And I prefer the opposite- I love the crockpot snacks and foods that often appear at potluck dinners. I prefer a lot of warm foods and IMO pasta/potatos should never be served cold.
What's the occasion? I ask because I like different foods at different functions. A wedding reception? I'd rather have something quick and easy to eat that's not messy (since there'll be drinking and dancing going on). Like cold cuts/sandwitches/finger foods. A small gathering of family or close friends? I prefer more savory, hearty foods like pasta/BBQ/etc.
Wedding reception -- about 200 people! I think finger foods would be the way to go, but my imagination doesn't extend beyond sausage rolls and savoury eggs
I've had everything from very simple sandwiches to prime rib at wedding receptions. As I said, my personal preference is for lighter, easier to eat foods rather than something more "formal".
Crock-pot full of little smoked sausages in BBQ sauce and a tray of Chicken Fingers from Wally-World (Hell! They're good!).
I'm doomed if I can ever convince a girl to marry me. Because on the one hand, I'd like to wear a classic tuxedo (which, naturally, means an evening wedding), but on the other hand, I'd like to do the reception in a rural VFW Hall. With a polka band. For that you have some kind of chicken, a veggie tray with carrots, celery, dip, cauliflower, and broccoli, you have your buttered ham sandwiches (on tiny little White Castle-sized buns), you have potato salad, beans, and probably a couple different kinds of Jell-O, and also a tray of meat and cheese. Oh, and probably a hotdish.
Cheese. I had a buffet table out for my 18th, and despite my protests, my mother snuck in halfway through the night and put out a cheese platter. I was MORTIFIED, but it went down in seconds.
Vol-au-vents, some with chicken, some with mushroom, for the vegetarians. Mini pizzas (ie, about the size of a Rich Tea biscuit). Raw veg crudites and various dips - guacamole, onion and chive, salsa. Fruit kebabs - mango, pineapple, strawberries all work well. Mini is absolutely right about a cheese platter.
Vol-au-vents!! That's the word I was looking for! I couldn't think of anything more specific than "mini pastry fancy things". Oh, satay chicken is tasty, and mini spring rolls, and also prawns in pastry, and basically all of those tiny party selections you get in the supermarkets. Oh and mini samosas with chilli dip, but the ones I love are from a shop near me, so I don't think they count. (I'm very fussy about samosas.)
Rent "The Deer Hunter" sometime. It's a pretty good Vietnam buddy film, so Mr. Teeth will enjoy that. But IIRC, the film starts with a wedding in blue-collar Pittsburgh that is pretty much the sort of wedding I'm describing.
Definitely having a cheese board!! We have a cheese shop locally that has all kinds of gorgeous cheeses, so I'll get various types to suit all tastes Would having a basket of bread and various fillings to help yourself with be acceptable? Or do people prefer their sandwiches already made up? I've also scoured M&S and Waitrose's websites ... they do things like mini Toad-in-the-hole and Bubble & Squeak! And mini dressed crabs! All sorts or gorgeous looking savoury pies... And dressed salad leaves? With bowls of cucumber and cheery toms, peppers etc? Yay? Nay? The mind is boggling. I'm just worried I'll pick what I like rather than what will go down well!!
I'd say work out what areas you want to cover, and make sure you cover them all (overlapping food not just accepted, but encouraged!) So; 1) Sweet / Savoury / Tangy 2) Meat / Veggie 3) Warm food / Cold Food (I'd suggest food that tastes good warm as opposed to hot, just incase something goes tits up and the hot food ends up warm anyway!) 4) Make your own / Ready Made 5) Simple/ Posh E.g. you have warm sausage rolls (deliciousness) that cover savoury/warm/meat/myo /simple. Cheese Platter covers savoury / veg / cold / posh. Dressed salad covers tangy / veg / cold / myo / simple, whilst the mini toad in the holes are savoury/meat/warm/ready made (and if waitrose, probably posh as well!). Wedding Cake obviously covers sweet! (Or if you have lots of puddings, a giant tower of profiteroles with extra chocolate to dip in wouldn't go amiss!) So, ignoring the fact that all my meat examples are pig, you've got a beginning range already that should cover everything!
I you, Mini! (out of rep, again!). That is a truly inspirational help!! btw... Wedding cake is 7 tiers of cupcakes and a traditional fruitcake on top!
Seriously, for a wedding (yours?) I'd recommend a caterer. Yes, costs money, but it's really more convenient. They come, they serve, the put away the mess. You just arty:
Exactly. Plus, they usually charge by the plate so you can use your guest list to better determine how much food you'll need and how much it'll cost.
We're cheating a bit though. Dad has a catering friend who has offered to do the food, and provide serving wenches. He has asked us for menu ideas so we get what we want, as before it all started getting planned we said we didn't want a formal sit-down meal. He's taking care of quantities and stuff, but I really don't know what people would expect and enjoy. I have made a bit of a rod for my own back, I guess!
A few things to remember: 1) People will "expect" to see a wedding. Past that, it's all decoration. 2) Free food is automatically 80% more delicious, and buffets where no-one will notice you eating like a pig? That ramps it up more. So you have a headstart there. 3) When in doubt, put money behind the bar!
Go for the cheese, you can't fail with cheese - but I wouldn't faff with fancy ones, some decent Lancashire, Cheddar and Cheshire, either on sticks or with water biscuits. For the veggies, fried haloumi, onion and pepper kebabs usually goes well. Tuna pasta tends to be enjoyed. Mini pies, stuffed mild chillis, cocktail sausages, simple smorgasbord, chicken drumsticks and some fruit should keep everyone happy. And quiche. For the wankers obviously
