Taste of Things to Come
Panic over! Have found the cause of the 'bleep' that was unnerving me yesterday. Nothing to do with the comp. it was my mobile phone letting me know it needed recharging, and then only discovered because I heard it give a feeble warble (as though someone was trying to phone me), as I was about to leave the room. I'd left the mobile on the dining table some yards away from me, and covered it with a pile of recipes torn out of hundreds of mags, so how the bleep managed to sound as though it was in front of me instead of way behind me - well, you tell me. Anyway, the mobile it was, now back in action after recharging and hopefully no real computer gremlins to spoil my day.
The 10 canapes per person Cheesepare is based on the standard 'catering allowance'. At cocktail parties etc, when canapes are served the 'allowance' would be four canapes per person per hour. These are really bite-sized, 9 bases could be cut from one slice of bread for instance. With the sailing club 'do' lasting all of three hours, with possibly canapes available most of this time, then 10 canapes per head is about right. However if I make them slightly larger (but still 'finger food'), then probably 8 might be enough. It all depends on how the catering committee feel. Am meeting up with them today so by tomorrow should have a good idea of what they want. For how many may not be know until nearer the day (expecting 50 so far), but with canapes, that is not a problem as it is easy enough to make another two, three, or four platefuls. I am giving a choice of around 15 different ones, so plenty of room to work round these.
Thanks also CP for giving suggestions for ways to thicken soup. Lentils (I tend to use the split red lentils). As you say, roasting meat on a bed of vegetables also helps to make a good 'gravy' (rub through a sieve with the pan juices).
Am planning to serve baby profiteroles stuffed with a cream filling Jane, so might do some with cream cheese and salmon, even though am using those ingredients another way.
Another 'tip' (if you can call it that) is to save empty shallow cardboard boxes instead of throwing them away, then use these to hold and transport canapes or small desserts etc when taking away from home.
This week have saved not just the two (now empty) boxes of assorted cheese biscuits, but also the pre-formed plastic insert that held each variety. I find these 'inserts' make very good moulds for certain desserts.
Problem is, as I tend to save all boxes/containers/inserts that could have a possible future use, I now have to find a place to store them. The boxes can be opened and flattened to reassemble, ;but not all, so have today decided to use our large deep wicker laundry basket in the bedroom (never used now as B prefers to throw his dirty washing on the floor and then pile his clean laundry on top of the basket), to hold all my empty containers that might be useful in the future (now that I am back doing 'catering' again really need them). Putting the basket at MY side of the bedroom (or even in the conservatory). B can use a chair to put his clothes on if he has to (which he will still do even though he now has a big chest of drawers by the side of his bed expecially for him to have his clean clothes to hand (walking across the bedroom to the wardrobe to get them is far too complicated for him).
Should have kept my mouth shut. Gremlins HAVE arrived and my blog site crashed. Had a hard job to get back to this page, but eventually I did and rather than tempt fate, have decided to publish what has been written (if it WILL publish that is), and get on with the samples of desserts that I'll be making today (for the 'committee ladies' to sample, B can eat the rest).
Tomorrow how to have more info on the buffet and be able to give the final choice of canapes, then all that remains is for 'count-down' to begin (starting by making shopping lists).
Weather here is now autumnal with sea-mists and a fair amount of chill in the air (as I noticed when we went for our flu jab yesterday). This time the arrangement was different and not for the better. Previously everyone collected up in the waiting area and sat down until the jabs commenced, then we filed into a room with about five or more nurses who then jabbed each person as they passed by. We were in and out within 15 minutes.
Yesterday there was just a long queue, reaching into the street (and it was drizzling with rain), then we had to slowly filter in, give our names, then join one of two queues and wait outside one of two doctor's surgery rooms, then go in one by one. Only one nurse in the one we chose, think there were two in the other queues 'venue'. Anyway, we got our jabs (mine pricked a bit, B didn' feel a thing - usually the other way round), then we decided to pick up some fish and chips on the way home to save me bothering to make a supper, and have to say these made me feel pretty uncomfortable the rest of the evening and all through the night. Think they were just too greasy for me. Anyway, OK now.
Hope you can join me tomorrow. If so - see you then .
(spellcheck also not working so apologies for any errrors).
.
The 10 canapes per person Cheesepare is based on the standard 'catering allowance'. At cocktail parties etc, when canapes are served the 'allowance' would be four canapes per person per hour. These are really bite-sized, 9 bases could be cut from one slice of bread for instance. With the sailing club 'do' lasting all of three hours, with possibly canapes available most of this time, then 10 canapes per head is about right. However if I make them slightly larger (but still 'finger food'), then probably 8 might be enough. It all depends on how the catering committee feel. Am meeting up with them today so by tomorrow should have a good idea of what they want. For how many may not be know until nearer the day (expecting 50 so far), but with canapes, that is not a problem as it is easy enough to make another two, three, or four platefuls. I am giving a choice of around 15 different ones, so plenty of room to work round these.
Thanks also CP for giving suggestions for ways to thicken soup. Lentils (I tend to use the split red lentils). As you say, roasting meat on a bed of vegetables also helps to make a good 'gravy' (rub through a sieve with the pan juices).
Am planning to serve baby profiteroles stuffed with a cream filling Jane, so might do some with cream cheese and salmon, even though am using those ingredients another way.
Another 'tip' (if you can call it that) is to save empty shallow cardboard boxes instead of throwing them away, then use these to hold and transport canapes or small desserts etc when taking away from home.
This week have saved not just the two (now empty) boxes of assorted cheese biscuits, but also the pre-formed plastic insert that held each variety. I find these 'inserts' make very good moulds for certain desserts.
Problem is, as I tend to save all boxes/containers/inserts that could have a possible future use, I now have to find a place to store them. The boxes can be opened and flattened to reassemble, ;but not all, so have today decided to use our large deep wicker laundry basket in the bedroom (never used now as B prefers to throw his dirty washing on the floor and then pile his clean laundry on top of the basket), to hold all my empty containers that might be useful in the future (now that I am back doing 'catering' again really need them). Putting the basket at MY side of the bedroom (or even in the conservatory). B can use a chair to put his clothes on if he has to (which he will still do even though he now has a big chest of drawers by the side of his bed expecially for him to have his clean clothes to hand (walking across the bedroom to the wardrobe to get them is far too complicated for him).
Should have kept my mouth shut. Gremlins HAVE arrived and my blog site crashed. Had a hard job to get back to this page, but eventually I did and rather than tempt fate, have decided to publish what has been written (if it WILL publish that is), and get on with the samples of desserts that I'll be making today (for the 'committee ladies' to sample, B can eat the rest).
Tomorrow how to have more info on the buffet and be able to give the final choice of canapes, then all that remains is for 'count-down' to begin (starting by making shopping lists).
Weather here is now autumnal with sea-mists and a fair amount of chill in the air (as I noticed when we went for our flu jab yesterday). This time the arrangement was different and not for the better. Previously everyone collected up in the waiting area and sat down until the jabs commenced, then we filed into a room with about five or more nurses who then jabbed each person as they passed by. We were in and out within 15 minutes.
Yesterday there was just a long queue, reaching into the street (and it was drizzling with rain), then we had to slowly filter in, give our names, then join one of two queues and wait outside one of two doctor's surgery rooms, then go in one by one. Only one nurse in the one we chose, think there were two in the other queues 'venue'. Anyway, we got our jabs (mine pricked a bit, B didn' feel a thing - usually the other way round), then we decided to pick up some fish and chips on the way home to save me bothering to make a supper, and have to say these made me feel pretty uncomfortable the rest of the evening and all through the night. Think they were just too greasy for me. Anyway, OK now.
Hope you can join me tomorrow. If so - see you then .
(spellcheck also not working so apologies for any errrors).
.
posted by Shirley at 7:48 am
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