Cocktail Party Food

A cocktail party is so much fun both for the guests as well as the hostess. It is less stressful than a full blown dinner party where one has to slave at the kitchen preparing appetizers, main course, side dishes and dessert. It is also quite taxing when you have to throw a dinner party for a large number of people. A cocktail party on the other hand requires you to prepare only appetizers albeit for a large number of people and you also need a wider selection. But all you need to do is to prepare the menu for cocktail party food well in advance and then sit back and enjoy the evening.

Food Ideas for a Cocktail Party

The first thing to remember when you are hosting a cocktail party is to make sure that you have a good selection of cocktail party food. Your selection should include both vegetarian and non vegetarian food with enough variety in seafood, chicken, meat and cheese. Another very important thing that you should keep in mind is that all these cocktail party food should be bite sized appetizers or hors d'oeuvres. Your guests will not like to wrestle with big chunky pieces of food in their elegant clothing. Keep all cocktail party food free from any sort of gravy and oozing melted cheese as this not only looks unappetizing but also creates problems for your guests. If you must, then serve these cocktail party finger foods with various dipping sauces and condiments.

Do not be afraid to experiment with the menu of your cocktail party food. You can serve your guests a mixture of classic appetizer dishes and some creative ones as well. You can also serve a mix of both hot and cold cocktail party food to your guests, although try to keep more of the hot food. When you are estimating the amount of food that you will be required to prepare just calculate that you will need to serve ten or twelve appetizers per person. Make sure that you have enough food and keep extra food that can be prepared in a matter of minutes for emergencies. Another very essential thing that you should keep in mind when you are hosting a cocktail party is to prepare some of the food well in advance. Organize yourself and do all the cutting and chopping of vegetables and other items before the night of the party. This way you are more relaxed on the day of the party and do not have to run around like a headless chicken trying to find some missing ingredient.

Easy Cocktail Party Appetizers

Here is a list of easy cocktail party food that can be prepared with a minimum of hassle and these will also earn you brownie points as a good hostess.

• Canapes (smoked salmon)
• Coconut shrimp with minty mango dip
• Mini goat cheese and tomato pizza
• Deviled eggs
• Bacon wrapped sausages
• Cheese and herb stuffed potatoes
• Chicken satay
• Eggplant caponata
• Bruschetta (tomato and mint)
• Mini crab cakes
• Parmesan zucchini sticks
• Fried seafood wonton
• Cucumber sandwiches (mini)
• Toasted brioche with marinated vegetables
• Spicy tuna tartar
• Chicken spring rolls
• Crab salad canapes
• Oysters with lime butter
• Crostini topped with caviar
• Parmesan stuffed mushroom

These were some menu suggestions for a cocktail party. Besides these cocktail party food, you also need a selection of some good wines both red and white and some cocktail drinks. Always use colorful garnishes like coriander sprigs, mint leaves and lemon slices to make the dishes look more appealing. All the cocktail party food should have a different flavor and texture. Presentation is also very important in making your party a success. Think of new and innovative ideas to present your food so that it looks more visually appealing. Why not serve a spicy tuna tartar in beautiful soup spoons instead of a regular plates. Keep plenty of paper napkins around for your guests and see that all of your guests are enjoying the food. If you keep all this things in mind, your cocktail party will be a great success.