Styles of Buffet Service, Setting up and Decorating Your BuffetBuffet service of a meal is the easiest way to start giving successful dinner parties. This style of having a get together has become an American institution and it isn't going anywhere. It is the answer for entertaining any group. From church socials to an upscale holiday open house, the setting can anywhere. A buffet party is one of the most convenient to give. There is less strain on the person hosting and guests who might feelanxious about being seated at a more formally set table are completely at ease wandering around a buffet table. A buffet table provides an unlimited field for the originality of the host. Just about anything goes as long as the food and decorations are pretty to look at and the table is arranged in way that makes sense. Though the name is derived from a buffet (a piece of furniture), a buffet meal can be served from a dining room table or a kitchen island. I have even seen a sushi buffet served on a naked body! If you think you will entertain frequently, it would be a good idea for you to gradually buy pieces of equipment which are especially suited for buffet service. Wooden, glass, pottery and china trays or large dishes are ideal for buffet settings. Tiered wooden, plastic or glass stands when filled with food make an attractive display. The decorations, including candles, may be taller than you would put at a “sit-down” table and you can use props and risers to display your food more elaborately. Whenever possible, use food itself as the decor. This quick video shows you how to set up a buffet table in your home to make getting to the food easy for your guests. Types of Buffet Service There are three types of buffet service: informal, semi-formal and formal. The choice of the type of service depends on the number of people to be entertained and the amount of help available. Informal type service is used for a small group of people, usually a group of close friends or family getting together for a Sunday dinner or a similar occasion. There is no waiting on the table. The guests take all their food and silver to the place where they want to eat. In informal buffet service a guest helps himself first to a plate, then the food. Before he sits down he picks up the silver, napkin and beverage. For the second helpings, the host may pass dishes or the guests may be asked to return to the buffet table. Semi-formal service is popular with church or community events. This type of buffet service would also be a good ideaif you are looking to cater your own wedding. It works well for events where there will be a lot of guests. The host(or designated person with the aid of a friend or two) helps the guests serve their plates. It is ideal to have one person serving for each dish. That way the guests don't overload their plates with food and the servers can make sure the food doesn't run out before everyone is served. The guests can take the plates of food to smaller tables which have been sat up with silver, linen and napkins. The host and assistants may serve thebeverage and dessert. In formal buffet service, the type which is used in hotels and banquet facilities, the guest selects the food he wants and may take his own plate to the table or a waiter takes it for him. The waiter serves the beverage and the dessert. FYI, in this type of service a pre-plated salad is usually placed on the table shortly before the guests arrival. Setting Up Your Buffet Table If you have a large dining room and the table is a good size, it can be left in the center of the room and filled with the food and decorations. If the room is small, the table should be pushed back to the wall. The back side is then used for the decorations or a large food display, and the three sides used for food. If the food of the planned menu does not seem to fill up the table, add a tray of appetizers and relishes. Fill in the gaps with inexpensive food items like vegetables or pasta salad. Use a large glass or wooden tray and in the center place a head of cabbage, a grapefruit or a big red apple into which vegetables, cheese or fruit on toothpicks are stuck. Around the base arrange celery and carrot sticks sunburst fashion. No matter what the menu, an hors d'oeuvre tray is an excellent addition to a buffet table, but don't use it if it makes the table appear cluttered. In planning buffet food, be sure to include some foods which are units within themselves to simplify service. For example, pigs in a blanket, salmon croquettes and individual salads. Buffet food must look pretty on the table as well as after it is served on the plate. Here is another video on setting up a buffet meal. The video is old fashioned and somewhat hilarious, but tips still apply today. The Perfect Food To Serve at a Buffet Style Dinner Party
Everybody likes a good casserole. Buffet style dinner parties and casseroles go together like pancakes and sausage. Your time investment will usually be minimal in comparison to the amount of food you are going to end up with. One of thebest hings about a casserole is that you can decide what casserole you want to make first, then plan the rest of the dinner party around it. Most casserole dishes can be double or tripled based on the size of your party. Bee on the look out for recipes that can be prepared up to a point, then frozen. This will save you lots of time the day of your dinner party. Don't know where to start? All sorts of food can be combined in a casserole. Here is a list of suggestions: Arroz con pollo (Spanish chicken and Rice) King Ranch Chicken Escalloped potatoes Sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. Macaroni and cheese Chicken tetrazzini Ravioli in cheese-tomato sauce. Barbecued spareribs. Shrimp Creole. Tuna fish, cream of mushroom soup and crushed potato chip casserole. Ham and corn au gratin. Sweet potatoes baked with orange or apple slices. Chili Con Carne. Spanish rice. Corn pudding. Asparagus tips in cheese sauce. Noodles in cheese sauce with crumbled bacon or chopped ham. Baked Ziti Ratatouille BUFFET MENUS Holiday Open House Menu Turkey Tetrazini Sliced Ham (can be served hot or cold Sweet Potato-Marshmallow Casserole Cranberry Relish Relish or Vegetable Tray Individual Mince Meat Tarts Coffee Serve turkey from chafing dish or casserole dish. A large punch bowl filled with fruit punch with orange slices and red cherries floating on top helps to decorate a buffet table attractively and encourages the guests to return for refills, especially during the holidays. Perfect for Easter Buffet Menu Baked Ham with Honey Raisin Glaze Spiced Apples Rings and Parsley Garnish Fresh Crab Meat Salad (use Honey Chicken Salad if Budget is tight) Baked Stuffed Potatoes No One Can Tell You Didn't Make Them From Scratch Dinner Rolls Relish Tray Strawberry shortcake Iced Tea Coffee. 
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