I am loving these graduation cupcakes that my hip sister had made for my niece’s high school graduation party. The adorable graduation caps and tassels match the school colors and theme for the party. Cupcakes are great for a party where guests will be stopping by at different times; no need to wait around until the cake is cut to enjoy dessert. Hats off to all the grads!
As you can tell from my pictures, I’m big on solid serving pieces and plates. My everyday dishes are white and most of my serving pieces are too. I find that white doesn’t distract and keeps the focus on my food. To change things up, I add a few wooden and now some slate serving pieces, which have become my new favorites. Slate platters, like the one I have from Brooklyn Slate Company, are perfect serving pieces because they are simple, provide high contrast to light foods (like cheese), and are easy to clean (getting dried soft cheese off of a cutting board hours after a party isn’t fun – that doesn’t happen with slate). I love that you can write on slate with chalk, so no one needs to guess or ask what’s being served. Its’s also fun for a tasting, like the honey tasting I served (pictured above).
Brooklyn Slate Company’s slate platters ($25-32) are locally made (in NYS), super sturdy and they come perfect for gift giving. Each slate (choose black or red slate) comes with a burlap bag for storage and a little packet of chalk. I used the burlap bag to wrap the slate for gifting, and added a ribbon to complete the wrapping. It’s a great gift either for your own serving arsenal or for you favorite hostess.
I am loving these patriotic snack cones from Crate & Barrel. They’re meant for snowcones, but I plan to use them to serve all kinds of snacks (parmesan popcorn, spiced nuts, fruit, ice cream) during the summer. At $6.95 per package (50), they’re an inexpensive, cute and a relatively eco-friendly way to serve snacks at a backyard BBQ, beach spread or picnic in the park.
Whether you’re hosting a wine tasting or just a dinner party, add some interest to your table with wine cork candles. No need for expensive crystal candle holders; use empty wine bottles and faux wine cork candles to add ambiance. Wine cork candles are available from a number of online retailers. A few I have ordered from in the past are listed below.
Uncommon Goods – $22/ set of 12
http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?itemId=12841
Beau Coup – $7.20/ set of 4
http://www.beau-coup.com/wine-cork-candles.htm
Save yourself the trouble of having to cut and serve a cake at your next party by serving cupcakes. Cupcakes are a huge hit for many reasons, but they really are a very practical dessert to serve. It can take a while to cut and serve cake to a large group of people (trust me, I know!). Consider serving cupcakes when hosting a large birthday party, shower or other event where cake is the norm. Streamlining dessert means more time for you to enjoy the party.
I am all for finding new uses for rarely used serving pieces and glassware. To that end, use your shot glasses to serve individual servings of crudites. To make these cute shooters: Place a few tablespoons of creamy dip in the bottom of a shot glass; next add a few cut veggies, such as baby carrots, red pepper slices and blanched asparagus tips. Prepare these up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to serve.
A fruitless search for gold or silver table runners for a holiday cocktail party made me think outside the proverbial “housewares” box. I found long silver and gold scarves at a discount department store (Filene’s Basement) and used those as my runners. They were even nicer than any runner I would have found, and were much less expensive ($10-15 each).
Next time you’re searching for the perfect color/ patterned tablecloth check out the scarf section at any department store. A crisp white tablecloth can be used as the base for any runner, any time of year. Just vary the runner and add a few accessories to customize your table for any occasion. Happy shopping!
Host a hip New Year’s Eve cocktail party with ideas from my monthly column on The Family Groove.
You don’t have to sacrifice style to keep track of drinks with these fun chalkboard glasses. They’re perfect for a casual dinner party or wine and cheese get-together. Leave white chalk on the bar in a silver mint julep cup or juice glass to dress up the sidewalk staple. Unlike other chalkboard cups, these glasses are reusable. Simply erase names while washing glasses and reuse until your heart’s content. These babies are dishwasher safe, though I hand wash them or use the china setting on my dishwasher to prevent the chalkboard area from wearing away.
Available at Wold Market, $16/ set of 4 glasses
http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3596187
Mashed potatoes are made into cocktail party fare when served in a martini glass. Set up a topping bar by setting out bowls of shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, sour cream, crispy onions and fresh chives. Let guests top their taters with whatever they please. Make sure you include spoons.
On a practical note: Rinse the martini glasses shortly after the party is over to spare yourself the trouble of scraping dried potatoes off your glassware (trust me, it’s no party).
Photo source: http://loveandsplendor.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/danielle-paul-august-07/
The Hip Hostess 