For years I have been wanting to do a Wine and Cheese party. For years I have also been pregnant. So now that my belly is baby free I finally get my chance. Every time I have tried to have one before, Dan ends up turning it into a regular party with beer and what not because "not everyone likes wine". So this is MY party and only wine drinkers are invited. No beer allowed. A GROWN UP party. I am so excited. Or I was until...Dan wanted to invite all the guys at his new command. It is a relatively small group so I agreed. Then he said since he invited all the junior officers, he better invite his CO and XO (his bosses). So far the only people who have responded are the CO and XO. They are coming. Awkward! Now I feel super uncomfortable and my house seems so inadequate. My pictures aren't hung yet, we haven't painted, our furniture is old. I know that shouldn't matter but I can't help but feel that way. The CO's wife really intimidates me. She is very classy, put together, her house is gorgeous and immaculate...
My wonderful and dear friend Shana (who refuses to start a blog so I can't link to one) tells me, screw the house, wow them with the food. She is a party guru and I so wish she could swoop down and rescue me. Too bad she lives 1000 miles away. So that is the plan. I'm gonna wow them with multiple culinary delights. Any suggestions?? I wanted to get a cool chocolate fountain but Dan pooped on that plan. We'll see who wins that one...
So if ANY of you have any cool suggestions on how to make this a really great party please send me your wisdom.
***I have added some more recipes to Kristin's Yummy Stuff. Several of them are ideas I have for the party menu. Let me know what you think.
17 comments:
Aww I think you're going to be a hit,no matter what your furniture or walls look like!
I say,fight for the fountain,chocolate brings women together! lol
Are you wanting to do a meal or finger foods??
Thanks, L! We are doing finger foods, cheese and chocolate. I have a few recipes in mind, but would love some good and easy ideas.
I just know it's going to be fantastic no matter what happens or how your house looks. People come for the fun not for the scenery!
As for the wine and cheese, I had one that was girls only a few years ago and it was SO fun. I had everyone bring their favorite cheese and a bottle of wine from a vineyard with a name that started with the same letter as the guests name. We had about 10-12 people in my tiny apartment, but we had a really great time. I think something like that is always going to be better as a girls only event, but maybe that's just me...
Have fun!
the secret to a great party is to give your guests, each one of them, your undivided attention. Stop worrying about your house- anyone that counts is coming to see you, not your house. Be yourself, relax and have fun. Here from Dr. John's marathon
the secret to a great party is to give your guests, each one of them, your undivided attention. Stop worrying about your house- anyone that counts is coming to see you, not your house. Be yourself, relax and have fun. Here from Dr. John's marathon
Dr John sent me.. your house will be fine.....people who come to see what you have are not worth having!!! Dont you worry sweety..you will do fine!
I have never given a wine party so I won't be much help on the food. I have fondue parties with chocolate and cheese. Everything will be fine.
Came from Dr John's marathon
Congratulations for becoming a mom to be.
Just passing by from Dr. John.
As an attendee to this glorious event, I'm pushing for the chocolate fountain. Come on, it's healthy. There's fruit! I say try to get the house as presentable as you can, but people have to realize that you have a herd of kids living with you. I'll try to think of some elegant yet easy foods for you, but in the meantime, you'll do fine!!
I'm with Danno on the chocolate fountain idea... definitely not necessary. You'll already have to drop some major duckets for the food and a bottle or two of wine, so I say try to keep other costs to a minimum.
Nicki and I had a lot of success a couple years ago with our wine party by making a wine-tasting contest out of it. When people enter the house, have them put their bottle into a brown bag and label it either 'red' or 'white' and put a number on it. Then when every bottle is accounted for, have people drink from each of the bottles and give a score (scale from 1-5) for each bottle.
The winner of our contest, despite having lots of quality wine there, was Charles Schwab's cab sav (2-buck-Chuck). Goes to show that money doesn't necesarily buy taste.
Enjoy!
Hi, I found your blog through crazy hip blog mamas. So glad I did.
As far as your party, it sounds like it will be a fun time no matter what.
My husband LOVES wine. He said he wants to start a wine and cheese club when he gets back. So I suspect I'll have the stress you're experiencing with inviting people over.
I have stains on my carpets from last year like it's no bodies business! LOL
Ah Mike, my dear husband always the spend thrift. If you know of anyone who owns one (chocolate fountain), just borrow theirs!
Don't worry about the party. People will end up coming at the last minute. You know how these things work. Plus, if the CO's wife is truely a classy women, she will act graciously and make you feel totally "at home". Most of them learn how to do this after years of practice! Your a top notch chef so you will totally wow them with food. Like your artichoke dip!! YUM! Go simple but "Gormet" like proscuitto wrapped honeydew/figs. (I've been able to get proscuitto at the commissary deli for very inexpensive and figs are just coming into season) I've had this recipe that I've been wanting to try of Baked Figs with Gorgonzola and Prosciutto for hor d'oeuves. There's another Prosciutto and Drunken Melon Brochettes that sounds Yummy too.
You've got tons of experience, gear and resources. Printing out a "menu" to place on the table in a frame is always an inexpensive & elegant touch. Naming the food with fancy names always makes it seem more spectacular!! You'll do great! Think of it this way, if there is less people, you can splurge a little more on the cheeses and other ingredients. I was just looking at my Cooking 1-2-3 book and she has some fabulous "Bar Cheese" Recipes: Basil Blue Cheese, Classic Pimiento Cheese, Pesto Mascarpone, Roasted Garlic Sapsafo, & Roquefort-Armagnac. Again, you are incredibly resourceful and witty. You will be a success! Your motivating me to have another party like this.
How about Prosciutto
and melon? Or Prosciutto
wrapped around blanched aparagus topped with shaved parma cheese?
Ummm....an assortment of fancy olives? Brandy Olives? Baked Brie with whatever you like-cranberry or mushrooms or pesto-
Skewers with baby mozza cheese,cherry tomatos,cubes of salami and fresh basil,drizzled in olive oil?
Skewers with chicken and mango,along with dipping sauce of some sort...bacon wrapped pineapple. Very lowbrow but one of my faves,lol
That's all I can think of for now. I'm going to check out your ideas:)
Yeah, add some fruit to the mix. With dip.
I agree with your friend....worry about the food, not the house so much. I took a look at your recipes, and they sound delicious! Wild mushroom pate? Sweet Brie? I want to come! :)
I did a party for my husband recently for his birthday. I did chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce which was popular, and I did small slices of Italian toast with a small thin slice of beef tenderloin on each piece and horseradish cream drizzled over the top...people LOVED that. Also, if you did a plate of mixed olives and pepperdews( ever heard of them? They are delicious hot/sweet peppers from South Africa that make everything taste great!)
dim the lights and go for candles... everything looks better and everyone looks prettier...
i am all for the above mentioned finger foods... your readers have lots of good ideas!
Only guys would say no to a chocolate fountain. Oh yumm! But you could always just have chocolate fondue in a regular fondue pot on the table. Chocolate and fruit are always a big hit. Oh, another neat yummy to dip...take marshmellows, cut in have, take sticky side and dip into crushed nuts. They stick onto the marshmellows and look really pretty. Dip into chocolate fondue, YUMM!!
I agree, dim the lights, have candles and maybe some good jazz music (if you like that) and great food and no one will care about anything else.
Oh yeah, can I come?!?!?!
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