Tips for Entertaining
Happy New Year from Hint of Southern! The holidays are perfect for spending time with family and friends, and they usually consist of eating. While I did not have time to try new recipes due to traveling, I thought it would be helpful to share some entertaining tips. I had my dad over for a belated Christmas dinner, which I will reference when talking about different entertaining topics.
Menu Planning
I don’t know about everyone else, but I spend an hour or so trying to decide on a menu for a party. I search through all of the cookbooks for inspiration, and since my cookbook shelf is expanding, this process usually takes me some time. You aren’t going to please everyone, so if you have at least one dish someone with specific food preferences will like, then you are all set. Here is a quick list of things to think about when pulling together the menu:
Time of Day for the Party (ie Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Appetizers, Dessert, etc.)
How much time do you have to prepare for the meal ahead of time? Is it a work night or a weekend?
Food Preferences (This can be anything from picky eaters to vegetarians to allergies.)
Season (Will the fruit or vegetables be in season? Outside temperature - cozy dinner or cool summer barbecue)
Appetizer, Main Dish, Side(s), Dessert *This will vary based on the items above.
Budget
Oven, Fridge, and Freezer Space
Christmas Dinner Menu Example:
Appetizer: Baked Brie with Crackers
Main Dish: Beef Tenderloin with Carmelized Shallot Sauce
Sides: Corn Pudding, Asparagus, and Yeast Rolls
Dessert: Ice Cream with Christmas Sugar Cookies
Cooking Time
I learned a lot of my entertaining skills from my mother. She was very good at all of the details in the preparation for people coming over. One of the things she taught me was planning out my cooking times. I start with the time I would like to serve dinner and then I work backwards based on all of my different recipes. Where it gets tricky is the number of ovens and temperatures.
I try to have a clean kitchen by the time guests are over and all I have to do is put things into the oven. Make as much as you can ahead of time and then reheat before dinner. Allow yourself extra time with preparation and baking just in case it takes longer to cook. Always check the dishes early to see if they are cooking faster than the time specified in the recipe.
Example:
5:25 Put Beef Tenderloin into oven.
5:30 Appetizer
5:50 Remove Beef Tenderloin from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Put yeast rolls into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
6:00 Dinner
Table Settings
How you set the table will be based on the type of party. I like to pull out all of the dishes, silverware, and glassware I need for the number of guests, just in case I need to quickly wash something in time. It is also important to lay out all of the servingware for the food ahead of time. It might be a good idea to think about using items that are easy to clean and can go into the dishwasher because otherwise you will be up late cleaning a lot of dishes by hand.
Here is a helpful quote from Julia Child about not apologizing for your food, but to be confident in what you made. Keep this in mind when you are entertaining!
“We ate the lunch with painful politeness and avoided discussing its taste. I made sure not to apologize for it. This was a rule of mine. I don't believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make… Usually one's cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is vile,...then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile- and learn from her mistakes.” Julia Child
