What was the last party you threw?

[Claire]

I know, I know, I bring up this thread periodically, usually when I'm planning or just threw a major thing. I spent yesterday on the phone, calling my guests. I'm just planning on buying brats and dogs, buns and condiments, and asking everyone to bring typical picnic fare. I'm hoping for good, cooking out weather. I'll pre-boil the brats in beer so that they only need to be browned over the coals. A friend has already volunteered to bring corn on the cob, already boiled and ready to eat. I haven't thrown a real summer party since about 4 years ago when hubby was attacked by a nest of hornets and nearly died. I'm sure as heck hoping for a better outcome this year.

 

[Arky]

As I mentioned on a previous thread, I host a themed dinner each Thursday evening for a selection of my friends. For your summer party, instead of the usual hamburger & hot dog fare, you could try something like "Cowboy Chuck Wagon," "Hawiian Luau," "On the Beach Seafood," "Marooned on a deserted Island," (A Cornish game hen could be called "Slow Moving Seagull", or "albatross", or a pork loin could be referred to as "wild boar" - names that would make your guests smile) in the application of your interesting theme. It wouldn't require any decorations, just some thought for you and your friends in what dishes to prepare, and it could be the topic of conversation during the meal. Fun and good food - always a winning combination!

 

[Robo410]

tonight...a picnic for colleagues. check out tonight's dinner thread.

 

[Claire]

Arky, I belong to a group (about 7 of us) who do Sunday brunches. The thing is, they wanted them at noon. After a year or so, I got tired of trying to find egg dishes, etc, and started to do the theme thing you mentioned. In recent years I've done, I think, every theme you've mentioned. So I'm back to all-American picnic fare for this particular party!

 

[les]

Hi,
we're having a birthday BBQ on Saturday, hubby cooking slow hand of pork, chickens, inverted burgers, garlic potatoes & salad, everyone else is bringing desserts...weather forcast...heavy rain!! I can't believe it.. you guys have a good one

 

[vyapti]

We had a party for my wife's 40th birthday this spring. We had an Indian banquet. I made about 6 dishes, along with chutneys and a big stack of parathas. I spent all of the day before preparing most of the food, so it could be heated up for the party. Everything turned out wonderful, and one of her gifts was an autographed dunce-style hat from her favorite Bollywood star.

 

[letscook]

We had a bday bar'q for my dad 82 birthday, He had a quad bypass in November and getting around quite well so family came in from florida and arizona and had a good time.

by the way i see them in the store all the time - I have never had one or cooked one so what are brats ? What is everyones way of cooking them? Thanks

 

[Arky]

I have never had one or cooked one so what are brats ? What is everyones way of cooking them? Thanks

Bratwurst (brat) is a semi-firm German spiced sausage in a natural casing. Many people threat them has you would a hot dog, only slightly larger and in a hoggie bun with mustard.

They can also be used as a suppliment to other ingredients, such as diced potatoes with onions and sliced bratwurst (a casserole).

They're not quite smoky and not hot, but well seasoned.

 

[letscook]

thanks, now Ill have to try them.

 

[Claire]

Bratwursts are very, very popular Midwest picnic (many folk of German stock, why so many American beers are brewed in this area) fare. Since I'm doing a lot of them, my plan is to simmer them in beer until they are actually cooked through, then keeping them warm until ready to toss on the coals to brown and get that flavor. I was astonished when some Virginia friends started visiting when we moved here that they, too, had never heard of them. But then, I spent my pre-teen years in Germany, and going for bratwurst and brochen at the basement of Hertie's department store in Wiesbaden was a real treat for my best friend and me.

 

[shirl2009]

My last do was a couple of weeks ago for my DIL's Birthday. We had grilled New york Steaks, corn on the cob, grillin Beans, Greek Mac salad and Carrot Birthday cake and Ice Cream.

 

[Thaicooking]

Mine was just last weekend! It was Temaki and Sushi party with Japanese friends....I had a great time with making Sushi by myself. Newx time might be Yakisiba party

 

[ella/TO]

I called guests on Sunday to come to an "appetizer/dinner" party; the next day. Of course they insisted on bring foods too, and there was quite an array. I myself did a pate dish; hummus;smoked salmon/cream cheese to put on crackers; olives; kosher salami wrapped around kosher dills. Guests brought some cheeses; a hot artichoke spread;taziki;cocktail onions and loads of different crackers and pitas. I made a peach/blueberry pie for dessert. It really went off well and as the guests were leaving they were talking about having another one soon.

 

[Claire]

Thaicooking, we live in small-town Midwest and our neighbors threw a sushi party a few years ago. It was great fun, given that well over half the guests had never had sushi and swore they'd never eat raw fish (you can explain until you're blue in the face and they'll never believe that sushi doesn't mean raw fish!). We brought our sushi knife, mat, etc over and our contributions, and an hour or so before the party the four of us started working on the sushi. I'd made negemaki, which always goes over well, and we had appropriate salads. For those of us who enjoy it, I brought over a bottle of sake, and for the more faint-at-heart and lady-ish, some plum wine. At the time there wasn't any fish available that would be appropriate raw (now we can get some good quality tuna -- ahi), so we stuck to crab, shrimp, and vegetables. It took some of our neighbors a few drinks to try it, even after being reassured repeatedly that there was NO raw fish involved, and quite a few were surprised to find they enjoyed it. It was one of our more fun neighborhood parties.

 

[Arky]

Claire, I've prepared "California Rolls" once but I have a LOT more experience eating sushi than rolling it. HOWEVER! I recently acquired a bag of crawfish (crawdads for us southerners) which, in flavor, is a cross between a scampi and a lobster but in a smaller package. What would you recommend to go with it in the roll?

 

[Claire]

Arky, the main problem I've had with making sushi is getting it "tight" enough. It always seems too loose. I think the main problem is that when you only make sushi every couple of years, you just don't get enough experience to be good at it! And it is so much fun to go to a sushi bar, that if we can get to one, we're unlikely to make it at home.

With crawdads (or whatever you want to call them), I'd first of all cut them to size, then slather with something like a remoulade (mayo with peppers ... very common in many sushi rolls I've had, and perfect for craws), then roll. Hubby, who I consulted, thinks that a thin asparagus would be perfect in it. Also green onion (which I would cut in half vertically before rolling) or cucumber. I happen to love avocado with almost anything, but crawdads tend to be rather rich, so that might be too much.

 

[Claire]

Well, it is now 5 a.m. the day after the party. I started with only having a few people over who know a friend from out of town (Lyons, France, I think), and it got bigger. I'm a big believer in potluck and the food was to die for. The brats and dogs turned out perfect (I cooked the brats in beer, onions and one pepper, then left husband to brown them on the grill without having to worry about them being cooked through). SO it turned out great. A couple of newbies came to the party ... I was (not for the first time) rather surprised at people who say they've never been invited to a party. I remember a gal saying that to me many years ago, when I lived in Florida. Now I've lived quite poor and fairly high on the hog and everywhere in between. I've been going to or hosting potluck type parties since I was a child, but also going to "fancy" parties as well. These people are perfectly nice women and no one ever invited them to a party? Well, she loved it all and I was very pleased. The only glitch was that three people told me they were bringing cake for desert; we had a couple of birthdays. Well, one woman brought a potato casserole instead (which, not being a sweets freak, I preferred) and one didn't show up, so we had one very small cake for desert! So a friend told me she had another in her freezer and ran home and got it. We had a half-dozen kids 10 and under, which I always am afraid will be difficult since we are childless and don't have all the bells and whistles kids expect these days. But they were all well-behaved.

 

[Arky]

Thank you Claire for your sushi advice, and I'm glad your party turned out so well!!!

 

[Dumpandstir]

Today I am throwing a pizza party for 30+. It is a potluck type party where I asked everyone to bring their favorite toppings. It took me about 4 hours yesterday to make and bake all the crusts. I have a portable professional oven and I am going to pack that in to the park. With pre-baked crusts most pizzas only take 7-10 minutes to bake.

We are having it at a local amusement park with an internet group who loves to visit the park.