Dinner Party – Part 3

Planning a Dinner Party – THE DAY OF THE PARTY…….

Planning a dinner party for success, is all about TIMING! So plan this day carefully. Write down on a notepad the times at which the final preparation and cooking/reheating tasks MUST be performed. Use a kitchen timer, oven timer or alarm clock to keep you on track!

• Wash and prepare the vegetables. Pop into sealable polythene bags & refrigerate if space allows.
• Carry out all final preparations necessary prior to last minute cooking. Try to leave as little as possible to the last moment.
• Approximately an hour before your guests arrive, remove any food that should be served at room temperature (such as pâtés or savoury mousse, cold cooked meats, prepared fresh fruits, pasta or vegetable salads, cheeses etc) and leave somewhere cool. This allows the full flavours to develop.
• Any precooked dish that is to be reheated should also be taken from the fridge an hour or so before reheating. This reduces the cooking time and allows the food to cook more evenly

Your Dinner Party Planning is running like clockwork………

Now go away, run yourself a nice hot bath……and relax!

When you return, finish all of the final preparations and adjust the oven temperature to keep the food warm (make sure that all food is covered with foil or lids unless a crisp finish is required such as with pastry, crisp roast potatoes or crumble toppings).

Don’t forget to warm your serving plates & dishes – hot food on cold plates is a disaster!

Now make sure that your pre-dinner drinks, wines and Appetizers are ready for your guests. Personally, I prefer to serve mini, bite size appetizers with pre-dinner drinks before sitting at the table. This is a great way of getting to know your dinner company.

Light the dinner candles, check the table settings, adjust the music & lighting, and finally, pour yourself a glass of champagne……..you deserve it! Now, you are ready for your guests!

Be inspired, have fun and enjoy the journey!