| There is a lot of planning that goes into
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| | key here is to NOT have everything the
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| a successful dinner party menu. In order
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| | same shape. But not everything has to be
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| to pull it off, you'll have to ask
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| | different either.Think about the
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| yourself some questions.
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| | relationship that the foods on the plate
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| WHO? Who are your guests going to be?
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| | have with each other. Are they
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| Do any of the potential guests have any
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| | compatible? Do the major flavors blend?
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| food allergies or food restrictions?For
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| | This is a somewhat esoteric question and
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| example, Maybe someone can't eat peanuts.
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| | difficult to get without a lot of
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| Or maybe some one is Vegetarian. It would
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| | experience, but think about it this
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| be a shame to have someone who is
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| | way.... Does more than one item contain
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| allergic to shellfish come to the party
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| | the same ingredient? Is there garlic in
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| only to find that the main course is
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| | everything? Do two or more things contain
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| Maryland Crab Cakes with Chipotle Tartar
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| | vinegar? Does the spiciness of one item
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| Sauce. Now, most people with food
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| | overpower the delicate flavor of
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| allergies or food intolerances will
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| | something else?Do the foods have a
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| remember to ask what is being served, but
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| | compatible relationship?Just as a general
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| sometimes they don't do so until the day
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| | rule, don't overpower your guests with
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| of the party. A good host or hostess will
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| | too much garlic or onions. These foods
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| take that fact into consideration when
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| | are the basis for developing great
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| planning the dinner party menu. Make a
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| | flavor, but tend to give people bad
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| list of potential guests and find out if
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| | breath if eaten in large quantities. Also
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| they have any food allergies and/or food
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| | remember that beans can cause flatulence
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| restrictions. Something like this might
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| | and may be embarassing at a dinner
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| work:____Guest_______Allergy?______RSVP__
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| | party.You'll also have to check your
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| ___
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| | equipment.
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| 1)____________________________________
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| | By "equipment", here, I mean:How many
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| 2)____________________________________
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| | guests can fit at your table?How many
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| 3)____________________________________
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| | place settings and what kind of tableware
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| 4)____________________________________
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| | do you have?Do you have enough table
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| 5)____________________________________
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| | linens? napkins?What size? What color?
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| 6)____________________________________
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| | Glassware?
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| 7)____________________________________
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| | Silverware?
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| 8)____________________________________
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| | Salt and pepper shakers?Do you have
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| 9)____________________________________
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| | anything to use as a centerpiece?For
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|
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| | example, a vase? Candles? Be Careful with
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| 10)___________________________________WHE
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| | the flame!!!If you need extra space, do
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| N? When is a good time to have the Dinner
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| | you have any card tables or craft tables
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| Party?What day of the week? Do most of
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| | that you can cover with a table cloth to
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| your guests have the same work schedule?
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| | serve as a buffet?If you don't have
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| What time of the day? Are there people
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| | enough of these items, you can rent them
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| who can come earlier but not later?
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| | from a Party Supply Store, or buy
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| When do the Trash men come? You'll
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| | them.What equipment and cookware do you
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| usually have more trash to take out after
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| | have in your kitchen?Remember, you can't
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| a party.WHERE? Where do you want the
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| | make recipes that need special equipment,
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| guests to be?Do you have enough space in
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| | if you don't have the special equipment.
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| your home for the invited guests? Do you
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| | For example, Do you have a deep fryer? a
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| have to trim the guest list or find a
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| | crepe pan? a bundt cake pan? etc. What
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| larger space? What about outdoors? HOW
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| | about cutlery and knives?How many
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| MANY? How many courses do you want to
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| | burners on your stove?You can't make six
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| serve?Before you get too carried away,
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| | things that have to be cooked on the top
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| ask yourself some simple questions..
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| | of the stove and served at the same time
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| How good a chef are you? Would you rate
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| | if you only have four burners.
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| yourself a gourmet chef or are you just
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| | How many ovens?On a tentative menu: How
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| learning how to cook? Can you prepare
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| | many things need to be Baked? Roasted?
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| fancy French recipes or do you need quick
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| | Braised?How many refrigerators do you
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| and easy recipes?Hors
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| | have?
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| D'Oeuvre_________________________
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| | How much space in them? Can you clean
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| Cold Appetizers________________________
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| | them out to make more space?
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| Soup_________________________________
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| | How much counter space do you have?
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| Warm Appetizers_______________________
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| | Do you have a dishwasher?
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| Salad_________________________________
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| | Will it hold all the plates, cups,
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | silverware etc?Food Preparation Flow:
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| Fish__________________________________
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| | For each menu item, figure:
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | What will be the flow of the food?
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| Pasta_________________________________
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| | From storage (where?) Pantry? Fridge?
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | Freezer? Porch?.......
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| Fowl__________________________________
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| | to Preparation (where?) Countertop?
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | Sink? ..........
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| Vegetable_____________________________
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| | to Cooking (where?) Stove Top or Oven?
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | Grill? Microwave? Remember that you have
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| Beef__________________________________
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| | to have enough space to prepare
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | everything on your menu.Timing For each
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| Second Vegetable______________________
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| | menu item:Go over the recipe and figure
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| Intermetzo____________________________
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| | how much time each will take. Figure it
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| Entree________________________________
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| | as if each recipe were the ONLY thing you
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| Cheese________________________________
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| | are going to make. How much washing,
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| Dessert_______________________________
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| | peeling, cutting, slicing, dicing,
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| Coffee
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| | sauteing, baking, roasting? Don't forget
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| Tea____________________________WHAT?
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| | cooling time if something needs to
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| Would you like to try new recipes?Are
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| | cool!Over estimate on time, because
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| there foods that you would like to try
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| | something can always go wrong, and you
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| out?Think how your home will smell when
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| | want to stress as little as possible.Then
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| the first guest arrives. Do you want to
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| | add up the times for all of the recipes
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| make fried fish? Beef Bourguignone? You
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| | and you know how much time you must allow
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| want to make their mouths water before
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| | for prep and cooking. Now I know that
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| they even sit down. Will the the
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| | most of us can do at least two things at
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| ingredients you need be available to
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| | once, like mix something, while something
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| you?Do you have a variety of colors on
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| | else in in the oven, but figure it this
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| the plate? Think what this plate would
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| | way and you have a MAX time.Also, Is
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| look like.....Turkey Breast, with Cream
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| | there any place in the recipe that you
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| Gravy
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| | can break it up? I mean, is there any
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| Mashed Potatoes
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| | place where you could begin the recipe
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| Cauliflower au Gratin
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| | and finish it later? If so, you may be
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| Not very appetizing is it? Everything is
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| | able to prep the day before and just
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| white or beige. Now, think what this
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| | finish everything on the day of the
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| plate would look like...
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| | party.If it looks like too much work,
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| Turkey Breast with Cranberry Beurre
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| | begin again with another, simpler menu.
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| Blanc
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| | Another idea is that if you are
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| Polenta Parmesan DiamondsBroccoli Rapini
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| | stressing about the dinner party, do a
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| with Lemon Zest Sounds much better
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| | dress rehersal. Prep and cook everything
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| doesn't it? Yet the main dish, Turkey
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| | a week or two before the party day, just
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| Breast is the same and there is a starch
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| | to see how long it actually will take,
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| and a vegetable also. But the colors!!
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| | and if there are any glitches that need
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| White, Red Yellow and Green!!Try to get a
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| | to be worked out. This is especially
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| variety of textures on the plate... for
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| | helpful if you are trying to prepare an
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| example, don't have everything on the
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| | unfamiliar recipe.
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| plate mushy or everything fried. Try to
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| | Disaster on Party Day isn't fun.DON'T
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| incorporate something silky on a
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| | OVERDO!! It just Causes stress and the
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| generally crispy plate, or something
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| | idea of a Dinner Party is FUN!Chef Spicer
|
| crunchy on a generally soft plate. Think
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| | is a Professional Private Chef with over
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| about how the food will feel in your
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| | 23 years of experience in giving
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| mouth. Aim for at least one different
| |
| | successful dinner parties. You can
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| texture.Try to have different shapes on
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| | contact her via her web site at
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| the plate: triangle, square, round. The
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| | Dinner-Party-Advisor.
|
