The Juno Awards are coming up this weekend and we have been featured in the Vancouver Sun with Shannon’s tips on how to throw an unforgettable viewing party. Here are Shannon’s top secrets for easy hosting, that still makes an impact:
1. Easy finger-foods, canapés and sharing boards that can be left out for a couple of hours and don’t require you to be in the kitchen are perfect. This allows you to be the host of the party and mix and mingle with guests.
2. Hire a catering company, otherwise pre-prep! Try to prep and prepare most of your dishes the night before, you want to tune-in to the Juno Awards too, not be stuck plating more food. If you are unable to request guests’ dietary restrictions beforehand, try and prepare one vegan and one or two gluten-free options so they have something to eat. That way, there are always options.
3. Popcorn is cliché, but it’s a guest favourite, so do it in new ways. Nitro-pop (nitrogen-infused candied popcorn) is all the rage and after you eat a piece you blow ‘smoke’ out of your mouth. It’s food you can play with! Looking for a slightly more, a-hem, traditional approach to the popped kernels? Try mixing up the toppings on your popcorn for a new take on the classic snack. You can also make crazy popcorn flavours like Caprese Salad, with tomato, cheese powder and chopped crispy basil or something sweet with white chocolate drizzle and cinnamon.
4. On the more savoury side, it’s a good idea to anchor the party’s menu with a delicious protein — and it doesn’t hurt if the dish carries on the theme of the night’s show. The Juno Awards really is the celebration of Canadian music, therefore, we definitely recommend celebrating with a dish that is wholeheartedly Canadian, such as our Maple Jack Daniel Bison Tenderloin, with Gingery Saskatoon Berry Sauce. It is easy to eat and has all the flavour
5. While we all love a good chicken wing, honestly, they can be messy. People’s fingers end up on couch fabrics, the walls, chairs and drop on carpets. They are awkward to eat in that situation and perhaps best left off a Juno Awards-viewing party menu. Save them for the Super Bowl!
6. For dessert, we love something fun and creative, such as cake pops shaped as microphones. They are great for a lip-synch battle afterward.
Check out the full feature in the Vancouver Sun for more ideas and our recipes for Maple Jack Daniel Bison Tenderloin with Gingery Saskatoon Berry Sauce and Microphone Cake Pops.
Photos by JL Fuoco Photography
中文 catering@lazygourmet.ca