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I used to get stressed out about parties -- standing in the kitchen by myself all day long making six courses, having them done by a certain time, getting showered and getting the house ready before my guests arrived, then hanging out alone in the kitchen while my friends were in the living room. Not anymore. A few weeks ago I had a party at my house and am now convinced I know the right way to throw a party.
This revelation came to me because I woke up on the morning of the party realizing I was completely screwed. The day before I'd worked all night, and the day of the party I had three meetings scheduled and had promised to babysit for my friend's son. On top of that, there was no food in the house. Rather than panic, I decided to take a laid-back approach. And it worked.
My guests were from all over the world -- Ecuador, Ethiopia, Sweden, Ghana... a real melting pot -- and I wanted the foods at the party to represent them. I went to Whole Foods and picked up ingredients to make dishes I thought would be nice to have and that my friends would enjoy. It was that simple.
I had no set time for the party to begin or for everyone to sit down to eat. People came when they came, and they hung out in the kitchen with me drinking wine while I cooked. I set out each dish as soon as it was ready, keeping a steady stream of new things for people to try to keep it interesting for my guests. All in all, I made about 15 different items, including ceviche, tiraditos, couscous, lamb chops, fish gratin, pasta, and peanut stew.
My point with all of this is that entertaining can be fun and stress-free. If you really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and entertaining, I recommend this open approach for stress-free entertaining that's fun for you and your guests.
This revelation came to me because I woke up on the morning of the party realizing I was completely screwed. The day before I'd worked all night, and the day of the party I had three meetings scheduled and had promised to babysit for my friend's son. On top of that, there was no food in the house. Rather than panic, I decided to take a laid-back approach. And it worked.
My guests were from all over the world -- Ecuador, Ethiopia, Sweden, Ghana... a real melting pot -- and I wanted the foods at the party to represent them. I went to Whole Foods and picked up ingredients to make dishes I thought would be nice to have and that my friends would enjoy. It was that simple.
I had no set time for the party to begin or for everyone to sit down to eat. People came when they came, and they hung out in the kitchen with me drinking wine while I cooked. I set out each dish as soon as it was ready, keeping a steady stream of new things for people to try to keep it interesting for my guests. All in all, I made about 15 different items, including ceviche, tiraditos, couscous, lamb chops, fish gratin, pasta, and peanut stew.
My point with all of this is that entertaining can be fun and stress-free. If you really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and entertaining, I recommend this open approach for stress-free entertaining that's fun for you and your guests.
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