Cocktail Party Help

Hello all,
Im throwing a cocktail party at the end of this month and need ideas for hors d'oeuvres and maybe even a bowl of punch.

Im definitly taking an upscale approach for this, ie. a little more gourmet than "pigs in a blanket"

Any ideas ( or party tips in general) would be very appreciated!
Thanks!

Madi,

How much time/money are you willing to spend? I'd be happy to send suggestions if I have better idea of what your mindset. Also, how many people ( some things are worth the effort to make for a small group but would be overwhelming if done for a large crowd)

Deb

Oh Deb. I was hoping you would answer my call!

Im unsure about the numbers as of right now (waiting on those RSVP's) but i'm thinking somewhere between 20-30 ladies.

I dont really have a budget as I am willing to spend whatever is necessary to pull off a FAB party.

I've never done a party of this sort before.. Im kind of transitioning from throwing college-type keggers to a more refined soiree, haha.

I have a great apartment for this type of thing with a huge kitchen and a full dining room. Going to be mostly drink-focused with some small bites to munch on. That being said, I would love to blow everyone away with those small bites. I cook all the time so I think I can handle whatever you wanna throw my way... or i would at least love to try!

Any tips you have would be very appreciated!!!!

Madi,

Glad to be of help. Give me a couple of days to think about it- my MIL is in town and things are very busy. If you don't hear something from me by late week, feel free to remind me via PM.

One immediate thought is Medjool dates stuffed with asiago wrapped in bacon. Is that the kind of "step up from Party wieners" you had in mind? Any particular theme/style you had in mind? Maybe summer eating, or classy/cosmopolitan, or ethnic? Also, I'd be happy loan a book or two if that's helpful.

Deb

20-30 Ladies...Yep Deb's the person you want to go to on this one. Now if it were 20-30 GUYS I'd be more than happy to pass along my recipe for beer marinated SPAM skewers wrapped in bacon, ALWAYS a big hit with the fellas.

Hope your party goes really really well ! Oh, BTW...DON'T get too balled up trying to make the tranisition from college keggers to more "refined soiree". Someday you'll very likely make the same discovery I did a few years back...that refined ain't all it's cracked up to be and the keggers were a lot more fun.

I don't know what your budget is but I might be willing to cater this affair for you for a nominal fee. Or at the least make a few things so you don't have to do all of it yourself.
Some of the things I would suggest....
Blue Cheese and Endive Pinwheels
Mini Crab Cakes(Always a big hit)
Mini Quesadillas (With some different fillings like Smoked Salmon, Dill, Capers and Cream Cheese for example)
Mini Hot Browns
Proscuttio Wrapped Asparagus
Anything on a Spoon(Really trendy right now)
Finger Sandwiches(Kinda old lady, but nice and light for a summer's evening)
Bruschetta
A Nice Cheese Display
Wild Mushroom Crepes
Individual Mini Desserts(Think what they offer at PF Changs. Also very trendy)
Just some ideas...Let me know if I can be of assistance.

One immediate thought is Medjool dates stuffed with asiago wrapped in bacon. Is that the kind of "step up from Party wieners" you had in mind? Any particular theme/style you had in mind? Maybe summer eating, or classy/cosmopolitan, or ethnic? Also, I'd be happy loan a book or two if that's helpful.

Deb

Deb,
That is exactly the kind of "step up" i'm hoping for! No particular theme, but if I had to choose I would say cosmopolitan-chic. I look forward to hearing your suggestions! thanks!

I don't know what your budget is but I might be willing to cater this affair for you for a nominal fee. Or at the least make a few things so you don't have to do all of it yourself.
Some of the things I would suggest....
Blue Cheese and Endive Pinwheels
Mini Crab Cakes(Always a big hit)
Mini Quesadillas (With some different fillings like Smoked Salmon, Dill, Capers and Cream Cheese for example)
Mini Hot Browns
Proscuttio Wrapped Asparagus
Anything on a Spoon(Really trendy right now)
Finger Sandwiches(Kinda old lady, but nice and light for a summer's evening)
Bruschetta
A Nice Cheese Display
Wild Mushroom Crepes
Individual Mini Desserts(Think what they offer at PF Changs. Also very trendy)
Just some ideas...Let me know if I can be of assistance.

Dan,
Wow, what a generous offer! I think for my first time I'm going to try and pull it off on my own, even if I end up regretting it haha. Thanks for all the suggestions. I am maybe interested in some of your recipes though... hehe. Willing to share? The blue cheese and endive pinwheels sound perfect (and delicious), as do wild mushroom crepes. I also love the spoon idea! We have a bunch at work that Anthony uses for garnish sometimes, i bet I could steal some for my party! What kind of things could I serve in them?

If you'd like, Pm me and I'd be happy to toss you some recipies for pitcher cocktails that are perfect for ease-free entertaining...

Without stating the obvious, you should obviously probably do whatever Stephen suggests.

However, just to add a suggestion, last week I watched Alton Brown's punch-related episode where he made "Cape Fear Punch." I was very intrigued, what with the booze involved being rye, cognac, rum, and champagne, and so I made it for a 4th of July party over the weekend. The partakers LOVED it, as did I. It's very strong, so it doesn't take much. The full recipe could easily get 10-15 people in a very festive mood.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... index.html

My opinion - spring for good rye, mediocre cognac, and Bacardi gold for the rum (don't use spiced).The drier the champagne the better as well. Also follow Brown's suggestion for putting out one batch of the the base, and top with champagne and seltzer, as the champagne will lose its fizz pretty quickly. Once it's gone, the rest of the base and the other bottle of champagne. Also, the freshly grated nutmeg at the end is the key - don't use the pre-powdered stuff. All in all, I probably spent a little over $100, but considering it makes roughly 40 servings, it boiled down to $2.50 a serving--not too bad.

The balloon molded ice balls also worked well - they melted very slowly, thus not watering it down. The punch is also rather pretty, but definitely not a frou-frou drink. It had a nice, fresh, bubbly, and somewhat strong taste.

Madi,

You have received great advice so far. However, be aware that, first, you really need to create a budget for the food items based on the number of people you plan to serve or the cost can totally skyrocket (One of the first times I gave a party similar to the one you are planning, I didn't keep a budget and ended up spending over $500 for the food alone and this was back in the early '90's. I did entertain again for over a year. ) Also be mindful of extra expenses such as the centerpieces or other table decorations, condiments and/or paper products. Luckily for you, women tend to eat less than men, so planning one or two of each appetizer should be enough. If you're hosting your party outside of typical meal hours, five or six types of hors d'oeuvres should be sufficient. If your cocktail party takes place during meal hours, plan to prepare eight to ten types of hors d'oeuvres. That said, I always plan a bit more than my estimates. I also nticipate which small bites will be most popular and prepare more of them than the guidelines suggest. Do add "bulk" items to your menu such as nuts or olives. Finally, don't set the "dessert" items out at the beginning of the party. Instead, as the party is starting to wind down, or you see that you're running out of food, put out the sweets and take away half-empty platters rather than refilling them.

That said, when I am giving a party, I focus on hors d'oeuvres that can be made ahead of time, unless I have an assistant in my kitchen. I always want to look the cool, elegant, calm hostess, not a harried individual who has no time for her guests because she is so busy running between the kitchen and serving table. Personally, for my menu, I’d think a little “retro.” (That’s a bit trendy these days, too.) Just don’t go back to the fifties/sixties when the recipes starred deviled ham, cream cheese, and dried onion soup mix.

Here are some of my recipe suggestions many from ‘80’s Canadian Living so they shouldn’t be overly common here in Louisville. If you decide you want any of the recipes, please PM me. (Recipes with an asterisk may be made ahead. I have omitted salt and pepper when listing ingredients.)

Pates: (I think one of these is a must, because they all can be made ahead of time.)
*Dilled Salmon Pate (dry white wine, chicken or fish stock, green onion, lemon, parley, salmon fillets, unflavored gelatin, sour cream, plain yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh dill, Italian parsley)
*Mousse de Foies de Volatille (chicken livers, chicken stock, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, butter)
*Smoked Fish Pate with Horseradish (smoked trout, cream cheese, chives, lemon, horseradish)
*Marinated Pate (chicken breast, chicken thighs, dry white wine, thyme, cloves, pork sausage, egg, garlic, allspice, bacon)

Also heavy on the protein:
*Cheese Wheel with Pesto (cream cheese, old Cheddar, blue cheese, milk, brandy, pesto)
*Potted Shrimp (unsalted butter, garlic, fresh thyme, shrimp)
* or version of picked shrimp
* some made-from-scratch cocktail meatball (for a “she-she” party to not relie on doctoring up frozen meatballs)

Other “Small Bites”
*Stuffed Baguette (baguette, spinach leave, cream cheese, fresh dill, cream, sliced ham, unsalted pistachios or walnuts, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard)
*Seviche with Peppers (fresh fish, lime, lemon, sweet peppers, red onion, glarlic, fresh coriander, brown sugar, olive oil)
*Spicy Cheese Gougers (all-purpose flour, dried mustard, cayeen pepper, chicken stock, butter, eggs, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese)
*Cheese and Melon Balls (cream goat cheese, nuts or chopped mint, honey dew, cantaloupe)
*Chunky Avocado Dip (avocados, onion, fresh coriander, lime, hot pepper flakes, jalepeno pepper, sour cream Monterey Jack, black olives, green onions, tomatoes, crudités)
*Stuffed Cucumber Slices ( English cucumber, cream cheese, blue cheese, onion, parsley, dill, pimiento strips)
*Chutney-Cheese Spread (Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, chutney, green onion, ground ginger)
Grill Figs with Goat Cheese & Mint (goat cheese, breadcrumbs, mint leaves, fresh figs, Italian parsley, pancetta, honey, fresh thyme,
And you know, I think since this is a lady thing you couldn’t go wrong with a really specially finger sandwich,

Olives, etc.:
*Marinated Olives, Mushroom and Onions (red onions, olive oil, black olives, fresh mushroom, balsamic vinegar, fresh oregano)

Nuts:
*Pecan Sho-Wun (butter, salt, pecan, Worcestershire sauce, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, hot sauce)

Desserts:
*Kahlua Truffle Triangles (all-purpose flour, confectioners’ sugar, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, bittersweet chocolate, milk, unsalted butter, eggs, granulated sugar, Kahlua)
*Ginger Bars (all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, molasses, honey, eggs, confectioners’ sugar)

Gee, putting this post together has been so much fun, I think I’ll have to have one of these myself, next month.

I’ll leave Stephen to suggest ideas for cocktails and Brad for punch. When I do this, I’ll probably just wimp out and have several wines available. I think I’ll let David DuB. help me with that.

Madi,

My suggestion like Gayle's is to go largely with items that can be prepared ahead. This makes a huge difference in how relaxed you get to be at your own party. Plan to make things daily for several days leading up to the party and pick your appetizers accordingly. Plan only two items that require last minute heating/ cooking to minimize last-minute frazzle.

There are great suggestions for cocktail party menus with recipes at http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/holidays/cocktail/menusI have uniformly great results with epicurious recipes with 3 1/2- 4 forks and highly trust them as they are rated largely by cooks like us.

Here are some thoughts from Brian & I:

A whole cold poached salmon. Easy to make, and very impressive with a simple garnish of thin sliced cucumbers making scales covering the body. Serve with a dill sauce.

Asiago-Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Smoked Paprika: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Asiago-Stuffed-Dates-with-Bacon-and-Smoked-Paprika-352609

Summer Bruschetta-
Make bruschetta toasts from Blue Dog Baguette- sliced thin on a slant. Layer on cookie sheets, brush with olive oil and bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes until dried and light golden. Cool ( can make several days in advance).
Make bruschetta topping:
Several heirloom tomatoes, red and yellow is beautiful. Chop medium.
Small handful fresh basil- chiffonade
two garlic cloves- minced
add 2T Extra Virgin olive oil, and lightly salt with sea salt.
Set aside at room temp for 1 hour. To serve, drain liquid from the mixture then top each toast with a small amount of topping right before serving. ( I also do these with a layer of goat cheese on toast before topping)

Stuffed Peppadews
Stuff Peppadews ( available at Lotsa Pasta) with Goat cheese

Toasts with Maytag Blue and Roasted Garlic Jelly ( you can get this local jelly at the Beargrass market)

Wild Mushroom Crostini
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/reviews/Wild-Mushroom-Crostini-243395

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Ingredients

• ¼ c. Divina roasted tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ c. sour cream
• ½ c. good mayonnaise
• 10 dashes hot sauce (D.L. Jardines preferred)
• 1 t. sea salt
• ¾ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Directions

1. Puree tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, hot sauce, salt and pepper with metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

2. Serve with skinny italian breadsticks (crackers) to dip

Madi,

One more thing that I forgot to say, "You need to think leftovers." For example, If you choose to serve tidbits that include puff pastry and/or phyllo shells, they will be soggy and unappetizing the next day, but most items that can be made ahead of time are easily reheated. Additionally, be creative and thing of items that can made/combined into different dishes on the second day, i.e. leftovers that can be tossed with pasta for an easy dinner.

Deb that Sun Dried Tomato Dip sounds really good. I might try making that soon, but i do not have something to puree everything. I wonder if it will taste good without being pureed and everything just very finely diced.

I don't know what your budget is but I might be willing to cater this affair for you for a nominal fee. Or at the least make a few things so you don't have to do all of it yourself.
Some of the things I would suggest....
Blue Cheese and Endive Pinwheels
Mini Crab Cakes(Always a big hit)
Mini Quesadillas (With some different fillings like Smoked Salmon, Dill, Capers and Cream Cheese for example)
Mini Hot Browns
Proscuttio Wrapped Asparagus
Anything on a Spoon(Really trendy right now)
Finger Sandwiches(Kinda old lady, but nice and light for a summer's evening)
Bruschetta
A Nice Cheese Display
Wild Mushroom Crepes
Individual Mini Desserts(Think what they offer at PF Changs. Also very trendy)
Just some ideas...Let me know if I can be of assistance.

Dan,
I am maybe interested in some of your recipes though... hehe. Willing to share? The blue cheese and endive pinwheels sound perfect

Well...Here you go, not as much as a recipe as a technique.

Blue Cheese Endive Pinwheels

3 Belgian Endives(You should be able to find them at Creation Garden..if you don't see them just ask)
1 5oz chunk of Blue Cheese(Stilton, Gorgonzola, whatever)
2 grocery store packages of cream cheese

In a food processor combine cream cheese and blue cheese until a smooth consistency.

For the endive, cut off the root end and lay out in descending order the individual leaves until you get to the center.

Lightly spread the cheese mixture on each individual leave and re-assemble the "Endive".
Wrap tightly and refrigerate for an hour.

Unwrap and slice thinly and you should have several slices that would go with terrific with any "burly" red wine!

This is a basic recipe and you could add interesting things to your cream cheese mixture besides blue cheese if you like.
For example, Olives, Bacon, Cheddar, Herbs, Hard Boiled Eggs...The possibilities are endless!

As far as the spoon thing...Anything goes!... Here's a few ideas...
Shrimp Salad(with a fresh dill garnish)
Chicken Salad(Slice a grape in half for a garnish)
Pimento Cheese(Brunoise some Bell Pepper)
Tapenade(A slice of olive or 1/2 a cherry tomato as a garnish)
Strawberry and Whipped Cream(A sprig of Mint)
Once again, the posiblities are endless...
The only thing to remember is make it look nice and don't try too put to much on the spoon..It's supposed to be bite sized. They have some cool looking disposable spoons at the GFS store on Hurstboune.

I hope this helps...There are alot of good ideas on this thread!