Felicity Cloake's One-Hour Entertaining Guide: Stress-Free Entertaining for Spontaneous Guests
During the busy time, when there's plenty going on that even lively people might occasionally anticipate the quiet break in January, it's very easy to forget things. I believe I'm not the sole person who's ever felt jolted back to reality while at work because of an inquiry by someone asking, "What time do you want over later?" Don't worry; if you are absent minded, and simply likely to make impromptu gatherings, I have some solutions.
The Secret to Successful Get-Togethers
First and foremost, and I cannot stress it sufficiently, whether you've been planning for months or just a short while, the most enjoyable events are the most straightforward. All everyone expects are pleasant conversation, something to drink, and enough nibbles that they don't feel like gnawing something on the bus home. Unless you're a fictional millionaire, nobody anticipates professional bartending, Michelin-starred catering and a live band.
The greatest gatherings are the most basic. That said, an idea is useful to disguise the reality you've just put the event on while coming after a long day.
Selecting a Theme to Direct The Preparations
Still, an overarching idea works well for disguising that you've just thrown the party together on the way after work. And with a theme, I mean for example the holidays. Getting a bit focused (Scandinavian Christmas, for instance, with glögg, warm beverage, cured seafood plus rye crackers, Scandinavian music selection; or Latin American celebration, with holiday punch, refreshing lagers and cocktails, and plenty of corn chips, tomato dip and green spread, and upbeat tunes playing) helps direct the selection during the upcoming supermarket sweep.
Smart Shopping to Support Your Gathering
At the shops, select a drink or two (one alcoholic if you drink, a non-alcoholic one for some don't want to) and a few appetizers suited to your concept, then purchase as much of them as you can afford, rather than worrying about offering guests too much choice. Nothing looks more welcoming and as festive than abundance – I'd always rather to arrive by a container full of chilled bottles of competitively priced crémant or cava than a single glass of fancy bubbly. (Chuck in a few bags of ice, too; you'll find seldom enough ice.)
Drinks & Punch Simplified
If you feel the need to demonstrate skills and provide a cocktail, then prepare ahead a big quantity in a jug so you're not stuck messing about with preparation while you should be enjoying yourself. Once underway, ask a significant other or helper to keep an eye on it then top up when needed until it runs out. Apply the same with the soft drink; guests appreciate to be given a role during gatherings so they may share in the festive spirit.
For large-batch drinks, whichever recipe you pick (there are many on the internet), skip anything overly sugary – children there should have separate beverages – and should you have one, put aromatic bitters within reach (refrain from putting them in the mix as they are unsafe for those abstaining from drinks entirely). Put in some work in presenting it so the alcohol-free drink doesn't seem neglected; it only takes a moment to slice several pieces of fruit to the punch.
Food That Work With Minimal Preparation
In my view, I recommend passing on the readymade assortments with "party foods" that pop up in shops at this time of year; they come across as fussy, and frequently require heating things up (if you must go this route, know that all guests quietly favors toasted bread or mini sausages regardless). I'm convinced it's hard to top two large bowls with decent chips (simple will offend no one), and, provided there are no dietary restrictions, one of those great-value containers of nuts often sold with global foods of supermarkets, with perhaps a few pitted olives for color (you don't want to discover pits in odd places in the future).
In case, similar to some, you don't consider snacks substantial fare, one big slab of good cheese on a board and crispbreads plus artfully draped grapes always looks painterly. A serving dish featuring cured or cooked salami or salmon displayed on it (just one sort, unless money is no object), alternatively an attractive ready-made pie, similar to that pop up on deli counters during festivities, proves more substantial, while you truly can't go wrong with rustic slices of flatbread, because there's no need for additional preparation.
