Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | Sign In

Articles
Writers
 
Browse Sections
Home Cooking Basics

Party Tips


  • Choose a Theme- It’s easier to plan a party and dishes around a theme – region, cultural event, color or whatever. One of my best parties used food found in The Lord of the Rings.
  • Look Beyond the Food- planning your menu, make sure you have enough refrigerator and other storage space, cooking equipment for dishes prepared simultaneously or super sized, oven space and serving dishes.
  • Decorations- Use decorations – they really make it feel like a party. It doesn’t have to be flowers – lemons in a glass bowl are beautiful. Candles are great. Just something that makes the buffet table, drink table, etc. a little out of the ordinary.
  • Traffic- Think of your traffic patterns and, especially, keep people out of the kitchen where they inevitably congregate (unless you have a kitchen set up for entertaining). Put appetizers in a variety of places. Have the dessert set out separately from the buffet table. Have the drink table set out separately from the buffet table. Make people move.
  • Help- Hire help, even if it’s just a teenager to do the dishes or take coats, monitor the bathroom supplies, pass dishes. Think especially of hiring a bartender. It’s usually illegal for anyone under 18 to serve or handle alcohol, so you’ll need an adult. It’s very hard for a host to monitor alcohol distribution or cut off a guest. You’re liable for any alcohol related accidents on the way home.
  • Food Safety- Don’t forget about food safety. A safe rule of thumb is that food should not be left out for more than two hours. Be especially careful of cross contamination. In a rush, it’s easy to grab the same knife you just diced raw chicken with and cut a carrot for the vegetable platter. Not a good idea.

    Have a great time, and Bon Appetit!

    The copyright of the article Party Tips in Cooking Basics is owned by Lindsay W. McSweeney. Permission to republish Party Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

    Go To Page: 1 2

    Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic