Would you (like my MIL) feel "cheated" if you didn't have an Iceland-type cake spread after a buffet?

[Moomin]

For my 40th in a few weeks time , for the food we are doing crisps, nuts, crudities and dips on every table, then french bread bagettes with posh fillings mid-evening.

For pud I'm borrowing a choc fondue and doing stuff to dip in on the main table (marshmallows, fruit, etc) and then I thought it would be good to have bowl of sweeties and chocs on every table. MIL is 'panicking' that people will expect an array of gateaux as far as the eye can see. I think it would be unncessary and naff.

Why not get the current Sainsbury's magazine and show her the photo of a chocolate tiered wedding cake (decorated with flowers) (in the supplement) and say how impressive that would be as a centre piece.

its' even a bit retro, as it was one of the early recipes from the magazine.

if she is going to insist on a specail cake, why not nudge her in the direction of one more to your taste.

It would tie in with your chocolate fountain nicely!

what is wrong with supporting the woman down the avenue?

I think it is nice to have a woman down the avenue who will do cakes

we had one but she shut down and now we have to buy packaged from M&S

it is sad

she made all the scones for my dd2's christening cream tea

id like to do a 70s retrospective booo-fay!

prawn cocktail, marie rose sauce on one limp lettuce leaf, served in a plastic champagne saucer

lop sided and soggy mushroom vol au vents on a doily on a foil platter

cheese & pineapple hedgehog, with warm cubes of mild cheddar and tinned pineapple, natch

black forest gateaux and elmlea

served with blue nun and libfraumilch ( warm of course, plastic half pint cups)

flat lemonade and salt n shake crisps for the kiddies!

Yes. Would feel cheated. That's exactly how I would feel though I wouldn't have thought of it unless you'd said. Don't like chocolate fondue stuff yeeurch. Sorry.

Not thinking gateaux though just some sort of cakey, pudding type thing. Little bite-sized would be fine. Melted chcolate not my bag.

Nothing at all in supporting the woman down the avenue, except that aforesaid woman makes cakes that I don't actually like. But hey it's only my birthday so why should that matter! Have already said I'm not going to complain, but having said that I might ask dh to give her a nudge and see if "WDTA" or whoever else might cobble a chocolate affair together. But no matter if not...

Love idea of 70s buffet. Dare someone to do it

Chocolate fountain.

Shall I tell you a story ?

We have a chocolate fountain, we had it as a Christmas present.

We decided to fire it up on New Year's Eve, cue DS2 loitering with a beaker by said fountain.

Broke his heart when my mum explained that it wasn't actually a fountain. Of chocolate. For drinking.

Be warned

Anyhoo, back to the OP....

Your party, you have what you want

... you can't drink it straight from the spout ????!!!!!!!!

Your poor ds! Luckily Unfortunately no children will be attending said do, so the grownups will have to fight over it!

Do you think all MILS know a 'woman down the avenue' who does posh yet slightly dated cakes? Mine does too. V weird.

spooky! (but not entirely surprising)

Another mumsnet division: Those who do have knowledge of a Prawn Ring and those that don't !!

6th one down

Don't say we didn't warn you!

A prawn ring sounds like some kind of skin rash.

"Yes, I'm sorry Doctor, Im feeling a little bit embarrassed about this but I know it needs seeing to... I've already been on the internet researching it as I was worried and I'm afraid I think I have a.... a... Prawn Ring."

I checked out the Sainsbo's magazine: it was a Chocolate Sachertorte that they featured, "designed" by Lorna Wing, "caterer to the stars". It would be suitably sophisticated (and yummy) for a 40th!

I like black forest gateau.

My name is Kewcumber and I eat black forest gateau but its been 25 years since I've had a piece.

Kewcumber - try the Black Forest Gateau in the Stübli Austrian pâtisserie in rue Poncelet in the 17th arrondissement next time you are in Paris - I guarantee you will not be disappointed

I like BFG as well and I'm not afraid to admit it! I love choc, love cherries and love cream. That's a good idea, actually: a mahooosive BFG would be fab as a cake!

Thanks prettybird - Will get the Sainsbo's mag. MIL likes Sainsbos so it could be a winner.

weelll. I'm a bit old fashioned meself when it comes to a buffet.

Dips are too messy.

Ditto choc fondue.,

Baguettes would strip off my lipstick at the first bite.

Sweets and chocs - some greedy b'stard'll nick 'em all before I get to them.

SO I might be on mil's side here.

Then you are very welcome to MIL's At Home for FIL on June 13th, where your every buffet need will be more than catered for

(see you there )

your meal sounds fab and relaxed and everyone under and about 40 will love it

mil - it is such a class/age thing the iceland buffet - my mil loves that stuff. She takes great pride in showing me the boxes and saying look it only cost one pound. She is loaded by the way. She also has no idea about nutrition - i;ll offer her a sandwich and she will say im not hungry really i'll just have a doughnut.