| Entertaining a Large Crowd |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-201 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Q: How can I set up for a party to be sure all my guests don't wind up cramped in the kitchen? A: (Jeanne Benedict, Ask DIY Entertaining Expert) You need to keep those guests moving and eating with multiple stations throughout the house. Here are some tips on how to do that: - Set up an appetizer station in the hallway, which establishes the mood as guests walk in. To liven things up for a Mexican theme party, I've thrown a Mexican blanket over the table, put a cactus out, served chips from the brim of a sombrero and wrapped a string of chili-pepper lights around the salsa bowl.
- Set up another table for the dinner foods, such as a taco bar, and push it against a wall so guests can serve themselves buffet-style. For the Mexican party, I set out toppings and beef and chicken in a chafing dish set well away from anything flammable, like plastic plates or houseplants.
- In order to set out lots of bowls of condiments and toppings in a small space, stack encyclopedias as "risers" (figure A) for the buffet. Encyclopedias are great because they're a uniform size and they're sturdy. If you don't own any, use planks of wood on bricks. Cover the risers with festive cloths or even a chili-pepper-patterned apron. Use an accent fabric too, and make sure all the cloths are washable. To continue the theme, toss some greenery, whole fresh peppers and heads of garlic around on the risers.
- For a big crowd, do use plastic plates, but buy the sturdy ones so no one spills food on the carpet. Also use plastic forks and knives, but present them beautifully, with sets wrapped in different color napkins and displayed in a basket with bright artificial flowers (figure B). That also makes it convenient for guests to carry their utensils anywhere they want to sit.
More questions for Jeanne: Q: My house is very small. If I'm going to set up stations, should I set them up inside and out? A: It depends on where you live, the time of year, how many guests you're going to entertain and the largest space you have to entertain them. If weather permits and you have the space, an outdoor event can be spectacular, especially a wedding. Q: For a formal dinner, should I use a round table or a long rectangular one? A: I like the drama of a long table. You see them in movies: your guests are across from you, you can line up flowers and things. A round table sometimes feels like a meeting to me. But a beautiful table's a beautiful table, and that's the key. Q: Should you greet guests at the door with a drink or hors d'oeuvres? A: You don't want to rush your guests! You want them to enter the room, take off their coats and take a nice deep breath. Establish a relaxed pace, and then offer a drink. Web site resources for Entertaining a Large Crowd: Creative Entertaining from HGTV.Com Party Rules from Epicurious.Com Shopping for a Crowd from Better Homes & Garden.Com Book: Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
By Jeanne Benedict
Penguin-Putnam Inc.
ISBN: 1557883459
Hardcover, 320 pages (October, 2000)
| 
)
)
)
