There is a lot of planning that goes into a successful dinner party menu. To turn it off, you have to ask yourself some questions.
WHO? Who will be your guests?
Do any potential guests have any food allergies or food restrictions.
For example, one might not eat peanuts. Or maybe someone is a vegetarian. It would be a shame for anyone who is allergic to shellfish, only to see at the party that the main course is Maryland Crab Cake with Chipotle Tartar Sauce. Now, most people with food allergies or food intolerance will remember to ask what is being served, but sometimes they do not do so until the day of the party. A good host or hostess will take that fact into consideration when planning the dinner party menu. Make a list of potential guests and find out if they have any food allergies and/or food restrictions. Something like this can work
____ guest _______ allergy? ______ RSVP_____
1) ____________________________________
2) ____________________________________
3) ____________________________________
4) ____________________________________
5) ____________________________________
6) ____________________________________
7) ____________________________________
8) ____________________________________
9) ____________________________________
10) ___________________________________
When? When is the best time to have a dinner party?
What day of the week? Do most of your guests have the same work schedule?
What time of the day? Are there people who can come earlier but not later?
When do dustbins arrive? You will usually have more trash to take out after a party.
Where? Where do you want guests?
Do you have enough space in your house for invited guests?
Do you have to trim the guest list or find a bigger venue? What about outside?
How many? How many courses do you want to take?
Before you go too far, ask yourself a few simple questions.
How good are you Will you rate yourself as a gourmet cook or are you just learning to cook? Can you prepare fancy French dishes or do you need quick and easy recipes?
Horseshoe _________________________
Cold appetizer ________________________
Soup_________________________________
Hot appetizers _______________________
salad_________________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
fish__________________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Pasta_________________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Fowl__________________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Vegetable _____________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Beef__________________________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Second vegetable ______________________
Intermetzo____________________________
Entree________________________________
cottage cheese________________________________
sweet_______________________________
coffee Tea____________________________
what? Would you like to try new dishes?
Are there any foods you would like to try?
Think about how your house will smell when your first guest arrives. Do you want to make fried fish? Beef Bourguignon? You want to make their mouth water before sitting. Will you have the necessary materials?
Do you have different colors on the plate? Imagine what this plate will look like…
Turkish breast, with cream gravy
mashed potatoes
Cauliflower au Gratin
Isn't it very tasty? Everything is white or beige. Now imagine what this plate would look like…
Turkey Breast with Cranberry Beaune Blanc
Polta parmesan diamonds
Broccoli Rapini with Lemon Zest
Sounds a lot better, doesn't it? Yet the main dish, Turkish breast, is similar and also contains starch and vegetable. But the color !! White, Red, Yellow, and Green !!
Try to get different types of textures on the plate ... for example, not everything on the plate or everything fried. Try to incorporate some silky on a generally crispy plate or some crunchy on a generally soft plate. Think about how the food will feel in your mouth. Aim for at least one different texture.
Try to make different shapes on the plate: triangle, square, round. The key here is not everything is the same size. But everything does not have to be different either.
Think about the relationship that the foods on the plate have with each other. Are they compatible? Do the main flavors mix? This is a somewhat esoteric question and difficult to obtain without much experience, but think of it this way .... Does more than one object have the same component? Does everything have garlic? Do two or more things contain vinegar? Does the spiciness of one thing eliminate the delicate taste of something else?
Are food items compatible?
As a general rule, do not dominate your guests with too much garlic or onion. These foods are the basis for developing great taste, but people have to give bad breath if eaten in large quantities. Also, remember that beans can cause flatulence and be embarrassing at a dinner party.
You will also need to check your equipment.
By "device", here, I mean:
How many guests can fit on your table?
How many settings and what kind of tableware do you have?
Do you have enough table linen? Napkins?
what size? Which color?
Glassware?
Silverware?
salt and pepper shakers?
Do you have something to use as a centerpiece?
For example, a vase? Candles Beware of flame !!!
If you need additional space, do you have a card table or craft table that you can cover with a table cloth to serve as a buffet?
If you do not have enough of these items, you can rent them from a party supply store, or buy them.
What appliances and cookware does your kitchen have?
Remember, if you do not need special equipment, then you do not need special equipment. For example, do you have a deep fryer? A Crepe Pan? A Bundle Cake Pan? What about Adi cutlery and knives?
How many burners do you have on your stove?
You cannot make six things that are cooked on top of the stove and served at the same time if you only have four burners.
How many ovens are there?
On a temporary menu: how many things need to be baked? fried? Braised?
How many refrigerators do you have?
How much space do they have? Can you clean them to make more room?
How much counter space do you have?
Do you have a dishwasher?
Will it hold all plates, cups, silver utensils, etc.?
Food Preparation Flow:
For each menu item, figure:
What will be the flow of food?
From storage (where?) Pantry? Refrigerator?
Freezer? Porch? .......
(Where?) Countertop for preparation? Sink? ..........
(Where?) Stovetop or oven for cooking?
Grill? Microwave?
Remember that you should have enough space to prepare everything on your menu.
Time for each menu item:
Go to the recipe and find out how long each will take.
Believe that each recipe was just what you are going to make. How much washing, peeling, chopping, slicing, rubbing, sauteing, baking, frying? If something needs to be cooled, don't forget the cooling time!
More than timely estimates, because something can always go wrong, and you want as little stress as possible.
Then add time to all the dishes and you know how long you should allow prep and cooking. Now I know that most of us can do at least two things at once, such as mixing something, while something else in the oven, but treat it this way and you have maximum time.
Also, is there a place in the recipe that you can break it down? I mean, is there any place where you can start a recipe and finish it later? If yes, you can prepare the first day and end everything on the day of the party itself.
If this looks like too much work, start again with another, simpler menu.
Another idea is that if you are stressed about the dinner party, do a dress rehearsal. Prepare and see everything a week or two before the party day, just to see how long it will actually take, and if there is a mess that needs to be worked on. This is especially helpful if you are trying to prepare an unfamiliar recipe.
Disaster on party day is not fun.
Do not ever !! It just causes stress and the idea of a dinner party is FUN!