That virtual dinner party

So, you are all invited to roughseas virtual New Year Party. Tomorrow say, so you can get on with your own thing on NYE.

And at lunchtime too, nothing better than Sunday lunch. Shall we say, 12 noon for 1pm or anytime thereafter? Which combines British timing with slack Spanish late eating hours.

It will be a buffet of course. No way (see previous post) am I dishing up endless courses for a sit-down meal.

I don’t need to say it, but it will also be vegetarian. There will be a couple of token veg items, but mostly it will be vegan.

So those of you who can’t manage without jamon serrano, seafood, beef etc etc can send your apols right now.

Pre-luncheon drinks would be around of course.

Fresh orange juice

Fizzy water

Still water (maybe Gibwater in fact?)

Beer – probably San Miguel as that’s what we drink

A few specialist beers eg Ruddles, Worthington White Shield, and Peroni (for one of my guests)

Some boring bitter for those of you who like it. (Nothing beats Tetleys out o’ t’ pump).

Spirits for those of you who drink them? Gin, vodka, um, what else is there? Tonic to go with them, and tomato juice to go with vodka.

A nice chilled manzanilla, from Chiclana I think.

And wine? An average dry white (currently drinking an Italian white Chardonnay) and probably a reasonable and cheap Rioja – Cuña – I think it is called.

Some cava – I am not paying for champagne – and you can always mix it with orange juice. Bucks Fizz no less. I see there is something called Mimosa which people seem to drink that has more cava and less orange juice. Hmm, I think we will stick to Bucks Fizz in my home.

Agua de Valencia? Ouch!! I urge caution with this one.

Onto the food.

It might be winter, but I would probably do a jug of gazpacho. I like gazpacho and courtesy of my Spanish neighbour, I do an extremely good one.

Bowls of marinated olives, black ones and green ones, and some with pickles.

Mixed nuts too. Not too keen on crisps so you are unlikely to find those.

Hummus. I would make it. Supermarket ones are ok, just that I would prefer to make my own. Warning – it will be garlicky and lemony.

Olive pate – black version and green one. Home-made again because so easy. Mushroom pate too. All these are an easy fix.

Better add some bread for this lot. Shan’t bother making that, will raid Morrisons, probably for Batard, pain de campagna, boule, and similar breads.

Butter for those of you who want it, either Yeo organic or Morrisons, and maybe an unsalted one too. I dislike spreads, so you won’t find that.

I think a bowl of lemons is needed for you to squeeze on all these spread things.

Crudités? I don’t usually do those oddly enough. Not sure people are keen on sticks of celery and carrot. Although I do like radishes. They may appear.

Onto the cheese thing.

People like cheese, so I’ll do a token cheese board. It will have to be organic for choice and definitely vegetarian.

Boring old organic cheddar, maybe a crumbly Brit cheese like caerphilly, a French Brie, and something else. Not sure what.

I could always do that old standby, celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese. Yum.

Eggs? Well, I think two types of stuffed eggs. One with basil, parsley, garlic, capers, mayo/olive oil and the others curried.

Lots of salads:

• rice salad – with any of chilli, peppers, mushroom, onion, capers and olives, tomatoes, grated carrot

• green salad – lots of fresh leaves

• pasta salad – tomato, peppers, capers, onion, olives

• potato salad – yes, capers, onion, olives

• beetroot on its own as it messes up the other salad

• tomato salad on its own

• roasted pimientoes

• sweetcorn salad

I probably need to make a couple of dressings for those of you who like mustard and those of you who just want to add your own wine vinegar/oil/lemon juice.

Meanwhile, there won’t be any jacket potatoes. I know these get dished up at buffet dos but they are so tedious and don’t fit with the food.

Your only potatoes will be in the salad. OK?

But I do think there should be some hot food.

So let’s raid the freezer at Morries and take those nice small Linda McCartney sausage rolls. Last time I ate them they were tasty enough so they will do.

And, maybe a few vol-au-vents. I know they are so old-fashioned but I used to love my mother’s mushroom ones. I think they would be very nice. I’ll make those. I could do a jalousie too. And some other pastry type dishes.

Onto the not-meat foods. I think a plate of vegetarian Salami would be rather nice, and some mortadella too. I could roll them up with an olive or a gherkin or just display them in a round on a plate.

Perhaps some sautéed tempeh, tofu, seitan, with some dipping sauces too?

No desserts my dears. I loathe sweets.

Plenty of Saccarellos coffee and Assam and Darjeeling tea.

I’ve probably forgotten lots of food but that will do for now.

Guest list:

Ah, I don’t think I will get into that one. If you comment on here, or any other of my blogs, you will be welcome.

EDITED TO ADD:

Totty will be bringing nispero chutney which reminds me I need to add some Indian food too.

I’ll add a veg chutney/pickle and maybe another fruit one – mango or pineapple or something.

A raita of course, and some Indian bread.

Perhaps I’ll make some corn breads, or at worst, pick up some Pippadoms poppadoms from the local Indian shop.

free penny press is bringing grapefruit and oranges, so that reminded me to make a fruit salad, I may soak it in kirsch.

And as she wants G&T with lime, that reminded me I need to make some guacamole.

Thinking of guacamole, I remembered I need to make an ensalada de la Axarquía, which is a basic Spanish mixed salad (boring old lettuce, onion, tomato and cucumber) with avocado, radish and orange – which gives it real lift.

And again, the lime reminder made me think I need to do a hot salsa, courtesy of a recipe from a one-time Texan friend. Hot with jalapenos, tomatoes, lime, and cilantro.

More additions to the buffet will be added as people say what they are bringing or I remember to add more goodies.