Borrow the colors and flavors of the ocean for an "Under the Sea" party.
If you're taking summer to the next level by throwing an "Under the Sea" party, make sure you have the right eats for your ocean-loving guests. They key to a successful food selection is to choose items that adhere to the theme yet still taste delicious. Choose seafood snacks and entr es for fishy flavors, then complement them with a sweet treat decorated to match your ocean theme. Does this Spark an idea?
Sit-Down Entr es
You can maintain an "Under the Sea" theme and still stay classy if you decide to have a sit-down meal. There are many formal dishes that are elaborate enough for a sit-down dinner yet incorporate delicious seafood that fit the "Under the Sea" theme. For some Cajun flavor, make a seafood gumbo featuring shrimp, crab, oyster and scallion. If a gumbo seems intimidating, try lobster-noodle casserole: it's a simpler dish that still looks colorful and elegant on a formal plate.
Casual Entr es
If you're not up for table settings, you can make a more informal meal that prominently features seafood. For outdoor dining, fire up the grill to make shrimp and scallop kabobs that your guests can eat while they mingle. Fish and chips are another delicious choice that can be fried up in under an hour and enjoyed in a casual setting. Both dishes are portable enough for guests to eat while moving around, yet have a rich and fishy flavor to match your sea theme.
Snacks and Appetizers
The main meal isn't always the main food event at a party. To really sell your "Under the Sea" theme, make sure you have some seafood snacks and appetizers for your guests to munch on. Shrimp-based snacks are particularly good because of the convenient size and variety of preparation. You can serve a simple shrimp cocktail with a mustard-based dipping sauce or jazz up the selection by preparing deviled shrimp.
Desserts
When it comes to dessert, you probably don't want to turn to seafood to stay on theme. Instead of relying on flavor, decorate your desserts to match your theme. Order or bake a fish-shaped cake for a simple yet effective sea-themed dessert, or bring the sea to your guests by making a miniature dessert "aquarium" by making cups of blue jello and mixing in gummy fish before the jello sets. The resulting dessert looks like a miniature aquarium and is sure to be a sugary sensation.
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