How To Serve An Epic Seafood Tower In A More Convenient Way For Your Party

If you've never made a raw bar at home, it can feel intimidating, especially for those who aren't well-versed in proper seafood preparation. When it comes to presentation, you may even feel obligated to run out and purchase a multi-tiered tower for the occasion. But, the reality is that you don't need another single-purpose serving item. Instead, consider crafting a seafood tray instead of a tower. 

A soaring seafood tower may look impressive and feel fancy as it's delivered to the table. Yet, while it does save space on a small dining table, the benefits of a tall tower really end there. As opposed to a three-tiered vessel that forces you to cautiously reach between layers, opting for a tray means everything is both easier to view and easier to access — a great benefit to its horizontal positioning. Similar to a cheese and charcuterie board, a seafood platter allows guests reach the tray from wherever they are seated or standing, allowing for flexibility in movement.

When creating a seafood tray, don't overthink or complicate things — it's mostly the same concept as making a seafood tower, except you're building outward instead of upward. You can use a large serving platter that you already have on hand as long as it has sides that reach at least an inch and a half to accommodate the ice. Otherwise, invest in a multi-use melamine platter that's light, durable, and can also be used for serving salads or vegetable platters. 

One of the most important rules when serving raw seafood is to keep everything as cold as possible to ensure you and your guests have wonderful memories of delicious ocean delights without the fallout resulting from bad oysters and warm fish. Ideally, we suggest purchasing nugget or pebble ice since the small and uniform ice cubes will anchor items and improve presentation. You could used crushed iced, but depending on how finely it's crushed, the tiny shards might melt more quickly. We suggest coating the platter with ice just below the rim before you begin to build the tray.

Naturally, our tips for creating the ultimate seafood tower at home are still applicable. Serving scallops, oysters, clams, or mussels in their shells make for a beautiful display. Small and semi-flat bowls will work just as well for serving white fish crudo, salmon ceviche, or even a grilled shrimp cocktail. Otherwise, cooked lobster tails and crab legs can be placed directly into the ice, much like a tin of caviar complete with a mother of pearl serving spoon. We also recommend using small metal bowls or ramekins for serving various sauces to pair with seafood and nestling them into the ice alongside lemon wedges. Lastly, place a linen or cloth towel underneath the tray to prevent the eventual moisture from dripping onto your table. Just like that, your seafood tray will wow!