A Costco Party

Following my last post, I started to think about how to better spend $50 per head for a party for 150, or how to significantly lower the cost of an event that could be had at home.  Could I lower the cost of and reallocate the budget for something better?  Heck yeah.  I’d reallocate those funds for a Chanel Jumbo pour moi and give the guests some stuff from Costco before I’d pay $50 per head for catered rubber chicken.  I guess It’s all a matter of value.   I have a lambskin 2.55 but one of these days I’m going to buy a Jumbo….Instead of rubber chicken for you all….haha that is a semi-joke, but you see, we can all be really happy…..

Let’s go find out what we can do for less than $50.  If I wanted an easy option and great food, that is to do no cooking at all, I would have Daniel roll up with his rotisserie chicken truck, Rollswisserie; he will charge you a flat fee of about $300 plus $12 per rotisserie chicken with a side of potatoes.  Daniel is Swiss and knows how to serve with flair, and his organic rotiss chickens are the best ~

 

But a friend of Sis’ had a Cajun food truck for a party a few weeks before and so Sis rejected this idea.  I don’t know….to me this is miles ahead of what we ate, and significantly less expensive!  I’d just have desserts and drinks to worry about…

My parents love Costco, and there are certainly a lot of things I love about it too.  We saw a show on TV a few weeks ago about how rigorous the Costco buyers are, especially for their Kirkland Signature Brand.  They talked a lot about their wines.  How about give your guests a bottle of wine, with a nice custom label on the reverse of the bottle for an event? Or serve an especially good wine at dinner?  This Bordeaux is $9~

 

And for $50 per head, everyone could drink the best champagne.  Servez-vous-meme of course….you do not need a server if you pour Veuve Clicquot…about $33 per bottle….buy a limited amount and when it’s gone it is gone….

So in this tv show they went on about the Kirkland brand.  So in my research, I saw this rose champagne, which would also be great with a second custom label on top (e.g. for a wedding)~

With visions of one of my favorite Champagnes, Gosset Rose, dancing in my head, I brought a bottle home to try~

I would serve it with a French Camembert….which Costco carries….ah~

However, it was a a bust….not good at all for the $23 bottle.  Better to buy Veuve Clicquot in limited quantity and run out.  BTW it is ok to run out of food or drink at a party in my mind.  It is not unlimited…..

So back to Costco, you can get the best French (Burgundy) cheeses there; this one is always one of the favorites in my house~

Pair it with a firm Comte~

And Brie, even if they are pasteurized, they are great; wonderful with seasonal toppings like apples or figs~

For a main course, I would shy away from the prepared/frozen foods and focus on the wonderful ingredients which Costco carries.  They have a great parmegiano reggiano cheese~

wonderful with some dried pastas from Italy; this could be made ahead of time and put in large trays to heat and serve~

Costco has a great rotisserie chicken for $5; why not pre-order several dozen for a large party?  If you want to cook, there is also organic or commercial chickens~

or pork tenderloin~

for dessert I would do pears facon belle helene~

OR a  big candy bar display.  this would be the ticket~ with fancy glass jars and glasses….I could do this one up with what I have on hand if I had to….get some printed bags for bride & groom for a wedding….so good, so fun, so inexpensive…..

the fresh fruit at Costco is fine if used right away…..raspberry butter?….raspberries on top of a frozen dessert, or even ice cream?

My relatives in Calgary tend to do big breakfasts, they think nothing of hosting 100 for breakfast, and none of it catered.  Costco bacon, yes…..and eggs by the crate~

waffles and pancakes with cream? x 100?  No problem~

There are so many good things at Costco, like pine nuts and walnuts…..all makes for a great meal at a lower cost~

If I had a choice, of Costco vs. catering, I’d choose Costco any day.  I can think of ten local ladies I know who would love to earn a little extra money and help out serving or putting food on a buffet table.  There are unlimited meatballs, Mozzarella cheese sticks, teriyaki chicken and other quality appetizers at Costco….no fear guests will be eating HotPockets for a dinner.  My friend Monica recently prepared food for 150 for a wedding, chicken with pesto, salad etc from Costco…Yes, keep an eye on your food costs and you can prepare great food at a cost less than a catererer….so you can save the money or treat yourself to something nice. 

Next up, a trip to the 99Cent store, then some French ghost stories in time for Halloween…