The Complete Christmas
Collection
Christmas Recipes, Crafts
and Kids Activities and xmas stories. This
article is for people who are always on the go, and do not have a lot of money
to spend on entertaining.
What's wrong with this picture?
I used to
serve delicious dinners with wonderful desserts; (yes, I had checked around and,
they were wonderful.) However, I knew that there was something missing. After
I began working in Food Service, I had learned that it's the little things, that
complete the big picture.
It's not so hard
For instance, the use of
doilies placed on a dessert plate when serving a fine piece of cake. How about
light colored napkins, plain, or with a gentle pattern? Did you know that people,
generally feel that colored napkins, are more relaxing than white napkins? Especially
pastel colors.
Wow, it is painless!
Here are some simple suggestions;
Chill
your glasses about one half hour before your guests arrive.
You may want to
use a carafe instead of a plain pitcher. There is less chance of spillage and,
it takes up less room on the table. Speaking of spillage, wrap a napkin neatly
around your wine bottle, covering the neck, so that it will catch the over pour.
Some
quick appetizer ideas!
Did you know that a combination of finely chopped: garlic,
fresh parsley, and mushrooms mixed with bread crumbs, butter, and romano cheese,
can quickly be stuffed into stemless mushrooms and baked at a low temperature
until golden brown?
Okay, it's in the form of a (run on) sentence, but I am
trying to prove a point... How about some soft spread cream cheese with fresh
lox, beaten for about a minute? Serve it with bread sticks, or water crackers.
It is usually better for a lunch buffet, but it will work in a pinch. If it is
important that you make a good impression, plan for "surprise" problems, otherwise,
problems will pop up. I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law.
These are simple
adjustments, but many people I have spoken with, complain that entertaining can
cost alot of money. Well, I say no. Start out small and simple. What I mean is,
invite people that you feel very comfortable with, i.e., people that you don't
have to impress, and wont be talking to the others about your dinner, at the water
cooler.
The small and simple of it
When you replace dinnerware, do it one
section at a time. Big hint! Change your wine glasses first, then replace your
water and soda glasses. Wine glasses come first, because people generally feel
that wine is more important than water and soda, because it is more expensive.
Remember, people see your glasses first, when approaching the dinner table. They
will feel confident in the meal that you prepare when they see sparkling new glasses.
For
the long run
When you can further update you dinnerware, change your eating
utensils. These step by step changes do not have to be expensive, they can be
the price of your regular dishware. The secret is not to use them every day. You
will always have that that clean, finished look, right on hand. To add a professional
appearance to your dinner table, spruce up the place settings and server ware.
Salad bowls that are made of new wood, (crystal is always preferred) make your
guests feel important, because you put alot of thought into the salad. Sparkling
clean serving trays, make a big difference. Don't forget that you can dress anything
up, by lining it with a cloth napkin. Place mats made of a wicker or cloth material
are very nice. Don't forget coasters, if you decide not to use a light colored
table cloth (dark colored table cloths really only work in Italian restaurants).
As
for a center piece, fresh cut flowers in a nicely decorated vase, are always good.
However, the vase has to be taken out of the room when it is time to serve the
meal, because the fragrance will distract the palate.
This is very important
to remember: When serving food, do not choose quality over quantity. There is
nothing worse than trying to impress someone and just when you've pulled it off,
you run out of food. Don't get me wrong, make sure the food is impressive enough
and has quality taste, but also make sure there is enough of it. Your guests may
try to comfort you and say that it's alright, if you run out of food, but it's
not, i.e. make your guests want to come back.
Always keep an eye out for a
good buy along the way. Don't wait until you have to entertain, to find the right
cocktail forks.
These are the best sites that I have found, for quality
and price. You are likely to find everthing you need.
Tabletops etc.
Beatiful
tableware from a network of 700 businesses. The best variety of replacement crystal
and flatware, online.
Dinnerware Depot, Inc.
Beautifully designed plates
and accessories. You will find some great deals here.
Ceramica Direct.com
Lavish
designs, hand painted on to ceramics. These are specialty items, for the table
top.
Wholesale-Table-Linens.com
If you want to present a perfect dinner
table, you must stop by, they have terrific prices too.
Crate&Barrel
They
have a wonderful line of accessories specifically for home entertaining.
The
Royal Store.com
Carries an exquisite selection of plain and printed doilies.
Kim LaBarbera has
worked in the food service industry for twenty years, including Craft Service.
Her selection of desserts and coffee can be found at Delightful Biteful www.delightfulbiteful.com |
