Super platters
Often with special occasions, friends and family continue on long after the main catering is finished.
That’s when platters come into their own, with tempting sweet and savoury treats to accommodate those late-night munchies. Usually at the end of the night, let’s call it supper time, the demand is for lighter fare, with people grazing their way through fruits, cheeses and small dessert-style offerings.
Making it all finger food, or bite-sized helps, as do cocktail napkins, and side plates for the messy ones. Don’t forget tea, coffee, and a plentiful water supply, and it should keep everyone happy until they call it quits for the night.
Here are some ideas:
DESSERT PLATTER – Heaped high with chocolate almonds, marshmallows, mini snack bars, after dinner mints, grapes, strawberries, and dried apricots.
SAVOURY PLATTER – Bite-sized savoury pastries, tasty vol au vents (try thinly sliced rare roast beef with horse-radish cream for a filling, or creamy balsamic mushrooms), and blinis.
ANTIPASTO PLATTER – A traditional mix cheese, cured meats, olives, marinated or pickled vegetables, and bread or crackers. Also try adding artichoke hearts, mushrooms, roasted peppers, eggplant, zucchini, fennel, feta, and mozzarella balls.
SEAFOOD PLATTER – Hot and cold smoked salmon, smoked fish, mussels (marinated and smoked), prawns, oysters in season, along with hummus, and dipping sauces.
MEGA GRAZING PLATTER – Baked cheese, such as brie or camembert, topped with herbs and olive oil, figs, grapes, thinly sliced cured meats, such as sausage or chorizo, savoury crackers, crusty bread or breadsticks, nuts and olives, dips, such as hummus, chutney or taramosalata, and a variety of cheeses, such as soft-rind goat’s cheese, a hard cheese (like cheddar, or gruyere), and a blue cheese such as stilton.
TOP FINGER FOODS TO TRY:
Pigs in a Blanket.
Antipasto Skewers.
Deviled Eggs.
Jalapeño Poppers.
Cauliflower Bites.
Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms.
Green and black olives.
Salami.
Mini sausage rolls.
Mini pizzas.
Bruschetta.
