Wah! I want to be in Australia! (I'm cold and we have the tails of a storm.)

A lot of this depends on whom you're feeding and what they like. You have the meat tray, salads and breads, but it doesn't quite add up to make your own sandwiches to me, but perhaps it does to you and yours? The rolled slices make for genteel serving, but not so much a sandwich, though would work rolled in a flatbread. My own choice would be the sausages instead of the deli meats, especially if they'll fit in the rolls or flatbreads for easy no-flatware consumption. Unless they're forkable”? Knife-and-forking can be awkward at that kind of party, even at tables. I think they'd go well with the salads you have planned. And rolling slices is a thankless time sink.

But what do you like? And your guests? Is it scorching hot and/or humid, making the BBQ miserable? Or is the bbq itself in a position where your husband would be missing out on the fun? Either of those are a good reason to vote for the deli meats. The company is way more important tnan the food. It all sounds good. Eclectic enough to be interesting, but go together well enough.

Thanks to Petalique for providing me with my own thread. Goodness I hope the glitch with Houzz gets sorted pretty quick.

You’re right of course floral, the spread needs something green and instead of lettuce I shall make a Cole slaw with lots of parsley( which I have growing ) to freshen it up. Meat heavy is not really a problem as there are 5 youngish men who will wolf down any sort of meat. One of the younger women is vegetarian but with 3 salads she should be OK. And of course cheese. I think I’ll put some on the meat platter.

The children are 2 and half and 5 and the baby is 10 months old… all eat basically what the adults eat. Which is great isn’t it.

Plllog, temperature supposed to be 25’C so quite a nice temperature. We have some shade under a pergola and trees so should be nice for a sit down lunch. The dinner rolls/ flat breads are really to have with the meal not to make sandwiches. I still can’t decide if we will need the BarBQ’d sausages but then it is Australia and we always have a BBQ. (smile).

Haven’t had this many ( now 16 ) since well before Covid and feel out of practice… still it is fun and DH is lovely and supportive, mending tables and de - spidering stored chairs.

What about a pitcher of water? ice tea? hot coffee?

Ah Yes the drinks and glasses get there own little table inside Rho Dodendron, including bottles of sparkling water. We’ll make cups of tea and coffee for those who want at dessert time. Mainly I guess all the partners will decide between themselves who is the designated driver and who will have a glass of wine or a beer… no one will over indulge… those days are gone forever.

Vegetarians need protein as well- have you considered a vegetarian quiche or perhaps a big bowl of hoummous (so quick and easy to make)?

Colleenoz - hoummous of course and the little ones love it as well… thanks, going on my shopping list.

You can possibly tell that I don’t want to make dessert. I figure I’ll have enough to do.

I had a thought that I might buy some some pannettones from Aldi, they have them in store for Christmas and are very good ….serve a slice of them with some raspberries and whipped cream with a mild rum syrup served in jugs that people can choose to pour on or not. Sort of a ‘poor mans‘ rum baba… which I would love to be able to serve but do not have the time or ability to do so.

The lunch went well although it wasn’t quite what I’d planned as heavy rain was forecast and did happen, so we switched to indoors. People still served themselves from a buffet spread and there was no hot food.

Below is the Coleslaw… I had a pomegranate so I added that, mainly for a garnish but people liked it being there.

Below was the tomato salad, with green split peas and roasted red peppers.

This was the meat platter and yes I rolled the ham and it didn’t take long. Turkey and salami with little cabanossi sausage.

There was a plate of chicken and a turned out Russian salad. Fresh small rolls and chutney and mustard to accompany.

For dessert I did the pannettone with whipped cream, raspberries and served with a jug of rum syrup for pouring.

I had too much food in the end and sent my sons home with containers of food which they appreciated.