Research­ing and host­ing a one-hour spe­cial called “Enter­tain­ing Dis­as­ter” (aired at 4 pm Decem­ber 28, 2009, on CBC Radio One), gave me food for thought.
The myr­iad of tales about doing things wrong when it comes to the din­ner party thing — prob­a­bly my favourite way of shar­ing good times with fam­ily and friends — made me think about how to do it right.
Here are my top din­ner party tips gained from years of expe­ri­ence. Many of these — like most lessons in life — were learned the hard way. The menu that fol­lows is also the result of much trial and error.
• The ideal num­ber of guests (includ­ing two hosts) is def­i­nitely six — a num­ber that is inti­mate with­out being poten­tially bor­ing. Eight is work­able but you risk the con­ver­sa­tion break­ing up into small groups.
• I like to invite peo­ple who don’t know each other. It’s a bit of a crap-shoot but mostly works out splen­didly as there is more like­li­hood of new top­ics to be dis­cussed and dis­cov­er­ies to be made than if guests are already friends. Even a clash of per­son­al­i­ties or opin­ions can work out well.
• There are three types of munchies that I always serve before din­ner with drinks. These are not fill­ing and whet the appetite for din­ner. Best of all, they require no work. They are: Unsalted roasted dry almonds (I buy them in a bulk food store where they are always fresh); Miss Vickie’s Orig­i­nal chips, and stuffed jumbo green olives (pits are a no-no at a din­ner party).
• I am a strong believer in the buffet-style of serv­ing. Plat­ing food for each per­son does not leave guests free to choose what they like and in what amount. This applies to every­thing except soup.
• It is cru­cial that most of the meal be cooked ahead, prefer­ably the day before so that you, the charm­ing host, are avail­able to be just that instead of slav­ing over a hot stove away from your guests. Soup is a good starter even if it involves extra dishes and should be gar­nished at the last minute. Best entrees are braised meat dishes that actu­ally improve if made ahead. Mashed or baby boiled pota­toes and mixed roast veg­gies also keep well once cooked. For­get flam­bee­ing, serv­ing steak, risotto or other dishes involv­ing other a la minute tech­niques, for obvi­ous rea­sons.
• I like to serve a cou­ple of desserts — one should prob­a­bly include choco­late. Mak­ing one dessert and buy­ing another is a good idea. Ice cream and some kind of fruit sauce are both good gar­nishes. Again, we’re talk­ing self-serve.
• Music is cru­cial to a sooth­ing mood. It should be gen­tle and not intru­sive but not of the Muzak genre. Bryan Ferry’s CD As Time Goes By is my all-time favourite. Nat King Cole, Dinah Wash­ing­ton, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and some world music are also good.
• Dim­mers and candle-light also cre­ate a cozy ambiance — the key fac­tor, in my books, for a sooth­ing evening full of warmth, good con­ver­sa­tion and a feel­ing of well-being.
Here is a menu that includes three of my top dishes to serve at a soiree chez moi. They are fall/winter foods. Watch this space as warm weather arrives in 2010 for a menu designed for spring/summer.
Bon Appetit!