Cheese and Bites for 50

[Blueicus]

I'm catering a friend's housewarming (which will consist of around 50 or so walk-in guests throughout the day). One of the items I'm planning to serve is a cheese display with four selections, some rustic bread and fresh fruit/fruit confit to go with it. In addition I'll have 5 other canapes/hors d'oeuvres to pass around.

This leads me to ask, how much cheese is needed to feed those 50 people, given that there are other bites? I'm guessing around 80g of cheese per person is more than adequate. Also, how many bite sized items per person should I prepare?

[lentil]

Blueicus,

This doesn't answer your question, but would you answer mine? What is a fruit confit?

I'd like to help with your question, but I don't do metric.... Sorry. Can you convert that to pounds for this math-challenged person from south of the border? I'd say that you'd need no more than 5 pounds with your other items. Of course this depends upon the time of say. If it's dinnertime, people will probably eat heavier.

I'm forever figuring too high, but at least with cheese, you don't even have to unwrap it until you need it.

[lentil]

Just re-read your post. Since it's throughout the day, I'd probably bring more cheese since you'll have to keep replenishing it so it won't get dry or greasy looking. Just a thought.

[shroomgirl]

fruit confit aka fruit goo.....same same

hmmm.....time of day matters, if some are stopping in during lunch time or dinner time they will eat more.

Cheese, I totally agree with lentil bring inexpensive backup...ie a kg of brie and just don't open the second one if it's not needed.

So, what kind of food business are you in Blueicus? Just recycle for the next event, or lunch if you have a restaurant/meal service.

[Blueicus]

The catering gig is just a side item, so somebody's going to have to eat all those leftovers. As long as I hit the food cost and everybody leaves happy and stuffed, it should be fine.

And yes, fruit confit = preserved fruit, just cook it down a bit, insert a couple of flavours as a garnish.

[Blueicus]

The event will take place from around 2 pm to 10 pm (now apparently around 60 people) where people are supposedly walking in during various times of the day. I plan on being there at around 12 to finish prep and do some on site cooking (for fried and baked items and refilling plates).

Since some people may come during dinnertime, my friend hinted at how they might want more food...

Here's my tentative menu:

Cheese display (mentioned above)

Savoury flatbreads with toppings (this is going to be the big stomach stuffer)

Croquettes of bacalao with piri piri and spicy mayonnaise

Duck confit on scallion pancake

Choux puffs with cream filling

Pistachio & Chocolate petit fours

Does the menu look alright? Is it too meat heavy? Also about how many servings of each item should I be expecting to make? They'll all be bite-sized.

[shroomgirl]

ok....8 hours of food.
hope you've had serve safe.

most catering events food is out max 1.5-2 hours

So how are you going to keep up with how long food has been out?

I've started putting any shellfish dips on ice, using the trifle mold filled with ice and set a glass insert bowl inside.

But you have 3 hot....bacalao is that salt cod?
I'd be careful with mayos and cream fillings.....especially if hot fritters are being dipped in mayo repeatedly.

looks like alotta work during the event.

[Blueicus]

I was told that people will come in waves, so I was hoping I could do various things (like fry the salt cod croquettes, reheat the duck, bake the flatbread) relatively a la minute and leaving everything else in the fridge, which will also partially solve the problem of leaving food out at room temperature for too long.

[shroomgirl]

Bluecius, this is a labor intensive menu.
READ expensive for a caterer to create because you have at least 12 hours of staff tied up.....and that's only the kitchen guy.

My suggestion would be to bring a whole lot of ramekins and swap out the mayo often.

Well 60 people, probably 1.50 pieces of each....you're passing so volume is up to you darling.

That cheese platter will be so gross after 3 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours.....do a smaller presentation and replace with clean new platters.

Hope you are well paid for this one.