Brilliance upon brilliance! I also like to have a welcome cocktail, available by the pitcher, for guests to help themselves with the snacks. It avoids any weird, self-conscious judgey bits about who is drinking more than one and who isn’t drinking at all. 🥂
David Tannis , still my old time favorite chef I had the great fortune to attend his cooking class. Simple but utterly delicious. His cookbooks are still my favorites as well.
I like these! I think I’ve been doing these without realizing although my SO struggles with food in the meal at room temperature (he thinks it should always be piping hot!) i agree that salad type things make life less stressed so I like the one hot thing! Perhaps also add that everyone brings some thing to share and someone is always responsible to host that is welcoming, getting people situated, and serving drinks.
Does your SO cook often? Multiple piping hot dishes at once really belongs to the restaurant realm, in my opinion! Unless they can all come out of the oven at once, which I suppose is possible with some planning.
Any tips for essential serve ware to have? I always wonder how to serve food at dinner parties: self serve out of the pot on the stove? Family style at the dinner table? Plate everyone’s dish for them? (Someone did that for me once at a dinner party, and it felt so intentional and thoughtful)
I'm a fan of family style for dishes that are easier to self serve - but for messier things like lasagna, I find it easier to plate those from the kitchen then bring them to the table.
Marrying into an Italian family, I was surprised and delighted that vegetable sides were frequently served at room temperature. It makes life so much easier (although my Midwestern mother still doesn't really approve).
So many great tips! Here’s mine for graciously enforcing the one glass rule. I have several Wine Writer markers strewn amongst the wine glasses—my friends are trained to write their name on the glass before it gets filled. This leads to all sorts of fun creations—names, initials, drawings, art! I also encourage drinking water between wine servings so it doubles as a water glass.
The water in between is so good! Even just setting out nice mineral or sparkling water and keeping it at the table - seeing it there, I find that most people realize they actually want a glass of water over more wine.
These are great tips. Like you mentioned, I always find that a high quality store-bought or homemade hummus in a pretty shallow bowl, topped with Za'atar and nice swirl of EVOO always gets atleast a few guests to ask me, "How did you make this hummus? It's so good!". Marcona almonds also always feel special, especially the truffle ones from Trader Joe's.
Been unknowingly practicing the 1-2-1 rule for years and can attest to its success! I love all these tips and next dinner am going to remind my friends to clutch their glasses...
Thanks for the shout out - I’m glad you found the conversation trick helpful. Also, I am shook by the potato chip revelation!
Same!
Same!
Set up a drink or bar area away from the kitchen to keep guests out of the way while you cook! Love the 1-2-1 rule!
So smart - cocktails really have a way of taking over the kitchen...
Saving this post for constant reference. Thanks, Lukas & Peter!
Brilliance upon brilliance! I also like to have a welcome cocktail, available by the pitcher, for guests to help themselves with the snacks. It avoids any weird, self-conscious judgey bits about who is drinking more than one and who isn’t drinking at all. 🥂
Love that. Something really nice about the invitation to just help yourself, rather than being served. Takes a load off the host, too!
David Tannis , still my old time favorite chef I had the great fortune to attend his cooking class. Simple but utterly delicious. His cookbooks are still my favorites as well.
I like these! I think I’ve been doing these without realizing although my SO struggles with food in the meal at room temperature (he thinks it should always be piping hot!) i agree that salad type things make life less stressed so I like the one hot thing! Perhaps also add that everyone brings some thing to share and someone is always responsible to host that is welcoming, getting people situated, and serving drinks.
Does your SO cook often? Multiple piping hot dishes at once really belongs to the restaurant realm, in my opinion! Unless they can all come out of the oven at once, which I suppose is possible with some planning.
And multiple ovens!
He cooks oft
Love the idea of project food - can’t wait to have friends over to make a mess 😀
“You get one glass” is such a good rule. My kid has a set of colorful rubberbands for making bracelets and we tend to steal them to mark glasses…
Oh that's a good idea...
Any tips for essential serve ware to have? I always wonder how to serve food at dinner parties: self serve out of the pot on the stove? Family style at the dinner table? Plate everyone’s dish for them? (Someone did that for me once at a dinner party, and it felt so intentional and thoughtful)
I'm a fan of family style for dishes that are easier to self serve - but for messier things like lasagna, I find it easier to plate those from the kitchen then bring them to the table.
Wow this had really great practical tips that I’d never heard before and will def make my hosting with two littles much easier. Thank you!
Marrying into an Italian family, I was surprised and delighted that vegetable sides were frequently served at room temperature. It makes life so much easier (although my Midwestern mother still doesn't really approve).
Impressed by your mother!
So many great tips! Here’s mine for graciously enforcing the one glass rule. I have several Wine Writer markers strewn amongst the wine glasses—my friends are trained to write their name on the glass before it gets filled. This leads to all sorts of fun creations—names, initials, drawings, art! I also encourage drinking water between wine servings so it doubles as a water glass.
The water in between is so good! Even just setting out nice mineral or sparkling water and keeping it at the table - seeing it there, I find that most people realize they actually want a glass of water over more wine.
These are great tips. Like you mentioned, I always find that a high quality store-bought or homemade hummus in a pretty shallow bowl, topped with Za'atar and nice swirl of EVOO always gets atleast a few guests to ask me, "How did you make this hummus? It's so good!". Marcona almonds also always feel special, especially the truffle ones from Trader Joe's.
Love those almonds!
The 1-2-1 rule! So useful!
Thanks again, Lukas—it's a pleasure and an honor to be included here.
Thank you, Peter!! Total pleasure for me!
Been unknowingly practicing the 1-2-1 rule for years and can attest to its success! I love all these tips and next dinner am going to remind my friends to clutch their glasses...
Haha if you can find a way to be gracefully enforcing of the one glass rule, please let me know.
I will report back!