Dinner parties can sometimes be a bit intimidating for the host, especially if the host is the cook for the evening. You can always call a caterer, but it can be fun to show off you creative cooking finesse when you have the opportunity. And it can be fairly easy when you create a menu you can prepare ahead of time.
First, choose a theme for the food and wine. I chose Italian because most of the food prep can be done ahead of time and most everyone enjoys Italian food.
I invited 2 other couples to join my husband and me. We always like to begin the evening with chilled champagne as we gather around my kitchen island. Proscecco would be a good choice for an Italian meal, but our choices for really good Prosecco in Roanoke, Virginia are limited, so champagne it is.
Serve cheese wafers with the champagne. My favorite cheese wafers are Anne’s Charleston Cheese Biscuits I order them on-line. They are somewhat pricey, but so worth it!
Champagne soaked frozen grapes are a fun treat to offer with champagne too. Make these ahead of time. Place small clusters of petite red seedless grapes in a plastic freezer bag. Pour 2 cups of champagne or prosecco in with the grapes. Seal the bag. Place in freezer for 4 hours. Turn the bag over every hour. I found Candy Snap Red Seedless Grapes at Food Lion and they were perfect – small and sweet.
I like to serve very light snacks before a heavy meal, so not to fill up my guests before they’ve been seated at our dining table.
Cocktail napkins with whimsical sayings on them are a fun conversation starter.
After treating your guests to champagne, move into the dining room. You can set your dining table ahead of time. I always use cloth napkins, freshly ironed; flowers that are placed in a flower vase that is low enough for the guests to see over to keep conversation flowing; colorful china and my best silverware; wine coasters to hold wine bottles; sometimes candles but always unscented so not to take away from the aroma of the food.
For my dinner party menus, I like to think about all of the senses – crunchy salad, bright colorful vegetables, creamy cheese and a sweet treat for dessert. One of my favorite crunchy salads is Bok Choy Salad, combining baby bok choy with a sweet tart sesame dressing, toasted almonds and ramen noodles.
Chicken Saltimbocca is my go-to dish to serve as a main course at my dinner parties. The chicken, wrapped in prosciutto and draped in a white wine butter sauce is always juicy and so flavorful. I serve my chicken saltimbocca with Cipriani Tagliolini (thin pasta noodles) that I buy at Fresh Market (also available on-line).
Serve with Italian cheese bread from the bakery or grocery and herb butter made with fresh basil.
For dessert, I like Ina Garten’s idea of “store-bought is fine”. I buy the fanciest dessert I can find at a local bakery (lately its been chocolate ooey gooey butter cake) and serve a nice scoop of whipped cream that I add a little Frangelico to, on the side.
After a big meal, guests may want to linger awhile. I serve limoncello in fancy art deco cordial glasses to allow them to stay and enjoy more conversation.
As for wines, my husband always does a marvelous job pairing wines with the menu I create. But if you are new to the exercise of pairing food and wine, there is a book that I recommend “What To Drink With What You Eat…The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea – Even Water – Based on Expert Advice from America’s Best Sommeliers”. This book will be useful to novices and even seasoned pros who want to create the best food and wine pairings.
