Cookaholics Bulletin Board

I think your menu is terrific - but then I'm not much of a sweet lover. Are you doing this all on your own?

fitzie

Thanks for the dessert suggestions. I think I will probably pick up some cookies from the Italian market for an extra dessert, and make either a fruit plate or fruit kabobs. I don't think I have the brain cells left to add an additional baked dessert at this point, and I probably haven't left myself enough time either. I appreciate you guys pointing it out!

Fitzie, thank you. I do make everything myself, but I have gotten good over the years in finding ways to prep ahead. For example, I made the Cream Cheese-Creme Fraiche-horseradish-dill mixture for the endive on Tuesday, and put it in a binder-clipped disposable cake decorating bag with a decorative tip, and put it in a Tupperware with the endive, (unopened) smoked salmon package and a small red onion. So on Saturday, I open everything up, pull out a platter and assemble in 15 mins and decorating bag goes in the trash and the Tupperware and decorating tip go in the dishwasher.

--Lisa

Clever girl!

fitzie

Very clever. I love tips like that. Enjoy the party! Had it been in 3 weeks I would have totally crashed.

Jean, you would have been invited!

We had a great party, and just about everything worked out. A few things I need to remember for next year.

* I didn't make nearly enough of the endive/smoked salmon. It went fast.
* The vegetarian sandwiches went immediately, the chorizo ones weren't popular.
* I had issues with the Pate a Chouix with Marscapone & Mango. The original recipe was passionfruit, which isn't in season here. I subbed mango and it was too thin and drippy.
* The Spinach Palmiers didn't do well not being reheated. I had to get them back in the oven, which I try to avoid.
* The Pipettes were a hit, once people figured them out.
* I served 60 Mini Scotch Eggs and threw 5 out at the end of the night. Not bad.
* The Buffalo Chicken dip didn't go. Since it was heated in a crockpot, I kept it and will be eating it all week for lunch. Hot dips never seem to go, and I don't know why I keep making them.

Here are a couple of photos of the main table right before the party started. I didn't take any photos of the chip/dip table or the wine table. I spent 15 mins trying to get them to paste into the editor, and gave up, so here is a link a few photos on Flickr.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback, it helped.

--Lisa

Very BEAUTIFUL

Which wine did you go with?

We always put out a couple of bottles to start people off. This year we went all South African:

Spier Signature Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Diemersfontein Reserve Pinotage 2012

Both were very tasty. The Spier is so inexpensive and balanced we drink it all summer long here.

It all looks awesome. Will look for those wines here too as well.

It looks fantastic. I am surprised the hot dip didn't go better, usually that is what goes first here. I think I could put cat food in a chafing dish and serve it with tortilla chips and it would still be a hit. I am also impressed you I'd all those quail eggs. You must have been cross eyed after that!

Mary