What do you LOVE to see on a buffet?

[stubbyfingers]

What makes you punch the air and say, "YESSSS! They've got X!"

We're having an afternoon birthday gathering of close friends and family at home. There will be a few toddlers and maybe 20 ish adults.

So what would you be chuffed to see?

Mushy egg sandwiches!!

Chicken liver pate
Cambembert
Sundried tomatoes
Nice bread rolls, proper butter
Olives
Parma ham, Salami etc
Sausages
I like a nice salad - taboulleh or similar

I agree with cheesy balls

funny you should say that sal, the last do we had we put cheese balls out 'for the kids' and the adults swooped on them, and they were demolished in a couple of minutes. Thanks for reminding me!

Good bread
Good cheese
Nice grapes with not a hint of squish to them
Veggie sausage rolls
Some salad
Posh crisps
Lots of pudding - to include trifle, something chocolatey and fairy cakes for the children.

I don't like lots of faffy things that don't go together, so you end up with onion bhajis, on the same plate as vol au vents, on the same plate, as guacamole, on the same plate as quiche etc etc. Shudder.

I adore a selection of dips (homemade healthy ones) and a huge selection of dippy things: peppers, carrots, cucumber, olives, bread sticks, mushrooms, tortilla chips, raddishes, cheery toms.

Also love samosa, mini lamb kofta kebabs and a mint yoghart

Can I come????

Chicken drumsticks
little sausages
pringles
humous
crisps
tiger bread

[commoner]

I love it when you get to hack a bit of meat off a joint - we do a roast beef and a gammon (Nigellas ones are great as v moist), and they disappear. People can chuck them in a bap, or eat with salad.

A thing that is always vanished from the table is baked new potatos - chuck a couple of packs of mini new pots in a baking tray, drizzle lightly with oil, then add plenty of sea salt. Bake on high for 45 mins or till crispy skinned. Gorgeous with sour cream or garlic mayo

Those potatoes sound lovely.

egg sarnies
chicken goujons
potato wedges

everything!

I bloody love buffets!

Hog roast! Oh my god, yes! Get DP to dig a pit, I'll bring a pig

cold mixed veggie lemon couscous
mixed olives and feta
houmous with pesto in
cheese straws/other crumbly cheesy pastry deliciousnesses
poached salmon
loads of cheeses

We're having a hog fir our wedding reception necmxt year :D

Really good cheese--quality Cheddar, Chaumes, Stilton, Chevre, etc. Yum.

George. All I can say is

I love a childrens' party type menu wiht sausage rolls and egg mayo sandwiches best if I'm being honest.

Watch out though for the danger lurking ina Scottish party buffet...at a highland wedding onse I said to DH (veggie) "Oh look, felafels!", only for him to find out the hard way that they were breadcrumb coated haggis balls!

best buffet food I EVER had:

mini yorkshire puds with a bit of horseradish and a slice of rare roast beef in it.

droooooooool

DH and I still reminisce about that one, at a friend's wedding

Well thanks ladies (and gents?). After your superb suggestions, just thought I'd give you all some pay back by listing the final menu for our feast (and in case anyone else is searching).

Ahem.

Prawn cocktail with big juicy prawns.
deviled eggs as requested by An American
devils on horseback excellent suggestion OMDB
chicken drumsticks - were a bit meh
mushroomy garlicky parmesany quichey type thing - ver good
Mushroom pate - apparently it rocked but it looked too much like grout to tempt me
Mozzarella/toms/rocket salad with wholegrain mustard dressing - delish
cheeses balls - 'for the kids'
grapes. well, they were grapes
homemade slaw but I blanched the onions first as the trial batch had too much afterburn
Homemade Czech potato salad with smoked garlic sausage, gerkins, eggs etc. An old family favourite.
tiger bread
normandy salty butter
plain salad
pizza express salad dressing optional
nuts and crisps of course
2 kiddie birthday cakes packed with colourings and preservatives but hey, as long as there's a recognisable TV character on the top...
Celebrations
A right posh cheese board and crackers that never even got looked at as there was too much bloody food!
Ditto jelly and ice cream.

and special honours go to lovely cheffy friends who provided some star attractions:

duck rillettes though this recipe looks too simple to equate to the deliciousness we had
Homemade sausage rolls - I'll never go back to Greggs!
A Big Ole Ham with a lovely glaze
Beautifully tender poached salmon
A big sticky chocolately cake for grown ups
Loads of pretty little stripey tiny cakes

I had to force everyone to take home doggy bags which was quite nice I think - lots of people had enough for lunch the next day!

So thanks for all your brilliant suggestions. Really wish I could've done a hogroast. Maybe one day....

Watches thread for New Year party planning>