Show #459 Airing Sunday 12/21/08
The holiday world is divided. There are naturally gifted party givers and then there’s the rest of us whose only culinary gift is the one we bring the hostess. If the idea of throwing a party makes you want to throw in the towel, don’t despair. Our guest’s party strategy is to make you feel right at home in your own kitchen. Kate Adams is the owner of “Spice of Life Caterers and Event Planning.”
Question: When we party-phobes plan a gathering, what do you think is the biggest mistake we make?
Answer: They make it too complicated! And that makes them stressed! Really, the food can be simple comfort food that you just dress up. And many dishes – including the ones I brought today – can be made in advance so you can relax and enjoy your guests.
Question: This is quite a variety! And it looks good enough to eat!
Answer: That’s tip number one – presentation. For example, invest in a serving tier. It makes a big difference in the way your food looks as it is served.
Question: Nowadays, many people have dietary needs — or personal dietary choices, like being a vegetarian. As the host, should you try to accommodate all of those needs?
Answer: That’s another tip – serve something for everyone. Today, I have hors d’oeuvres that cater to vegetarians, meat lovers, seafood lovers as well as those who are watching their weight, but each one is simple to prepare.
Question: So, what do you have here? Tell us about these dishes.
Answer: The first dish is brie en croute with chopped pears and warmed caramel. While it sounds fancy, it’s really easy. It’s brie wrapped to look like a pie with canned pears and melted caramel sauce.
Question: The next hors d'oeuvre is some kind of kabob.
Answer: It is spicy honey shrimp kabobs. This is an alternative to dipping shrimp in cocktail sauce. It looks great – very fun; it’s delicious – and it gives the hostess peace of mind that her guests aren’t dripping red cocktail sauce on her floor!
Question: This next treat is call brushetta.
Answer: That’s right – it’s brushetta with roma tomatoes and chevre – which is goat cheese. Here’s a tip for brushetta – instead of dicing the tomatoes, slice the tomatoes. Then use the chevre – the goat cheese – as a sort of “glue” to keep it in place. That way, when you bite into it, you won’t have lots of little pieces of tomato falling all over.
Question: And next, is this a mini fruit salad?
Answer: Actually, it’s fruit salsa – a healthy choice for your guests. And with this, I’ve pre-portioned it – crackers included - so guests can take it with them easily – and there’s no chance of double dipping. You can do the same thing with any kind of dip.
Question: And finally, something for the meat lover!
Answer: This is called “Moroccan Cigars” or Maftouil. This just a bit more involved that the other dishes. We’ve used a pastry dough to wrap the meat. You can think of it as gourmet comfort food.
Kate has “Kate-ered” to our culinary needs by posting today’s recipes on our website. The information about Spice of Life Caterers and Event Planning is up next. So, make a fun party – and don’t forget to invite me!
