My only comment at the moment is to possibly re-think about bruschetta, assuming you mean to serve it atop a chip or bread. On top of bread, UNLESS it's no more than a single bite, is very hard to manage standing up and spills all over the place - ask me how I know. On top of a single chip that is clearly just one mouthful is fine, but no good if it's two bites - for all the same reasons. And that's quite intensive for labor. If it's as a dip, you certainly wouldn't want everyone standing around the dipping bowl for continuous dipping, getting in everyone else's way and causing a traffic jam.

The martini glasses sound great: since the depth is 9", a little too tall for asparagus, why not put some greenery or even pretty, crumpled cellophane paper in the base to raise up the bottom and then place your asparagus/prosciutto stems all around the bowl, concentrically? Same thing for the skewers, too. Maybe use a tiny-nozzled squeeze bottle to squirt a thin stream, concentrically, of a spicy sauce over them, too - like mayo/dijon/horseradish or mayo/ketchup/horseradish-type of thing. Adds a little zing and color. When I serve, to a small crowd, asparagus, I mix sour cream and dijon together as a dipping sauce and it's great. Maybe you could have the sauce in an attractive gravy boat type of server for people to pour onto their plate, if you're planning on having little plates to serve the hors'doevre on.

I would skip the theme....just do elegant wonderful food...no thems needed.
Thinking of the last upscale ( Gawd! I hate that word) cocktail party I went to...they passed trays of coconut shrimp...I know...but if it's passed no one will fill a plate.
Stuffed mushrooms ( blue cheese onion bread crumbs etc)
Let's see...If I were doing that I would have a whole poached salmon, beautifully decorated with a bowl of sour cream caper sauce and perhaps some tazaki as well..
Something beef...how about strips of round steak marinated in a lemon terayaki, threaded on skewers and baked...
Pork....how about "coon balls"? That concoction of sausage, hot pepper cheese and bisquick...
Chicken? buffalo wing "drumettes?" Ann's souvlaki?
Lots fo veggies....stuffed mushrooms, perhaps mini broccoli quiche in those mini muffin tins.
And of course crudites...but with a twist...like filled snow pea shells and cherry tomatoes stuffed with crab, Belgian endive with...whatever...clam and cream cheese? and even mini stuffed cabbage rolls.
Then you need a cheese platter...beautifully set up with grape leaves and decorated with whole mini peppers and or different grapes ets.
Ask her what she wants to spend....then figure out what you can provide for that...
It's all about panache! Not necessarily recipes or cost of the food.
Linda C

I'm with Linda on the poached or smoked salmon. We ordered two smoked salmons once from whole foods and they were incredible. Expensive and I wouldn't do it all the time, but wonderful. I also agree on the stuffed mushrooms.

What I want to know is why do people over indulge because of shrimp?! What the heck is that about?

If you can find small size fresh mozzarella balls right now, they're great with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves on skewars.

I have for years done various types of sliced sausages (Bruce Aidell's are great), such as chicken/apple, sun-dried tomato and Italian in a chafing dish. Then I'll serve three types of mustards (grain, honey, horseR) in elegant little dishes to go beside it (toothpicks of course).

One elegent setting I've done is to take small vases (like votives or just slightly larger), and fill about 10 of them with the same types of flowers. Maybe early fall flowers. A mum in each and small accent flowers around it. Then line the arrangments down the middle of the table. Such a pretty effect. You could alternate candles in the same size votives between the vases. Then the food can go around the table.

Good Luck!

Have plenty of bowls of olives sitting around!

I would also skip the theme. Unless it's a theme party to begin with, it's not necessary and can be limiting.

Here are some delicious things I've seen recently:

small lamb chops with mint
spinach and cheese (tasted like spanikopita) in a phylo cup
chicken lollipops
how about a shrimp salad instead of shrimp cocktail? Even a shrimp and lobster salad would be nice in a cucumber cup.
spring rolls - maybe duck for a change of pace?

Can you do a station? Savory crepes are delicious, and dress someone up in a chef's jacket and it will look very professional.

AM

I just did a party for my husband's 50th birthday with appetizers. Here are a couple of the items I did which went over well.

Teriyaki chicken with peanut sauce. The recipe for the chicken is linked below. I skewered the chicken on short wooden skewers and then marinated them already skewered because I didn't want to mess with skewering them after they were already swimming in the marinade. I broiled them for about 5 min on each side and served them in a large round dish at room temperature with the bowl of peanut sauce in the middle. I made these a few weeks in advance, and froze them uncooked in the marinade. I just defrosted them in time to cook the day of the party.

I also made meatballs in a ketchup/beer sauce. This sauce is so simple and really delicious. I made the meatballs in advance, made them fairly small, and baked them instead of browning them on the cooktop. I froze these after baking, then just heated them up and put them in a chafing dish and poured the ketchup/beer mixture on top. I made a couple of hundred of these and there were very few left at the end.

The best thing about both of these dishes was that I could do the bulk of the work in advance with minimal last minute work.

Another item I had which I wasn't sure if people would eat but they devoured was very simple. I just bought three slabs of different kinds of cheese, placed them on a tray, each with its own knife, and placed crackers in a dish next to it. All but a very small piece of cheese was gone by the end of the evening. Easy but popular.

Here is a link that might be useful: Teriyaki chicken with peanut sauce

Thanks for all the input. Here's an update. The woman has decided she wants a 1960's style martini party menu. She listed off her ideas and asked me to come up with a menu. Here's what I gave her for choices. She can pick and choose items. Based on her original budget, I gave her the option to choose 2 hot items and 2 cold items. I'd like to see more veggies but the client isn't interested so...

I've done tons of large parties for friends and non-proofits I volunteer at for the cost of the food but I've never had a paying customer so I'm a tad nervous.

Retro Cocktail Party Menu

COLD
Assorted Pinwheel Canapés
-Roast beef with horseradish cheddar
-Smoked salmon w/ herb butter cheese
-Cream cheese & Confetti Pepper jelly
-Rosemary ham and Asiago cheese

Onion Dip
Caramelized Vidalia Onion Dip with your choice of one:
Pita Chips, Cape Cod Potato Chips or Vegetable Crudités

Stuffed Celery, etcÂ.
Herb Goat Cheese Stuffed Fresh Vegetable Assortment

Cheese Ball
A blend Cheddar and Blue Cheeses and Roasted Garlic encrusted with Pistachios
Assorted Crackers

HOT

Rumaki
An assortment of water chestnuts, chicken livers and bay scallops wrapped in bacon with soy ginger glaze

Swedish Meatballs
Your choice of traditional or low fat turkey

Hot Crab Dip
Fresh lump crab dip with a subtle kick of horseradish
Assorted crackers

Pigs in a Blanket
Frankfurters in Mustard Caraway Pastry

Stuffed Mushrooms
Your choice of stuffing:
Traditional sausage
Roasted red pepper and prosciutto

Italian Selections

COLD

Bruschetta
A celebration of the seasonÂs best!
Ciabatta Crisps

Grilled Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto

Portable Caprese or Antipasti(Skewers)
Caprese  Mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil
Balsamic Dipping Sauce
Antipasti  Italian cured meats, cheese and pepperoncini
Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

HOT

Tiny Italian Meatballs
Cocktail size, traditional style meatballs in marinara sauce

Stuffed Baby Mushrooms
Fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato stuffing

Pancetta, Leek, and Ricotta Cheese Tartlets
Delicate with just a hint of garlic

Well if its a true 50 style menu then ,of your choices , I'd say:

Cheese Ball

Stuffed Mushrooms
Swedish Meatballs
Pigs in a Blanket

Now I know that's 1 cold and three hot but 2 and 2 is not enough in my view you need 3 and 3.

So I'd add these cold:

Smoked oysters with crackers or shrimp and cocktail sauce
Pineapple stuck with olives, cheese cubes and grapes

As for pricing it needs to be the costs of the ingredients plus an estimate of your time based on an hourly wage you feel is fair plus any extras like gas for your car, cleaning supplies, utilities etc.

60's M and M parties didn't have lots of veggies!
I think your menu of choices sounds great!
There are a few anachronisms...like bruschetta and ciabatta crisps and grilled asparagus with proscuitto...but for someone who very likely wasn't going to cocktail parties in the 60's is really very good!
And don't forget those things with the mayo, parmesan, chopped green onions spread on and English muffin and then quartered and baked and things stuffed into a mini cream puff. Things like devilled ham and crab salad...there was an assortment of them at every fancy cocktail party!
Have fun....and make some money and get soem clients!
Linda c

Just a bit of advice....how much help do you have....what kind of ovens....whats work space is available and are you out of view of the guests.....be careful as that many appetizers can easily throw you into a tail spin...I have much experience and upper scale people tend to be very unforgiving! Id try to have things that are elegant but prepped and ready to go...also check her refrigerator space too so your backs ups stay cold and no one gets sick! Heating a few items is good but id try to stick to a room temp or cold menu for the main munch...assuming that this woman will more than likely have 1 oven a 1-2 refrigerators. Did she say she wanted servers or just you for this...My girls get $25hour with a minimum of 4 hours with a suggested tip of $25. If shes not interested in aother girl incorporate the 125.00 into her price and hire someone as a assistant (orget a friend to help for X amount of $$$) Remember to try to wear black pants,white shirt with a preferable bow tie hair neatly pulled back.

I also do not make all of mine I buy from a company and they have fantastic items and i do recommend them.....look at there website Appetizerstogo.com they ship quick the owner is very nice and the food is great....you dont have to buy all from them but a few eases the burden,sad but true the majority of us caterers dont do 100% of our cooking. I do about 95% but when I have a just appy party I use this company...Easy to put on trays at your house cover and pop in the oven on site...remember dont do all from them but a few help

Great ideas here but somehow "coon balls" and upscale had me LOL!

Now Peppi....there is somehow an official name for them, but around here the best cheese for making them was labeled "coon cheese"....hence the name.
How about "cheesy sausage bites"?

Peppi that threw me too. LOL!

I'm also surprised at what Eileen said, that a caterer would use premade appetizers from another company. Not something I would have thought was common.

Ann

Thank you all for the input. I put an optional server in the original proposal though she only wanted me to supply the food ready to be served i.e. plattered and garnished. It's a business promotion so it's only 1.5 hours and yes I do have access to a gorgeous kitchen with double ovens so I should be fine. I'll prep everything to cut down on last minute disasters. Most of the attendees have eaten my cooking at fundraisers and the likes but I'm still a tad inimidated... This could be a great networking and start to a business or a dismal failure! :-)

Ann, around here caterers will use ready made depending on their skill level, kitchen set up off site (home based or official location) and, well, dedication to the business. If it is a side business, they hang on operating out of thier homes but the others will die off. Heck, I hired you to cook for me, not reheat. That I can do after a trip to Costco/Sam's Club.

Restaurants use premade food all the time and it's still good. I don't see the difference between that and homemade. Good quality premade doesn't mean it's sub par. Either way, she was only supplementing the homemade items.

I actually know many caterers who order and restaurants also these are not your Costco/BJ appetizers. If you are a caterer im sure who has a large staff with pastry chef etc im sure then you'd do from start to finish but smaller scale caterers do do this its very common. As I stated before I make 95% but do use this company and others (I cant reveal or my head will go on a chopping block by fellow caterers) for fillers that are great quality...is it a trade secret??? I guess, of course no one in the industry walks around going "Hey what appetizer company do you use?"..As a matter of fact the company Sweet Street distributes tons of cakes and pastrys to many many restaurants all over America. Ill bet you have gone to many a large party where the caterer has done this and you were not aware,Ive seen it with my own eyes. I myself handle small party's start to finish but when i book a 100 plus party i surely do not make every appetizer from scratch....the main courses are always made by me. Surprised you all were surprised.

I'm not surprised at all, Eileen, the caterers here do it regularly. Some even advertise that they get all their desserts from XXXXX or the world famous cheese spread from where ever or chocolate dipped strawberries from Godiva. As long as the customer knows what they're getting, I think that's fine, as long as the company doesn't pas it off as their own.

A lot of people now actually like some of the prepared stuff better than homemade, go figure. My girls don't like homemade cake or homemade spaghetti sauce. The cake isn't as "fluffy" as a mix and the sauce isn't as sweet as the commercial stuff full of corn syrup.

Oh, and that "homemade" or "homebaked" bread in many restaurants? About 95% of that is purchased frozen dough, simply baked on site.

Annie