1. Follow the foolproof Rule of
Five, which calls for a menu of five types
of appetizers:
● One heavy (so that guests who skip
dinner will feel satisfied)
● One heavy or medium (choose a
heavy one if you expect your party
to go long)
● One medium (typically a vegetarian
dish or a dip)
● One lighter choice (such as crudités
for nibbling)
● One bowl item (such as nuts or olives)
2. For an accurate head count to help
you plan properly, provide an e-mail
address with your invitation,
along with your phone
number. You can
nudge the shirkers
with a gentle e-mail
reminder as the date
draws near without being
ill-mannered yourself
(“We’re just finalizing the
guest list and are soooo
hoping that you’ll be there”).
To determine how much to prepare,
follow this guide:
● Heavy appetizers— 4-5 pieces
per guest
● Heavy/medium— 4-5 pieces per guest
● Medium— 4-5 pieces
● Light— 5-6 pieces
● Bowl foods—place 1 bowl for every
7-8 guests and keep them filled
draws near without being ill-mannered yourself (“We’re just finalizing the
3. For a sense of elegance in your
rooms, take a look at your lights. Keeping
the lighting at a twilight level encourages
easy mingling and conversation. Consider
exchanging 100-watt bulbs with 40-watt
bulbs, and add candles throughout (though
avoid scented ones because they can
interfere with the fragrance and
flavor of the food).
4. A smart way to chill
Champagne or wine, if you
don’t have enough room
in your fridge, is to use the
multi-ice-bucket method.
Place a bottle in each
bucket and add as many ice
cubes as will fit. Place the
buckets on counters and
they’ll be ready to go when
guests arrive.
5. Run out of food? It’s a compliment to
your cooking! All you need is a backup dessert
item, such as bunches of grapes, chocolates
or after-dinner mints. Remove all serving trays
as if to signal the end of the hors d’oeuvres
portion of the evening, then put out the
dessert platter. The trick is to act as
though this is all part of your
master plan.
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