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Menu Planning 101, Part 5

partysugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 03:11:56 -0700

Congratulations! You've decided to host your first dinner party. Don't feel overwhelmed, you can do it if you read through my helpful five-step menu planning crash course. Planning ahead of time is key, so make that grocery list days before your scheduled event. Keep the dishes simple and steer clear from complex, multi-stepped meals. Choose beautiful colors and place importance on presentation. For the last of my helpful menu planning hints, read more

It’s always better to have leftovers (you can enjoy them for lunch the next day) than to be faced with FHB-ing (family holding back) because your guests have bigger appetites than you anticipated. On the other hand, you don’t want to grossly overestimate your required quantities either, since no matter how tasty your dishes may be, you don’t want to be eating them twice a day for the next week.
Picking a theme will help you narrow down your choices of potential dishes. Feeling Japanese? Start with a miso soup, then move on to either sushi or tempura, serve a seaweed salad as accompaniment, finish with red bean ice cream. In the mood for Italian? Open with antipasti and a fresh-baked Ciabatta loaf, feature a pasta and pair it with a meat/seafood entrée, follow all of that with a salad tossed in oil and vinegar, and end the meal with espresso and biscotti. Choosing a theme helps the menu fall easily into place.

Consider your kitchen space and equipment. Have you got enough cooking pans, and of the right size? Do you have enough china, serving dishes/platters, cutlery and glassware without having to wash up between courses? Is your dining table big enough to hold all of your dishes, place settings, and guests? Consider your time availability and flexibility.
Finally, stay within your comfort zone. Don't attempt any dish that you are not confident with. Remember it is a party and parties are meant to be fun, so don't get too stressed out and disgruntled. If your steak is a little too well done or the sauce doesn't quite thicken, don't let it spoil your night. These are minor details that will only ruin a party if you let them.

Menu Planning 101, Part 4

partysugar — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:57:11 -0800

This week I'm all about planning the perfect menu. Surprisingly it's not hard to do if you keep in mind a few helpful tips. Presentation is essential; as we eat with our eyes first, so pay attention to the color of the ingredients in your dishes. Don't over use an ingredient or stick to one cooking technique; variety of tastes and textures will only enhance the taste experience. If you are interested in learning more valuable pointers, read more

Where a recipe calls for a specialty gourmet food ingredient, which isn't available in your area, try shopping online. There are many excellent online gourmet food stores who will deliver right to your door. For the very best, try Dean & Deluca in New York, or Fortnum & Mason in London. Buying just one or two small luxury items from stores like this will add a real touch of elegance to your dinner party menu. If you cannot locate a specific ingredient, make a different dish.

Stay away from main course recipes that call for last minute complex, or time consuming preparations (example: risotto). The trick is to have as much of the menu prepared as possible, with only the finishing to do at the last minute. This puts less pressure on your time when you want to be with your guests. Wash, peel and chop up ingredients ahead of time; if the sauce allows, prepare it in advance. Blanche slower-cooking veggies such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc. – you’ll just need to sauté them for a minute or two in the final sauce to reheat.
Always check with your guests before the party to find out if any of them have specific dietary requirements that must be included in the dinner party menu. For example, Finding out that someone is vegetarian, is not allowed to eat pork, or can't abide fish on the night of your dinner will only cause you unnecessary stress!

Menu Planning 101, Part 3

partysugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:51:42 -0800

I've planned a lot of menus in my day and get tons of emails from readers and friends asking me to help them plan a menu for a specific occasion. I can throw a menu together in no time flat, and so can you if you take a look at my helpful tips and pointers. All week I am giving you a few more pieces to the puzzle. I see an empty dinner plate as an artist would look at a blank canvas. It's important to think of every aspect of the dishes from the texture, color, and aroma to the techniques of cooking that you use and the variety of ingredients. For today's menu planning tips, read more

Use ingredients that are in season. A rich meaty casserole in the heat of summer, or a spring vegetable consommé in the dead of winter will not impress your guests!
Use ingredients that are local. In last week's Time magazine, the cover story was about how eating locally could be better than eating organic.
Try to use fresh, natural produce wherever possible. You just can't compare the flavor of a freshly roasted free-range chicken with that of a frozen or pre-packed bird off the supermarket shelf.

Menu Planning 101, Part 2

partysugar — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 03:18:48 -0800

On Monday I gave you a few of my menu planning tips and today I'm going to fill you in on some more of my successful secrets to planning the perfect dinner party. Don't feel overwhelmed if you are hosting a dinner any time soon, read through my advice, take a deep breath, and start planning. If you missed Monday's post, read the suggestions and check out today's tips - just read more

Choose lighter dishes at the beginning of the menu, saving the heavier and more substantial dishes for the main course. A rich dessert to finish off the dinner party is fine as long as you serve a small portion. Don't serve a strongly flavored first course followed by a lightly flavored main course. If you do, the delicate flavors of the main dish will be totally lost.
Avoid over using any single ingredient. Cheese for example is perfect in any course, but over-kill if it turns up in every course. Contrastingly, be sure the same flavors run throughout your menu. If your meat dish is stuffed with sage and rosemary don't serve a salad heavy in cilantro as the flavors will not meld correctly.

Choose a dinner menu that allows you to incorporate a number of different cooking methods: raw, casseroled, baked, poached, roasted, chilled, steamed, fried, grilled.

More tips to come, so click on back mañana.

Menu Planning 101, Part I

partysugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:01:17 -0800

Ok, so you've decided to host a dinner party. You open up your cookbooks when panic strikes. What on earth are you going to make at this dinner? What will the menu for the dinner consist of? Whether you've hosted a million dinner parties, or are thinking about hosting your first, menu planning can be a scary and worrisome task. Courses, themes, special dietary needs, wine pairings... there are so many aspects of choosing a menu it's important to take the appropriate amount of time to plan your meal. Don't wait until the night before your scheduled event to wander aimlessly through the supermarket wondering what you should make. Even if you are hosting a last minute impromptu dinner, you should take a quick 5 minutes to organize your meal. It may sound crazy, but I actually enjoy menu planning. You could too, if you keep a few pointers in mind. I'll be giving you a few menu planning tips all week so pay attention! For today's helpful hints on menu planning, read more

Think about all the different colors of foods. Colorful meals are more appealing. Likewise pay attention to how food looks on the plate. It should look good, delicious and attractive.
Consider the texture of each dish. Include foods that are crunchy, chewy, and velvety. Combine these different colors, textures and flavors. Smooth followed by chunky, sweet complemented by sour, or fish followed by meat will add dimension to the meal.
Don't forget the aroma of each food. Prepare foods that smell good. Baking bread, cooking with spices such as cinnamon, and sautéing onions are examples of aromas that will stimulate appetites.

Come back tomorrow for more of my menu planning strategies!

What's Yummy This Week

YumSugar — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:24:53 -0700

We kicked off wedding season at the Sugar Network. First thing up is an engagement party plan. And speaking of weddings, don't miss out on our five part wedding registry guideline.
Passover begins this Monday, we've got some menu ideas and decorating tips to help you out.
Did you know that Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal were on Molto Mario?
Everyone's "favorite" sleazeball, Joe Francis of Girls Gone Wild, releases his plans to open Girls Gone Wild themed restaurants. Don't worry they're going to be "sexy but not sexual."
To help you out with all your home and centerpiece decor, we started a new series called Flowers 101. First up: Daffodils.

Easter's around the corner, so we have to ask, what do you think about Peeps? Do they remind you of Will Ferrell?!?
Speaking of Easter, everyone's been talking about the anatomically correct chocolate Jesus that was going to be part of an art exhibit.
This week I impress myself with my very own recipe for Goatbread Cookies (shortbread cookies made with goat butter).
And finally, be sure to join the Savory Sights Group and post your great food photos! We'll be giving away a little treat to our favorite image each month!