Want to entertain large numbers of people? Holding a drinks and canapés party is an excellent way to do it.
What's on the menu
Once you’ve thought about the kind of atmosphere you’re going for, think about how many canapés you will need. Although people won’t be expecting huge amounts of food, always opt to have more food than less. (It also helps absorb the alcohol people will be consuming!). Work on the basis of each person eating around six canapés per hour. If you can, arrange for a few people to help you hand out the canapés. Put out bowls of nibbles which require no preparation, such as nuts and olives – and don't forget the napkins!
Canapés are designed to be bite-sized so they're easy to eat with your fingers. If you're stuck for ideas, how about these:
Chicken Skewers with Dip
Lamb and Mint Koftas
Mincemeat Baklava
Mini Beef en Croute
Minted Pea-Topped Scallops
Mozzarella and Parma Parcels
Tapenade
Tomato and Herb Bruschetta
Truffles
Zabaglione
Search our recipes for more inspiration.
Raise a glass
Wine is the traditional drink at this type of party, but a bit of fizz is great to get the evening going. Why not try our SPAR Champagne – our recipes for Spiced Berry Royale and Ginger Champagne add a twist to this classic drink, or try some SPAR Cava Rosada NV for a glass of pink bubbles!
Make sure you leave enough time to chill the white wines and Champagne – see our tips on wine serving and storing for more on this. Hire or borrow some wine coolers to keep the bottles cold once opened – you’ll need plenty of ice, which is easily available from specialist off licences.
Work on the basis of each person drinking at least two glasses of wine. Have trays of drinks already poured before people arrive so people can help themselves, and make sure you include water and another alcohol-free option, such as orange juice or lemonade. Keep the drinks topped up throughout the evening – again you may need to enlist some willing friends to lend a hand.
Hints for the host
When you’re planning this type of party, make sure you have plenty of glasses – people are liable to put these down as they wander around talking to others, and you don’t want to be in the kitchen frantically washing up all night! Work on the basis of each person potentially using two or three different glasses and you should be fine. Hiring some glasses can be the easiest solution.
While this type of occasion doesn’t lend itself to sitting down, make sure there is some seating for older guests.
For an informal occasion, it can be fun to have some ice breakers if people don’t know each other – write a famous person’s name on a Post-it note and get each person to stick it to their forehead when they arrive. They have to guess who they are by asking their fellow guests questions about the celebrity.
Party trivia... "Never be the first to arrive at a party or the last to go home, and never, ever be both." David Brown