I think based on collective feedback that I will do blue cheese (easy) with the veg, with the potato romesco as a fallback for those who inexplicably don’t like bc. For the lox, I’ll make a spread with cream cheese thinned with a bit of crème fraiche and add some capers shallots and lemon zest. Dollop of that on the bread, then lox, then dill sprigs. Thanks to all for your input!
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Sounds delicious!
Here is how those apps and a few others turned out. I made way too much food as usual. I can’t help myself! Happy new year to you all!!
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I’d love to graze on that spread! Did you have many leftovers?
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So many! Including things others brought and left behind.
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What a wonderful spread!
Is that biscotti in the first pic?
And what’s on the other platter in the pic with the salmon crostini?
(I noticed the veg on the charcuterie tray in their own bowls and cheese on a different tray, very thoughtful for vegetarians.)
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Thank you! Orange biscotti and coffee biscotti. Spinach and goat cheese quiche squares. I made a couple mistakes in planning though. First, I made too much (because it’s a party - I want to cook!) and also asked everyone to bring an app. We had over 20 people, but most of the food went uneaten. So there was just too much. H told me also he thought people ate lunch before they came. The party started at 1pm, and he said that was a message to them that it was between meals. The evidence points to him being right, but if I was invited for 1, I wouldn’t eat at home… I wanted to start earlier, but my little had a paid short gig in the morning, and I wanted him to get back and put the car in the driveway before it got filled up with other cars. Oh well. I will be eating leftovers (and figuring out how to hide them in our dinners), for the next 3 weeks.
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I’ve been to holiday gatherings / open-houses that were timed deliberately between meals because the hosts wanted to set out mostly dry stuff and not host a “meal”, so I’m with your husband on that.
But I’ve also been invited to things where the hosts messaged that there would be heavy apps to signal that they were providing real food, just not a full meal — but there’s an argument that guests actually bringing a dish to your gathering should also have made that obvious, so I’m with you there 
(Re leftovers — freeze! I bet the quiche will make a nice dinner or brunch in a week or two or a few, and charcuterie lasts seemingly forever.)
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Wow, looks great!
Just this morning I was saying to my husband how my grandmother, mom, and aunt kept a tradition of overachieving on their holiday cooking. Then the households would eat various configurations of the dishes for a week or more afterward. Which provided a much-needed break for those that cooked the original feast.
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We always eat appetizers for dinner for a day or 2 after any of my Xmas Open Houses!
We are also still eating NYE and NYD party food for lunch today and dinner tonight.
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I’m mostly concerned about the probably 6 lbs of cheese I still have left. They aren’t the varieties my people like, or there is just too much of it.
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You can freeze cheese. I use it for enchiladas, scalloped potatoes or mac & cheese. Which kinds do you have left?
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Hopefully, y’all compost out west if you can’t repurpose the cheese. But it’s still sad to toss perfectly good food.
My hubby B would’ve gladly attended your party and helped with the leftover cheese.
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Food bank?
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I doubt it, especially if it’s cut up/unpackaged.
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What kind of cheeses? Perhaps you can repurpose somehow - i.e. gratin, fromage fort, fondue, grilled cheese, etc., … but 6lbs is a LOT, I’ll give you that.
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Doesn’t hurt to ask.
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1 batch of Martha’s Perfect Mac and Cheese used about 2 lbs iirc. Her mac and cheese freezes well.
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The biggest is a giant hunk of Jarlsberg. I did put them all in the freezer. The family is very cheese-picky. So if they won’t eat it fresh, they won’t eat it melted either. I also hate tossing food, but if the freezer changes the texture for the worse, I will toss it. I don’t need to eat that much cheese alone! I also have a bunch of Beemster gouda and the red wine soaked cheddarish one. All three from costco i.e. massive. Also a chunk of brie, someone left smoked cheddar, and naturally all the bits and bobs of cheese we just had for our own use before I went party shopping. Ah well.
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I’d probably use the Jarslberg in Cheese Spaetzle.
My uncle sent us 7 different cheeses around Dec 15th, around 5 lbs. I’ve already used up most of them.
I used half the Jalapeño cheese tonight in Enchiladas.
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