I have done that many many times....go with the nuts or chex mix or other party nibbles... BUT...sometimes the party lingers...on and on....and I like to have an ace in the hole....like 3 dozen or so eggs and some cheese and an extra loaf of bread...perhaps some of those precooked sausage links. More often that I can say, I have scrambled eggs after midnight...or melted some cheese for a quick rarebit... Not saying to pull out the eggs at 11....but maybe at midnight if they are still there.... Just say..."Say? Anyone hungry? Maybe I'll scramble some eggs? who wants some?" Sometimes it's a good way to sop up some of the booze and end a party nicely. Linda c

Heh heh, these are quite the controversy :oP I guess I have to see what the Versache logo is (since I didn't recognize it in the pattern). I thought the cups were fun, but actually when we serve coffee, we do that in the library and we use nice big chunky hand thrown mugs that I have collected from all over so these would be just for fun (or china cabinet decoration I guess). The red is rather tomatoe like. It's not pink at all. I have no red in the dining room so it won't clash with anything. I was going to have to buy several filler pieces elsewhere so I'll do a bit more research on the pattern. I don't have to buy it at Costco...but their price is cheaper. I'll email Rosenthal and ask if the Costco pattern is a different pattern, and if the quality is different than anything I'd buy elsewhere. Typically on this type of stuff it's not different...but you never know. They wouldn't be my "only" china....well I suppose they would be, but they wouldn't be my only formal dishes. My texas dishes (that's where I purchased them) were hand made in Italy. They're quite nice, they just chip easily so I don't love using them as I thought I would. We ues those more often than anything. If we entertained we'd use restaurant china (rented) it if was a group larger than a dozen or so. THere is another set that is sold at costco which is black as the primary color. It would blend with these well, so I might mix and match sets. I will have to pick up one of each and see what it looks like with my things after we get into the new place this week. I'll post some pics and see what ya'll think then :o)

Yes, proudly serve it and DON'T say a word about it! My MIL is a very good cook, but she has a terrible habit of insulting her own cooking as she serves it. When you apologize for the food as you serve it, you obligate everyone to reassure you about the food, etc etc and it becomes so uncomfortable. Making a cheesecake is work! Serve it proudly and everyone will be very impressed with the delicious flavor of a homemade cheesecake and your fabulous style!

Now that is a challenge. If you have a covered casserole dish that can go in the oven you could do a ratatouille type of mixed medley. Maybe not the 'rainbow' arrangement, but a variety of soft veggies sliced thin and arranged around a center of peeled new potatoes. Eggplant, yellow and green zucchini, a thinly sliced sweet potato, broccoli...things that will cook/steam very soft. Drizzle with a honey/lemon vinaigrette. A bit sweeter than normal. In the oven covered and cooked a bit longer, they will get really soft. The potatoes i would par-boil. They might try something they normally would not eat. http://www.makebetterfood.com/recipes/ratatouille-a-la-remy/