Tempting cookies and desserts are part of holiday party food.
For many, entertaining during the Christmas season means getting out the holiday dishes and favorite recipes for creating festive meals. While Christmas party food can certainly be a full-course meal complete with luscious desserts, holiday entertaining can also mean setting out a lovely buffet of hors d'oeuvres or desserts, accompanied by mulled cider, wine or a lively bowl of punch. Does this Spark an idea?
Cheese and Wine
A holiday cheese and wine buffet can be casual or dressed up, depending upon what kind of party you want to have. Either way, deck your dining room with serving dishes and platters filled with cheeses from hearty to mild, along with tempting fruits, grainy breads and smooth wines. This kind of party food invites your guests to fill their plates and mingle for a while.
Fork and Bottle suggests putting together a sophisticated cheese platter by arranging a variety of good cheeses on a platter. Don't forget to label them for your guests. Try using a soft cheese such as goat cheese, a rich, creamy rind cheese such as Brie de Meaux, a cheddar, a washed or smelly cheese like Taleggio, and a blue cheese. Don't crowd the cheeses, and have separate knives for cutting. Serve appropriate wines such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Port and Merlot. On separate platters, arrange accompaniments such as crackers, fruits and hearty breads.
Holiday Potluck Party
Many love potluck parties. They give guests an opportunity to take part in the celebration of the season and a chance to share with loved ones and friends. But, according to Culinate, even if you're doing a potluck, you still need a menu for your holiday party food.
When you invite guests, let them know what the food theme for the party will be, and divvy up the responsibilities for bringing certain types of food. This way, you'll be sure that you won't end up with a potluck full of potato salad and sugar cookies and nothing else. If you tell everyone to bring a bottle of wine or other beverage too, you'll have all the bases covered and a great potluck in no time.
Food themes for your Christmas potluck party could be traditional, vegetarian, Southern cooking or Italian. Depending upon your theme, you can serve wine, beer or mulled cider or coffee, tea and punch with you potluck meal.
Dessert Open House
An open house during the holidays is a great way to let guests come and go as they please, without obliging them to show up at a certain time for a sit-down meal. A dessert open house can be lots of fun at Christmastime, as even dieters might enjoy indulging in a small, homemade sweet treat.
Dessert open houses and buffets are great in the afternoon or later in the evening to close the day out. The book "White Christmas" by Tricia Foley suggests that you select a range of desserts that offer different textures and flavors. Pies can have a sweet tartness to them, with a bit of crunch depending on the ingredients. A chocolate fountain is smooth and creamy but can also provide other tastes and textures depending on what you offer to dip in the chocolate. Light and crisp lemon cookies are refreshing and go well with fresh fruit. You might even consider offering fruit and yogurt smoothies. And, make sure you have a cake or two that is beautifully and festively decorated. Serve coffee, tea and sparkling water or wine with your array of desserts.
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