I am hosting a party, and I will be serving and antipast along with cold cuts, sammich accessories, followed by rum babbas, riccotta cheesecake, italian cream cake, etc.

Cold cuts will be ham of 2 varieties, prosciutto, salami, cabagol, white american cheese, provalone:  I need some items for the antipast.

I will have:  roasted peppers, pickled eggplant, mushrooms, olives, anchovies, chick peas, sardines, giardinera salad with fanoich, pickled beats -

What else?  Help me out!

ETA:  Had the party - it was my 2 year old's birthday, which is code for excuse to have a party.  Everyone had a great time.

PICS and commentary:

First, the anitpasto:


Flame roasted on left, sweet cherry on top, fried on bottom, and sweat on right



Seaside Cheddar - nice flavor with little salt crystals throughout - great texture.



Anchovies and pickled spicy garlic - REALLY GOOD together.



Macadamia nuts - I like 'em, though I think they have more cholesterol than a Luther Burger.



Marinated mushrooms - button mushrooms with garlic and pimento.



Guinea salad - marinated asparagus, pickled beats, artichoke hearts, marinated onions, and giardinera salad.



Olives, TL: garlic stuffed, TOP:  castel vitrona, TR:  blue cheese stuffed, BL:  nicoese,  BR:  marinated w/chili peppers.
The Castel have the most flavor, they taste GREEN.  The Chili marinated were the best overall.  Very smooth and very complex.



Something sweet:  Apples and Pears in marsala.  Really delicate and REALLY GOOD.



Chick Peas - or garbonzos, or chichi beans - E.V.O.O. and cracked pepper - nothing more.



This is the buffet as set.


Some Meat and Cheese for Sandwiches (My grandmother (noni) used to say SANGWICH):



Capicolla, Genoa Salami, Roast Turkey, and Maple Ham - all Boar's Head.
The Capicolla was not the best - it was all I could find.



Again, Boar's Head:
Horseradish Cheddar - WOW.  This stuff has such a subtle flavor.
Chipotle Gouda - a little spicy and very buttery
And of coarse, sharp provalone.  My least favorite, but a staple.



Parma Prosciutto.  To those of you who do not know what prosciutto is, you are missing one
of the best things in life.  To those that do know, the damned butcher FUBAR'd this stuff.  
He separated it, but still layered it 4 per.  All the delicate fat shredded.  I was trying
to plate prosciutto, salami, and cheese, but it wasn't gonna happen - this mess was the
best I could do.



Hard rolls are REALLY hard to get in the South.  These are Portuguese rolls.  Nice crunch and
great texture.  They are worth trying and they make great sammiches in a pinch.


Now some BOOZE and drinks.



For Soda I got San Pelligrino, Limonota and Orangiata - what great beverages.  Costs an arm and a leg, but really
a quality product from Italy.  Domestic sodas are from Boylan Farms.  Made with
old-school recipes and CANE SUGAR.  On hand were Orange, Cream, Root Beer, Grape, Black Cherry,
Ginger Ale, and Orange Cream.  Hands down the best in a glass bottle I have access to.  Made in
New Jersey.

Booze = mostly beer.  I did have some Oban, Beefeater, Wine, and Sherry, but it was all
about the Beer.  On hand were Several Alagash, Devil Dancer, several stouts, Mothership Wheat (great stuff),
Sam Octoberfest in spades, and more.  You will see different varieties in the photographs.  90% was drank by 7PM.
 The big stuff in the back with the corks was all the hi-grav goodness.



Moar Booze, Moar soda.  Yes those are pickled eggs.  The plastic containers have fruit in them from the
bottom of the Sangria on my 21's birthday YEARS AGO.  It is amazing pickled fruit - you would need to see
it to believe it.  Bottom right is my Hash Stash.


Now the Soup:



Pasta Fagiole.  I steamed clams for the 4th this year, and my partner in crime and I reserved all
the stock and it was turned into broth for the soup.  Northern beans (easy to get) and about
nine types of pasta here.  Leftovers for a month.



Gazpacho - wow.  All fresh, local ingredients.  Lots of basil, cucumbers, parsley, and some chili paste.  WOW.





For Desert:  





This is Riccotta Cheesecake.  I have not eaten a NY-style cheesecake in almost 15 years.  Riccotta
Cheesecake is the reason why.  I would rather have this than STEAK.  You won't understand until you try
it, but for those familiar - IT WAS AWESOME.



Italian Cream Cake.  Traditional Italian Birthday Cake, and my all-time favorite traditional-type cake.  Light, filled
with custards or puddings and fruit and glazed with sweat cream.  Candles are dinosaurs in the
shape of the number 2.  My kid calls them DI-DORS!




Close-up of DI-DORS!




Braciola.  Stuffed with goodness.  2 cheeses, APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON, Clam stuffing and MOAR.  
In this image it is being browned.



Bacon can be seen in the bottom right!



Finished product - truss removed, roasted in sauce.  REALLY GOOD.


Folks:



Here is the birthday boy and his new helmet.  The Fat Guinea is me.



New scooter to go with the helmet.



Helmet AND scooter!



Better to have loved and lost, right?  He sat in olive oil too...



He got 'em back, and Bonnie the Beagle is acting as guard.



Now he is happy!



This is his buddy Gavin - Gavin is approx. 5.



As you can tell.



This is his friend Sorin - about the same age.



He fell in love with the helmet.



Gavin liked the fake DI-DOR! tattoos.



My brother-in-law's Mother made this Chef's Coat for my kid - WOW!



It has his name on it.  The curmudgeon in the background is our Scottsman.  He is usually
as white as the coat - he drank alot.



Someone gave him goggles - it kept the Scotch out of his eyes.



He got a toy drill.



This is grandpa - he is used to older steel power tools - these new lightweight
polymer units from fisher price confused him.  He had to put his glasses on to
make things right.



And a POWER SAW.  Lucky noone lost a finger with this thing around.



Appearantly he needed a tool box in which to store these tools!  Sorin had to kick back after all the drinking.



Of course he got trucks.



They crashed BAD.



After the wreck the trucks found a new home in the toolbox.  If you pay attention, you will see that I decorate my hearth with
hand grenades.



Finally, boredome set in.  The toys were alread 10 minutes old, so not much good for anything any more.



I tried to make an ARF dinner pic - fending the guests off made it impossible.  Also, booze - so not
too much gunplay.



Gun-porn for the traditionalists.



37mm is for sucks.  40mm = hookers and blow.



As the dinner-pi-inspired images, I liked this picture best.

So that is it.  Not the best "dinner pic" because everyone was drinking, but some guns still made it.

Until Christmas Eve.  I am gonna try to have a photographer for Christmas Eve so I can get the prep too.

[drool]

What time should we arrive?

Fresh mozzarella with sliced tomato on top w/ basil. This is pretty much a standard for Italians.

Fuggettabout it.....you need the cannoli

My wife cannot make a cannoli - I may buy some, but she sucks at cannoli.

Done.  With balsamic vinnegar.  What else?

I will start serving at 10AM.  I am OCD, so so there will be enough food for 30, even though I expect 12.

Try this simple bruschetta w/tapenade:





12 cloves garlic, finely chopped (must be fresh, not out of a jar)


15 or so kalamata olives, chopped


Fresh Basil leaves, chopped.




ETA - The mixture should end up being nearly equal parts garlic/olive/basil, though less garlic might be good if your company are garlic amateurs.




2-3 Roma Tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise then sliced thinly.





Put all three in a bowl and cover will good extra virgin olive oil.  It's best if the tapenade can sit for a half hour or so before serving.





Take a small diameter baguette and slice thinly - 1/2" max - and toast the rounds by whatever method turns your crank.  I've grilled the bread over charcoal, toasted in a nonstick skillet with some oil, and brushed it with oil and toasted it under the broiler.  Just toast the bread one way or another.





Coarse sea or kosher salt.





Serve by placing some tapenade and a slice of tomato on a piece of bread, sprinkle with salt.





Another possibility would be a hot antipasto plate - meatballs, chunks of sausage, stuffed mushrooms, roasted garlic, roasted cherry peppers, really any roasted veggie you'd like - served with marinara sauce and bread.





You also cannot go wrong with melon & prosciutto.

 

Here's a couple to look at !

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=antipasto&SearchIn=All

We just drive over to the Deli and pick it up

See... fuck you.  That isn't happening in SC.  Also, fuck you!  :)

Gotta have some kinda nuts... like walnuts or almonds. Also need some kinda fruit like grapes, figs, or apricots as they go great with the salty meats.
If you want you can also have Calamari salad (my personal favorite).
Last but not least if you can get them, the stuffed hot peppers (stuffed w/ a piece of cheese & proscuitto) are fantastic!

I also recommend San Pellegrino for those that choose not to drink alcohol.

and lots and lots of good Italian bread!

Nice suggestion.  Calamari may be an option too, but I have a closet full of Scungilli I had not thought of yet!  Maybe I do both!!!

I keep san pellegrino in the fridge (both orangiata and lemonola!)!

Now you have me hungry for some.

Plus one to this
Had some of these the other day for the first time and they were amazing!!!!!

Checking back to see how the party went.......... and now I'm friggin' hungry.
Thank God tomorrow is Sunday and pasta is on the menu!

and as far as Scungilli goes, slice it nice and thin before you cook it so it doesn't get rubbery. MMmmmmm, scungilli salad and some nice Italian bread.....some nice cured olives and a piece of provolone........I'm so hungry.
so hungry

I had the party with what was most readily available.  It could have been better and it could have been worse.  Everyone had a good time.

Can we be friends?

Yes.  But you need to live in SC if you want to come to dinner.

noni said you did good! the only thing you are missing is the cannoli cake!

I knew you were one of our famous ARFCOM eyetalians!!!

I saw you in the 2002 Count of Monte Cristo... and a fargin' Pirate, no less:

I wanted canoli, but I don't make pastry and my wife fails at canoli and SC also fails at canoli - and while some foods are OK lousy, canoli IS NOT.

9/10.  Needs more pics!





(I keed, I keed!)

fratello!!

que sabaroso!

looks great.

but what's ed sr. and tony soprano's younger brother doing there?

Not too shabby

Need recipe for ricotta cheesecake NOW.

Looks good, but you are going to catch hell for saying "EVOO."  

Seriously.  EVOO is good stuff.  Also, Rachel Ray says EVOO and I'd eat the peanuts out of her ass.

10/10 for the dinner pic part.

Nothing like a good dago feast.  Looks delizioso, from one guinea to another.  Tell your boy buon compleanno.

Dried tomatoes in olive oil.



But anyway 10/10 with or without them.

I would completely destroy that food.  Looks great!

Next year.

1. You suck.
2. I'm fucking hungry now.
3. I am sad. I don't live in a state that lets me own NFA.
4. I'd have no clue where to buy 40mm rounds anyway.
5. #3 and #4 make me more sad.
6. I'm even more hungry now.
7. You suck.

PS.  Dammit, I'm hungry.

Outstanding!

Very nice spread!

BigDozer66

You just my whole brain/salivary glands,

So full of WIN!
..... delicious, delicious WIN!

I'm so homesick and hungry again. I have to stop viewing those pics. There's nothing better than family parties with large amounts of antipasti!
Bravo sir, bravo!
and Buon Compleanno to your little guy!

P.s. Next time, bring the cannoli and maybe some sfogliatelli

Huh? Why didn't I see this thread before?



Not too shabby, anyway... not too shabby.



For all of it, I know you Americans are accustomed to different flavors than us - we would scream to someone puttin tomato ketchup on our pasta -

but what I liked more was your research for genuine Italian beverages.

You did even find some Sanbittèr.



You didn't find some Birra Moretti for your pleasure, didn't you?

If you like this, Grandpa has been called "Captain Lou" for years.

We have a little family owned italian store (those are always the best) that stocks the pellegrino sodas along with great capicola, prosciutto, and genevetta.  I've never seen the san pellegrino sodas anywhere else, though.

that's great. How do you manage fresh food shipping? Did you ever try getting your hands on Mozzarella di Bufala, or something along those lines?





 

Morettie has neve been my favorite.  All the same, it would have been nice.

I've never had mozzrella di bufala.  I'm guessing mozzarella made from the milk of buffalo?  My grandmother grows all of her own peppers, tomatoes, etc. so that's where all of the fresh foods come from.  Other than that, the lunchmeats come from the store, along with some other italian produce that's imported.  I'll have to see if I can find some of that mozzarella.

So what exactly do you feed that launcher? Any of the good stuff?

great job with what was available