Actividades: The Basic ingredients Simple substitutions to traditional menus, along with dynamite presentations, can transform routine reception fare into tantalising spreads. The visual presentation Eye appeal can whet up the appetite. Creating a spread with strong visual appeal takes on extra importance when working on a tight budget. Instead of an ordinary cheese board, blend cream cheese and goat cheese with herbs, spices and vegetables such as artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes to create beautiful layered tortas or other spreadables. Put them out with pita chips, crostini or crackers and fresh vegetables to make it interesting to the eye. Make it a meal It's not enough to serve only finger foods at an evening reception, balance the food offering with "real" food that fills the stomach, such as raviolis or tortellini, which are easy to pick with a fork or a toothpick. Consider pre-plated appetisers which can be served as balanced mini-meals that meet nutritional needs and add more elegance to just finger foods. Go for variety... Be creative Offer a good spread with variety, choosing dishes of fish and seafood to meat and poultry, salad greens with a choice of interesting dressings and fruits, to desserts of cakes and pastries. You can also include rice and bread as basic complements to these dishes. Make sure your caterer prepares them for easy eating.
Menu: Try some of these themes: World tour Receptions serving the food of and around the host city or venue are popular and can be executed inexpensively, since the ingredients may be available easier and locally. Pleasures of Asia Asian cuisine offers a great selection of finger foods. From a Chinese dim sum buffets (little buns and raviolis, steamed or fried), to an assorted selection of Japanese sushi rolls (which are generally less expensive less individual pieces of sushi), pot stickers, or Thai's Pad Thai... Mama Mia The all-time favourites from the world of Italian pasta, cheeses, cured Italian meats, olives, and seafood pasta salad in cocktail glasses... Mexicano Apetito Put on the big mexican hat and start serving quesadillas with assorted fillings such as roasted corn and avocado, smoked chicken, and roasted duck and wild mushroom. They can be accompanied by several kinds of salsa, guacamole, jalapeña, corn tortilla chips, and black bean and corn salad. The Mediterranean Spread For the health conscious crowd, offer seafood cooked or served with different sauces and herbs. Can be a little expensive. Or consider Mediterranean dips of hummus, olive tapenade, tzatziki, whipped feta and tomato relish, along with baskets spilling over with various crackers and breads. Exotic India For both the health conscious and the vegetarian crowd, whip up a serving of food with spices, cream and Indian cheeses. Have condiments and Indian breads ("nan") to complement the spread. Going potato Here's an interesting team of our basic food! With either baked or mashed potatos, serve it beautifully in martini glasses and surround them with an interesting variety of toppings, such as bacon, cheese, crème fraiche, chopped herbs, roasted mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes. Or alternatively, go Spanish the famous "tortilla de patatas" ( a typical potato omelette)... It becomes a new twist on something kind of ordinary.
Consejos: Keeping to the budget Consider these tips. - Avoid foods that need to be prepared individually - Pre-plate hors d'oeuvres rather than let guests help themselves, this can help control the amount. - Serve pricier items on trays passed by butlers to control quantities. Less-expensive foods can be included in self-serve buffets. - Fill 'em up. Incorporate heavier or stomach-filling items such as rice or potatoes into menus. - Substitute less expensive cuts of meats - London broil instead of filet mignon, for example. - Limit drinks to beer and wine. Add interest with a micro-brew bar or a boutique wine bar featuring local brands, where available.