A Party for The Graduate
We’ll be holding a graduation party for our son mid-June and need help. We’d like to avoid the giant sub, pulled pork sandwich, and sheet cake standards in favor of something more interesting. Very flexible as to time of day and type of party, although we’re inviting close to 100 people and can’t afford to have it totally catered (college tuition looms). Ideas, Eaters?
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7 Comments:
My granddaughter is graduating this year, and she's vegan, but a lot of the people we are inviting (including her friends) are either omnivores or vegetarian. For awhile we were in a quandry of what to serve. Here's what we came up with:
A make-your-own burrito and taco bar. We're going to put out a large selection of prepared fillings, cheeses, veggies, beans, greens, and sauces, and let people do their own thing. There will also be salads (veggie and fruit).
For the dessert since she absolutely loves cupcakes, we are putting out a selection of vegan cupcakes, and a selection of soy and real ice creams.
There will also be fresh lemonade, iced tea, coffee, and bubbly waters.
So, let the likes and dislikes of the kid dictate what you serve. We're only having about 1/2 of the number you are, but this is how we're going.
Brownie at 12:36PM on 05/10/08
For my high school graduation party, I paid for it working at McDonald's on weekends for 3 months (1980s). We had ~75 people at my house between relatives and friends for dinner -- graduation is typically held in the early evening.
The centerpiece was catered. It was a boat of sashimi that we refilled several times, along with several types of sushi and tempura. They gave us, free of charge, a large, whole grilled tai (sea bream) platter, a customary gift for a celebratory occasion - my mother knew the owner. My mother and I made some sushi to accompany the catered ones.
My mother also made some other Japanese side dishes to complement the rest of the food.
- tofu with shaved bonito and shoyu
- seaweed, sliced carrots and shiitake simmered in shoyu and sake
- chicken teriyaki
- additional shrimp tempura
There were other dishes, but I don't remember what else!
Dessert was mitsumame, a Japanese fruit cocktail served chilled. Whole azuki beans, various fruits, and kanten (agar agar -- think Jello, but practically unsweetened). It's very refreshing and not very sweet.
Doesn't count in the cost -- My mom bought a half sheet cake. It was a yellow cake with a boston creme layer in the middle and sliced kiwi and strawberries stack-layered on top from edge to edge, with a thin gelatin layer over the fruits.
All in all, I think I spent only $500. The cost was probably kept low because we served no alcoholic beverages, just juice, Calpico, and soda.
Cassaendra at 12:56PM on 05/10/08
what about a barbecue? they're my favorite way to celebrate anything in the summer. sausages, burgers, vegetable skewers, side salads, corn on the cob, fruit pies - very easy to customize according to the tastes of your guests (although grilling for a hundred people would take some work and planning...hm, so maybe not...i'm just really excited that summer's around the corner!)
billyburgwife at 1:04PM on 05/10/08
Roasted vegetable and orzo salad with basil vinegrette--the basil v. recipe is the same one from the mango and mozerella chese posted earlier this month, and otherwise you roast a bunch of veggies: red peppers, onions, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, garlic, etc., and mix them up with orzo. Serve at room temp.
Make a couple beer-butt roasted chickens, slice, and serve at room temp with a lemon vinagrette drizzled over the top.
Roasted pork loin, made ahead, serve at room temp.
Spinach leave, strawberry and sliced almond salad.
For dessert: fruit salad, lemon bars and chocolate chip cookies, or borrow a chocolate fountain from someone and do dip your own strawberries, marshmallows and pretzels. Or, you can do dark and white chocolate dipped strawberries.
You can also buy little mini-hot dog buns and make up some lobster salad, egg salad, and tuna salad sandwiches.
kdjmom3 at 1:25PM on 05/10/08
My son graduates too this June we are planning the taco bar, grilled chicken, deep fried ravioli with marinara sauce and a bunch of different salads. My daughter suggested a whipped potaoto martini bar that you use basic whipped mashed potatoes in martini glasses and have different hot items for on top, but I reminded her it will be warm by then and that would prob. be too heavy for the weather.
joanpieroni2 at 3:36PM on 05/10/08
I recently went to a graduation that had a shish kebab bar - there were a number of meats and veggies cut and laid out on a table inside, and you went through (with a pair of tongs) and created your own shish kebab to bring out to the host, who was outside waiting at the grill to prepare them. There were also a number of salads (pasta, veggie, and fruit) and a sandwich bar with different types of breads, deli meats, and roasted vegetables. Everything was a hit!
poke87 at 8:26AM on 05/12/08
I'm a big fan of Rick Bayless and mexican food. I did this for a a large party, turned out pretty well:
Rick Bayless’ Salmon Ceviche
Frenched Rack of Lamb (cut into individual ribs) with Rick Bayless’ Oaxacan Black Mole
Charred Tomatillo Guacamole with Chips
Rick Bayless’ Plantain Empanadas
Jicama, Grapefruit and Pepita Salad
Pollo Pibil (Yucatan Style Chicken)
Potatoes with Goat’s Cheese and Chipotle Cream
Summer Squash with Green Chilies, Chorizo, Tomatoes and Corn
Tres Leches Cake
marguerite m at 8:34PM on 11/09/09