Dinner parties are my bread and butter. For me, food isn’t just fuel, it’s so much more than that. Most importantly, it keeps me connected to the people around me. The vast majority of my most precious memories have taken place in the presence of awesome food, delicious beverages, and fantastic people. And I love to be the one that can bring it all together.
Growing up, my mom orchestrated dinner parties on almost every occasion. Every dish was a piece of art in itself, showcased on a perfectly matched piece of local pottery she’d collected over the years. The table setting seemed to have a planned spot for each platter… until it didn’t. In which case, the dishes would be set on various surfaces throughout the room. Not only was the table always filled to the max with food, but with people too. Pulling from the living room, the piano stool and foot-rests were often needed for late-comers, and there were almost always two or more people shouting over the music, “can you pass the”… That statement never ended with “salt”. I’ve never known a night where dinner wasn’t the grand-finale. I’m sure this is when a therapist would tell me why dinner’s chaos brings me so much inner peace. That being said, whether you’re cooking for four or fourteen, a dinner party can be overwhelming. So here are my go-to tips to help keep it calm, collected, and unique.
Choose a meat that cooks for a long time. The longer the better! That, or choose something that can sit, prepared, for an extended period of time before it needs to be cooked. If all your dishes have to be prepared and finished quickly and simultaneously, you’re going to have a 20-minute meltdown that will be etched in your guests’ minds for the entirety of their meals. Believe me… I’ve been there. Whether it’s a roast chicken, a leg of lamb, or a pork shoulder that’s braised for three hours, you have the luxury of time on your side. This means you can leisurely chip away at your starch, salad, and vegetable (if you’re going the whole nine yards), and still enjoy your company. Also, I should note, it’s not a great idea to cook a recipe for the first time, at a dinner party. I’ve also made that mistake… Take my word for it.
Flowers are always a nice touch. I used to forego flowers since it seemed like I needed to spend my entire week’s pay to get something decent, but if you know where to go, you can often find sales and be creative with your options. In Saskatoon, Bill’s House of Flowers has 50% off select flowers, every Friday. I’ll often pay a little more for a few nice flowers, and showcase them with lots of little greens. You don’t need much, but it definitely adds to the table setting.
Menus. Okay… this is over the top, but if you are so inclined, it’s really easy to make your own menus! Wordswag is an app that allows you to choose different template sizes and access some nice fonts that you can use to create something unique. Etsy also has lots of templates you can purchase, if you don’t feel like creating one yourself. As for the final product, I had some thick paper on-hand, so I printed them at home and cut them out myself. It’s really easy to have them printed and cut professionally, but what can I say? I hate parking.
Beverages. We’re big on buying organic and/or local, and we have a great selection of craft breweries in Saskatoon. But when it comes to cooking, I’m partial to my wine. Evan and I love Cono Sur (a.k.a bicycle) because it’s organic, easy drinking, and INEXPENSIVE. Yes… I used organic and inexpensive in the same phrase. Cono Sur has a couple varieties in both red and white, so you can cover all your bases.
MUSIC! This might be my mother talking, but music is arguably the most important component of the evening. I’m big on atmosphere, and music always sets the tone. Whatever your preference (I suggest something that settles nicely in the background), give the room some life! And maybe, in that brief moment of silence when everyone is experiencing your masterful cooking, a few friends will be tapping their feet.
Happy Gathering!
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