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April 17, 2011 3:12 PM Subscribe
What foods should I serve at a Eurovision party? (It will be mid-afternoon in my time zone.) Any other party suggestions?
My husband and I are throwing a Eurovision party to watch the finals via webcast because we love Eurovision (although very few of our friends are familiar with it).
The main question is what food to serve. It will be 2pm when the finals start, so we're in the awkward space between lunch and dinner. Do we serve typical afternoon party food--i.e., chips, cheese, fruit, cookies, etc.--or go with something themed? Any specific suggestions? (Preferably, food would be prepared ahead of time, so we wouldn't be cooking food to-order during the party.)
Also, given that many of our friends aren't familiar with Eurovision, do you have any other suggestions for the party, particularly something that would get them into the spirit? Maybe assigning each person a country and asking them to wear that country's colors? How do we keep them interested in the show (as opposed to the webcast being something in the background that only my husband and I are watching)? Are there games on the side we can play? Maybe a fun way to place bets for which song will win?
My husband and I are throwing a Eurovision party to watch the finals via webcast because we love Eurovision (although very few of our friends are familiar with it).
The main question is what food to serve. It will be 2pm when the finals start, so we're in the awkward space between lunch and dinner. Do we serve typical afternoon party food--i.e., chips, cheese, fruit, cookies, etc.--or go with something themed? Any specific suggestions? (Preferably, food would be prepared ahead of time, so we wouldn't be cooking food to-order during the party.)
Also, given that many of our friends aren't familiar with Eurovision, do you have any other suggestions for the party, particularly something that would get them into the spirit? Maybe assigning each person a country and asking them to wear that country's colors? How do we keep them interested in the show (as opposed to the webcast being something in the background that only my husband and I are watching)? Are there games on the side we can play? Maybe a fun way to place bets for which song will win?
Sounds like a job for Sno Balls® from Hostess Cakes. Serving suggestion.
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:37 PM on April 17, 2011
posted by StickyCarpet at 3:37 PM on April 17, 2011
Drinks and finger foods themed for each of the countries, served when that country's act is performing.
Also: schmaltz.
posted by Jon_Evil at 3:50 PM on April 17, 2011
Also: schmaltz.
posted by Jon_Evil at 3:50 PM on April 17, 2011
Best answer: The cake is not a lie.
For anglophones, watching via webcast isn't the same, because there's no tongue-in-cheek commentary. You might be able to wangle a simulcast with Ken Bruce and BBC Radio 2. Also, Twitter: if you can have a second monitor or projector bringing up #eurovision tweets, you'll get Eurosnark a-plenty.
Eurovision drinking games abound: this Australian one is a good place to start.
posted by holgate at 4:01 PM on April 17, 2011
For anglophones, watching via webcast isn't the same, because there's no tongue-in-cheek commentary. You might be able to wangle a simulcast with Ken Bruce and BBC Radio 2. Also, Twitter: if you can have a second monitor or projector bringing up #eurovision tweets, you'll get Eurosnark a-plenty.
Eurovision drinking games abound: this Australian one is a good place to start.
posted by holgate at 4:01 PM on April 17, 2011
Best answer: Ha! Jon_Evil has it. That's what we used to do. Also, what to do to keep interest:
1) drink a shot to most batshitinsane act (there are usually several to choose from).
2) keep tabs on how many singers sing off-key. Horribly off-key.
3) see how many acts are actually true to their musical roots. Less-developed/newer EU members often have the most ethnically interesting music - and are adorably clueless about performance and sex appeal.
4) keep track of songs with key changes - they're always in the running for the win.
5) predict which country will award which other country the top vote of 12 points. Helps if you know recent history of relations and economic ties. For example Turkey/Germany. And neighbors either award full 12 or give a token 1.
Have fun!
posted by likeso at 4:02 PM on April 17, 2011
1) drink a shot to most batshitinsane act (there are usually several to choose from).
2) keep tabs on how many singers sing off-key. Horribly off-key.
3) see how many acts are actually true to their musical roots. Less-developed/newer EU members often have the most ethnically interesting music - and are adorably clueless about performance and sex appeal.
4) keep track of songs with key changes - they're always in the running for the win.
5) predict which country will award which other country the top vote of 12 points. Helps if you know recent history of relations and economic ties. For example Turkey/Germany. And neighbors either award full 12 or give a token 1.
Have fun!
posted by likeso at 4:02 PM on April 17, 2011
Drinking game! (If you don't mind imbibing starting at 2 pm, of course)
Opportunities: key changes, mid-performance costume changes, whenever there are flags used during a performance, particularly dubious English lyrics. During voting: the typical 'friendly' douze exchanges between the likes of Azerbaijan/Turkey, Greece/Cyprus, the Scandinavian love-in, etc; when a country's spokesperson makes a(n often unintentional) funny or makes a mistake in giving out votes and has to start over
Or, you know, maybe some looser rules. If you follow them to a T you'll probably all be blacked out by the 5th song ;)
Have fun! I love Eurovision and look forward to it each year.
posted by 1901gunner at 4:11 PM on April 17, 2011
Opportunities: key changes, mid-performance costume changes, whenever there are flags used during a performance, particularly dubious English lyrics. During voting: the typical 'friendly' douze exchanges between the likes of Azerbaijan/Turkey, Greece/Cyprus, the Scandinavian love-in, etc; when a country's spokesperson makes a(n often unintentional) funny or makes a mistake in giving out votes and has to start over
Or, you know, maybe some looser rules. If you follow them to a T you'll probably all be blacked out by the 5th song ;)
Have fun! I love Eurovision and look forward to it each year.
posted by 1901gunner at 4:11 PM on April 17, 2011
1901gunner, we know each other, right? We seem to be hosting/attending the same Eurovision parties. :)
posted by likeso at 4:16 PM on April 17, 2011
posted by likeso at 4:16 PM on April 17, 2011
Eurovision night is my favourite night in the world, but it does take a certain amount of lubrication to fully appreciate the cultural horrors in their full glory. If you're not averse to a bit of afternoon drinking, I would start with a fruit punch, some Pimmes or some sangria, and follow up with vodka jelly shots and tequila slammers. Serve chips and dips to start and something more substantial later on to mop up the booze -- mini pizzas, samosas, Spanish tortilla etc. I hope you have a great afternoon, I'll be thinking of you during my own shin dig :)
posted by londonmark at 2:45 AM on April 18, 2011
posted by londonmark at 2:45 AM on April 18, 2011
Response by poster: Here's what we ended up doing:
- European finger foods: French and Spanish cheeses, English tea sandwiches, Italian bruschetta and cured meats, Greek spanakopita, a Spanish-like salad (modeled after a salad in one of our favorite Spanish tapas restaurants). For desserts, I made sugar cookies and attempted to decorate them with the heart and flag designs, but I didn't have the right tools for decorating accurately.
- Set up a second screen with the twitter feed.
- Put up a map and printed out flags of all the countries that made it to the finals. (If we keep make this party an annual event, we may buy small cloth flags.)
- Betting game. As guests arrived, they picked the country they wanted to bet on. There were four prizes (each was a bottle of wine). Whoever picked the country that won got to pick first, then second and third place. And finally, the whole group voted on their favorite song, and whoever picked that country got the final bottle of wine.
Turned out to be quite fun and everyone said they'd be jazzed to come again next year. So we'll call that a win.
posted by Terriniski at 3:34 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
- European finger foods: French and Spanish cheeses, English tea sandwiches, Italian bruschetta and cured meats, Greek spanakopita, a Spanish-like salad (modeled after a salad in one of our favorite Spanish tapas restaurants). For desserts, I made sugar cookies and attempted to decorate them with the heart and flag designs, but I didn't have the right tools for decorating accurately.
- Set up a second screen with the twitter feed.
- Put up a map and printed out flags of all the countries that made it to the finals. (If we keep make this party an annual event, we may buy small cloth flags.)
- Betting game. As guests arrived, they picked the country they wanted to bet on. There were four prizes (each was a bottle of wine). Whoever picked the country that won got to pick first, then second and third place. And finally, the whole group voted on their favorite song, and whoever picked that country got the final bottle of wine.
Turned out to be quite fun and everyone said they'd be jazzed to come again next year. So we'll call that a win.
posted by Terriniski at 3:34 PM on May 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
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posted by Jakey at 3:28 PM on April 17, 2011