Did you ever send out invitations for a nice party, plan your menu, buy a new hostess outfit, spend time in the kitchen on food preparation, and arrange for your kids to stay at their grandparent’s house for the weekend? Then you discover the date you’ve chosen for your event is opening night at the Olympics or the last game of the World Series and most guests would prefer to be at home watching on TV? Or perhaps a civic holiday which many citizens celebrate by going to the cottage or leaving town to visit family?
Have you ever run out of a food item before all your guests had a chance to make a pass at your sumptuous buffet? Has one item on your menu been over-cooked while another was raw? These are just some of the problems that could occur when you host a special event in your home.
But a well-planned and organized approach can prevent such an occurrence. Start as far ahead as you can, as much as six weeks ahead, planning your menu, so you can spread the expense over a period of time as well as prepare any items that can be made ahead and frozen. Check your calendar carefully, consulting a few of your guests for help in planning an appropriate date. Select menu items that have similar cooking times, or can be cooked and then kept warm in chafing dishes or crock pots.
You will need to figure on 4 to 5 appetizers per guest if you are serving before an early meal, 6 to 7 before a late meal, and 8 to 9 if no meal is planned. As well, ensure you have several pretty bowls of nibbles scattered throughout the room, such as potato chips, nuts, or trail mix to extend further the appetizers you are serving. A cheese and fruit platter is a nice addition as well.
When it comes to estimating wine, you will need five bottles of white and three of red if you are expecting 12 guests. You can figure one pound of coffee will make 40 cups. Make a gallon of punch per 10 guests, and if you are serving cocktails or hi-balls, figure two drinks each for the first two hours, then one drink per hour per person after that.
To make your guests welcome and put them in a party mood, concentrate your decorations on your entry way. If it’s a birthday celebration, hang streamers and balloons, then pick up the theme as table centres and in paper napkins. If it’s a retirement party, you will want to find items that reflect the personality of the individual, or perhaps his or her passion, such a theme that reflects a golfing hobby. It can take time to find the decorations you want, so start early to look for them in stores.
Do as much preparation ahead of time as you can. Many appetizers can be made days before and frozen, then warmed in the microwave at serving time. If you are hosting a dinner party, there are many entrees that can be purchased ready-made, such as lasagne and meatballs as well as prepared garlic bread and desserts. Most products say how many servings are in each package, making your planning easy. For meat, you need to plan on 4 to 6 ounces per person and you can figure one potato will feed two people. Two ounces of salad for each guest will be sufficient.
Dim the lights and have lots of candle light, and the ambience is set. It’s a nice touch to have a pot of water simmering on the stove in which you’ve sprinkled a few spices such as cinnamon, and you will have a delicious fragrance wafting throughout your home. Try to relax and enjoy your evening, as the mood of the party is greatly affected if the hostess is uptight and stressed.
If you plan everything in advance, prepare as much as you can ahead of time, and keep your menu simple and easy to make and serve, you will ensure your party goes off without any problems. You will have created a memorable evening for your guests, and most of all, for you!
