'Tis the season to be merry and entertain, but before you send out the invites and deck the halls, check your food list twice. If any of these goodies show up, you may want to rethink the menu…
-
Broccoli. It's delightfully festive to have green mistletoe hanging overhead and a green fir tree glistening with lights, but quite another thing to have a wad of green broccoli stuck between your teeth while you're discussing the latest Twilight installment. We're big fans of fresh vegetable platters, but when going green, stick with snap peas, celery, and green beans.
-
Stinky Cheese. Many of your guests may be cheese lovers, but for those who aren't, "stinky cheeses" can have them holding their nose all night long, or worse, heading out the door for fresh air. Common culprits include Brie and Camembert, Bleu, and the imfamous Limburger. Safer bets include Jarlsberg, Cheddar, Havarti, fresh mozzarella, and salty Grana or Pecorino.
-
Cocktail Meatballs. We're the first to admit we can scarf down more than a few. But they're messy, and one of the nicest things you can do for your guests is serve up no-drip, no-drop, no-spill foods. Plus, your night will be a lot more stress-free when you're not worrying about marinara sauce on your beautiful ivory shag carpet.
-
Fruitcake. The old school variety gets a bad rap, and for good reason. It just doesn't taste that good - and with so many other tempting sweets surrounding you during the holidays, why waste your calories? We prefer to indulge in the gourmet "cousin" of fruitcake - Italian panetone. It's a light brioche bread with just the right amount of dried fruit; it's much tastier and easy to find at local grocery or gourmet stores.
-
Salmon. A nice fish to serve, but beware of when and how you cook it (we speak from experience!). It can easily stink up your whole home, and as with certain overly aromatic cheeses, not all your guests will appreciate it. Try grilling the fish outside or pick up a cold poached salmon from your local market, and serve it with a drizzling of olive oil and fresh dill.
-
Canned Olives. Don't serve wimpy canned ones when big, meaty, fresh olives are available at many grocery and gourmet stores (we can't resist the Whole Foods olive bar!). Offer several varieties of green, black, or stuffed. Try plating them with thin sea salt breadsticks and mini mozzarella balls.
- Tortilla Chips. These cheap-and-easy chips have become a favorite staple at parties year-round. But if you're even an ounce anal about cleanliness, these little buggers will drive you crazy every time you hear one of your guests chomping into them. Scattered shards fly across the floor no matter how carefully you're munching. We're not expecting anyone to swear off tortilla chips (what would football season be without them) -- but for a swank holiday soiree, a better option is mini crackers or bite-size crostini that allow guests to devour without the mess.
50 comments