The hibernation season is over. Bet it’s your turn to have a get-together, whether it’s a baby shower, a graduation or just a party-party. If the very thought gives you a shiver, this time it’s not spring fever. Lighten up.
It’s no wonder we’re often traumatized by the idea of inviting groups of people into our homes. In a 24-7 world of obligations, entertaining can seem like just another one. And it’s a pity, because a well-planned party should be as much fun for the host or hostess as it is for the guests. After all, you get to choose who comes and what you serve.
Planning is key, but before you get out the to-do list, consider advice from caterer Laura Ashman: “Make a plan, but keep it simple. Do as much as possible ahead of time. You don’t have to prepare 10 different things.”
Her company, A La Carte Catering, specializes in small (for a caterer) parties where the average number of guests served is 40 to 50 (don’t try that at home). Start by thinking about the occasion and the realistic limits on your space and your time. It sounds obvious, but it’s important to start with a date, a time of day, the number of people you can invite and what you can afford to spend.
Creativity can surmount many difficulties if you discover them early enough. If you don’t have one big room, set up the buffet in the study or on a covered patio and arrange seating in conversational groups throughout the house.
To throw an elegant party without busting the budget, plan an afternoon tea or an evening dessert party instead of lunch, dinner or cocktails.
Your menu depends on your kitchen too. Dana Benigno, chef, cooking teacher and owner of Chicagocooks.com, an online resource, points out that home kitchens aren’t designed to feed large numbers.
Benigno was surprised to find that it took her all day to make a simple roasted potato salad for a buffet at home because she could only do one pan at a time in her apartment oven.
“Don’t try to do it all,” Benigno urged. “Make two things and buy the rest. Do what you’re good at and what you enjoy.”
It depends, of course. Kim Shambrook of Bespoke Cuisine Catering said the first question she would ask is what time of day your party will take place.
“If it’s a cocktail party from 5:30 to 7, you’re likely to have starving people. As a rough guideline, allow five to eight appetizers per person,” Shambrook said.
A shower or graduation party at lunch or dinner hour calls for a substantial main course (especially if teens are involved). When sending out invitations, give folks an end time even if you have no intention of enforcing it, so that they know what to expect food-wise.
For a meal-time party, plan on three or four pieces of finger food and at least one or two servings of a main course per person. It’s OK to let the Jewish (or Lithuanian, or Greek) mother in you overdo it a little. Leftovers are better than hungry guests. Make it easy on all concerned by banishing any food that requires a knife or that is drippy, squirty or unusually odiferous. Unless you want an excuse to repeatedly disappear into the kitchen to take things out of the oven, it’s best to serve food that will taste good at room temperature.
If you are entertaining family or close friends, you’ll know their dietary quirks. It’s impossible to please everyone and exhausting to try. The best solution is to offer a variety of foods on a buffet, including salad, protein and vegetables and let people choose for themselves. You should always have at least two items that are vegetarian-friendly. A party is not the time to trot out veal, rabbit or foie gras unless you’re trying to spark heated political debate.
Balance, color and variety are important, but it’s also wise to have one centerpiece dish on a buffet table. “Too many smaller things can look messy,” Ashman said. She also advised that one of the hardest things is knowing when to stop. “Do what you planned. Don’t keep adding dishes you don’t need at the last minute.”
Spring produce is a natural for brightening a buffet table. Baby carrots, beets or multicolored radishes with their tops still attached served with a dipping sauce are simple and colorful. Asparagus is nature’s favorite finger food. And is there an easier dessert than a lush bowl of fresh berries and softly whipped cream?
“The more ‘foo-foo’ you get, the more stressful it is,” counseled Barbara Tyksinski of All On the Road Catering in Park Ridge. Consider using a caterer or a restaurant to help you fill in the blanks on your buffet table even if you’re doing most of the cooking yourself. Most caterers have a “drop and go” service that will bring beautifully styled food to your home the day of the party. Many even have a retail outlet where you can buy party-ready main courses, sides or desserts.
Remember rumaki?
There are fashions in party food like everything else. When you’re entertaining at home your personal style and comfort zone are more important than trends. Unless it really is you, save the tuna tartare for the sushi bar. Sally Quinn, the Washington hostess, sums it up in her book, “The Party: A Guide to Adventurous Entertaining”:
“I don’t want a designer meal when I go to somebody’s house. I’ll get that in a restaurant. I want to feel warm and cozy and loved when I go out, and I want my guest to feel the same way. I do not want to eat Burmese crayfish with kiwi and quinoa in a raspberry-balsamic dressing with sun-dried tomatoes when I go to a friend’s house for dinner. Or ever for that matter.”
Quinn also tells a story about the time the caterer didn’t show at the last minute and she sent out for Popeye’s Fried Chicken in desperation. Everyone loved it, of course, and several people called the next day asking for the name of her caterer. (Quinn moves in different circles than most. Everyone would know it was Popeye’s at my house!) The lesson: Relax and serve good food beautifully presented.
It’s easy to upgrade. Yes, chips and dips are hopelessly humble–and everybody loves them. So make taro, plantain or lotus root chips for an exotic crunch. Instead of onion dip, try tapenade, roasted red pepper dip or hummus. You can buy them at many supermarkets; you might want to do a preliminary taste test to find the brands you like.
Chicago’s ethnic markets are a treasure house of wild and wonderful snacks. A great dip/spread is the Balkan pepper and eggplant concoction called ajvar, available at ethnic markets such as Devon Market, 1440 W. Devon Ave., Ted’s Fruit Market, 2840 W. Devon Ave., or Lincolnwood Produce, 7175 N. Lincoln Ave,. Lincolnwood.
Think outside of the cracker box. You can use thinly sliced zucchini or cucumber as a base for canapes and they won’t get soggy as quickly as bread will. Won-ton wrappers turn into delicate dippers when deep-fried or baked. A box of frozen puffed pastry easily morphs into cheese sticks or a classy wrapper for baked Brie. And if you love rumaki, go for it. The chicken liver-bacon tidbit could be a big hit with the Atkins crowd.
Carole Smoler of Chicago is a professional foodstylist, so she lives by the truism that we eat first with our eyes. She also throws a lot of parties and has some ironclad rules. Everything must be prepared in advance, but to keep the food fresh looking and colorful she lines plates with greens and herbs and adds last-minute touches like fresh sprouts on a salad. Although she loves to cook, Smoler also believes “if you can buy something as good as you can make it, buy it.”
Smoler pushes a long table up against the wall for the buffet and uses the catering trick of varying the height of platters by propping some of them on top of a book or a bowl covered with tablecloth or napkin. She hates to pay big bucks for fresh flowers that wilt, so she borrows potted flowers from her garden to decorate the table.
Before you run out to buy new serving platters or chafing dishes, go through your entire house with a creative eye. Wendy Pashman, owner of The Entertaining Co., suggests moving beyond the obvious things in the dining room. For example, mirrors or picture frames can become trays.
“It can be as easy as using an extra slate tile from the garden, covered with a leaf, to present hors d’oeuvres,” Pashman said.
Benigno buys cheap baskets and lines them with plastic and then unbleached parchment to turn them into serving pieces. She also suggests buying one bouquet and spreading it around with single blooms gracing serving trays or tucked into tiny vases. Even the tackiest plastic tray is beautiful when it’s covered with a layer of dried beans, chopped red pepper pieces or coarse sea salt. Shambrook cautioned that garnishes must be edible because someone invariably eats it.
Help! When and how to get it
Don’t think of getting help as an all-or-nothing proposition. Caterers can provide one dish for a buffet or take care of an entire party including planning, china and servers. There are many options and in-betweens. Even if you want to do all the planning and cooking yourself, consider hiring someone to help on the day of the do to replenish the buffet, remove empty plates and help you clean up. In addition to letting you spend more time with your guests, hired help sends a message to friends that they can relax and not have to help you themselves. If you’ve ever had to drag a zealous pal away from the kitchen sink when you wanted to keep partying you know this can be invaluable.
For staffing, ask a local caterer for recommendations. There also are services that provide help. (Check partypop.com or chicagofun.com for some company names.) You can and should ask for references. According to Benigno, who uses such services frequently, costs are about $18-$20 an hour with a five-hour minimum.
Meticulous planning, delicious food and a breathtaking buffet aren’t enough to make a great party, of course. It takes people having a good time. And the best way to encourage that is to have one yourself.
Easy upgrades for party foods
Make your own veggie chips. Thinly slice sweet potato, green plantain, beets or taro. Fry in at least 2 inches of vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees in a deep pot. Do the beets last because they make the oil red. Lotus root, which is available at most Asian grocers, also makes beautiful, lacy chips.
Even easier: Purchase vegetable chips. Or visit a Latin American market to pick up plantain chips or an Asian store for shrimp chips.
Do a different dip. Mahamorrah is an exotic-sounding Middle Eastern dip that is delicious. Chop 1 1/2 cups of walnuts in a food processor. Add a jar (about 12 ounces) of drained, roasted red peppers with garlic. Process to a coarse paste. Add 3 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate (available at Middle Eastern grocers; or cook down pomegranate juice until thick), 1/4 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper. Pour in about 1/4 cup olive oil while pulsing until smooth.
Even easier: Buy pre-made hummus, tapenade or other dips from Middle Eastern markets. Serve with vegetable dippers or pita bread.
Think vertical. Make Caprese salad into finger food: Arrange small balls of fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and grape tomatoes on bamboo skewers. Use different colors of tomato and basil if they’re available. Serve balsamic vinaigrette as a dipping sauce. You can also skewer melon balls wrapped in prosciutto or make mini kababs of sausage interspersed with baby vegetables.
Even easier: Make bouquets of asparagus, carrot or celery sticks in pretty drinking glasses.
Cheat a little. Add last-minute touches to a bag of salad. Fresh herbs, shredded carrots or sprouts add flavor and color. A sprinkling of edible flowers is even more fun. If you don’t use chemicals in your garden, pick some violets, pansies or nasturtium for your salad. (Be careful! Not all flowers are edible and some are poisonous.)
Even easier: Dress up an ordinary crudites platter by adding a few exotic or baby vegetables, like tiny pattypan squash, blanched snap peas or French green beans.
–M.P.
Don’t want to do it all by yourself?
Tips on choosing a caterer:
1. Get a recommendation from someone whose party you enjoyed.
2. Try to stay local. While most caterers will travel throughout city and suburbs there is usually an additional charge for mileage.
3. Match the caterer to the job. Most specialize in something: weddings, home-style cooking, theme parties, small parties.
4. Check with your local chamber of commerce, which may have a list of caterers. You also can check with local venues or groups that often have parties, such as churches, museums, art galleries and community organizations. Most have an “approved caterers list” that they are happy to share.
5. Call a few caterers and ask how they would handle your situation. One conversation will often tell you whether you would be comfortable working with them. Don’t hesitate to ask for references and even food samples.
6. Do you have a favorite local (and, even better, low-cost) restaurant? Many have catering menus, or can prepare trays for large numbers for pickup.
–M.P.
Catering, tabletop and information sources
Here are the caterers we talked to. Contact them for more information.
Bespoke Cuisine, 1358 W. Randolph St., 312-455-8400, www.bespokecuisine.com
All On the Road Catering, 114 Main St., Park Ridge, 847-518-8958, allontheroad.com
A La Carte Catering, 111 Green Bay Rd., Wilmette, 847-256-4102, www.alacarteinc.com
The Entertaining Company, 1640 W. Walnut St., 312-829-2800, www.entertainingcompany.com
There also are Web sites that will take the information about your party and contact multiple local caterers who will then get back to you with a quote.
www.localcatering.com
www.directcatering.com
–Marilyn Pocius
Ham and olive crostini
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 24 pieces
Adapted from “A La Carte.”
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons each: chopped fresh basil, chives, parsley
Freshly ground pepper
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered, about 2 cups
18 kalamata olives, pitted, chopped
10 green olives, chopped
1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch slices, about 24
6 thin slices deli ham, quartered
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1. Combine butter, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and pepper to taste in a food processor until smooth; set aside all but 1 tablespoon. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter-herb mixture in medium skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in olives.
2. Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Spread remaining herb butter on one side of each bread slice; grill buttered side down, 1 minute. Turn; grill until golden and crispy, about 1 minute. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Top each bread slice with a piece of ham; divide mushroom mixture among slices. Top each slice with cheese. Bake until cheese melts, about 8 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
156 calories, 48% of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 16 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 323 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Coconut shrimp skewers
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes per batch
Yield: 36 pieces
This dish, adapted from Laura Ashman, A La Carte Catering, is delicious warm or cold with curried mayonnaise, sweet-and-sour sauce or spicy mustard.
Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
3/4 cup light beer or carbonated water
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon each: baking soda, ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
36 large shrimp, tail-on, shelled, deveined
1. Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 365 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together beer, flour, egg, baking soda, red pepper and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Place coconut on plate or in pie tin.
2. Place 3 shrimp in the batter, tossing to coat well. Transfer shrimp to coconut, tossing to coat gently; shake off excess.
3. Drop shrimp carefully in the oil, 3 at a time; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove from oil; drain shrimp on paper towels. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Place shrimp on wooden skewers to serve, if you like.
Nutrition information per piece:
50 calories, 62% of calories from fat, 3.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 17 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 87 mg sodium, .3 g fiber
Balsamic-roasted asparagus
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Adapted from a recipe by Kim Shambrook of Bespoke Cuisine.
1 large bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 piece (3 ounces) Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss asparagus with olive oil in a large, shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast asparagus, turning once, until tender-crisp and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar; toss to coat.
2. Transfer asparagus to platter. Shave thin Parmesan curls on top of asparagus with a vegetable peeler or cheese grater.
Nutrition information per serving:
178 calories, 64% of calories from fat, 13 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 6 g carbohydrates, 10 g protein, 631 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Teriyaki pork tenderloin with spring vegetables
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 15 buffet servings
Adapted from chef Doug Green of All On the Road Catering.
1 1/2 cups teriyaki baste and glaze
1/2 cup each: honey, Asian sesame oil
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup each: soy sauce, rice vinegar
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs cilantro, chopped, plus more for sprinkling
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
3 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
10 ounces pea pods, julienned
3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, julienned, optional
2 each, julienned: zucchini, yellow squash
1 each, julienned: carrot, red onion, red bell pepper
1. Combine teriyaki glaze, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, 4 sprigs chopped cilantro, ginger and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Place pork tenderloin in a food storage bag. Pour half of the marinade over pork; seal. Place julienned vegetables and mushrooms in a separate storage bag; add remaining marinade, seal. Refrigerate pork and vegetables 2 hours.
2. Prepare a grill or grill pan. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade. Grill pork, turning often, until instant-read thermometer reads 150 degrees, about 20 minutes; set aside to rest.
3. Meanwhile, drain julienned vegetables, reserving marinade. Heat wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir-fry vegetables until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Slice pork into medallions; arrange on a platter, arrange vegetables around pork. Drizzle some of the reserved vegetable marinade over pork; sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro.
Nutrition information per serving:
235 calories, 37% of calories from fat, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein, 1,135 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Flank steak rolls with Swiss chard
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Yield: 18 servings
Adapted from “The Buffet Book,” by Carole Peck with Carolyn Hart Bryant. Should you wish to plan ahead, the meat can be pounded and wrapped in plastic, and the filling made separately up to two days ahead. The rolls can be assembled and wrapped in foil up to 24 hours before grilling or roasting.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 bunches green onions, white parts finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, chopped, optional
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
36 Swiss chard or large spinach leaves, stems removed, coarsely shredded
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 flank steaks, about 2 pounds each, fat removed, pounded to 1-inch thickness
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
3/4 cup finely grated aged goat cheese or Parmesan cheese
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat; add the onions. Cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, if using; cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 2 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, leaving the liquid in the skillet.
2. Add the Swiss chard to the skillet; cook over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add to onion mixture; toss. Cool.
3. Spread the mustard on top of steaks; sprinkle with thyme. Squeeze the Swiss chard mixture with your hands to eliminate excess liquid; spread greens over each steak, leaving a border of about 11/2 inches on all sides. Sprinkle the cheese over the Swiss chard. Roll up from the short end of the meat like a jellyroll.
4. Place the meat in the middle of a 20-inch section of heavy aluminum foil; bring the edges of the foil together over the top, like a tent. Crimp the foil down until the meat is completely enclosed in a tight packet. Tuck the ends in.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roast meat rolls until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meat portion reads 135 degrees for rare, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside to rest 30 minutes. Unwrap and slice.
Nutrition information per serving:
206 calories, 38% of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 442 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
