Hosting a Party ???

[Soulsearching]

I am having a dinner party for 40pp.

Small Appetizers, Buffet Dinner and Dessert.

How many hours after the Buffet Dinner should I serve Dessert?

Thanks!

 

[Malibustyle23]

I am having a dinner party for 40pp.

Small Appetizers, Buffet Dinner and Dessert.

How many hours after the Buffet Dinner should I serve Dessert?

Thanks!

I think it depends entirely on the reason for the party and the guests you will have. Some dinner parties will drag on for hours some will be ready for dessert to immediately follow dinner.

 

[Alesia]

I cannot imagine waiting hours for dessert. It's typically served right after dinner.

 

[Iowajes]

I would set dessert out within half an hour of clearing away dinner.

 

[joannamet]

I would play it by ear. When the buffet slows down begin switching over to dessert a few items at a time, allowing people to decide when they're ready.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I would just clean up dinner and put out desert.

 

[ajwolfe]

When we do things like this I typically just clean up the dinner mess after it appears everyone is done and place out the dessert. Then people can eat the dessert at their own leisure. I wouldn't wait hours though unless you have some specific reason to stretch the evening out that long.

 

[Mizzoufan]

If it going be buffet,I sit it the other food

 

[scrapquitler]

I suppose it depends on how long you want the party to last. I'd put the desert out soon after I cleared away the dinner buffet. If you wait too long, people might leave before you serve desert (this ALWAYS seems to happen at every wedding I go to....even if you stay an hour or more after dinner, they never seem to have served the cake/coffee/deserts and most people leave before they have the cake....such a waste that could be easily resolved by serving it quicker).

 

[msmama]

If it were me, I'd probably try to put everything out at the same time. Appetizers in one area. I'd try to have as much as the buffet set up before people came as possible. And then I'd have a dessert table somewhere else.

Sure, I might move things around, but when I have parties I want to have to do as little as possible during the party.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Why would you wait hours? How long do you want these people in your house?

I would start setting out dessert when it appeared most people had finished with dinner. Have a separate table already set up with plates, silverware, coffee cups, etc. for the dessert.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Here's an example of a timeline, I'd do with your plans...
Small apps (and guest arrival) 5-6pm
Dinner Buffet 6-7:30pm
Clean Up, Removal of Buffet, Brewing of Coffee, etc 7:30-8pm
Dessert and Coffee 8pm to end

I'm assuming you have a birthday or other celebration you'd want to draw everyone's attention to for dessert...if not, you could put it out together, but I'm never a fan of that, b/c some desserts are not "table-stable" for long periods and some are just showpieces that deserve their own time...

 

[denisem]

Unless you're serving dessert that needs refrigeration, I'd set it out on the buffet with the other items.

This way I could check them out and probably cut back on my main course servings to double up on dessert!

 

[BCV2003]

When I hold parties like this, I have everything out at the same time. Well sort of....the appetizers are out as everyone is arriving which is usually while I'm finishing setting up and then the dinner buffet and desserts are all out at the same time but in different sections. I find that people like to see everything that is available. If they see a good dessert, they may not eat as much dinner or vice versa.