Planning for a dinner party

Disclaimer – edited by ChatGPT.

Over the years, I’ve hosted numerous lunch and dinner parties—sunny lunches by the water, picnics in the mountains, end-of-year dinner parties, and even barbecue breakfasts during the “daft days” between Christmas and New Year. Here’s my tried-and-true process for making these events enjoyable and stress-free.

Hors d’œuvres

• Always include some crudités with a dip, such as a flavored mayonnaise, pesto, or another type of dip.

Entrée

• A green leafy salad with a simple French dressing, often served with the main course.

Main Course

• Two dishes, which could be beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or fish. Always include a vegetarian option.

Sides

• At least two options, one hot and one cold.

Dessert

• A variety of sweets, such as a slice, a cake, ice cream.

Cheese Platter

• A selection of cheeses: a hard cheese, a soft cheese, a Brie or Camembert, a blue cheese, and a herbed or sweet cream cheese, accompanied by fruits and a paste.

Menu Planning Considerations

• Seasonality, preparation time, cooking method, refrigerator space, and scheduling are key factors in choosing the menu.

Example: End-of-Year “Thank You” Dinner for Eight

Here’s a sample menu and preparation timeline:

Two Days Before

• Make or buy the mayonnaise or dip.
• Prepare components for individual trifles. (I re-use clean Bonne Maman jam jars for individual serves.)

Day Before

• Make the sweet potato salad.
• Make the quinoa salad.
• Assemble the ice cream cake and freeze it (Bought ice cream and sponge cake will save a lot of time.)

Morning of the Party

• Make the salad dressing.
• Prepare the salmon with a three-herb ravigote sauce.

Day of the Party

• Cut the crudités (carrots, celery, radishes) and refrigerate.
• Cook the poulet à grand-mère (Grandma’s chicken) in the crockpot.
• Prepare the mushroom and pesto pasta on the stovetop in the afternoon.
• Toss the green leafy salad before serving.
• Assemble the individual trifles.
• Cut and present the cheeseboard.

Tips for a Smooth Event

• Spread out the work over a week to make the actual day easier.
• Get your food, groceries, and drinks delivered.
• Don’t forget the ice.
• Allocate specific bowls and platters for each dish.
• Check tablecloths, serviettes, cutlery, stemware, and water glasses.
• On the day, remember to smile, take little breaks, and enjoy the party.

The last time I hosted one of these dinners, I walked 18,000 steps—a handy side benefit!