Dinner parties - not anymore

hilstep2000

We have two couples that we entertain regularly. We all go to each others' houses. One lot bring Starter, the next Main course and the last Dessert. We swop around each time, although everyone prefers it when I do Dessert! Doesn't cost a lot and we get a real variety!

VJsmum

hilstep2000 wrote: »

We have two couples that we entertain regularly. We all go to each others' houses. One lot bring Starter, the next Main course and the last Dessert. We swop around each time, although everyone prefers it when I do Dessert! Doesn't cost a lot and we get a real variety!

We used to do that in our old house. 4 of us couples had a starter in one house, the main in the next, pudding in another and wind up for cheese, coffee etc in the last. By god were we stuffed - and drunk! Great fun tho.

Archer0710

I always remember my Mum stressed out over having a particular set of friends over and dreading going there in return.

In contrast my colleague always had blue stripe dinner parties and the total budget was £5.00 and they had a great evening. It was more about the ingenuity of the chef than the snob factor of the food.

Me......well I don't do dinner parties!

MaggieBaking

My Dad always threw elaborate and expensive dinner parties. Seafood, chinese dishes that take hours to prepare, you name it.

In the end he admitted he was having to out-do himself every time and it was getting silly. Now they're all in agreement to a chinese take-away, or bacon butties and chips.

I'm still in the loving dinner party stages - I just make sure I don't do anything that needs a lot of last minute preparations.

babyshoes

The first time we have new friends round, we like to do something big and impressive (only have small flat though, so seldom have more than 2 guests at once).

With old friends/family it tends to be a big batch of something we would cook normally anyway (since my partner and I both cook fairly well the food tends to be acceptable for entertaining) - roast is good as you just shove it all in the oven before they arrive, as well as something in a sauce like bolognese or stew/casserole type dishes that you can make in advance.

We then do something easy for dessert like bought ice cream, stewed fruit (made earlier) and yoghurt, or a crumble made earlier and frozen. What makes the evening great is the company and wine.