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Diddy's Tips For Hosting the Ultimate Party

partysugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:00:25 -0800

From his annual white party to his recent 40th birthday bash, Diddy is a celebrity who's known for his extravagant entertaining. Even Martha Stewart is excited to receive a coveted invitation to one of his events.

While ordinary people like you and me can only dream of attending a blowout bash hosted by Diddy, when I spoke with him last week he shared his tips for hosting a Diddy-style soiree. Find out what they are after the break.

A Conversation With Diddy

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:00:03 -0800

Rapper and mogul Diddy was in San Francisco last week promoting Cîroc, his vodka brand. I was lucky enough to sit down with the musician, and we chatted about entertaining. Not surprisingly, he consumes a lot of Cîroc and his signature drink is a Cîroc and lemonade - say it fast and it sounds like a lyric in one of his songs, "ci-rocking lemonade." To find out what the Diddy had to say, read more.

PartySugar: What’s new with Cîroc?
Diddy: The newest thing with Cîroc is our success. Our success and our appeal. The sales went up 1,000 percent and just the appeal is becoming more recognizable to the consumer.

PS: Aren't you coming out with some new flavors?
D: Yeah. In the world of Cîroc, one of the biggest differences is the flavors. Red Berry and coconut. Now most flavors, to be honest, in the vodka industry, most flavors just haven’t been done right. They taste like cough syrup. I went down with the innovation team, and I was like, whatever we do I want to make sure that this doesn’t taste like cough syrup.
And then also make something that really tastes like what it says. If it says coconut, let’s make sure it tastes like coconut. If it says red berry, let’s make sure it tastes like red berry.

PS: Do you ever cook?
D: I cook breakfast.

PS: What music do you recommend for cooking?
D: Music for cooking? Marvin Gaye’s always good for cooking.

PS: What are your guilty pleasure foods?
D: I would probably say jello. Strawberry jello.

PS: If you had to drink one type of alcohol for the rest of your life what would it be?
D: Vodka. Cîroc.

PS: Besides yourself, who are some celebrities that know how to entertain/host a good party?
D: I never seen anybody do it how I do.

PS: What was the first alcoholic drink you ever drank?
D: Peach schnapps and orange juice, before I was enabled.

PS: What do you think will be the next big thing in cocktails?
D: Jello shots.

Stay tuned for Diddy's tips for hosting the ultimate party!

Thanksgiving Tip: Calculate How Much Food You'll Need

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:42:21 -0800

For an elaborate meal like Thanksgiving, it's crucial to consider how much food you'll serve. Too little, and you'll leave guests wishing they could gobble up more; too much, and you'll wind up with Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. To make sure your food doesn't go to waste, take time to do some adequate planning. A few pointers, when you read more.

Must Read: Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:48 -0800

Much like PartySugar, I'll be paying special attention to the oft-neglected starters when I host this year's Thanksgiving meal. I've not yet determined what they'll be: should I serve soup? Dip in a bread bowl? So I am excited for a new book, Pestos, Tapenades, & Spreads ($17) by Stacey Printz, which offers up an array of spreads to serve when entertaining on the run. Were its offerings worthy of being on the Thanksgiving table? Find out when you read more.

Thanksgiving Tip: Use Food as Serveware

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:50:49 -0800

When planning a dinner as momentous as Thanksgiving, there are lots of elements to consider on top of cooking, like selecting the right menu (and bird!), detailing an oven plan, and considering your budget. But one thing I firmly believe you shouldn't have to stress about is doing the dishes.

Spare yourself - and the environment! - by using food as a serving vehicle whenever possible. Start off cocktail hour with cider poured in apple cups and homemade dip in a bread bowl. Or, if soup is part of your meal, offer it in festive roasted acorn squash. Not only is this serving method a fun surprise for guests, but it's also delicious, filling, compostable, and easy on the cleanup.

What serving tips do you have to cut down on the dishes at Thanksgiving?

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Better Than Lollipops: Crispy Rice Treats on Sticks

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:30:10 -0700

At a baby shower this year, LilSugar sent everyone home with the most clever party favors: crispy rice treats on a stick! They were the perfect parting gift at the shower, but, when adorned with color-coordinated orange sprinkles and ribbons, they'd also make a charming alternative to serve trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

This delight takes less than 10 minutes to come together on the stove top. Evenly press the mixture into a pan coated with cooking spray, and let cool for about five minutes. Cut them to uniform size, roll each into the shape of a ball, and insert sticks through the middle. Wrap treats in individual cellophane bags, and tie with a pretty ribbon.

Got any other sweet ideas for Halloween? Share them below!

Fall Pantry Favorite: Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:41 -0700

At a recent happy hour hosted by a friend, I found myself conveniently placed near a certain charismatic snack: rustic crisps studded with slivers of dried cranberries and roasted hazelnuts. Despite my attempts to save my appetite for dinner, I couldn't pull myself away from the crackers, which were just as habit-forming when eaten alone as they were with a slather of good goat cheese.

After a little research, I learned that Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps, as they're called, hail from Canada and come in a multitude of flavors, like Raisin Pecan, Fig and Olive, and Salty Date and Almond, and are sold at many Whole Foods stores. I tried several flavors, but the hazelnut, with its mild nuttiness, paired with the slightly chewy consistency of the cranberries, remains my hands-down favorite combination. I'm keeping some stocked to make a mark at impromptu gatherings this Fall.

Have you ever tried Lesley Stowe's Raincoast Crisps?

Ming's Tips For Hosting - and Enjoying! - Your Own Party

YumSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:58 -0700

Last week, I caught up with East-West cooking authority Ming Tsai. He hosted an event at Macy's to encourage home cooks to get involved in their Come Together campaign, a fundraising effort that aims to feed 10 million people suffering from hunger. The concept: host a dinner party, but in lieu of accepting gifts, ask guests to make a donation.

Chef Ming is a huge supporter of the idea. "Not every corporation's doing this, especially during these economic times," he says. In addition to dishing on his pantry essentials, he also shared tips on throwing a worry-free dinner party at your place. Want to stress less at your own soirées? Then keep reading.

Where Do You Eat Outdoors?

partysugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:30:10 -0700

Mustache Napkin Ring: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:30:50 -0700

Modern hostesses, I'm curious to know what you think of this chalkboard mustache napkin ring ($24). It couldn't be more different from the vibrant pom-poms we showed you how to make last week, but I find it laughably cute, with a contemporary hipster vibe. How do you feel about them?

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