Catering allows hosts to worry about real party-planning problems, such as tinkering with the smoke machine or deciding how many cans of soda to stuff into the pinata. Focus on the fun with this Groupon.

Choose Between Two Options

• $10 for $20 worth of ready-made gourmet fare and deli items
• $99 for $200 worth of gourmet catering

Deli fare includes panini sandwiches ($7), and key lime pie ($4.95). Catered items include artisan cheese platters ($45) and lasagna that serves eight ($45).

Formaggio Fine Foods

Formaggio Fine Foods owner Jody Sigurdson-Longo, a Red Seal chef and graduate of Dubrulle Culinary Institute, strikes a balance in her cuisine by serving time-tested gourmet recipes alongside dishes that embrace the latest culinary trends. During her cooking classes, groups prepare dishes such as handmade ravioli, stuffed with butternut squash and mascarpone cheese and flavoured with brown butter and sage. For special events, Jody’s typical catered platter might include snacks such as brined olives, shaved prosciutto, and stalks of asparagus with which to gesticulate wildly during conversations. The shop also stocks a wide selection of imported cheeses such as manchego, a sheep milk cheese from the Mancha region of Spain, or Roaring 40's blue cheese from Australia's King Island Dairy. Jody also creates treats for on-the-spot enjoyment, such as panini sandwiches stacked with prosciutto di Parma, frothy cappuccinos, and 49th Parallel coffee.