"A Crudite Basket for a Holiday Party"

It is getting Cold.  And the Holiday Season is in full swing.  As every year, between Thanksgiving to Christmas is the Busiest Social Time of the year.

Last weekend I was invited to a Holiday Party and was asked to make a Crudite Basket for cocktail hour.  These days, I'm getting a reputations for it.  After all I have been making Crudite Baskets for parties for 10 years or so....

It is getting hard to get a variety of vegetables at the Farmers' Market in the colder months.  But I still like to get as colorful veggies as possible at Union Square.  
And you can always find things like string-beans, fennel, and cherry-tomatoes at super markets.  I do my best to get fresh and colorful veggies for my arrangement. 

< Prep Work >

When you clean vegetables for the Basket, water is your best friend.

Just keep them in a bowl of water, it will help clean them and keep fresh.

Sometimes you don't need to dry them, 

the water will help them stay moist in the basket.

Other thing I must have is a cup of coffee to stay alert with a knife.

< Filling the Basket >

Lining the Basket 

First with Plastic Wrap. This will protect the basket from moisture.

Keep covering with the Basket by Rainbow Char.

Confetti made of left over veggies will become your basket stuffing.

Sometimes you need to elevate the bottom of the basket.

 

Outer leaves of cabbage make perfect bowls for small veggies.

Cleaned Peppers will make perfect containers for dips.

Don't forget Pepper Cups for Dips to be positioned correctly in the basket.
And filled with dips after placing the basket at the party site.