Austerity party

If it need to be an austerity party, let it be really festive and frugal at the same time.


I won't be the one suggesting to dilute ethanol with water and mix it with cheap strawberry  jam.  I like to drink quality stuff.  And there are ways to have it and to stay within budget limits. But I'm not sharing my secret. Not yet.



So let's move to food.

Popcorn. Make kettle popcorn with good oil: grape seed, olive oil.  This will add party flavour.
Season it with chilli pepper flakes.
With garlic. With Jalapeño peppers. With Cajun spices.
In short, use your imagination.

Make few butches of home-made flavoured cream-cheese.  Sour cream, salt, flavour - mix it, let it drain in colander overnight.
Flavours:  fresh chopped dill; red pepper;  small amount of blue cheese; tarama (fish roe) - this will make taramasalata rather than cream-cheese; olives; scallions.  For vegans use tofu sour cream substitute.

Make canapés with rye bread, pumpernickel, rye crisps, small white toasts, serve tartlets made with puff pastry.

Make humongous all-greens salad with sesame seeds &  sesame oil  or sunflower seeds  & sunflower oil or roasted unsalted peanuts and peanut oil or let your imagination loose and invent something already.  Like pine nuts. That be pretty far from idea of austerity but who cares.
Mind your guests allergies to avoid anaphylactic shock resulting from all these peanuts, nuts and seeds.

Add a hint of lime or a wedge of lemon to a pitcher of cool water.
Or add mint leaves. Or lemon and mint.
Make sure your party takes place in warm weather with spicy and salty food so people are rather thirsty than hungry.

Still, boil potatoes and serve whole with salt, garlic and a hint of oil.  Delicious.
Add herring and you have a balanced meal.

My winter austerity party deserves a separate entry.

Finish the evening with petit fours and tea / coffee. The former can be made really tiny but the latter (quality tea/coffee) is expensive. Brew second grade tea and most of your guests won't ask for seconds.


Advertisement: Tofutti Sour Cream (no, I don't like it, though I favoured Tofutti Cream Cheese for some time; but I'm not a vegan so I don't have to)
Advertisement: Tarama by Krinos  Tarama is delicate, pink, pure carp roe that is naturally cured and aged for over one year. It makes an attractive and delicious base for the traditional caviar-style spread, called taramosalata or taramosalata. Tarama also adds a subtle, seafood flavor to stews and soups.

 
Advertisement: La Madeleine Country French Bistro  :  positive experience with breakfast & lunch in Houston, TX; affordable too; I truly miss it. Remembered it in connection with brioches and petite pastries.