To truly celebrate the little golden man in style, your Oscar party tapas spread shouldn’t be just cheese and crackers. Fun, finger-size foods will complement the festive atmosphere and make it easy for guests to graze while not missing an award. Here are some bevvies and bites to make the night a great one:
Drinks
The Golden Trophy
Three parts Champagne or sparkling wine
One part freshly squeezed tangerine juice—citrus is in season, so we recommend squeezing your own
Dash of Chambor
Pour champagne into frozen champagne glasses, top with juice. Add a dash of Chambord and serve.
The Burgundy Virgin
Two parts cranberry juice
One part sparkling water
Slice of lime
Pour cranberry juice in tumbler filled with ice. Top off with sparkling water, stir, and garnish with lime. (Not a virgin? Throw in a shot of vodka!)
Also on hand: A few bottles of chilled Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc; a few bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot; and easy drinking beers in honor of the Best Picture Nominees.
Eats (all recipes are courtesy of Lindsay Pendleton)
Potato Latkes with Caviar and Crème fraîche
3 pounds large potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)
One large yellow onion
Three eggs
Vegetable oil
One tub Crème fraîche
One lemon
~2 ounces caviar of choice
Grate potatoes and onion with course side of a box grater. Strain out excess water from both and mix together. Stir in eggs, making sure mixture is well coated. Preheat vegetable oil in shallow pan and form potato mixture into small cakes. Fry cakes in oil for about three minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place on paper towel to drain.
Stir zest of one lemon into Crème fraîche. After the potato cakes have dried, dollop with a scoop of Crème fraîche and a sprinkling of caviar.
Savory Figs
Enough Mascarpone, Serrano Ham and Figs to feed your guests
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice fig in half and place a small amount of mascarpone cheese on each half. Wrap fig cheese mixture with a slice of ham; place loose end down on a baking sheet. Continue until all figs are wrapped. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes, or until ham is browned and crispy.
