Party Board

Growing up in a financially struggling family in the 1970s, we had this dinner each year that we received an income tax return. Dad went to the grocers and picked up some special treats that were cost-prohibitive normally: sardines, olives, pickled foods, chocolates, cheese, nuts, whatever caught his eye. Then he’d lay all out on the table and we’d have a party, just the 5 of us. Dad passed in Dec, and I celebrated him tonight by recreating a meal from my childhood. Thank you for reminding me.

This is 'odds and ends', the first meal my husband 'cooked' for me 27 years ago. Still a regular meal, usually weekends with a movie, or picnic in bed. I use the week's leftovers that are too small for a meal but perfect for tapa dish and add any pickle, smoked meat, fruit, crusty bread. To stay true to our early [leaner] days it must include grapes, swiss cheese, one avocado, and Ak-Mak crackers--oddly addictive crackers that I thank my husband for introducing to me. Splurge is Boursin cheese.

Definitely apples with cheese, as KK notes. The "Pantry Picnic" was one of the few "recipes" my husband of almost 40 years brought to our partnership, and it has served us well for decades now, especially in hot weather. We include smoked oysters, and keep a stash of Rye With Carraway Seed Triscuit which goes especially well with Amish Swiss and sharp Cheddar cheeses. For the blues and milder cheeses, a fresh thin-sliced baguette or a less-assertive cracker is best. Don't forget the wine!

Apples, always, with cheese.

The Swedish side of my family always had a simple Smorgasbord on Christmas Eve. There would be raw vegetables like celery, pickles, deli-style meats such as ham, [probably] cheese like Havarti, and crisp bread. While Grandma usually mentioned herring salad / sillsalad, I don't recall that showing up on the table. :) There was also a rice pudding, with an almond hidden in it. Next year, I think I'll have a Smorgasbord for Christmas Eve dinner. :)

I’m stashing away so many great ideas from this thread of comments! It’s funny, you can spend the whole day before a party trying to make a few impressive appetizers, but it’s the crackers, cheese, pâté, and other nibbly bits that always disappear first. We’ll usually have slices of good bread too, with a little bowl of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side for dipping (weirdly, now our toddler’s favourite food...he calls it bread with “oil and binegar bowl”).

I completely forgot that I used to do this for my kids and their friends anytime between noon and bedtime. I called it "snacky dinner", served on a plastic picnic tray - so it wouldn't break if they dropped it- and always included pepperoni, black olives, cubed cheese, a veggie, and whatever crackers we had in the cabinet. Thank you for the memory!!!

We are newlyweds & I started doing this as a Friday night tradition--makes us feel more festive even if we are both exhausted! I love to search around for special cheeses and treats like duck salami, but have lately craved "mash-ups" like warm spinach dip w/chips meets crispy bake tofu bites or leftover chicken wontons and cheesy broccoli toasts. He makes the drinks, I put everything in the oven, and we feel like we've ordered appetizers and drinks at our favorite bar :)

My 8 year old son calls this a “something something” dinner (bits and pieces of cheese, leftover deli meat from school lunches, crunchy raw vegetables, apple slices, olives, cornichons, dried fruit, and crackers). We have this most Friday nights, our family movie night. I loved reading in the notes people talk fondly of this dinner from their youth. Who knew I was making food memories with this one...

We call this picnic dinner. With two little kids, it’s freeing to throw together cut raw vegetables, crackers, cheese, marinated tofu, pickles, popcorn, and dried or fresh fruit and call it dinner. It’s one of my favorites. Especially on a hot night. And maybe one of our healthier meals considering the variety.

It is fun to read about all the memories this meal evokes. For me it is of impromptu picnics in the dead of winter when I was around 5 and my mom would place our summer picnic blanket down in the living room floor and spread a variety of cheese, meats, crackers and pickles on top which we’d eat kneeling . For my sister and I it was magical, while for her it was an impromptu meal when she didn’t have time to plan and cook.

I do a Swedish version including Ry-Krisp, pickled herring, shrimp, and a soft cheese, Bond-Ost. My mother used to make a head cheese that was served with pickled beets. Food memories are the best.

Being Middle Eastern I love a meza plate - mine has a few different ingredients :-), feta cheese, hard rumi cheese, black and green olives, cucumber, radish’s, basturma (cured beef), phillo savory pastry, pita, watermelon etc,. One of my favorite meals that I like to put out on the occasional Friday or Saturday night. A relaxing and delicious meal that takes me back to wonderful memories of my late parents. With this a dry martini or nice scotch (my parents preference) is absolutely perfect!

Thank you for sharing this with us! :)

I used to do this with my kids after a holiday- say Thanksgiving evening or Christmas night after a big mid-day meal- and we called it "snacky supper." We were allowed to eat in the living room while watching TV, usually a no-no. Great memories