buffet for 35 people

[Ivy]

I will have to cook a buffet for around 35-40 people in April for my daughter's confirmation. The food must be ready before we go to church and I don't want to repeat the buffet we had for our son's confirmation three years ago so I need some fresh ideas. I am a reasonably experienced cook but somehow not exactly enthusiastic about the whole idea at the moment... has anybody got ideas she could share with me?

[fife]

Hi Ivy

If you want something different what about doing a hot buffet, my aunt did one for her sons confirmation she did beef bouginon, fillet steak chilli with salad and breads it was lovely and can all be made day in advance just before you go to the church you leave it on the stove low.

let me know if this is no good and i will have another think

fife x

[Ivy]

I think it's a great idea only I have not enough space to seat all these people at once so it's got to be a cold buffet. If it was later in the year I could put up a marquee in the garden but in April the weather is too unreliable for that.

[Ma Larkin]

Ivy you could do a hot buffet that people help themselves to, put a slow cooker on with something warmimg in loads of jacket pots that can be brought out when you get back cut them in half and big bowl of salads they dont need to be sat down.

[Ivy]

Well it has to be quite posh and I have no help and only a small kitchen with a standard cooker and need to be able to concentrate for nearly two hours on the service and not wonder if I come back to burnt food or any other sort of catastrophe. Lunch needs to be ready when we get back and I don't want to be the one who spends all day in the kitchen (on the day I mean) and everybody else is having a party.

[sunflower]

If I were you, I would do lots of beautiful salads with quiches, sliced hams and a variety of cheeses. The salads could vary between rice salads and cold pasta salads, to colourful leaf salads, with radishes, toms....well you know the thing. On the tables have a variety of breads, seeded, browns, whites, rolls etc. Then for dessert, I would do lots of gateaux. All different flavours, coffee and walnut, strawberry, chocolate, lemon etc. Plus Trifles. I know this way sounds a bit old fashioned, but it's food at it's best, and when displayed can look fantastic. Good luck. xxx

[sunflower]

Ooh, I nearly forgot. There is NOTHING more beautiful in the centre of a table than a Salmon displayed on a Blue pattern plate.

[Crocus]

Hi Ivy, if you say it's going to be cold buffet, can't you perhaps prepare most of it the previous day? What kind of buffet did you have for your son's confirmation? Just got this on Google - perhaps it can be of help in some way?www.emthonjenipty.co.za/documents/emthonjeni_buffet.pdf

[jazzactivist]

I tend to agree with sunflower, Ivy, and go for a cold buffet that it easy to set up before you go to the church then just come back and lift off any covers. Although you want to create nice food, remember that people are there to celebrate your daughter's confirmation and chat with the family, not to produce reviews of the food, so a mix of pleasant, easy to handle, individual finger food is best. If people are standing then they have to be able to balance a plate, eat from it, talk and drink all at the same time, ideally without getting their clothes dirty or sending food flying. I would opt for the mixed idea, with a bit of spice added to the fillings to warm things up for the time of year, but make everything inside some sort of casings eg individual: tortilla wraps, dim sum, vol au vent cases, tart cases etc. You don't need to make these from scratch just buy them in, cook them in advance if they need it, and then it is just up to you to create a range of nice fillings for them and be creative in the decorations. For any side salads I would go for big bowls of rocket where people can take a handful and big, chunky, easy to hold items such as celery sicks and carrot sticks etc with one or two big bowls of dips so that guests can add a spoonful to their plate. Good luck, it sounds like it will be a lovely celebration.

[Ivy]

Although you want to create nice food, remember that people are there to celebrate your daughter's confirmation and chat with the family, not to produce reviews of the food,

Unfortunately this is only partly true otherwise I would repeat the menu we had three years ago with just slight variations. My family is quite unforgiving if it comes to food (not only there but that is a different story)


But you have come up with great ideas that re-ignited ma inspiration. Thank you !

[fife]

Hi Ivy

Right given this some thought and came up with doing meat platters, homemade coleslaw, homemade potato salad, variety of breads, salads, somosas, quiches, dips and chips. The coleslaw and potato salad can be made a day in advance just don't mix the mayo and salad cream in till the morning and all the rest can be cooked early and eat cold standing.

Hope this helps as i know what it is like to have a critical family.

[Ivy]

Can't do quiches because my sister believes she invented them..:(

[Redstart]

For a buffet I would do: sliced smoked salmon, a cheese board garnished with things like grapes, a selection of cold meats (roast beef, pork, ham, dried meats, salami and other sausages) nicely arranged and garnished with parsley or whatever, some soft patés and lots of salads (potato, pasta, bean, rice green, tomato, etc.). I'd serve it with bread rolls, French bread and Italian bread sticks to scoop the paté up with.

For dessert some prepare ahead fruit tarts, fruit salad, or you could have an ice cream gateau or two waiting in the freezer. Or you could simply put fruit, whipped cream, wafers, and bowls of ice cream with some sundae (Coupe) dishes and let people concoct their own dessert.

[Ivy]

Thanks for your support. I suddenly start to look forward to doing the buffet.

[franbee]

Not really suitable for your occasion, but I went to a dance where they served just a few nibbles, plus a chocolate fountain with DIY loads of fruit, marshmallows, shortbread, fudge, and then ice cream to scoop into a bowl. It was absolutely lovely, just right to cool off with after dancing, but not needing a meal.

[Ivy]

Delicious but I dare not imagine what my house would look like after catering for 5 children and 5 teens in that fashion...:rolleyes:

[Crocus]

I once hosted a pancake evening for about 20 people. All the pancakes were baked beforehand, I froze it and the day before the gathering, I made 3 savoury fillings, I think it was a chicken filling, a minced beef filling, and I cannot now remember what the third filling was. On the day I just prepared a cheese sauce. For afters I made apple pie filling, the tried and tested cinnamon and sugar, and banana and caramel filling with whipped cream and ice dream. The guests quite enjoyed this pancake buffet, so to speak.