Creating Interactive Food Stations at Your Home Parties This Summer

As part of our continuing blog series, "Summer Entertaining," today we offer 5 ideas for creating interactive food stations at home parties and gatherings this summer.

Lately we've had a lot of interest in this concept and it's pretty easy to do at home.  Food stations aren't just for big events and big venues. And people really love this because it gives them something to do and they customize their food the way they like.

First, decide where you'll serve the food.  A kitchen island or counter are good places.  If you use a table for the food station, make sure you cover it with a tablecloth, or that you don't mind a few drips or dribbles or some spilled food.

Next, choose your ideas for the station(s).  Here are 5 ideas:

Skewer station--Grilled or cured sausage pieces, grilled chicken or shrimp or meat, cheese pieces, grilled or fresh veggie pieces, fruit, olives, any food small enough to eat on a skewer.  Put out skewer sticks.
Pita and falafel station--Serve pitas (you can keep them warm in a tortilla warmer) and falafel, maybe some chopped fresh vegetables, and condiments such as harissa, zchug, or other falafel-esque condiments
Taco or fajita taco station--Tortillas (in a tortilla warmer), meats, cheeses, sour cream, avocado, spicy salsas, and other fixings
Fondue--Buy or borrow a fondue pot or improvise with a big heavy saucepan and skewers.  For dipping serve small chunks of bread, sausage or beef pieces, or veggie pieces (and for dessert if you want to carry the theme through, cake pieces dipped in chocolate fondue)
Submarine or Poor Boy Sandwich Station--Your favorite cold cuts, cheeses, sub-style bread, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, olive spread, pickles, mayo, vinaigrette, or whatever other condiments you like

The fun in serving the food this way is that people love choosing their ingredients and it makes the gathering merrier as people linger over the food station trying to decide what to pair with what.  Plus it's easy to pull off successfully as you don't need to serve a lot more (or anything more) than the piece de resistance, the interactive food station.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-077
www.fandango-catering.com