I don’t have any help and I can’t do this all by myself!”
This is the cry of the reluctant hostess, overwhelmed at the prospect of entertaining and feeding any group larger than her immediate family.
The fact is, so frequently is this cry heard these days, that all manner of resources exist to help plan and execute parties.
At one extreme, some catering firms will do everything from creating an ambience to providing party favors and baby-sitting service. At another, an individual will prepare a meal and disappear before the guests appear. One firm offers matching tableware, either classic or modern, for 10 to 100 or more. Another will turn your home into the Phantom of the Opera’s lair.
However, many people–and I count myself among their number–are not content merely to be guests at their own party. They want to participate, yet practical considerations warn them not to try to fly solo. They learn to produce at least one element of the meal, a make-ahead soup or dessert, for example, that gives them pleasure and also shows off their culinary credentials.
The rest, they purchase. Buying portions of the meal is the “secret” of generations of French hostesses. That multilayered and flavorful pate, the perfect presentation of vegetables in aspic, a seasonal fruit tart that looks as though it has been lifted off a magazine cover–each of them the result of careful shopping, not cordon bleu cooking.
In this country, until recently, there were two impediments to collecting, rather than cooking, elements of a meal. One was guilt. The American homemaker felt an obligation to prepare and present the meal to her guests. No longer. A hostess need say only “I just didn’t have time” to gain instant forgiveness for not having labored over the stove preparing dinner.
The second hindrance was the limited availability of prepared foods you would feel comfortable presenting to guests. Again, this no longer is a deterrent. Specialty shops, restaurants, even supermarkets are dedicated to providing food that pleases the eye and the palate and is well-suited to company meals.
Furthermore, in this era of comfort food redux, the choice of a centerpiece to the meal need not be cutting edge. In fact, the examples we’ve chosen to display here all are classics that come embellished with a gossamer garnish of nostalgia. To underline the flexibility of this concept, the choices are a first-course terrine, a main-course pasta dish and a dessert cake.
Vegetable terrine from Cobey Foods and Catering, 1712 N. Wells St., 312-397-0090. Price: $15 a pound plus $4 for 1/2 pint of the sauce.
Cobey, who moved last year from his longtime location on East Walton Place, recommends this item for its attractive look, lightness and versatility. To construct it, he grills red bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash and portobello mushrooms. These are sliced, flavored with basil and olive oil and layered with mild goat cheese.
“You can go anywhere (in selecting a main course) to follow this dish,” he says. His standard terrine yields enough for eight servings, but he will sell slices or make special orders to size with two days’ advance notice. Plan on two tablespoons per serving of optional fresh tomato sauce with basil. Serve it lightly chilled or at room temperature.
Chicken tetrazzini from Dominick’s Chef’s Collection. Available at multiple locations; call 800-894-2100. Price: $5.78 a pound, or, in November, $31.27 for a 6-pound portion in a reheatable foil pan.
Sue Ashton-Becker, Dominick’s executive chef, points out that this popular favorite, a tribute to the hungry (I presume) opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini, is time-consuming to make. Her version follows the classic formula, covering precooked spaghetti, chunks of white meat chicken and mushrooms with a sauce made from mushroom and chicken broth and cream. A splash of sherry and a scattering of chopped red bell pepper add flavor. These ingredients are combined, then coated with a sprinkling of seasoned bread crumbs and cheese (Parmesan and Romano).
Make this mild-flavored dish your own by transferring it to a heat-proof casserole or gratin dishes and garnishing it with parsley or a more assertive fresh herb such as oregano or marjoram. Allow about 45 minutes in a pre-heated 325-degree oven to properly rewarm the tetrazzini.
Chocolate sin cake from Fresh Starts, 1040 Sterling Ave., Flossmoor, 708-957-7900. Price: $21.50 for one 9-inch cake, 12 to 14 servings.
For those who want to save the best for last at a dinner party, here’s an eye-catching cake, nearly six inches tall, that will create anticipation as soon as it is presented. Joann Lindholm, co-owner and general manager of Fresh Starts, explains that it takes architectural skill as well as culinary knowledge to construct this year-round best seller. The cake itself is egg-and-butter rich yet light genoise that sandwiches a double-thick layer of chocolate mousse and is encased with a chocolate and cream ganache frosting. Not rich enough? Then add white chocolate shavings and raspberry sauce for garnish.
