Buffet advice please

anniestar

I am coordinating the food for a very large family funeral. This has come about as there are a few of us providing food and there was the very real risk of duplication. The problems are as follows- The food will have to be transported a reasonable distance(in our case 50+ miles) we have very little time, additionally we have no idea of final numbers attending will be a bare minimum of 75(very unlikely)to over 200(less likely) my guesstimate is about 150ish. Most of the mourners will have travelled a very long way. We are not working to a budget for this. I have made a list(the only way I can function at the moment) and have come up with bowls of salad leaves, a tomato salad, will make the potato salad myself and a rice salad, will maybe buy some nice cheeses and quiche from Costco maybe some nice breads. Think i will roast a turkey crown and some chicken drumsticks and get some large pizzas again from costco. Also perhaps gatuex (costco) I think I may get a salmon and poach that . Feel bad that its pretty much all bought in apart from sandwiches ,roast meats, salmon and salads. I also don't think its good enough. I tihnk it lacks imagination, is a bit dull and don't want to feel as though I am letting anyone down.
Am I missing anythin gobvious? Any ideas gratefully welcomed. I will have Tomorrow evening to cook, can get up early on Tuesday and will be arround till 9am then Will have from about 1.30 till 4.45 on Tuesday. Some will have to go tuesday evening. Wed will be getting up arrund 4:30-5am and will be getting ready at 7.45am going no later than 8:50.
Normally i love cooking and have loads of books etc but this is from out if the blue and just cannot cook from scratch this time.
Thans for taking the time to read this.

purpleivy

Please don't be too hard on yourself! At a time like this noone will expect that you will cook everything from scratch. Even if that is what you are used to doing.

whatatwit

Annie, I have sent you a PM.

ravylesley

First of all can I say slow down!!

Keep it simple.Plain meat sandwiches can be frozen in advance so no need to make on the day but you cant freeze any with salad on or containing mayonnaise as they go limp and yucky.As for anything else you wish to take if its freezable do so as it will travel better if its frozen solid and will defrost during the journey and the time it is waiting for you all to return from the service.You really arent expected to produce a gastronomic masterpiece you know as everyone will know that you are grieving and will just be grateful of something to eat

Lesleyxx

ubamother

Don't worry about being imaginative - I have acted as verger for many church funerals and people find great comfort in simple, traditional food. They don't want to have to think about what they're eating or how they're supposed to eat them! Simple, easy to hold food, heavy on the carbs is very comforting.

pigpen

little spring rolls?
bowls of crisps?
cocktail sausages?? .. these are fine cold!
platters of chopped fruit 7 veg? apple/melon/strawberries/mushrooms/celery/carrot sticks/radishes

if transporting stuff over 50 miles I think I would be tempted to freeze some of it so it defrosts over the journey and keeps the other stuff cold.. especially the rice which is a bit dodgy on a good day.

CRANKY40

What you have in mind is fine. I went to a funeral of the brother in law of one of my best friends last month. He had died too young, and we were all very upset.

Afterwards, it was a relief to find plain simple food that could just be eaten without being picked over, or having to wonder what the item was (the funeral was a full catholic mass, followed by a burial, so it took a long time and was fairly traumatic).

The food served was meat platters, sausage rolls, salad, pork pies, pasta salad, bread and butter, cheese sandwiches and tuna sandwiches. There were profiteroles and gateaux with cream to follow.

Sorry, I can't remember more, it was all a bit of a blur, and to be honest we were all still so upset we were just grateful to be fed.

Don't worry about letting anyone down. Everybody is there to respect and honour the person whose funeral you are attending, and to be grateful that the rest of you are still there for each other. It is not an time for criticising people who are generous enough to feed the mourners.

homeaway

I think that you have done very well so dont be so hard on yourself at this difficult time. Somebody mentioned cocktail sausages, they always go down well, as well as sausage rolls. You could include a cheese platter with some grapes for an alternative pudding this is easy and not much work. You could include some nice biscuits or chocolates if you are serving coffee. To be honest i would try and keep it simple people will appreciate the fact that you have gone to the effort of putting on a buffet.

anniestar

Thank you your advice and very kind words. I have spoken to a couple of my relatives (that are catering with me)and they are doing all the sandwiches and pies/saussage rolls. Additionally they are doing a large pot of chilli/bologanaise and baked potatoes. We had all independently came to the conclusion that the person who we are gathering to honour would rather have too much food than not enough so are catering accordingly.We are also having dips and crudete(SP), nanchos, a large bowl of strawberries and cream. We have also got an ENORMOUS fruit cake brought over from Ireland(this is very approporate as fruit cake was a very firm favourite) We are also going to have some quorn stuff they have just brought out scotch eggs, "pork pies" and "saussage rolls." Hopefully htat will be ok. I am sure that as we go round COSTCO etc we will see "stuff" Thank you for helping. i feel far calmer now. Ann xxx