Let’s get this dinner party started – A buffet full of holiday hustle and bustle – San Diego Union-Tribune

‘Tis the season when you can crawl out of your hibernation, kick up your party heels, clink your crystal champagne glasses and share a little holiday cheer. December is a celebratory month in which we showcase our shared melting pot of traditions, cultures and creativity. Here is a list of some dinner parties that highlight a variety of fun foods, libations, and entertaining styles. So choose your pleasure!

A new twist on the old cocktail

The secret, sexy speakeasies of the 1920s evolved into the cool cocktail culture of the Rat Pack and “Mad Men” eras, and now into today’s trendy cocktail soirées that are like Bond’s martinis with a few fun little bites (best served at… Prepared in advance) provide variety. Thirst quencher from the garden to the glass and an organized, gracious host who is more concerned with chatting with his guests than mixing their drinks.

Creative mixologists whip up bold seasonal sips (which can also be made in advance) like coriander-gin slushes, vodka-thyme sodas, blackberry-mint juleps, matcha martinis, and ginger limoncello mimosas. Have plenty of ice cream and mocktails available for teetotallers.

Serve simple but rich appetizers like lamb lollipops with mint chutney, prosciutto-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese, mushroom caps stuffed with braised short ribs, turkey sliders, mini crab cakes, and elegant dips like baked brie trick without dried fruits and nuts, wrapped in puff pastry.

Party, travel

For a roving group of happy people, the progressive dinner party is awesome. Start at Adler’s for appetizers and fun, then stroll to Murphy’s for the main event. Stroll down the block to Sack’s for sweet treats and finally turn around the corner to Newberg’s for a nightcap. This is a great opportunity to network with neighbors and enjoy the variety of vacation homes and entertaining styles. Everyone in the tour group can contribute their signature dish, a nice bottle of wine or a box of sweets.

Bring your own party

The concept of “potluck” dates back to Elizabethan times, when unannounced guests arriving for dinner were invited to try their “luck” at whatever was cooking in the pot on the stove.

These days, the art of throwing a successful potluck party lies in skillful organization and delegation of dishes. Divide the courses by having invitees contribute a selection of starters, main courses, side dishes or desserts. Ask guests to bring their favorite dish or personal specialty. Try an ethnic-themed potluck, whether Italian, Greek or Mexican, or simply complement it with a variety of dishes.

Perfect pitch parties

Even the grumpiest Grinch loves a carol party, where sheet music is served along with carols and harmonious treats. Start with smoked salmon crostini and a comforting caramelized butternut squash soup. Continue with a wild mushroom and chicken puff pastry tart and a rocket, pomegranate and pecan salad.

For a sweet finish, Christmas spices like cloves, nutmeg, peppermint, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger roar from the pantry and liven up classics like mincemeat pie, plum pudding, cranberry trifle, various crème brulés and chewy ginger cookies. Wash it down well with some of holiday favorites like silky eggnog, warm spiced apple cider, hot buttered rum and cranberry mules.

The cultural crossover

This year, the first evening of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day for a “Chrismukkah” celebration where we can share in the joys of both traditions. Cholesterol is king on the Hanukkah table, offering symbolic and delicious potato latkes (pancakes) that are traditionally fried in oil and topped with chunky applesauce or sour cream. Since nearly 2,200 years have passed since the Maccabee miracle, it’s time to expand the latkes repertoire with a pop of color and a serving of healthy fruits and vegetables, even a sprinkle of caviar for a luxurious holiday vibe.

For the cholesterol-conscious, latkes can be made using the French technique en papillote – sealed in a parchment bag to preserve the fresh flavor. To complete the Hanukkah meal, add fried chicken strips and mini bagels with smoked salmon, capers and horseradish cream cheese. An old-fashioned apple strudel would be just right.

Now mix the spirit of Christmas into the mix with a whole range of powerful holiday herbs and spices to enhance both sweets and savory dishes. Festive centerpieces of festive poultry, including goose, duckling, capon, Cornish hens and quail, stuffed with chestnuts and wild rice, or a herb-crusted rack of lamb will make jaws drop.

Decadent desserts only come around once a year, so don’t miss the obscene selection of boozy fruit cakes, marzipans, rum balls, stollen logs and pavlova wreaths. Up to the lips, over the gums with cocktails that scream Christmas cheer like a gingerbread man and a mistletoe martini.

A fine kettle of fish

A Feast of the Seven Fishes is a traditional Italian Christmas meal that presents seven courses of treasures from the sea, perhaps symbolic of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. A true fish-eater’s paradise, the feast can begin with grilled scallops and mixed olive bruschetta or fritto misto, followed by lobster bisque or seafood cioppino and a candied salmon Caesar salad.

The main event is a whole grilled branzino in Meyer lemon wine sauce, delicious lobster tails with clarified truffle butter, or shrimp sampi and bucatini that are sure to please everyone. While traditional pistachio biscotti and various types of gelato form the sweet conclusion.

My wonderful neighbor of northern Italian descent honors her beloved mother’s tradition of packing her home like sardines with friends and family for her Feast of the Seven Fishes gathering. Every course is so divine that she will never have to look for compliments on this special evening.

Now this multifunctional holiday thirst quencher, created exclusively by the mixologists at Parakeet Café, will shake up the private party of your choice. Cheers!

Holiday Sangria

2 ounces red wine, 2 ounces organic Prosecco, 2 ounces organic cranberry juice, 2 ounces organic orange juice, 1 ounce raw honey syrup. Pour ingredients over ice into a wine goblet. Garnish with citrus slices and whole cranberries. Cheers!

Courtesy of Paola Llamas Parakeet Café, One Paseo