{"id":669,"date":"2012-06-29T13:14:26","date_gmt":"2012-06-29T13:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/suppersfromscratch.wordpress.com\/?p=669"},"modified":"2013-04-21T20:29:52","modified_gmt":"2013-04-21T20:29:52","slug":"how-to-host-the-perfect-euro-2012-final-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/?p=669","title":{"rendered":"How to host the perfect Euro 2012 Final Party"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whilst watching the Spain vs Portgual match at a friends house on Wednesday night, we were discussing the ideal circumstances in which to view important matches.<\/span><\/p>\n

At home could always be a risk, if you’re by yourself and it’s an epic game you don’t have anyone to share the highs and lows with, to listen to your comments or argue over a particular players form.<\/span>
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Watching in Public can be a dangerous decision if you care about the outcome of a match. Sometimes it can be fantastic, there are no worries over unshared emotions, but then that’s also the problem, you have to put up with other peoples inane comments, unnecessary chanting, lack of space, expensive food and drinks and worst of all no comfy chair on which to lay your behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

So where does that leave us? Well undoubtedly the perfect place to watch a European final has got to be at home with your friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

I realised the way I have started this blog might come as a bit of a shock to some of my readers – European Football finals and female food blogs don\u2019t tend to go together, but here is the awesome part, it doesn\u2019t matter because stereotypes are often wrong. For the most part I really enjoy watching football (if it’s a good game or an important match), especially having spent the fair amount of the last decade hanging out with Monsieur From Scratch who is ‘fairly’ passionate about most sports. I have grown to find my own pleasure in watching sports matches. The real clincher though, I live in a house with two men, and have quite a few male friends so I have little choice over the matter if I want to be sociable on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the secret then, even if you don’t love football and don’t really care about the match, having a Euro gathering is a great way to see your friends, eat some delicious food and have a bit of a chat. So whilst they<\/em> think it’s all about the football \u2013 and of course it is (wink wink, nudge nudge… you see what I am getting at here), you<\/em> have the joy of putting something great together for your friends and eating some yummy food . Win – Win – Win (very unlike England – cheap, but necessary shot!)<\/span><\/p>\n

Now we have dealt with the elephant in the room let’s get down to the details. Here is my vision for the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Decoration<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For me it’s all about lots of colour, maybe have some flags, patterned plates, bright straws and lots of fairy lights.<\/span><\/p>\n

Old Football posters from previous tournaments will make great decorations for the walls and maybe start some reminiscent conversations about great tournaments of the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fancy making some new coasters to avoid beer stained rings marking your tables? Why not get your hands on some old football cards, laminate them and hey presto problem solved. In addition you can use these to play some old fashioned top trumps during half time. Hristo Stoichkov, ’94 Golden Boot winner, makes a particularly good table protector.<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing to note: Always remember whatever you do the football needs to take pride of place so for once your TV is supposed to be at the centre of this social event, don’t try and change this, it is meant to be! Just enjoy the fact that if your decorations go a bit wrong no one will notice!<\/span><\/p>\n

Food<\/strong> \u2013 now here we get to the good stuff!<\/span><\/p>\n

I think snacks are always the way to go, people don’t really want to bother with big meals, knives and forks and general paraphernalia. Also whilst you may need to get the hoover out snacks tend to mean you don\u2019t get rogue sauce splodges littering your carpet.<\/span><\/p>\n

My Menu for the evening<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n