<p>We’re combining events- D will be a Vocal Performance major, so she is having her Senior Recital and then her graduation party afterwards. Getting everyone together twice would be too difficult, especially with every other kid having a party, so I suggested the compromise. Since the recital will begin at 7PM, we are going to hold a desert reception after. I’m heading to BJs for as many of those fancy little pastry/cookie trays as I can load, and boxes of mini eclairs and creme puffs as well as cheese cake. My dilemma is what to serve for beverages? It will be on 6/26, so it could be warm, but it is evening, so I though that coffee would be in order. Should I have more than one flavor, decaf, tea, and what about for the kids? Lemonade, Coke? Iced Tea? And since I know that a lot of the adults attending love wine, should I also put out a couple of different bottles of whites and reds? My eldest son is 31, so he could keep the younger guests out of that! I have an endless supply of pitchers, coffee urns, etc so none of that is a problem at all.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Mezzosmama, the music sorority at son’s school raises funds by doing receptions. They make a great 7 up sherbet punch. Everyone loves it. I don’t know exact receipe but sure of can be googled. We also have water. If I were there, I would love wine:)</p>
<p>No matter what drinks I put out for D and her friends, water goes first - sparkling and plain. I like red wine with chocolate - pinot noir and cab.</p>
<p>yes, I’d serve coffee, keeping it simple and serve just decaf since it is in the evening, and iced tea. Also ice water and lemonade. I mentioned it before, but the root-beer keg we got for the open house was a hit with the kids. If you don’t think it’s too messy, you could have ice cream so they could make root beer floats! Around here, if you serve anything alcoholic, you wouldn’t put it out with the rest of the spread, as that could appear that you are making it available to the kids. So it is usually kept in the kitchen or something and served only to the adults. But maybe that is regional; I don’t know.</p>
<p>Oh no - you must have some real coffee for real coffee drinkers. Decaf is not real coffee.</p>
<p>Great ideas, all; I can’t believe I never thought of water!! I can keep the wine in an area by itself, which is a good precaution anyway. What type of “whites” would you suggest?</p>
<p>With dessert, I would go with a Gewürztraminer or Riesling - ones with a little spice rather than sweet. I actually rarely drink anything, but, if I do, I go with reds. If I drank white, I would go with very dry, but I’m not sure really dry is best with desserts. I guess what I would do is go to a trusted wine merchant and get suggestions so you can give the price range too.</p>
<p>Chardonnay seems the norm around here, though I don’t love the stuff. I usually serve a sauvignon blanc to crowds.</p>
<p>edit; oh, right! we are talking dessert, aren’t we?</p>
<p>I’m with Cartera :)</p>
<p>I think I am going to keep the party “dry” because I am worried about underage drinking.</p>
<p>Am I in trouble if I say that I don’t like red wine?! I used to love a good cabernet, but I was able to pinpoint red wine as one of the triggers for my migraines, and I know now that is not unusual. Also, if it’s warm, something cold is my choice. I still think that I should have some of each available even given the time of year, the location and the hour. Now comes the big question, how many bottles would you suggest and how should it be divided by type? And going completely in the other direction, I love the idea of a root beer keg! Can I get one at those big, drive -through soda places? I’d like to be able to stick with lemonade, but I’m afraid that I should offer more than one choice to the kids also… Hopefully, the invitations will arrive tomorrow, as promised (after they fouled up the order once) and I can spend the weekend addressing them. Volunteers?</p>
<p>root beer keg: we ordered ours from a local micro-brewery. I don’t remember if they made it themselves, but , if not, why did we order it from them? Sorry!</p>
<p>No, I don’t think you can get it from the usual soda suppliers, as they usually would supply the tank of soda to be mixed with CO2 and water in the soda dispenser. But you could call and see if I am all wet! Maybe try a beer distributor or a local brewery if you have one.</p>
<p>edit: hoping to make up for my cluelessnes, I googled and found this
<a href=“http://www.rootbeerkegs.com/[/url]”>http://www.rootbeerkegs.com/</a>
try a search by root beer keg and see what comes up in your area.</p>
<p>edit #2 evidence on the web points to the possibility that Costco sells rootbeer kegs.</p>
<p>I think having both red and white is great. A lot of people prefer chilled white wine on a warm summer evening. In addition to the other whites I mentioned, a lighter Chardonnay would be fine too. You could also mix up a punch bowl of Sangria. It is hard to predict who will drink what so to be safe, buy something that you like so if it is left over, it won’t be wasted.</p>
<p>Everyone seems to have the food well covered, so I’ll add a decorating/presentation tip: if you are serving chips, popcorn, etc. from a bowl or basket – line the bowl or basket with colored tissue paper (the kind you’d use to line a gift box of clothes). Cross a couple pieces of tissue paper and overlap within bowl/basket, draping corners outside the bowl/basket to show off your colors. If you can find tissue paper in your kid’s school colors, all the more festive.</p>
<p>^My family always does that, except we usually use colored napkins.</p>
<p>I’m a senior (graduating in a few weeks) and have found this thread very helpful- lots of good suggestions.</p>
<p>My daughter is graduating on my birthday, so I have ordered these beautiful petit fours (sp?) from a California company called Devine Delights. They are a bit pricey (but the more you order, the less they are per piece–ha), but they are so tasty and my daughter loves them too. They will be a wonderful treat.</p>
<p>Another decorating idea for table centerpieces: wrap 3-4 books in ribbon to match or contrast with the tablecloth. The books you select could be all the books read in English class for the past couple of years, or other subjects. Then take a quote from each book and print it up on heavy card stock to make a table “tent” on top of the stack, or, alternatively, frame the print in a cheap frame and place it on top of the books. Each table could have a different author or theme. I like Le Petit Prince for French students. Dr. Seuss, Catcher in the Rye, etc… Here’s a quote from To Kill A Mockingbird as another idea:</p>
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<p>I still want to know what Marite is serving! (Besides iceberg lettuce)</p>
<p>We are planning the party on the Sunday after graduation from 11AM - 2 PM. We’re calling it an open house, but serving brunch-type food that is muffins, bagels, egg casseroles etc.
Mimosas & Bloody’s for the adults only, coffee, soda, juice, water. And of course I’ll order a sheet cake from Costco or Sams.</p>
<p>I’ll let you know in a few days. Not being much of a cook and wanting to enjoy being part of the festivities, I’ve decided to have the food catered. I did get mesclun (can’t stand iceberg lettuce). The anti-ethnic food folks are not coming after all, because their son is in the Glee Club and probably needs to rehearse. But the kosher observers and the vegetarians are still on.</p>
<p>I’m with you on the iceberg lettuce; might as well serve shredded notebook paper.</p>