Easy and Elegant Life

The Search for Everyday Elegance and the Art of Living Well.

Recipe for a New Year’s Eve Buffet

“No surprises” that’s the motto for this year’s party. Day two of the Easy and Elegant Life’s Party Planner calls for the heavy lifting… shopping and cooking all that can be cooked in advance. Which, in this case, is almost everything. I’ve decided to stick with finger food this year — lots of hors d’oeuvres that can be nibbled without aide of silverware.

This being Richmond, VA, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a ham biscuit. As much as I love them, I figured that our guests might be ham biscuited out by this point in the holidays. Time to dip into my mom’s cookbook. Literally.

When we were stationed in the Canal Zone in the late 60’s, my mom and a few like minded folks formed a gourmet club. Regional specialties were shared, sure fire recipes traded. Mom had them run off on the ditto machine and bound into a thick book. Leafing through I can find the recipe from a British officer for his batman’s curry. Delicious but not quite the thing for New Year’s Eve sans silverware.

I’ve settled on the slightly different and the tried-and-true.

The Easy and Elegant Life New Year’s Eve Menu:

Italian meatballs in arrabbiata sauce.
Reubens on cocktail rye bread
Liz Hurley’s Salmon Tartare (from “In Great Taste” by Evelyn Lauder)
Chopped Liver paté on toast points
Roast beef with horseradish sauce on dinner rolls
Chicken Salad in Phyllo Cups
Baked brie with cranberry relish
Cheese plate garnished with red seedless grapes
Bowls of mixed nuts
Petit Fours, mini fruit cakes, brownie bites

At least that’s the plan today. Since the party is at nine o’clock, the nibbles should be just enough to keep pace with the bubbles, wine and cocktails. Then again, the best laid plans…

3 thoughts on “Recipe for a New Year’s Eve Buffet

  1. As I would expect, this sounds like a superb menu for a very elegant time. I eagerly await your next update on your prep progress however. I give you a LOT of credit for doing all this yourself. If that many people were coming to chez Epic I do not know how I would handle it other than with a caterer….

    My mom grew up in Panama and met my dad there. I have a few posts on that lined up when I get to them…

    Happy New Year!!!

    ML
    mlanesepic.blogspot.com

  2. It sounds delicious! Just remember how much all these folks have been anticipating your party — they love you for being the one to take on the task and will never even notice what doesn’t get done or served. Can’t wait to hear the results. And save me a roast beef and a mini fruit cake: divine.

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