How to plan the
perfect party
By Deborah Fabricant
TIPS & TRICKS
CATERING FOR COMPANY
• Have a good invitation; this sets the stage
for your party.
• Plan the menu two weeks in advance. Prepare easy do-ahead dishes, thinking about
the freshest ingredients, balance of flavors
and how it will all look on the plate.
• Make as much as you can ahead of time,
and freeze or refrigerate items that will
keep well (breads, rolls, sauces, etc.).
• Find out guests’ dietary restrictions ahead
of time and try to accommodate.
• Ask someone to help you in the kitchen
and with cleanup.
• Remember to have good lighting
(lots of candles!) and good music.
• Plan food and decorations to go with
the season.
• Buffet food should be easy to eat.
• Have plenty of silverware
and glassware. A
ENTERTAINING FOR LARGE GROUPS, be it family affairs or for friends,
can be stressful. The logistics alone can be daunting. Where do you seat
everyone? Do you have enough chairs? What to do with the food: Do you need
a buffet? How about a beverage station?
When you need extra seating, another table or a serving buffet, it can be
as easy as unfolding some tables and chairs. Tables are available in a variety
of sizes, so you can combine several sizes or shapes to create a unique
arrangement for the extra space you need. For large parties of 20, try using
two tables in a T pattern—great for lively conversation. Extra seating is a
snap with folding chairs.
With this in mind, here are some party
pointers and easy entertaining ideas to ensure
that your next event will be an organized and
successful affair.
Be prepared for easy summer fun
When summer is here entertaining should
be easy! As you jump into the pool, enjoy the
endless sun-filled days and gather with friends
and family, your goal should be simplicity. The
easiest way to entertain in summer is to focus
on fresh, simple and uncomplicated ideas.
Invariably, friends and their kids drop in
for a visit, it gets to be late in the afternoon,
everyone is hungry and you
invite the whole gang to stay for dinner. What to serve? Here
are some tips and ideas for easy, stress-free
entertaining during the summer.
Extra service and extra
seating are imperative. Get
a couple of folding tables:
one for serving, one for
extra seating. Have a cupboard devoted to your summer entertaining
accessories, be they paper goods or
plastic ware. Keep everything in one
place so it is readily available for
impromptu parties. Make sure it is
stocked with napkins, plates, flatware, glassware, votive candles and a tablecloth. Invest in two glass hurricane
vases—they are perfect for big, fat candles, flowers or a collection of shells
and can be used throughout the year. Now, set up your table, top it with a
colorful cloth or place mats and you are ready to go!
