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Help me with my menu please.
Im having a hard time deciding on my appetizer menu. I mentioned a while ago that Im hosting a movie night (old Cary Grant classics) and plan to serve 2 different cocktails and appetizers/finger foods. There will be 6 people and the time will be 7pm.
Im going to serve the classic martini and the manhattan.
And, I found these appetizers that were popular in the time period (40's - 60s). BTW, you wouldnt believe some of the disgusting apps I came across!
A list of appetizers: stuffed celery, chex, cocktail peanuts, cheese straws, mini cheeseballs (one savory one sweet), jalapeno jelly poured over block of cream cheese, cocktail meatballs, pigs in a blanket, baked cheddar olives, cucumber tea sandwiches, classic chip and dip, bacon wrapped water chestnuts, PW's bacon wrapped club crackers
Any suggestions on which ones to choose?
Re: Help me with my menu please.
Yeahhhh, almost all of those are still served around here lol.
I made stuffed celery for NYE and wasn't a fan. Looked good on paper, not in practice.
I vote for jelly and cream cheese, bacon wrapped club crackers...
Ehhh, as I was trying to choose more, truthfully, I don't know that this theme lends itself to a food theme. At 7pm and for the duration of a movie, I'm going to want something more substantial...and healthier. (This would be yet another example of why I'm not a fan of themes.) And here, anyways, since those are all current apps, no one would get the reference - they'd just wonder why you were serving such an unbalanced selection.
I think music as everyone's arriving, cocktails and the movies will be enough of the theme to make it work. Why not just serve sophisticated apps (that together form a balanced menu) IHO Mr. Grant's urbanity?
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Thanks for letting me know about the celery, maybe I should just to a small veggie tray with hummus.
Where I am, no one really does know about these apps (and I talked to my Dad and he said growing up they never had finger foods, although they were very poor). DH wants to just get pizza, LOL. I just cant pull together a menu of apps that would be ok enough to go with the drinks and not be a big jumble to "crap" you know?
Sophisticated is what I was going for, and a little retro.
Thanks for the suggestion, a Tom Collins would be refreshing.
We probably still serve most of those in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought.
The celery didn't work for a couple reasons. 1) the cheese filling was just kinda bland, 2) it didn't stay in the celery when spread (it kept pulling up), so making them was a gooey, messy challenge, 3) no one actually ate any.
I like hummus, but I'm thinking the '50s weren't tracking on Middle Eastern chick pea dips
I didn't hear of it until the year before last. Ranch seems like a good choice.
See what app recipes can be made with French Onion soup mix.
To sound like a broken record, shrimp cocktail and these super easy crostini (I use deli ham or deli roast beef) have good presentation and are simple. If you decide to do the crostini, I've developed a short-cut that I'll type out for you, so just ask.
Just a heads up, you do not want to make cheese straws yourself. They're labor intensive and expensive to make.
For pigs in a blanket, see if Sister Schubert frozen rolls are sold near you. I detest PIAB in any form, but these are just heat and serve and everyone who likes PIAB loves these. (Clarification - Sister Schubert rolls are divine; my dislike for PIAB does not extend to the rest of her normal rolls lol.)
I'm typing this in class and quasi paying attention to the lecture, so this answer may not make any sense at all. If there are any references to Truman beating Dewey above, my apologies, that was supposed to go in my notes
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Caramelized French Onion Dip
Tarheels- Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
Im with you on the PIAB, they just seem so "kiddish" to me and really arent that good. Im just trying to think of something that the guys would like- meatballs might be my best bet I think.
I think Im going to do: Cocktail meatballs, jalapeno jelly over a block of cream cheese, veggies and dip. What else would go with these? (Do I even need anything else?)
Oh and I will have cocktail peanuts and popcorn for movie watching. I think I will do bite sized brownie bites too. I would love to make macaroons, but Im too scared!
What about slices of chicken sausage, there are many varieties, wrapped in puff pastry. Same basic principle, but fancied up.
Crostini was big back then. Slices of French Baguette topped with a mix of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and chopped tomatoes. I usually add a little cayenne for some kick. After you topped the baguettes with the cheese blend, you put them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the cheese was melted with brown spots.
Another popular thing then was pickle and olive trays. This is a tray with different types of pickles and olives arranged in rows. Very simple to do. I add cherry tomatoes soaked in vodka to bring a little color to the plate.
This is a great idea, I recall my grandmother ALWAYS having such tray at every party.
After much thought I have finally decided.
Clam Dip with potato chips and celery/carrot sticks
Lil smokies
PW's bacon wrapped crackers
Jalapeno jelly over a block of cream cheese with crackers (maybe sliced baguette too).
Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. There are a lot of ideas here for my next party!
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I love this theme.
I did a retro ski lodge party last year and it was a lot of fun.
I also looked for retro foods to serve and you're right...some of them are just nasty.
I ended up serving a full meal, but I did have some apps.
Here is what I would choose for your party:
-Cocktail meatballs
-Pigs in a blanket
-Deviled eggs
-Olive and pickle platter
-Cheeseball(s) with ritz crackers
-Popcorn balls (when searching I found tons of recipes with different variations on this and it fits in with the movie theme).
-Spiced nuts
-Shrimp cocktail
-Stuffed mushrooms
-Chocolate fondue with pretzel rods, pound cake, and strawberries
Also I think having a non-alcoholic sherbet punch would be nice a nice alternative to the cocktails you're serving.