Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject: Buffet for 45ish
Help!!! (blush ) (takes a deep breath) I'M GETTING MARRIED!! July 31st we are expecting about 45 people to celebrate with us. It will be a late afternoon affair followed by hors d'oeuvres and a buffet dinner. We will be taking the day off before to cook since we don't want to have to do too much on the Sunday itself. We're looking for hot and cold appetizers and buffet dishes that can be prepared in advance with little finishing required. Can you help or are we nuts!
Oh yeh, Mr. Romance himself popped the question by e-mail!
Oh Canada!!! _________________ Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!
So, are you sure you want to do this yourself? Are you sure you don't want a caterer? Or at least, if you make the food the day before enlist the help (or hire) of someone(s) to do the serving for you. It's your day...make sure you stand back & enjoy it: leave the work for someone else.
Phyllos appetizers are always good & there are always great summer salads around. Have a browse through the on-line recipes at the LCBO from their Food and Drink magazine.
Oh Canada is right! I'm proud to live in a country where this is possible.
Congrats, again! _________________ Life is too short to drink cheap wine.
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:27 pm Post subject:
Many, many years of happiness and growing ever closer together!
Let's see what we can come up with but I agree with JustMe that you really might want to pop for a caterer on this occasion so that you can spend your time enjoying it and the good wishes of the people who love you. _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 18 Location: Las Vegas Nevada
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:03 pm Post subject: Re: Buffet for 45ish
CONGRATULATIONS DAVID......
WISHING YOU YEARS,MOMENTS AND ENDLESS ADVENTURES TO SHARE!!!!!!!
I KNOW BECAUSE I AM MARRIED 42 YEARS .....YIKES
AND WE STILL LOOK GOOD AND LOVE EACH OTHER MORE OVER TIME....
let someone else help you with this ... and sit back in your love state of mind ......
Make great memories....
once again...
"CONGRATULATIONS"
ANDI*
Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 450 Location: a Dutchie in HongKong
Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:36 pm Post subject:
CONGRAUTLATIONS!!!!!
I'ts so cool that more and more countries make this possible and I'm kind'a proud beiing from progressive Netherlands .
but that is totally besides the point...if you don't want to have someone help you, here are my recent favourites:
*salad made from watermelon cubes, feta cheese, basil (watermelon and basil is amazing togehter) and olive oil/lemonjuice/salt/pepper. (or add coriander leaves (cilantro?), black olives...).
*tabouleh salad with lots of herbs, cucumber and chickpeas, *pastasalad with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, mozarella, olive oil.......*anything 'mini': quiches, satays, brownies, muffins, lemon merengues....do you have one of those stores nearby where restaurants stock up?They might have some good stuff in coolers or freezers...Or: choose a theme: Italian, where it's easy to have a lot of appatizers ready bought tasting fabulous( al kinds of meats and salami's, cheeses, bread, tapenade....)
Whatever you'll decide...
I wish you a very, very happy day. If I were closer I would come over and help you prepare the food...!
Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 125 Location: Vancouver
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 12:00 am Post subject:
Congratulations, David! O Canada, indeed, indeed!
If you like Indian food, you might consider that for the buffet dinner part. Since many curries not only are good for a couple of days, but often improve with time, it's just heat and dish on the day (enlist some friends to do the heavy lifting - you'll be too busy!).
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:12 am Post subject: Congratulations!
Hi David
Being in the wedding frame of mind, having recently gotten married, and about to do it again (to the same man...the joys of inter-cultural relationships), I will put my 2 cents in about it. The day itself goes amazingly quickly, with all your loved ones there that you equally want to see, and not enough time to devote to all. Even though we did have caterers, it was very much an at-home thing & we were really hands on, with family friends doing the serving, and other things like me having to fetch salt and whiskeys for my father-in-law during the dinner (not having a specific 'go-to' person). Even if you do the food yourself - and it's a great idea - I recommend that you have dedicated helpers to serve, and organise it on the day, so that you can just kick back and enjoy. A work friend who did the food for his own civil union several weeks ago said that him and his new civil unionee/partner (we're still working on the jargon for that particular new legal relationship here in NZ), the day was really full on, and slightly out of control with all that they had to do, and they ended up being the last 2 people cleaning up at 2 in the morning. They provided a curry & rice for the mains (being vegans) and asked friends to bring a salad - another way to do it.
Anyway - good luck with the orgnaisation and have a fabulous, special special day!
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 2498 Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:28 am Post subject:
Been thinking about what could be done ahead and require minimum fuss at the last moment. So far, not too much progress but I'm hopeful that something wonderful will emerge when we all put our heads together.
Tell us:
when will the happy event be?
* what will be in season locally at that time?
what are your favorite things?
is there some theme/type of cuisine you have in mind?
are you thinking more along the lines of finger foods? or serve one's self from a buffet? or, perhaps and ambitiously, sit down?
is budget a consideration? well, when isn't it, but what's yours like?
will you have a traditional wedding cake? something more along the lines of individual cakes or something people can serve themselves? or some other type of dessert offerings besides or in addition to?
how much oven/fridge space will you have available?
are you thinking of serving within a limited time frame? or will you want trays (or something) that can be placed out/prettied up for continuous service?
how much help will you have? in advance? and during your reception?
These things will help us come up with suggestions that are more helpful and do-able. And THANKS for letting us be part of this happy celebration! _________________ God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor
Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 46 Location: Sydney, Australia
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:02 am Post subject:
If you do like Indian food, that suggestion could be a winner! There are so many delicious options that are so colourful and creative, but easy to prepare, and as mentioned, actually really benefit with being made the day before. You could carry this theme over into the canapes by serving mini samosas, onion bahjis etc (again, make them the day before and pop in the oven on the day). Add a friend on rice duty and away you go.
Dearest David, and Dick of course. I'm soooooooooooooooo happy for you and wish you all the best you may wish for yourslf. A very big MAZEL TOV , and as we say here , be blessed until you are 120! Bravo to Canada too.
Now practical me : as a caterer for the past 15 years ( specializing in small parties) , I agree with , and join all those who really beg you to get help, especially on the day of the ceremony. You should both, as well as your closest friends and relatives, be free to enjoy the company and the huggs , without worring about food and drinks. 45 is not a very big party, but big enough to need at least 3-4 helping pairs of hands. One barman, one in the kitchen, 2 for outside service and cleaning around . I would have liked to co-ordinate all that!!! ( I'm so sorry Ottawa is not around the corner from Tel Aviv)
As for menus, I have a lot of ideas/suggestions ,but Rainey's questions are exactly the kind I would have asked a potential client. Otherwise it's difficult to guess your preferences ( I think chocolate cake is a sure guess, religion notwithstanding).
Bekbeka, Mazel Tov to you too X 2. Would it be very indiscreet to ask you why two marriages, though it's a nice idea to celebrate twice.
No more war, many more of all kinds of love marriages !!!
Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA
Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject:
CONGRATULATIONS! I'm doing the happy dance for y'all. I'll be thinking, while hoping for some answers to Rainey's questions. Usual buffet food rules...food that doesn't have to be cut up, is easy to eat without much fuss, and tastes good whether eaten hot/warm or cold/cool, or even room temp.
Just so your day is a religious experience I think you should hire a baker to make sinfully rich chocolate cake!
*tabouleh salad with lots of herbs, cucumber and chickpeas
Excellent choice. I had a delicious couscous salad over the weekend that needs to sit for a day: lovely & light.
swan wrote:
salad made from watermelon cubes, feta cheese, basil (watermelon and basil is amazing togehter) and olive oil/lemonjuice/salt/pepper. (or add coriander leaves (cilantro?), black olives...)
Oh, Swan, this sounds so intriguing....do you have an actual recipe?
Melon & proscuitto is lovely, so refreshing in hot weather.
I mentioned earlier about phyllo appetizers: I have a recipe for some with feta cheese that are actually nice at room temperature.
Mini quiche or other kind of tartlets. _________________ Life is too short to drink cheap wine.
Congratulations!!!! What a fabulous bit of news to be able to share. Yes, romance is a funny thing isn't it. At least you did get asked if you would marry.... my romantic (in heavily ironic voice) darling woke me up at 7am one morning and said "if I ask you really nicely, will you marry me?" My response was "only if you ask REALLY nicely" whereby he didn't say another word and went back to sleep..... We're still married though so I obviously wasn't marrying him for romance...
My only advice is to repeat everything already said. Get assigned helpers for the day!!!!! Rainey pipped me at the post with questions.
I cook regularly at the British club here, so have a lot of recipes for large numbers that can be made simply and with a minimum of fuss. (The menu is a set menu each day so you have to be prepared for any number of people, we do not do options other than to offer vegan as an alternative) If you can answer Rainey's questions, and say what type of food you would like, I can provide limitless recipes.
I am so pleased for you both. As Simona said, you are a bit far away from us. If you were closer I would say that you could have had a whole lot of "volunteer cooks/servers/etc" on the big day. Oh well, we will just have to drink to your health and happiness from where we are instead. _________________ If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.
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) (takes a deep breath) I'M GETTING MARRIED!! July 31st we are expecting about 45 people to celebrate with us. It will be a late afternoon affair followed by hors d'oeuvres and a buffet dinner. We will be taking the day off before to cook since we don't want to have to do too much on the Sunday itself. We're looking for hot and cold appetizers and buffet dishes that can be prepared in advance with little finishing required. Can you help or are we nuts!
.....YIKES 
... and sit back in your love state of mind 
......
.
