all about Wine

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

The Sucessful Dinner Party

by: Kim LaBarbera

Easy Party "Fix - its"
What isn't right with this picture?
I used to serve delicious dinners with wonderful desserts; (yes, I had checked around and, they were wonderful.) However, I knew, that there was something missing. After I began working in Food Service, I had learned that it's the little things, that complete the big picture.

It's not so hard
For instance, the use of doilies placed on a dessert plate when serving a fine piece of cake. How about light colored napkins, plain, or with a gentle pattern? Did you know that people, generally feel that colored napkins, are more relaxing than white napkins? Especially pastel colors.

Wow, it is painless!
Here are some simple suggestions;
Chill your glasses about one half hour before your guests arrive.
You may want to use a carafe instead of a plain pitcher. There is less chance of spillage and, it takes up less room on the table. Speaking of spillage, wrap a napkin neatly around your wine bottle, covering the neck, so that it will catch the over pour.

Some quick appetizer ideas!
Did you know that a combination of finely chopped: garlic, fresh parsley, and mushrooms mixed with bread crumbs, butter,
and romano cheese, can quickly be stuffed into stemless mushrooms and baked at a low temperature until golden brown?
Okay, it's in the form of a (run on) sentence, but I am trying to prove a point...
How about some soft spread cream cheese with fresh lox, beaten for about a minute?
Serve it with bread sticks, or water crackers. It is usually better for a lunch buffet, but it will work in a pinch.
If it is important that you make a good impression, plan for "surprise" problems, otherwise, problems will pop up. I am a firm believer in Murphy's Law.

These are simple adjustments, but many people I have spoken with, complain that entertaining can cost alot of money. Well, I say no. Start out small and simple. What I mean is, invite people that you feel very comfortable with, i.e., people that you don't have to impress, and wont be talking to the others about your dinner, at the water cooler.

The small and simple of it.. When you replace dinnerware, do it one section at a time. Big hint! Change your wine glasses first, then replace your water and soda glasses. Wine glasses come first, because people generally feel that wine is more important than water and soda, because it is more expensive. Remember, people see your glasses first, when approaching the dinner table. They will feel confident in the meal that you prepare when they see sparkling new glasses.

For the long run
When you can further update you dinnerware, change your eating utensils. These step by step changes do not have to be expensive, they can be the price of your regular dishware. The secret is not to use them every day. You will always have that that clean, finished look, right on hand. To add a professional appearance to your dinner table, spruce up the place settings and server ware. Salad bowls that are made of new wood, (crystal is always preferred) make your guests feel important, because you put alot of thought into the salad. Sparkling clean serving trays, make a big difference. Don't forget that you can dress anything up, by lining it with a cloth napkin.

Place mats made of a wicker or cloth material are very nice. Don't forget coasters, if you decide not to use a light colored table cloth (dark colored table cloths really only work in Italian restaurants).

As for a center piece, fresh cut flowers in a nicely decorated vase, are always good. However, the vase has to be taken out of the room when it is time to serve the meal, because the fragrance will distract the palate.

This is very important to remember: When serving food, do not choose quality over quantity. There is nothing worse than trying to impress someone and just when you've pulled it off, you run out of food. Don't get me wrong, make sure the food is impressive enough and has quality taste, but also make sure there is enough of it. Your guests may try to comfort you and say that it's alright, if you run out of food, but it's not,
i.e. make your guests want to come back.

About the author:
Article written by Kim LaBarbera
She has worked in the food service
industry for twenty years, including Craft Service. Her selection of desserts and coffee can be found at:

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

How to Store Wine

Guide To Buying Wine Glasses

One Chef, or a Bevy of Chefs?

Culinary Traditions Of France

How Wine is Made

Cantonese Regional Cuisine

The Art Of Coffee Roasting

Merlot: A Quick Guide

HOW TO LAY DINNERWARE

Kitchen Pantry - A Cook's Secret Weapon

Coffee: Is It Getting Too Complicated?

8 Important Facts About the Mediterranean Diet

What puts the sparkle in sparkling wine?

Experience The Joy Of Eating At A Restaurant

Satisfy Your Wine Desires - Join a Wine Club

Tools For Your Gourmet Kitchen

A guide to gourmet coffee

THREE RULES FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT DINNER WINE

How to Begin Wine Collecting

Are you in search of the best sourced help pert...

Raise A Glass To The Best Wine Of The Month Gifts!

History of the Coffee and Espresso machines

Gift of the month clubs: The lazy man's guide t...

Italian Cuisine: In The Heart Of Tuscany

Regional Cuisine � New England Clam Chowder

Champagne Wine

American Fast Food Restaurants

What Should You Serve If Some Of Your Dinner Pa...

What wine really is (just in case you thought y...

Is Acai the world's most powerful superfood?

Foods To Avoid That Cause Bad Breath

More Article Pages 1 - 2

Choosing Wine on a First Date
by: Neil Best

First dates are nerve wracking enough without having to worry about what wine to choose to impress your new friend!

One of the great things about wine on a date is that one bottle is a defined amount, normally about five glasses. If shared equally it is unlikely that you will fall off your chair drunk after half a bottle of wine!

However, there are some other social sins that can be committed whilst choosing wine on a date.

Getting Started

First, you need to decide whether you want white, red, ros� or sparkling wine. This is perhaps the most important decision. As a general rule, red wine is more of an acquired taste and it can be harder to select a good red. Therefore, when you do not know your companion's tastes it may be wise to steer clear of the red wine section.

Sparkling wine can make you appear a little pretentious or if you go for a cheaper version, a tightwad; so this is usually best avoided. If you are not sure whether your companion likes wine at all, ros� wine is often a safe option as it often lacks the sharpness that people commonly dislike in wines.

How Much to Spend?

Remember more money doesn't always mean more quality. If you are very new to wine, go for a house white. A house white is unlikely to be extremely imaginative or unusual, but is almost always perfectly drinkable. For this reason it is a safe, middle of the road option.

If you want to impress, look for something other than the house white. Keep away from extremes until you know your companion a little better, so don't go for bone dry whites. Instead, opt for a fruity dry wine that appeals to those who like both dry and medium whites.

Whilst neutral wines may seem like a bit of a cop-out, bear in mind that you simply want a drinkable wine that does not offend.

If you are really not sure what to choose, why not offer your companion a choice of glasses as an aperitif while you have a beer or spirit. This way you can judge your companion's taste. Even if they select a spirit, you can still get a measure of whether they prefer sweet or dry wines.

Of course, you could always give your companion the choice�

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor