How to impress guests at a dinner
So you are organizing a dinner and all you can think about is the inevitable kitchen and cleanliness that it will bring. Instead of focusing on how much time it will take to prepare all the food and how you will never find the time for carpet cleaning, here are 3 quick tips to be the host with more. It will surprise your guests and even yourself, how easy and fun dinners can be.
Tip # 1 Set the mood
Answer this question before you start thinking about what to cook, what kind of humor you want to set at the party. Is it a fun and informal night or is it a formal affair? The way you decorate the table and the room will play an important role in establishing the mood. Maybe it’s an informal and fun dinner and lends itself to eating outdoors. To add to the environment, you can choose to string some fairy lights or lamps with solar energy. Both add a fun festive atmosphere to any meal. On the other hand, you may prefer a more formal relationship, in which case a beautifully decorated table with a simple but elegant centerpiece and two chandeliers will do well to set the tone of the night. Remember to choose music that matches the mood you are trying to create in the room. When the guests arrive, they will want you to feel and accept the meaning of the occasion.
Tip # 2 Plan your menu
Keep it simple and tasty. It may sound obvious, but I can not tell you how many times I’ve attended a dinner in which the host has spent all his time in the kitchen just to serve a complicated 3-course meal that, at best, was normal. When the guests arrive, have the hors d’oeuvres ready to start. What kind of hors d’oeuvres? The mood you decided, informal or formal, will help determine this to some extent, but basically you will choose things that are easy to eat for your guests and easy to prepare. Remember, women love to look fabulous at all times, even when they are eating, so if you are serving food that has the potential to drip or cover your entire face, provide napkins or think again!
The main meal is always the most difficult. There are those who love meat and those who are vegetarians, there are those who are on a diet and those who are waiting for a gastronomic party! Finding a balance can be difficult, but try not to be the victim of cooking three different meals to meet the different needs of your guests. One of my favorites is the lasagna served with salad and steamed vegetables. The benefit of this meal is that the lasagna can be vegan or not, and can be prepared the night before and reheated. Salad and steamed vegetables can be prepared and put in the fridge the next morning and taken out when necessary, so they can be taken in a pot or prepared for dinner. This gives you as host the largest amount of time with your guests and the least amount of time in the kitchen!
Desert is my favorite food! Once I went to a dinner where the hostess served desert portions of the most delicious chocolate mouse I have ever tasted. It was just genius! She had made the mouse and served and frozen individual portions the night before. All I had to do when the desert time came was to go to the fridge and get them out. A simple well-executed desert is a sensational ending to any meal.
Tip # 3 Be the host with more
Take care of your guests. Do you already know or have you just met? The presentation of new groups of friends can be a great idea, but you can also meet many uncomfortable silences. Become the host with more and have some conversation initiators up your sleeve for those moments of singing cricket. It is also a good idea to always keep a responsible eye on how much your guests drink. In addition to the obvious dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol, you can also avoid needing to steam clean the carpet!