Blog Party#13: Cool as a...

Like a lot of you, I'm tired of dripping with sweat...just from making lunch!

It's hot out there, my friends (well, my friends who are living with above-average temperatures), and frankly, the very thought of preparing tonight's dinner has me fatigued.

I really should bake some muffins for Matt to take to work (otherwise, he'd never remember to eat breakfast), but knowing I'd have the oven turned to 375 makes me want to cry.

And with this month's Blog Party falling squarely in the middle of this heat wave (those living in considerably cooler climes will just have to use their imaginations, I suppose), I confess I feel rather badly, asking you to cook!

Well, ok then. I won't.



This may be a first for Blog Party...


That's right, August's theme is quite simple: No Cooking!

For our thirteenth party, we're taking the no-cook approach.

Our appetizers and cocktails will be made without the use of the stove, or oven.

Fresh, simple, un-cooked ingredients; yes, that's what we'll use!


Ok...I know it's almost impossible to go completely heat-free, so here's what we'll do.

Your appetizer and cocktail/mocktail must be made and assembled with as little cooking as you can muster.

Purchasing already-cooked foods to use as ingredients would be perfectly ok: store-bought rotisserie chicken, chopped up for an hors d'oeuvre? Works for me.

If you need to roast a few vegetables to get that cold, creamy soup shooter, roast away.


But do try to stay away from the stove...it's too hot out there!

Now, while you mull over your cooler cocktail options, it might be a good idea to brush up on the Blog Party basics:



Blog Party is a virtual cocktail party for food bloggers. It's a chance to make those little bites and fantastic drinks we all love, but never make. Blog Party is about taking time for us: setting aside some time to cook (which, clearly, we all love), to prepare appetizers we want to eat but never get around to. And best of all, it's about getting together, albeit via the Web, with like-minded friends.

You can read up on the inner-workings of Blog Party, as well as read up on a whole year's worth of parties, here.



Now, for the 'rules'.

What, in my opinion, qualifies as cocktail food:

• Finger foods: anything that can be picked up, carried around and eaten with one hand...the use of the second hand as crumb catcher is perfectly acceptable


• Dippers: vegetables, crackers, bread, chips, breadsticks and any inventive foods which are used for scooping or spreading dips and uh...spreads


• Miniature meals: by this, I mean a normal-sized dish, cut or displayed as individual servings. A quiche, cut into small enough pieces to be eaten in less than four bites would be accepted.

All you have to do is make AT LEAST ONE appetizer AND cocktail (that's a minimum of one each); take some photos, and write about it. It's pretty easy, really.

So for August, turn off the stove, and back away from the oven. Raid your cupboards and pantries, your gardens and refrigerators, and let's see how many no- or low-cook dishes and drinks we can make!

Post your dishes no later than Thursday, 17 August...early is always good...and get your links to me either by posting in the comments, or by emailing me at thehappysorceress at gmail dot com. I'll post the party round-up Saturday, the 19th, and I hope to see you there!



Tagged with: Food and Drink + Blog Party + Events + Appetizers + Cocktails + Cooking + Blogging