Christmas Planning
Like many things, a little pre-planning is the secret to success, and here at The Cheese and Wine Shop we have a few tricks that can make Christmas partying a lot easier.
Thinking of Cheese... see our guide to Blue Stiltons here. Think Christmas, then youre thinking Mulled Wine, Port, Mince Pies and of course Blue Stilton!
We have a great range of Stiltons, from gift jars to Truckles. Oh, and dont forget the Cheddar!
The key to successful party food is to make your creations look as stylish as possible but, at the same time, keeping the ingredients and techniques simple. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Where to start ...
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Try to avoid anything too complicated and don't try things you haven't practiced before.
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Finger food - food that is just one or two bites per item - is best served for parties. Anything bigger becomes too messy, and embarrassingly difficult to eat!
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Serve finger food that's a combination of prepare-ahead and last-minute assemblies. Anything that can be made well in advance and stored in the freezer or fridge is always a bonus.
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Start with light nibbles, and then move on to something more substantial.
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Aim for a good mix of hot and cold foods.
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Do a balanced combination of fish, meat and vegetable items, including some filling bread, pasta or pastry items.
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Include at least two hot items for a winter party.
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For a long party, try to stagger serving the food throughout the evening rather than serving it all at once.
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Don't forget some sweet things (our Chocolates or Fudge are ideal). As soon as the sweet things come out people will know the food is coming to an end.
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Take into consideration anyone with special dietary requirements. Ask in advance what they are to avoid any last minute problems. It’s a good idea to actually plan on 5-10% of the Menu to be Vegetarian.
How much?
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The golden rule is to keep things manageable. Don't try to prepare and serve more food than you and your kitchen can cope with.
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If you're short of space, serve just a few substantial items rather than lots of dainty canapés that take up a lot of space and require a lot of preparation.
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If you want to play it safe, buy some good-quality ready-made nibbles and keep them in the fridge-freezer as back-up.
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Try using our Cook's calculator to work out how many nibbles you'll need for your party.
Chefs handy estimater
Find out the ideal size of turkey, goose or ham to buy to serve the number of guests you're cooking for, and work out how many canapés you'll need to keep your party going strong.
|
Number of People |
Weight |
|
1-2 |
2.25kg / 5lb |
|
3-4 |
2.25kg / 5lb |
|
5-6 |
3kg / 6lbs 8oz |
|
7-8 |
4kg / 8lbs 11oz |
|
9-10 |
5kg / 11lbs 0oz |
|
11-12 |
6kg / 13lbs 3oz |
|
13-14 |
7kg / 15lbs 6oz |
|
15-16 |
8kg / 17lbs 8oz |
Ham, Bone In
|
Number of People |
Weight |
|
1-2 |
2kg / 4lbs 5oz |
|
3-4 |
2kg / 4lbs 5oz |
|
5-6 |
2.4kg / 5lbs 4oz |
|
7-8 |
3.2kg / 7lbs 0oz |
|
9-10 |
4kg / 8lbs 11oz |
|
11-12 |
4.8kg / 10lbs 8oz |
|
13-14 |
5.6kg / 12lbs 4oz |
|
15-16 |
6.4kg / 14lbs 1oz |
Honey Roast Ham from The Cheese and Wine Shop!
Goose
|
Number of People |
Weight |
|
1-2 |
4kg / 9lb |
|
3-4 |
4kg / 9lb |
|
5-6 |
4kg / 9lb |
|
7-8 |
4.5kg / 10lb |
|
9-10 |
5.5kg / 12lb |
|
11-12 |
2 x 4kg / 9lb |
|
13-14 |
2 x 4.5kg / 10lb |
|
15-16 |
2 x 4.5kg / 10lb |
Canapés
|
2 hour party |
4 hour party |
All evening party | |||
|
Number of People |
Number of canapés |
Number of People |
Number of canapés |
Number of People |
Number of canapés |
|
4 |
4 to 32 |
4 |
32 to 40 |
4 |
40 to 48 |
|
6 |
36 to 48 |
6 |
48 to 60 |
6 |
60 to 72 |
|
8 |
48 to 64 |
8 |
64 to 80 |
8 |
80 to 96 |
|
10 |
60 to 80 |
10 |
80 to 100 |
10 |
100 to 120 |
|
12 |
72 to 96 |
12 |
96 to 120 |
12 |
120 to 144 |
|
14 |
84 to 112 |
14 |
112 to 140 |
14 |
140 to 168 |
|
16 |
96 to 128 |
16 |
128 to 160 |
16 |
160 to 192 |
Serving ideas
The more attractive the presentation, the more delicious the food will appear. You can use fresh herbs, thin slices of lemon and lime or colourful salad leaves for garnish to add some colour.
Here are some tips:
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Arrange just one or two items in neat, evenly spaced rows.
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Odd rather than even numbers arranged in diagonal lines somehow look far better than straight lines.
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Keep garnishes simple.
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Ensure there's somewhere to put used shells, cocktail sticks or skewers.
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Place the food in areas you'd rather people eat (not where your white rug is!).
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Make sure you have plenty of napkins. See our range here!
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If you have lots of people coming, look into hiring some simple white crockery (which fits into your dishwasher) and cutlery rather than scrambling together lots of odds and sods.
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Let people know where to put their empty plates so you don't have mess scattered everywhere.
Ideas for serving on:
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Teaspoons or Chinese soup spoons: for serving a mouthful of something special.
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Little paper cones: good for crisps, nuts, chips, fried things.
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Shot glasses: good for cold soups, iced things and jellies.
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Espresso cups: great for hot soups, no spoon needed.
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Skewers and cocktail sticks: for holding together or picking up.
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Small bowls: for little portions of noodles, pasta and salads.
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Bamboo steamer: to arrange oriental-style canapés in.
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Banana or palm leaves or a sushi mat on a flat plate or platter.
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Small picture frame or mirror as a plate or platter.
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Unusual chopping boards or a flat piece of clean wood. Buy Olive wood Cheeseboards here at The Cheese and Wine Shop.
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Solid place mats, pieces of slate or marble.
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Use your imagination. Look around your house and you'll be amazed what you can use.
Cheat's corner
If cooking really isn't your thing or you just don't have the time, then add a few finishing touches to some bought canapés or nibbles.
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Add a herb sprig, some lemon zest, drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of cayenne/paprika/ground spices, twist of pepper or scattering of sea salt.
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Garnish with a bunch of watercress or scattering of small rocket leaves or baby spinach.
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For sweet items, add a dusting of icing sugar, cocoa powder or cinnamon, scatter chocolate shavings, top with fresh fruit or berries or add a few subtly placed strings of redcurrants.
The smell of soft, sweet spice mingling with warm wine is inviting on cold and dark winter evenings. Although it’s possible to buy ‘ready-made’ mulled wine, why not make your own this year? The difference is amazing – fresh citrus fruit, fusing with cloves, cinnamon and a touch of ginger – an intense and warming mulled wine to impress with.
1 bottle of medium to full bodied red wine (see suggestions below)
1 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
2 oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
6 tsp caster sugar
1-2 tbsp port
(optional: freshly grated ginger root or a splash of ginger wine)
Pour the wine into a large saucepan and add in all the ingredients. Heat gently, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if not sweet enough. Serve in warm, heatproof cups or glasses and keep the rest warm over low heat – do not let the mulled wine boil or even be close to boiling. Enjoy! No time to make it; buy Mulled Wine from the Cheese and Wine Shop here!
