Party Food Success!

The party Friday night was a great success, if I do say so myself! Not a scrap of food was left behind and, as far as I can tell, it all tasted good to my guests. I cornered as many as I could to ask for their opinions of the various dishes I served, relying on them to be honest for all of our sakes before I shared the recipes with you and prepared some of the dishes for my clients.  In any event, it will be so much easier to just be the caterer at the parties I have coming up. I find the juggling of hosting and cooking getting harder and harder as I hold myself to continually higher standards with the food and presentation. It's incredibly hard for me to let go and not worry about the food once my guests arrive and so I find myself doing neither the hosting or serving particularly well and get frustrated with myself (I know, therapy would likely help).  On Friday, quite early on, the garnishes on the canapes fell to the wayside as I rushed to refill drinks and catch up with the 30 people that had suddenly filled our little flat!Consensus was that my Tea Smoked Duck Breast with Pickled Rhubarb on Sweet Potato Crisps was the hit of the night with the Crab Cakes coming in a close second, the Asparagus and Shiitake Terrine third.  I'm including the Beet Cured Salmon with Avocado Wasabi Puree and Pickled Ginger on Beet Crisps because I think it's something completely different and refreshing among all of the other decadent bites in this spread.