Q: We are currently in Ireland while my husband works on a movie in Belfast, and our son turns four next week. We're planning a pirate-themed party on the beach, but the attendees will mostly be adults.
Any suggestions for the menu? Need ideas that are easy to make (I don't have a very well stocked kitchen here), easy to eat on the beach, and easy to transport. Any suggestions welcome!
Sent by Erin
Editor: Erin, you're in luck! There's a fabulous pirate party making the blog rounds right now and it would be a great source of inspiration. Michelle at Vintage Junky just threw a pirate party for her little boy, and the menu included fun yet easy things like grilled hot dogs (Salty Dogs) and a big pirate-style barrel of cold sodas. Check out the whole thing here:
• Pirate Party at Vintage Junky
• Pirate Party, Cookie's Nesting blog interviews Michelle about the party
Related: Food and Drinks for a Pink Slip Party?
(Image: Vintage Junky)
seafood stew in a big kettle, fried shellfish with little sword picks, a keg o' rum punch for grownups, tropical fruit in a pineapple boat and soak some sugar cubes in rum and you can set them on fire, more piratey than candles, but a kid might want candles too.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
And bury a nasty old wooden chest with treasure in it to dig up during the party.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
What about little sugar cookies in the shape of parrots (surely there's a mold out there somewhere!) The kids could each decorate their own!
www.mangiavita.com
view nicolemdc's profile
maybe sandwiches of some rustic looking bread with seafood salad inside would be easier to eat on the beach
view Kate (NC)'s profile
Maybe some fried oyster po' boy sandwiches, salt & vinegar potato chips. A roast pig is probably a bit much for a kid's party, but that would be cool, too (you could order one from a Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant - they're all wrapped up & ready for transport). Have fun!
view Tracey at The Thoughtful Table's profile
CAVIARRRRRRR!
view SheriB's profile
That was awesome, SheriB.
view KidMoe's profile
There's a great companion cookbook to Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series called Lobscouse and Spotted Dog which would be a good resource if you could find a copy.
http://www.amazon.com/Lobscouse-Spotted-Dog-Gastronomic-Companion/dp/0393320944/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1250343312&sr=8-1
For the little guy, I suggest this pirate cake. I made it a few years ago for Talk Like A Pirate Day and it was a huge hit with the kids. It's decorated with Lego pirates, root beer barrels, gold coins and malted milk balls for cannon balls! The only thing I would have done differently is let the kiddos do the decorating but I don't think that would go over well on the beach!
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50180
For musics I heartily recommend singing a few rounds of the Veggie Tales "Pirates That Don't Do Anything"...after you pass the rum, of course.
view Merry123's profile
When we have our pirate parties, they are for grown ups. Everyone must come dressed as a pirate. And we play many pirate themed board games.
The first year I made rum balls and grog. We also had Jamaican Patties which are a sort of hand pie stuffed with seasoned meat.
The most recent suggestion for food was to make things that all start with Arrrrr... like ARrrrrtichoke Dip.
view fab's profile
Its all a question of labelling the usual things you'd make with pirate-themed names like mini sausages you'd call Dead Mens Fingers and putting skull and crossbones logos on everything - have fun!
view Violetsrose's profile