What food makes it a party for you?

• Flickr: Dinner Series
• The shrimp-to-people ratio is a good formula for determining a party’s success.

I weep for those who think a party is just about a party. The real joy of a party is in what fills your gullet. I don’t judge playlists or glassware. I focus on what’s important, like whether there are more pigs in blankets in the oven.

And I’ve come to realize over the years that I am not alone in huddling in a galley kitchen or straining the load-bearing capacity of a paper plate. I have a friend who has declared that a party isn’t a party without lemon bars. A family member once told me that I was at a good wedding because it “was wall-to-wall shrimp in there.” How about you, Fat City reader, what food makes it a party for you?