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A table laid with fruits, vegetables, crackers, cold meats, chocolate and more.

The office Christmas party

Very often as we clean our way around the offices of Brisbane at this time of year we come across the office Christmas party or two.

Whilst we don’t get to enjoy them. Cleaning up after everyone has staggered home does give us some insights into what food and drink has been enjoyed. And what hasn’t.

So here are a few food and drink tips for a great office Christmas party

Food

Food is my favourite bit of an office party, but I am better at eating it rather than preparing.

So I’ll hand this one over to the great Patricia Valinho who runs the exquisite plattersbykiki (Follow her mouth-watering creations on Instagram).

the office christmas party platterWhat goes together on a platter and what doesn’t?

– Pretty much anything as long as you and your guests like to eat it, however, there are some must-do tips – always mix sweet and savoury, cheese’s and their matching garnishes are very important. Use cured meats and some juice items like sundried tomatoes, olives and bell peppers filled with cheese.

 

Do you pair drinks…say one kind of platter goes better with beer and another with wines?

– Always pair drinks with platters! Best platter for beer drinkers are the ones with lots of different types cured meats and spicy items. However, ladies tend to prefer lighter snacks like cheese, veggies and fruit which goes perfectly with champagne or any kind of cocktails.

 

What do you use to hold the food when you are also trying to hold drinks?

– Cocktail napkins are the best! Mess-free, light to carry and perfect to hold a couple of pieces of food.

 

What is the platter etiquette, is it acceptable to hog a platter?

–  No!! Platters are meant to be shared, in the family, with friends, platters bring the best to us. By being in the centre of a group of people its an automatic invite to share, not just to eat but a chat as well.

 

What is the least liked food in your experience?

– Food is something so personal! Tastes vary depending on the type of public and of course individual preferences. Each event is always a surprise when a piece of food is left behind. However, in most cases, the Pate’s that are less preferred so maybe try to keep it out of your platter or just put one for the people that actually like it.

 

Do you every throw in something weird…maybe a really hot chilli?

– Absolutely! It’s the surprise effect! Its exciting and people always make great comments about having weird mixes on the table. Just bear in mind any food allergies.

 

What is the legal side of things, do you have to find out everybody’s allergies or just label the platter?

– You can go about this either way. Either do your research before buying the products for the platter, send out a questionnaire to your guests asking for any allergies but this takes time and you might not have all this time, or make sure the platters are labelled with all products included so people can read it easily and pick their choices.

 

What would you recommend for a Christmas break up platter?

– A beautiful Summery platter. Summer in Australia can be very hot so try to bring all products that inspire freshness! Lots of fresh produce, exotic fruits, best quality Christmas cold ham, colourful dips and light crackers. Don’t forget to decorate with traditional Christmas flowers to bring out the Christmas Spirit.

Drink

Firstly, don’t overindulge. I am sure your employment contract mentions how you are to behave while representing the company. So don’t be the one pulling glass shards out of your but, after you tried photocopying it.

And being the one who everyone remembers spewing over the boss’s shoes and insisting on telling them how much you loved them, is not the best career advancement technique.

Red and white wines are a great way to go. As are champagnes and cocktails. Have a selection, even if you prefer one over the over, I am sure Sally in accounting loves a cheeky red although most accountants I come across prefer the hard spirits, maybe because it’s more expensive, maybe because someone else is buying?

Beers; always have a selection of light and heavy’s and also beers and ales.

The modern palate, influenced by a thousand man buns, likes beers with such names as One Fifty Lashes, Feral Hop Hog and my favourite, My Wife’s Bitter.

But remember Bill from acquisitions who have never drunk anything other than VB, because ‘a hard-earned thirst needs a big cold beer’

So make sure you throw in a couple of the old favourites, VB, XXXX, Toohey’s, and make sure they are cold put them in a bucket of ice or a big fridge. We’re not pommies with their horrible warm beer….oh wait I am

Conclusion

I hope this has given you a few ideas to make the office Christmas party the best one you’ll host

And above all things be responsible.

 


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