To ask what you would make for a middle class lunch buffet ?

[Lotsofsausage]

I get the impression sausage rolls and cheese twists ain’t gonna cut it.
Has to be cold so don’t have to reheat it, and travel in a car. Also not break the bank!
I was going to make a feta tart type thing with filo pastry, possibly a frittata with lots of herbs. Any other suggestions ?

You definitely need some devilled eggs and some prawn or chicken & mushroom vol au vents.
Also shot glasses of gazpacho or vichyssoise.

Grainy mustard in small bowl in middle of plate of cocktail sausages. Gone in seconds.

I'm itching to know what the buffet that can't be beige.., is FOR! Please tell us OP!

Homemade fattoush. Obvs.

(Ottolenghi or Moro recipes are the best)

Balsamic pear Stilton and walnut salad. Literally the easiest thing in the world, the only componant that needs cooking is the pears.
Dollop of balsamic glaze in a hot pan, pears and a tsp of sugar or honey.
Delicious

Goats cheese and shallot tart! Fairly cheap and it's a bit different than the standard veggie buffet offerings. It's best hot, but it's also good cold

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1129654/shallot-tarte-tatin-with-goats-cheese

Beluga caviar with gold leaf served on strips of fullblood Wagyu steaks served with a Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru 1972 vintage served by a Virgin driving a 2002 Rolls Royce Sweptails.

Feel gutted that I only made it to page 3 before someone had beat me to Iceland prawn ring!! Nothing more middle class than that.

For the last buffet we had for middle class family members, we decided to go 'retro' with sausages on a stick, cheese and pineapple hedgehog, party rings vol-au-vents etc and everyone loved it and ate the lot.

Just scatter goat's cheese liberally over everything. Add a drizzle of olive oil, and done.

Go watch Abigail's Party You can get it in Amazon Prime that's a really good middle class party when the middle classes were real middle classes

Pie, chips n gravy, black pudding and stick an avacado on the side

Theyd get what I'd feed the working class. They're not Royalty.

Theyd get a paste butty and like it

Just had to check Waitrose still sell Shippams, which I am pleased to report they do. Phew.

I love avocado and anchovy paste on white bread but maybe that's a bit too avant garde.

Waitrose!!!! I buy Asda's own

clutches pearls oh the shame, a mere 'middle class' buffet - urghhh. One requires an upper middle class buffet to consume, don't want to eat what the oiks are eating.

Just had to check Waitrose still sell Shippams

Public school boarding houses are wall to wall shippams and pot noodle.

Eggs mayonnaise sprinkled with a little paprika on a bed of lettuce

Insalate Caprese as someone said above, but don't forget the balsamic vinegar

If you have access to a microwave at the venue then my warm salad ALWAYS goes down a storm and I get asked to take it to events. Place a green salad in a large bowl (important) and toss in some cubes of feta. Prepare the warm bit in advance - fry a tin of waxy potatoes, sliced, with chopped bacon or salami, sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sliced onions and a bit of garlic and some Italian mixed herbs. Set aside in a plastic container to transport. Just before serving, microwave the mixture till it's hot, toss into the salad leaves, and dress with balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil.

It will help it to look posher if you have some nice dishes and platters to serve it all on ( don't have to be matching) and make sure the table looks colourful. ( You could borrow them if you don't have enough) .Good luck OP!

IME middle class buffet if you are under 40 is basically anything from M&S & Waitrose. Over 40 you cook naice ham & posh mini quiche, dips etc yourself & buy the cake/dessert (from guess where). I grew up in 'vair naice' rural town.

• Anti pasti
• Nice cheeses/pate and selection of crackers
• Mozzarella, tomato and basil on sticks

Also ensure there are working class people there to clean up after of course otherwise it isn't a middle class buffet.

(Disclaimer : I'm a student now so I'm below working class )

Is it a sit-down buffet or will everyone have to stand around juggling plates, cutlery and glasses while trying to eat dips and salads?

I went to a fancy catered thing recently where nearly everything was served on toothpicks. Things like cubes of frittata with a cherry tomato, feta and melon, something with olives, tiny sandwiches and mini burgers and even a toothpick with a piece of fish and a few chips.

Initially it seemed somewhat pretentious and unnecessary (and they were disappointingly not skewered into half a grapefruit decorated with glace cherries) but it was actually quite handy when you were trying to eat and hold a plate of food and a glass.

Delia Smith’s chicken liver pâté is so easy if you aren’t squeamish about a bit of offal and very cheap to make.

Haha I am having a middle class buffet for my 40th party!

I didn't say that to the caterer though, more a cold buffet that isn't egg sandwiches and sausage rolls.

God, I'm a knob aren't I?!

It's about the quality of the ingredients. So not the cheapest sausage rolls from Iceland. No need to go for expensive things either just decent quality basic stuff.
Also check with others what they are taking. Otherwise you may end up with 12 goats cheese and shallot tarts and nothing else

That also runs the risk of being a beige buffet bobby!