Garcia24 Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Anyone else want to admit to being useless at them? No matter how much I spend and faff they always look like a 5 year olds birthday party! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolf woolf Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Anyone else want to admit to being useless at them? No matter how much I spend and faff they always look like a 5 year olds birthday party! I never organised one, but I think it depends on the practicality of the host and the politeness of the people involved and invited. Good food that can be eaten with the hands, plenty of napkins, plenty of drinks for every taste, only invite a reasonable number of people, be available to give everyone a talking time and the same conditions. Have the bathrooms ready and a first-aid kit for some emergency. Don't overcrowd the space either. Personal pet peeves, please avoid all the balloons, confettis and expendable hats; the loud music and the bright colours. Have something ready for group plays, like a game of chairs. However, I think nothing beats a plain conversation with someone we like to be with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garcia24 Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 Just don't have the knack Sousa, always try really hard but it always looks like a table full of sausage rolls and quiche. Always manage to get the drinks right though and people do seem to have a good time. I suspect they've learned their lesson and eat before getting here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I'm always slightly disappointed if the buffet doesn't look like a five year old's birthday party! I want sausage rolls, pork pies, cheese and pineapple on sticks (preferably stuck into a foil hedgehog!) hula hoops, crisps, twiglets and triangular sandwiches along with jelly (in little paper dishes), fairy cakes and fizzy pop! This stuff didn't become popular for nothing!! It's all very well having hummus and dips and antipasti platters etc but that sort of stuff is not so pickupable. Give your guests a drink and some cheese straws and they'll be happy as anything. I think people feel relieved when they see that the buffet looks familiar. I get unnerved by unidentifiable sandwiches .. you know where you are with cheese and pickle or ham and cu/tomato and after all .. you're only grazing really so it's nice if the bits and pieces are portable. You don't want to have to balance a paper plate on your knee and use a knife and fork etc. Yes, it's the company that's important and if things get complicated in the kitchen then the anxiety will spread to your guests. Keeping the atmosphere relaxed is far more important than worrying about the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 I often do a buffet when family visit as there are too many of us for a sit down meal. My brother in law is a bit well to do and exists on a diet of serrano ham, houmous and olives so when he comes to us I often do a retro buffet, totally 80's with the pineapple/cheese on cocktails sticks, pork pies etc etc. He loves it! Saying that though I love a bit of variety in a buffet. I sometimes roast up chicken thighs and drumsticks in various herby or spicy marinades, always great as nearly every child will eat them. Of course salads are an integral part and I usually do 2 or 3 different ones with gorgeous ingredients, maybe a bacon and avocado (my favourite!), a beetroot and goats cheese and maybe a greek one with cucumber and feta - these are less popular with the kids! Oh and a huuuge potato salad is a must, preferably with lots of salad onions and crispy bacon.. Can one ever have too much crispy bacon??!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I'm not quite sure what people from the UK call a buffet, but I've made plenty 'cold' buffets for my family when there was a birthday, involving (no, this wasn't all the same buffet ) lettuce, various bowls with cold vegetables, home made tuna salad, home made pasta salad, home made rice salad, home made potato salad, a platter with various kinds of sliced meat (that you normally put on bread) and cheese, a platter with various kinds of cold fish (such as smoked salmon), stickbread, stuff for on the bread such as butter, herb butter, and other things, and once I made some sushi for the buffet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have to agree with Poppyshake, I love that kind of buffet! The host would definitely get bonus points for jelly in paper dishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garcia24 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have to agree with Poppyshake, I love that kind of buffet! The host would definitely get bonus points for jelly in paper dishes So do I Hayley, great idea, think 'Retro' is the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garcia24 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 UK buffets are pretty much the same as yours Athena. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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