Recipes and decorating ideas for a warm and inviting evening
The kids at a sleepover, summer camp or staying with your parents? Jump at the opportunity to have a sophisticated evening with friends! You know you hardly ever see them anymore!
Here are a few tips that’ll add ambience and tantalize their eyes and their taste buds.
If you’re holding your party outdoors, consider decorative lighting. Hang strings of lights in trees and on fences, or place floating candles in Mason jars filled with water on the table.
Why not a big spray of seasonal flowers as a centrepiece? Make it out of small bunches so your guests can each take some home afterwards!
Tapas means finger food presented on pretty little plates. To avoid a pile up of dishware on the dining table, keep a kitchen cart handy for handling the dishes once guests are through with each course.
When it comes to figuring out how much food you need, for 6 guests count on 6 varieties of tapas and about 8 to 10 items per person, so about 48 to 60 bites in all.
Don’t forget the cocktails! You’ll want to serve 2 or 3 varieties, so make sure you have all the spirits you need along with everything for mixing and serving. Visit the 1001 cocktails web site for recipe ideas.
Looking for some tapas inspiration? Here are some ideas that are sure to be a real crowd pleaser!
• Combine the flavours of BBQ with the novelty of tapas with these Bratwurst sausages with avocado and grapefruit salsa
• For Italian-style tapas, whip up these mini-pizzas with Black Forest smoked ham and grilled bell peppers.
• Combine the great taste of bacon and the pleasure of tapas with these dates and bacon bites.
• These yummy turkey breast rollups with pesto and sundried tomato cheese will tickle your taste buds! No cooking required!
• Don’t forget the Calabrese sausage and bocconcini balls.
Music, a terrace, delicious tapas and cocktails... that’s all you need to make your cocktail a real hit!