Feasts
Lessons Learned in the Last Thirty Years:
Never try a new recipe for the first time on your guests
Start small. Entertain with snacks and small dinners before tackling a
formal dinner party
Always start off with small groups of really good friends
Unless you can afford to hire help, focus on food that can be prepared ahead
Know your guests. It is so much better to know about food allergies and preferences before you start to plan
Check all your equipment beforehand
Before you plan your menu, check the local stores (or your cold cellar) to see what is actually available.
If something has to be special ordered, find out how much lead time the vendor will require and if there is a minimum order. ( ie... you might not want to have to buy an entire wheel of a speciality cheese )
Count your dishes and silverware before you start to invite people.
Make sure that you either have nice table linens or a tested creative alternative
Big or small, simple or elaborate, you always need a plan. Why? To make sure you can create the experience for your guests that you want. Without a plan, you might create an experience for your guests that you weren't expecting
Any plan should include the following
Money Matters - money cannot buy love or
friendship, but it will determine what you can put on the Menu
Menu - with of course tried and true recipes
with ingredients you can actually buy in your area
Use a variety of equipment.....ie you are
courting disaster if everything on the menu has to be done in the oven Note:
This includes the pots and pans you need.
Set the ambiance - do your decorating and
have your music ready before hand
Timing - have at least a rough idea of when
all the little tasks need to be done.
Refrigeration space available- surprisingly,
this is the one most commonly overlooked
Unless you can afford help, make sure you give yourself time to actually spend
with your guests
Tips for Keeping the Money on Track
Use locally grown and
produced food, in season if possible
Only buy what you need. For instance, you might only
need one red pepper for that stir fry, not a kilo
Don't put a lot of heavy courses in one menu. Nobody will be able to finish the meal, no matter how wonderful
Menu Planning 101
Play to your audience.
Mix up flavours and colours with each course
Don't run two heavy courses back to back
Remember to consider how you want to decorate the dishes for each course.
Be realistic about your skill level ... and that of any volunteers that are working with you. It will be easier to find help next year if the experience is a positive one.
Always have a plan B, like a pan of lasagna in the freezer.
Menu Themes:
Regional or National Foods
Seasonal
Holiday - No shortage of these
Literary - foods from your favourite author
Ethnic Celebrations
Historical - such as the Victorian era or a Medieval Feast
Go back to basics with a Classic Menu
