Kitchen Essential

A buffet meal is ideal for occasions where there is to be a large number of guests such as christenings, weddings and similar gatherings. It may also suit a smaller gathering such as an informal supper with friends after the theatre or an evening at home where a dinner around the table might be more formal than you want to make it.

When planning the table arrangements and flowers or other decorations, think carefully about a colour scheme or theme to suit the occasion. For example, if the meal you are planning is to celebrate a silver wedding, choose white flowers with silvery foliage, silver candles or white candles in silver candlesticks and trimmings of furled silver ribbons. Silver serving dishes and silver cutlery will help to set the scene and if you don’t have these yourself, you can hire, or possibly borrow them. If the occasion is a christening, you will probably choose pink or blue as the predominant colour, and flowers should be delicate and unfussy.

The next most important decision is where to place the table.

Buffet-table set against the wall. This gives more space in the room itself but limits the number of people who can help themselves to food at one time. So, work out a simple plan of where to position food, plates, cutlery, etc., to help prevent collisions and over-crowding.

It sometimes helps to repeat the arrangements of dishes starting at both ends of the table and meeting in the middle, or if the party is spreading into two rooms, set up a table in each room with the same selection of food on each.

Keep decorative arrangements of flowers, candles, fruit, etc, to the back of the table and dishes of food easily accessible at the front, with plenty of serving spoons and forks. For occasions when there is a celebration cake, either position the cake as the central focus of attention on the main table or place it on a separate table with a vase of flowers and a silver knife.

Buffet-table placed away from the wall. More people can serve themselves, so there is less likelihood of congestion and collision. However, the arrangement of the table is a little more complicated because it must look good from every angle. The flower decorations or decorative bowl of fruit or cake must be central and vases and candlesticks can stand at each end, well away from the edge. Place stacks of plates, napkins and cutlery in low piles at either end of the table. If there is a hot dish, place it at one end of the table and continue, using one side of the table, with salads, sauces, bread and desserts to the far end. On the other side of the table, begin with the cold main dish, if there is one, at the opposite end from the hot dish, and continue through to the desserts.

This method allows guests to approach the table from opposite ends on both sides. Try to persuade guests to serve themselves a few at a time so that there is not a huge crowd all trying to get to the food at the same time. If necessary fill up dishes as the meal progresses or have duplicate dishes ready in the kitchen to bring out when necessary.

It is usually much better to serve drinks from a separate table or sideboard. Place pretty mats on every surface around the room so that glasses can be put down without spoiling furniture or paintwork. When planning the menu, try to limit the food to items that can be eaten with only a fork or the fingers. It is impossible to juggle knife, fork, plate and glass at the same time. Desserts, too, should be the kind that are easily eaten with just a fork or just a spoon. Remove dirty plates and dishes as soon as possible to the kitchen so that the table still looks neat, pretty and inviting. Towards the end of the meal, clear one end of the table to make room for coffee and coffee cups.

Party Celebration Catering for Large Numbers

It is not usually necessary to hire professional caterers or florists to create a table setting for a big occasion. You may need to hire trestle tables which can be covered with lightly-starched white sheets and if you don’t have enough table-cloths, use disposable cloths. China, cutlery and glassware can also be hired and although this limits your choice of style and type of china, plain white china or white with a gold or coloured rim is usually available and can be dressed up to suit the occasion.

A Garden Party

A garden party is merely a buffet out of doors, so th planning of flowers, table arrangements and food the same. Because of the risk of bad weather a marquee is often hired and the buffet meal is usually set up inside. As this sort of event is usually held in mid-summer, there will probably be plenty of brightly-coloured flowers to use for table decorations and quantities of summer fruit to include in the menu.

If the weather is very hot you may need to put up garden umbrellas to provide shade for guests. Under each, place a small table and a group of chairs. Cover the tables with pretty table-cloths and place tiny vases of flowers on each, leaving as much space as possible for glasses and plates of food to be put down.

Table Party Celebration in the Garden

The style and mood you choose to create will depend largely on whether you are planning an informal family affair or a more elegant dinner for guests. If it is to be a family occasion, place a pretty jug filled with fresh flowers cut from the garden in the middle of the table. If you have a big, old-fashioned pine table lay the china directly on to A. Alternatively cover the table with a bright, cheerful cloth with either matching linen or paper napkins. Keep the setting unfussy but bright and pretty.

For a more formal dinner, spread the table with a white or pale cream cloth, or you may like to use disposable cloths. There is a very good selection of attractive disposable tableware now available in hops. Use cafe clips to hold cloths firmly to the edge of the table to stop them from blowing in the breeze decorate the table with delicate vases of flowers and lace candles, protected by glass holders, at intervals along the table. Garden flares are ideal for lighting such an occasion held in the evening.

Keep the menu simple and easy to serve, otherwise the host or hostess will spend an awful lot of time walking to and from the kitchen to collect dishes. Cold food is obviously easiest, and as such occasions are likely to be held in summer, make the most of salads and fresh fruit.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Greeting, Christenings, Weddings and Gatherings, Celebrate with Buffet Party

• A family christening
• The finest Savoy cabbage Table Decoration
• Elegance and Romance: how o use Candles and Holders to Decorate Tables
• Fun to Organize Successful Parties, Costume, Decorations, food
• Finishing touches
• New Year Dinner Party Table Decoration, Fun and Entertainment
• Inlay Ideal Decoration in a Kitchen
• Caring for tableware keep these things looking as good as new
• Bohemian
• The Perfect Finishing Touches Setting the Table

Trackback URI | Comments RSS