Bakersfield Life
Throw The Party of The Year
Tom Xavier is a Pro at Throwing Parties
By: Emily Moore
Description: Now You Can Be Too With His Help!
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Anonymous user Fri Nov 17, 2006 09:27:26 PST
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0 responses 0 comments For years now you have been going to holiday parties, admiring the food and fare presented by hosts, always wanting to throw your own seasonal soiree but not sure how to do it. Let’s face it, most of us don’t have a lot of money and we don’t have a lot of time. But nobody wants to invite people over to eat chips out of a bag and bean dip out of a can for a half-thrown-together excuse for a gathering.
No, we want elegance (or at least a hint of it) for a reasonable price, of course. According to local event planner extraordinaire Tom Xavier, you can have it.
The first rule of thumb – don’t do too much.
“Doing big meals are a thing of the past, it’s too heavy and people don’t have the time,” he says.
Main course – out.
Appetizers – in. That’s good news to the ears of any would-be party planner.
Xavier, who has planned parties for the likes of “Up on the Roof, Down on the Street,” The Arts Council of Kern and CALM says you can have great-tasting appetizers that are visually pleasing without breaking the bank.
One way is to get the guests involved by having them bring something. No, not like your grandmother’s potluck where you end up with a mismatched smorgasbord. This can be a presentation that delights the taste buds.
“Let’s say you have a cocktail party. You ask everyone to bring an hors d’oeuvre and a wine to complement it,” he says.
He also says you can go progressive and have some people bring hors d’oeuvres and others bring desserts, for example…giving guests even more ownership of their culinary offerings.
And speaking of desserts, Xavier says nowadays that’s all you really need at a party.
“The big thing now is desserts, and they are inexpensive to do,” he says. Buy a bit, bake a bit.
However, if you are one of the brave over-achievers who insists on doing it all yourself, he has some other tips.
“The bottom line is presentation is everything,” he says, adding that you should be creative, such as using dried peas to line appetizer trays instead of the usual lettuce.
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Another presentation trick of his is to take rock salt, heat it in the oven and put it in the metal serving tray to keep the food warm. Xavier says the food won’t stick to it, but it does add a hint of salt to the flavor.
“It’s good for mushrooms and meatballs,” he says.
Another Xavier trick is to take carrot and celery sticks and instead of just putting them on a tray, stand them straight up in a basket.
“Instead of using dip, use hummus,” he says.
Xavier says he buys his cheese at Trader Joe’s, which is well-known for unique selections at a low cost. And while you are there, this is the place to buy your wine. You don’t need to go for the “2-buck Chuck” either. They have a fabulous selection of both domestics and imports for about $6 a bottle.
And when you use olives… “Get the olives at the dollar store,” he says.
Ah, the dollar store. The shelves are packed full with crackers, olives, and depending on their shipments, goodies like gourmet sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts – perfect makings for perfect dips. If you want to cut your party food bill way down you might want to hit this store first, then head off to Trader Joe’s, Costco or Smart & Final to get the rest. Note: the 99 Cents Only stores tend to have a better selection of these types of foods than other discount stores.
If you don’t feel like making anything, but don’t want to spend your savings on a caterer, again, Xavier has cooked up a plan.
“Luigi’s! What you get for your dollar is amazing!” he says, adding that for one event he served 60 guests with two of their baskets for $130.
You may not know it, but there’s a good chance you have had a thing or two from this coveted holiday party item. They’re a staple at many community events, and a must-have at holiday parties. Luigi’s owner Tonia Valpredo says during the holidays they sell up to 300 baskets.
“During the holidays we have to rent a refrigerated truck and put it out in front of Luigi’s to hold all the baskets,” Valpredo says.
The traditional baskets are filled with salami, cotto salami and mortadella salami with Swiss cheese, mozzarella, marinated carrots and pepperoncinis on kale. But she says most people customize with some of the scores of other meat and cheeses available from Luigi’s Deli next to the restaurant.
“A lot of people like different kinds of meat,” she says.
They can make a basket for any size function – it cost $4.50 a person. So, a party for 20 keeps it under $100.
To save a few bucks, Valpredo suggests coming down to the deli yourself and picking up your own goodies.
“We can show you the amount you will need and you can take it home and put it in your own basket or tray. That will save you money,” she says.
“By far Luigi’s is the best bang for your buck,” Xavier said.
However, if you must serve a full meal, Xavier says Mexican food is the most cost effective. You can either do it yourself, or order platters from one of the many Mexican restaurants around town.
Mauricio’s is a local favorite, for both taste and cost. Linda Hoyt, Mauricio’s manager in charge of special events, says their fiesta platters are their most popular party platter (hence the word “fiesta”). They come filled to the brim with chili verde nachos, chimichangas, hot wings, a bag of chips and a host of other delights for $35, which feeds about 10 people.
If you want catering, they can serve up a full meal straight from south of the border for $10.50 a person.
“We even clean up afterwards,” she says, adding that only means the meal, not your home.
But Xavier insists that no matter how small your budget, you can have a great party, as long as you are surrounded by friends.
“The perfect addition to your party is the guest list. It’s not what you serve, it’s who is there.”
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