The Caterist Files ~ Destination: Margaritaville!!

Summer calls for island inspiration, fun surroundings, chilly drinks, great food, beach music...say some Jimmie Buffett...so, let's just call this my Buffett Buffet...or maybe not! It is inspired, though!!

Jimmie's Margaritaville resides on an island in Jamaica; so those islands, and the surrounding, are my inspiration for this menu. I love Summertime!!!

The Buffett Buffet has a giant array of bites and flavors, to please the howlie (non-islander) and the native! This particular set up is an Island Tapas sort of theme, with small bites and varied flavors!

Margaritaville Food Buffet...grass table draping is always available at the local Wally's Party Supply,

as are Hawaiian leis, colorful flowers, and lots of other fun tablescape ideas!

Perfect cold storage for your Margaritaville cold beverages!!

I absolutely LOVE this idea for a DIY Barscape!!! I shared it here, last Summer. It can be re-decorated to reflect other themes, as well as the Parrothead one we've got going!

Simple decorations for a big bang!

This is a fun party!!! It's the perfect time to get the guys to wear their Hawaiian shirts that are hiding in the back of the closet...it's casual dress down time, after all! Did you know they wear Hawaiian shirts in Jamaica!! Yes, and in Puerto Rico, too!!! It's on all of de islands, mon!

Moving along...this is a buffet of small bites, tapas and hors d'eouvres!! I love doing this type of buffet, as it is such a conversation starter!!! So many varied flavors!! And the bar drinks have a special flair for fun, too!

Here's an idea for your signature bar drink for the event!

The Blackberry Lemonade Margarita! It IS a Margaritaville

Party, after all!! We MUST represent!

Start with a seedless blackberry puree! Just process a container of fresh blackberries until smooth, then strain through a wire mesh sieve. Discard the seeds. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar to the puree. This can be done in advance, just keep refrigerated. For our pretty rim, combine granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest. To rim the glass, rub a cut lemon around the edge, and dip into the lemon zesty sugar...yep! That easy!

For each drink, fill a shaker 3/4 full of ice. Add in 2 teaspoons of the blackberry puree, 2 oz. silver tequila and 2 oz. of lemonade.

Squeeze in the juice of half a fresh lemon, cap and shake like a madwoman! Or, madman, as the case may be! Strain into a glass with fresh ice, garnish with a fresh lemon slice and a blackberry! If you've got a large crowd, you can make the drinks in a large quantity and keep in a pretty dispenser to be served easily, without having to hire a bartender. It's a fun and deliciously refreshing drink! Of course, you'll need to have more blackberry puree on hand, so make lots of that!! (If you don't use it all, freeze it in ice cube trays for another day!)

And, by all means, bring in your beer and wine, sodas and mixers...we've got the ice and the glassware! That cute blow up pool is THE perfect storage for your beverages!!

Let's get to setting up that buffet! I'm getting hungry!

First of all, let's set some food up on the bar!

This Pinterest idea, for an Island Cheese Plate is just the sweetest!! Pineapple chunks make the tree trunks, with olives for coconuts and cutouts for the fronds. Isn't it cute!!!

Another bar worthy appetizer for the event is Fried Plantains with Chipotle Lime Crema...a little bit of sweet with a little bit of heat...delicious! Round out the bar with some spiced macadamia nuts and cashews! Now, on to the main event!

Though the table is mostly a buffet of small bites, or single nibbles, there are a couple of traditional island sides that we must include...the Caribbean Rice & Beans, some Caribbean Coleslaw and the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. A very major portion of the buffet potentials are meat dishes, so these side items help to balance out the selections.

Kebabs are a hugely fun part of Island cuisine! Pineapple teriyaki, Jamaican jerk, Cuban mojito, everybody's got flavors!!!

On the left, Teriyaki Ham & Pineapple Kebabs and on the right, Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Kebabs with Pineapple Salsa...both delicious!

On the left, Island Style Slow Roast Pork, a succulent roast of pork shoulder with a ton of flavor, but not a lot of heat at all; and, on the right, Caribbean Beef Ribs, which do pack some heat and a lot of flavor! I can dial down the heat a notch, if you need me to!

And no island style party is complete without the Caribbean Jerk Chicken!

I saw this idea on Pinterest, and could NOT resist posting it! It's brilliant! NO, that is NOT chocolate! It's BBQ sauce!!! Yes, a BBQ sauce fountain!!! Can you say 'the fun is overflowing'!!!

On the left, King's Hawaiian Rolls, brushed with honey butter glaze, great for turning either meat into the most decadent little slider, ever! And, on the right, Island Johnny Cakes, wonderful little fried delights!

Hawaiian Meatballs, on the left, with their sweet and tangy pineapple sauce. On the right, Panko Crusted Jamaican Crab Bites.

Now for the little on the side. You can't have a Margaritaville party without a side of Caribbean Rice & Beans...and some Caribbean Coleslaw, with it's bevy of summer colors! Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is fun on the buffet, as well!

And, then, it's time to round it out with some Sweet Endings, Mon!! Pick up desserts of the Summer persuasion fit the bill!! Any one of these is just fine...but if you want, maybe two! Sand Dollar Cookies are a fun and well loved treat, here! Next in line, Pina colada Lush. And, last, but never least, Ley Lime Cupcakes!

With that, my friends, we'll make it a Margaritaville wrap!