Blog Party#11: Man Food---The Round-Up

Come on in; it's time for another Blog Party, this time serving all kinds of Manly appetizers and drinks!

So, the appeal for more Manly guests went out, and while tonight's guest list isn't dominated by men, I'm happy to report we have a couple of fellows here with us tonight! Not to mention all the guys who stopped by just to eat, but I'll get to that later.

Ok...tonight, it's all about the Men. And just in time for Father's day here in the US; you might want to take some left-over's home for your own special guy.

Let's start off with some Manly table settings, ok? Not as easy as it sounds, but I think this appetizer tray is perfect for the man in your life...it gets the job done, but doesn't scream 'chick party', either.



And these freezer beer mugs are perfect for those hot days, whether you've just finished cutting the grass or played a game of pick-up.



For the tunes, we're sticking with good ol' Rock 'n Roll; starting with Flashback! Rock Classics of the '70's.



I think 18 Rock Classics Volume 2 is pretty darn good, too...although there's nothing wrong with Volume 1!



Now, it's time to introduce everyone, and try some of that wonderful, and Manly, food!


Nice and early; barbie2be showed up with some fabulous Prosciutto and Herbed-Goat Cheese Crostini; which Matt is dying to try. And she's also brought a bottle of Il Rosso di Annibale, so get those glasses out!
Everything looks great; thanks so much for coming!






Look! We have our first GUY!!! Anthony is here! Aw, Spicey; it's good to see you. He's brought us some Steaks and Scallops, which look pretty fancy. But are decidedly Manly. And with all that beer, he's going to be quite popular around here tonight. Thanks for coming, Anthony!





Proving that Man Food can be subjective, our next guest (and new-to-me blogger) SweetSaraJ replicated one of her husband's favorites, Classic Crab Cakes, served with Aoli and of course...beer! Pass that plate around! So glad you could join us tonight, SaraJ!





Excellent! Not only has Ulrike come back, but this time she's brought her husband! Wonderful to meet you! Tonight, it was hubby's choice, so Ulrike prepared some cute and funky Olive and Cheese Crackers; I absolutely love them! And am I sensing a trend here tonight? Because our friendly Germans have brought along some beer; but not just any beer; no, it has to be Duster-Beer (sorry, can't do the umlaut right now!). I just hope you brought enough...thanks for coming, guys!





Our next guest is another Blog Party first-timer, a GUY, and now my second-favorite Belgian (after Hercule Poroit, of course!); Stephane decided to stick up for the fellows, and join our little group. So happy to have you here! Stephane's brought some (here, I must borrow his words) Boeuf Mariné, Gelée d'espelette, Peanut Crust; I don't speak French but I know a good thing when I see it!
And proving that it is indeed Manly to drink wine, he's added some mint and things to some Red Wine for a rather lovely drink.
Stephane; many thanks for coming!





Next in the door, it's Sara...who's as pleased to be here as we are to have her.
Sara turned to the man in her life for inspiration, and I'd say their collaboration is pretty sound, and Manly, too! Prosciutto Wrapped BBQ Shrimp and Green Chile Cheese Squares. My kind of food! Even if I'm most definitely not a guy...
Sara's also brought along the very masculine drink, Hair of the Dog, containing...what else?...beer!
It all looks so good...thanks for coming, Sara!





Here's Virtual Frolic, good to have you back! Not one to show up empty-handed, VF's brought us some Baked Buffalo Wings; that sauce looks fantastic! To drink, there's a must-try for me, a Virgin Mojito; yum!
Very Manly, indeed; so glad you could join us, Virtual Frolic!





It's getting to the point where it wouldn't be Blog Party without Haalo! Tonight, she's made a couple of Manly appetizers, both Ricotta filled Cannoli and Lemongrass Prawns...fabulous, as always! She has all the fixin's for the very Manly Rusty Nail.
Thanks so much for coming tonight, Haalo!

HOLD ON!


Fashionably late (which is our way of saying very), it's Cooksister! My eggy partner-in-rhyme rushed over from England to attend her very first Blog Party, so we'll ignore her lateness, right?
Jeanne came up with a decidedly Manly, and South African, appetizer: Boerewors, Peppadew & Haloumi Skewers...wow! I still can't find a source for peppadew, but if I ever do, I'm making this for Matt! Until then, he can grab a few of Jeanne's. For her Manly drink, she's brought plenty of champagne, so get ready to enjoy those Black Velvets! (Oh, great...now I have Allanah Myles in my head...).
I'm very happy you could join us tonight, Jeanne...even if you are a bit late!! (this isn't EoMEoTE, you know!)

I'd mentioned we had some non-food making guests tonight, as well. I made a ton of food, and it's been a full house!

Starting with the drinks, a bucket of cold pop. Because that's what my man drinks!




Some nibbles; Spiced Party Nuts, Crunchy Sweet and Spicy Pecans, and sports-themed chocolate balls.



Chips and dip? Such a guy thing. But we like to play around, so tonight it's Ginger Guacamole with Wonton Chips: avocados mashed with pickled ginger, scallions, sour cream, and wasabi, scooped up with sesame oil-coated wontons, which are sprinkled with sesame seeds and Kosher salt, then baked. YUM.


Guys like fried foods, right? So I made both Fried Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeno Cheese Balls, served with my marinara sauce.



What's more manly than eating rare beef? Try some of these Skewered Thai-style Steak with Lime, Jalapeno and Mint; just ignore the pink sauce!




You know me; I never miss an opportunity to serve dessert. And knowing this crowd, house-made versions of Hostess cupcakes were definitely the way to go! (And Cath, that shot of the cupcake stand is for you)






Scenes from a party:



Ok...now's the time when we eat, and mingle.

A big thank you to everyone who came out tonight; it's been a blast! And we even had a couple of MEN show up, too; how cool is that?

Just a reminder: next month's party will mark our ONE YEAR anniversary! Yes, a whole year of small bites and fabulous cocktails. I'm planning something special, so I do hope you'll come back for July's party! Be sure to read the announcement post on the 1st of July, and I hope to see you all there!


Tagged with: Food & Drink + Blog Party + Appetizers + Cocktails + Men + + Events