Guide to Entertaining

Anyone who has ever been to my house knows that my mom is the ultimate hostess (she’s currently denying this as she’s reading because she’s absurdly modest) but seriously, it’s the truth. She throws together the most elegant party at the drop of a hat and makes it look so incredibly easy. I will never forget the party she threw for my First Holy Communion. She rented round tables and covered them with luxe ivory linens and coordinating cream roses (totally up my alley). She used silver platters and flatware and it literally took my breath away and sparked an interest in entertaining from then on. I mean, what a fancy 2nd grader! It wasn’t until I lived on my own and attempted to entertain that I realized a chic dinner party is earned, not given and it wasn’t as easy as my mom always made it look. Over the years, I have followed in my mom’s footsteps in an attempt to emulate her entertaining skills and this is what I have picked up along the way.

Setting a Menu

Coming up with the perfect menu is something that even the most experienced entertainer struggles with sometimes. Everything you choose to serve must be delicious, of course, but also easy to make for a large group, able to served after sitting, and able to be ready all at the same time (we will talk more about this later). The first thing you need to consider is what time of day you’re entertaining. Clearly a brunch menu will vary greatly from a dinner menu. It’s good to have options just in case someone has disdain for a particular food you’re serving. An easy way to do this is to have one main dish that will be the focus of the meal but add variety with sides and condiments. If you have a large assortment of side dishes, your guests may pick what they like best and leave something out if they choose. This ensures that even the pickiest eater will leave satisfied. Maybe it’s because I was raised in an Italian family but having a guest leave hungry is the ultimate nightmare!

Another thing to consider is what pairs well together. Food pairing doesn’t end with choosing the right cocktail or wine! If you’re serving a fried entree, for example, try to incorporate a fresh salad with elements of citrus to cut the grease and not leave the meal feeling too heavy. If your main dish is pasta, try to add sides like grilled vegetables or a charcuterie platter to avoid carb overload and subsequent sleepy guests.

Perfect Timing

In order to make everything ready at the same time so that none of your dishes are sitting for too long, I follow Ina Garten’s (best known for her cooking show, Barefoot Contessa) lead and make a backwards schedule. Essentially, you want to start from the time you need to have everything prepared and ready. For example’s sake, let’s say that’s 7:00 PM. From there, you work backwards and subtract the time each dish takes to prep and cook. If dinner needs to be ready by 7:00 PM and the chicken takes 45 minutes to roast, you know that you need to have the chicken in the oven by 6:15 PM at the latest. Do this for every dish and write yourself a physical copy of a schedule. This may sound like a bit much but trust me, it’s a lifesaver when all of your guests arrive at one time and you have five different pots on the stove. Don’t forget to allow time for boiling water and preheating the oven on your schedule! They don’t say “a watched pot never boils” for no reason.

Personalized Touches

Everyone appreciates an added personal touch to make them feel like you really put extra thought into having them over. Doing small things like setting the table with placecards can make even the most casual gathering into somehting special. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on this! They have tons of blank options at your local craft store or that you can print straight from your computer. Look on Etsy.com for instant download digital files or on Pinterest for free printables. As an added bonus, putting out placecards will eliminate the awkward dance around the table for guests who don’t know where to sit.

What are your favorite ways to ensure entertaining goes smoothly?