What Food Should You Serve At a Christmas Party?

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PLANNING A CHRISTMAS PARTY What Food to Serve
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• Christmas is a very special time of year when
  food is at the centre of things after all,
  traditionally this was always a time of feasting.
• But choosing the right food requires a little
  thought, if your party is to be remembered as a
  Christmas cracker.
• So here are a few things
• to consider

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Style

• How formal do you want your party to be?
• An informal evening with lots of finger and
• buffet food or something more substantial
• with people sitting at a table?
• The festive season can be an exhausting
• time for many of us - will you have the
• energy for a formal party that
• requires planning of menus
• and extra shopping?

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Style

• If you opt for an informal gathering,
• then at this time of year the shops are full of
  pre-prepared party food, cakes and snacks.
• You can also add your own home-made
• sandwiches, salads and cheeses to the mix.

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Time

• Think about how much time youll have for cooking
  on the day.
• If youre going to be time tight, or dont want
  too much pressure, consider serving a hearty
  seasonal stew, prepared well ahead and heated up
  at the last minute.
• This is not only a tremendous time saver but also
  will give you a chance to mix with your guests
  and enjoy yourself.

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Date

• When are you having your party?
• At Christmas time you may be tempted to
  automatically opt for a traditional turkey roast
  with all the trimmings and Christmas pud to
  follow.
• The closer you get to Christmas itself, the more
  likely it will be that people are already getting
  tired of yet another turkey dinner
  and may welcome
  something different instead.

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Date

• In that case, what about a less traditional, but
  still very special roast, such as rack of lamb or
  rib of beef or even a delicious goose?
• If you arent sure how to prepare or cook them,
  you could start by asking your butcher for
  advice.

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Date

• Or it could be an opportunity to push the boat
  out by serving some more indulgent and
  extravagant dishes like Beef Wellington or a
  whole poached salmon.

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Ring the changes

• But if youre sticking with the tried and
  traditional, then consider ringing the changes on
  some old favourites
• Use goose fat to give your roast potatoes greater
  richness and crunch
• Roast a mix of winter vegetables like parsnips,
  celeriac and butternut squash, rather than the
  usual carrots, peas and sprouts.

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Ring the changes

• Dont forget to cater for at least some
  vegetarians with non-meat but still festive
  dishes, such as a rich chestnut and mushroom
  roast or a spicy Moroccan-style vegetable tagine.
  
• You may find non-vegetarians glancing longingly
  at their neighbours plate!

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The shopping

• But whatever food you plan to serve, make sure
  you get the bulk of your shopping done in good
  time and ideally pre-order meat and fish and
  stock up on wine, spirits and soft drinks.
• Empty supermarket shelves on the day could turn
  your party into The Nightmare Before Christmas!

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• We hope weve given you some food for thought
• Youve got the menu sorted, so why not check out
  some Christmas Party Venues and plan the rest of
  your festive party?