinks, bottled water). Just remember: setting up a bar, mixing punch, and heating ciders takes time for which you will also need to account.

2. Determine how all these items will be served and cleared. You may find you need to reassess the guests and/or menu based on these circumstances:
a. do you have enough room to display all the food you want to serve and allow the guests to move about comfortably at the same time?
b. how many plates, glasses, serving plates, and linens you own and your budget to rent those you don't
c. how much space you have to place these items next to buffets and bars and whether you have room for a bussing table which will make an easy location for guests to place their used items once finished with them
d. your ability to manage used plates and glasses which must be removed right away from whatever odd place the guests have selected to place them.

3. Make a list of the rentals you will need: Dishes, glasses, serving platters, coffee services, bars, heating ovens, linens, tables, chairs. Many party rental companies have websites you can review and a seemingly endless array of beautiful touches for your event. Dish and glass rentals make clean up a breeze since only dishes need rinsed before returning. They will also deliver and pick up for an extra fee. Book as far in advance as you can.

4. Consider whether you need to hire help for that day: Servers, kitchen hands, bartenders, babysitters all need to be booked well in advance. While it pays to make contact with a hard working teenager or two in the neighborhood who can work in the kitchen or sit, caters can arrange for bartenders, cooks, and professional servers or you can contact a local favorite restaurant to see if any of their personnel are interested in a side job on a night off from the restaurant. Based on the help you have been able to secure, review your menu plan once again to be sure it remains manageable.

Returning now to our Tree Trimming Open House, the menu has thus far seen seven iterations and will still likely see a fourth passed selection (one fell out when my trial on turning Alinea's Bacon, Apple, Butterscotch literally went up in a blaze of haute glory) as well as a flushing out of the Milk and Cookie Display (easy to make ahead and freeze). Not to mention changes which will occur when our family reviews the food plan, which, for the Hostess is the stress equivalent of a thesis defense since we are serious foodies and/or partyers. We are considering the following as our menu:

Passed:

1. Marinated Mini Antipasto Skewers
2. Mango and Chicken Jerk Tostones
3. Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab and Porcini

Buffet:

1. Savory Palmier, Homemade Breadsticks and Pretzel Display with Pepper Buttermilk Dip and Hummus
2. Spiral sliced Black Forest Ham with Rosemary and Cheddar Biscuits, Peach Chutney,
Mustard Assortment
3. Beef Tenderloin on Caper Butter Crostini with Horseradish Sauce
4. Hasselback Fingerling Potatoes with Blue Cheese Dip
5. Skewered Grilled Pineapple and Bacon Display
6. Shallot Thyme Cheesecake and Crispy Flatbreads
7. Cheese and charcuterie board

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

Dessert Table:

1. Red Velvet Cake
2. Milk and Cookie Display

Photo: Domino

Bar:

Photo: Martha Stewart Living

1. Red and white wine, rose champangne
2. Punch and Broken Leg Cocktails
3. Soft drinks and bottled waters
4. Coffee service

Photo: Martha Stewart Living