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A recent
question
I was
asked
was:
“I’m
having a
party
and got
a
platter
from the
market,
I can
just set
it out
right?”
That
depends
on the
way the
platter
was
packaged
and how
long it
will sit
out.
The
problem
with
store
bought
platters
is
lettuce,
oh it
looks
pretty
under
those
sandwiches,
wraps,
fruit,
cheese
and the
like,
but the
thing
about
lettuce
is it
contains
a lot of
water.
If your
party
plan is
to have
food set
out
buffet
style
and let
your
guest
feed for
hours,
you’re
better
off re-plattering
anything
with a
bread
product.
Otherwise
the
bread
will
soak up
the
moister
from the
lettuce
and
you’ll
end up
with an
unappetizing
mess at
the
bottom
of your
sandwich
mound.
Every
sandwich
that
touches
the
lettuce
for an
extended
amount
of time
will be
inedible,
at least
for your
guests.
Fruit
and
vegetables
on the
other
hand –
if it’s
packaged
nicely
then
sure
just set
it out,
but put
that dip
in a
nice
bowl
verses
the
tacky
plastic
container,
it just
shows
you
care.
Cheese
also
gets
nasty
when it
sits on
lettuce
for any
length
of time,
I
usually
plate
cheese
separately
and put
a sprig
of dill
on the
side –
dill
contains
less
water.
Or if
you’re
set on
another
green
leaf on
your
cheese
platter,
place it
near but
not
touching
the
cheese.
If
you’re
torn
between
the
really
nice
platters
of
vegetables
or the
cheap
sectional
platter
– go
cheap.
It’s the
same
product
only the
packaging
is
different.
Pick up
some
fresh
dill or
a
small-leaved
lettuce.
Then run
on down
to the
local 99
cents
store or
Big Lots
and pick
up a
large
platter.
Who
cares if
it has
soccer
balls
painted
on it,
cover it
with the
leafy
greens
you just
picked
up, and
since
you know
the
veggies
are ok
on the
greens,
you can
cover
the
whole
platter
hiding
any
design
the 99
cent
store
throws
at you!
To
platter
those
breaded
concoctions
-
whether
it be
sandwiches
or
cookies,
I always
re-platter.
I put a
doily on
a plate
and
arrange
my food
to look
appetizing
and easy
to
pickup.
You can
get
doilies
from
almost
any drug
store or
party
store to
make the
plates
look
nice.
When you
arrange
the
items on
the
doilies
make
sure
they are
easy to
grab. If
they are
a little
on the
messy
side,
give
them
enough
room to
wrap
your
fingers
around
them to
pick up.
You’ll
use more
plates
but
you’ll
have
less
mess.
Wraps
and
sandwiches
I like
to stack
them
like a
pyramid
–
sometimes
I’ll put
a flag
or
decoration
in the
top
sandwich.
Caution
on
sticky
foods.
Cookies
and
treats
that are
sticky
to the
touch
also
like to
glue
themselves
to
paper,
so don’t
line
your
tray
with a
paper
doily
unless
you want
extra
fiber in
your
diet. To
dress up
your
sticky
dish,
grab the
powdered
sugar or
coco
powder
and dust
the tray
before
placing
the
treats.
Bettina
Zacar
bettina@gypsybijoux.com
Bettina
is the
resident
party
designer
at the
Lankershim
Arts
Center
and has
been
making
parties
pop for
local
Los
Angeles
galleries,
theatres
and
private
parties
since
1999
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