Appetizers served before a buffet are OPTIONAL. This is just to fill-in for a

time lag and to keep those people that are 'really starving' from eating the flowers!!

If you do choose to serve an appetizer, remember there is a meal following

immediately, you do not have to server a big variety or large amount of appys.

A Buffet is a variable meal which can be served either cold, hot or with a

combination of both hot and cold dishes.

The more dishes you add, the less of any one particular food you will need, many people will take a smaller portion of each item, many intending to 'taste' everything, others will be less likely to try every variety of salad etc. People prefer to be able to eat the meal with a fork, large items don't fit well onto plates (whole bone-in chicken breasts, spareribs, large dinner rolls, etc.) so avoid those.

Dishes that people can serve themselves easily with a spoon or fork, whether main dish,

salad or even dessert are best suited to a Buffet, use tongs to serve a tossed salad, not two spoons, people will be unable to use them with a plate in one hand.

A Caesar salad, (or tossed) and a potato salad, seem to be the normal 'salad staples', along with the newer pasta salads which are wonderfully interesting, with coleslaw, fruit salads, marinated vegetable and jellied salads working as terrific 'fill-ins'.

Special treats, like baked salmon, shrimp or seafood in a casserole, and 'real' sliced

turkey are popular, as well as ethnic specialties that are suited to a particular crowd.

Hot roast beef is a treat, but cold slice beef and ham are always acceptable. Add some hot casseroles if you have the oven space, if not add some meat or seafood

salads for a large crowd.

Desserts can be sheet cakes, cheese cakes, trifles, fruit platters, cookies and squares. They can be cut into portions, and placed whole (cake) allowing everyone to help themselves. Squares or 'non messy' desserts can be cut and placed into muffin paper cups (slightly folded), then these 'little boats' can be arranged on fancy trays (I'd hesitate to do this for more than 50). I would also use cakes etc. that will not take

up additional refrigeration space, although pre frozen goodies would work well.

The larger the crowd, the simpler things should be kept, as you will find it

a 'challenge' dealing with massive amounts of food.