Cocktail Party Recipes and Menus
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Cocktail Party Menus
If the thought of planning an elaborate party dampens your spirits,
consider hosting an intimate cocktail party or appetizer party instead.
It is a less pressured way to bring together family and friends for fun,
food and good cheer. It is easier on your wallet then a full-blown
shindig and may only require a day or two for food preparation.
Cocktail
Party Drink Recipes
The
party can be highly sophisticated or informal and
lighthearted.
Everything from a summer party alfresco to a celebratory late
evening event. It can
be a time for playing board games; networking with colleagues or
meeting new singles; all in a smaller more intimate
atmosphere.
The
appetizer party usually
takes place in the early evening, on any
night of the week, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Of course the real
start and end time will depend on your and your family and friends'
"partying style".
THE
FOOD
The
cocktail party implies mixed drinks and a variety of "small
bites" or appetizers, a.k.a. hors d'oeuvres and canapés.
When party planning there are a
few things to
consider before choosing your menu. It should include classic
canapés as well as creative
new ones. They should be fun to eat as well as interesting and
easy to prepare.
The most crucial part
of a good menu is to create contrasts by offering a variety of
flavors,
textures and colors. Little
appetizers should pack big flavor. Select recipes that are appropriate to your guests'
tastes and that work well in combination Choose a
variety--hot, cold, hearty and low calorie.
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Instead
of individual meat appetizers, serve one whole selection
of meat, such as a whole turkey, ham, roast beef or pork
tenderloin. Serve
thin slices atop bread, crackers or flatbread and serve with
mustards, pickles or other condiments
Serve
one/two desserts instead of many sweet appetizers
Prepare
one large mixed greens, vegetable, pasta and/or fruit salad instead of
numerous vegetable or fruit appetizers. Vegetable
appetizers are wonderful but can be time consuming in their
preparation
Only
choose one "big" food to serve, otherwise you will
create more work for yourself and will drift into hosting a
buffet-style party instead of a cocktail party
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 When
choosing ready made nibbles, give bread sticks, flatbread and foccacia a try instead of plain
rolls; or try macadamias and pistachios instead of peanuts and cashews.
THE
DRINK
You've
made sure the food is fabulous so simply must offer fabulous
drinks. To simplify matters, offer only one or two fun
"signature drinks", such as varied flavored martinis or frozen
blender drinks. Make these the drinks "on the menu" and
don't feel obligated to offer a full bar. Add a few bottles of red
and white wine, beer, sparkling water and sodas, and you're all
set. And don't forget non-drinkers by having flavored teas and
lemonade at hand.
To
make bartending an easier job, mix all the base ingredients (except the
alcohol) of your specialty drinks and have it ready to go at your
quests' request. You can also serve this concoction to your
non-drinking friends.
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How Much to Serve
If you
are only serving appetizers, estimate 6-8 pieces per adult. If the
appetizers are before a dinner or buffet service, 4-6 hors d'oeuvres
should suffice. The amount of
appetizers may depend on what it is. For example, guests will eat
smaller amounts of fruit and salads as opposed to meats and small bites
that they can easily pop in their mouths.
Cocktail Party Theme Menus and Ideas
More Cocktail Party Menus
 Easy
Appetizer Recipes
Canapés Finger
Sandwiches
Skewers
How
much alcohol do I buy?
How many cocktails will my quests drink?
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