Dinner party at Home or Restaurant if you are a visitor

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  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
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    Wow! You guys are great!!!

    After hearing all this feedback, I think for the one night we are all together, we will stay in.

    On the nights when the visitors don't overlap (I have one night alone with some guests and one night alone with the others), I will take them to to a comfortable restaurant. This will probably be helpful on those nights because all of my guests are a little frugal, and they won't feel overwhelmed about the check as larger dinner parties (at least in my experience) get out of control with the wine and food. Although I expect to pick up the check because they are my guests, I don't like expecting people to pay just in case they can't.

    Now for the menu!! I like to cook, but as many of you said, don't want to be in the kitchen all night. Let me know your thoughts so far on this as I am still thinking it through

    So far I am thinking the following:

    First
    1. drinks
    2. crackers
    3. olives
    4. nuts

    Second
    1. Wine
    2. Homemade country pate
    3. Charcuterie plate with various meats and gherkins
    4. Bread from the local french bakery
    5. Cheeses (all my guests like cheese before the meal instead of after)

    Third (I think the salad before our meal is better for my guests instead of after)
    • More wine
    • Endive, pear and walnut salad with a light vinegrette

    Fourth - Plat Principal
    This is where I am struggling a bit. I would have like to have done a braised dish because I can do it the day before, but I don't want it too heavy. I also don't want to be in the kitchen making fish. That's why I was thinking a lighter version of a coq au vin. I could do a quiche or an onion and leek tart here instead, but I don't want people hungry.

    What do you guys think about this course?

    Fifth
    • More wine
    • Cheeses
    • Ganache and rasberry tart from the local french bakery
    • Espresso, coffee, etc
    • Fresh fruit

    Is that enough food? I assume throughout we will be chatting and once the wine kicks in, start on silly games like celebrity or something.

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,607 Member
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    That’s plenty of food. I am aware of the frugality of the Dutch being married to one. They will want to pay their own way in restaurants and probably your share too after the party.

    Smart to rely on a lot of store bought stuff like cheese and charcuterie. Salad sounds fiddly to me though. Will you prepare individual plates in the kitchen or serve from a large tossed bowl at the table? Raw pears peeled and cut in advance can look a little sad, even if sprinkled with lemon juice. I would either cook hard pears in a compote a day ahead or replace with halved seedless grapes which can sit around for hours.

    I vote for a quiche or savoury tart for main. No need to provide a starchy side which introduces logistical problems.

    If you want to introduce another easy show off element serve warm homemade biscuits with the nuts and olives. Just use Bisquick, prepare trays in advance and pop into the oven as guests arrive. How many will you be?

    If your guests insist on bringing things besides flowers or wine you could ask for the olives, nuts and bakery desserts.

    Don’t underestimate time away from the table just getting things onto serving platters. Don’t be shy about dragging a guest or two into the kitchen with you for company if your kitchen/dining is not open plan. This will encourage people to get up between courses and mingle.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,607 Member
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    If you want to show off your cooking skills you could do homemade pickles with your cheese and charcuterie course. Slice cucumbers, radishes and carrots separately in the food processor. Google homemade pickle recipes for brines (water, vinegar, sugar and salt). Use different brines for different veg. Add cumin to carrots, chilli to radish and make the cucumber a little sweeter than the others. Can be done several days in advance though the pickles get stronger the longer they sit in brine so you might want to pick a watered down brine.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
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    Sounds like enough to feed an army. Are you expecting an army? Lol.
    I vote for the coq as vin, just because all other courses include crackers, bread, crust. Make this course a little different.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,607 Member
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    corinasue1143 wrote: »
    Sounds like enough to feed an army. Are you expecting an army? Lol.
    I vote for the coq as vin, just because all other courses include crackers, bread, crust. Make this course a little different.

    I do agree that if your main is a quiche, dinner does turn into an elaborate picnic menu.

    I use your trick charcuterie, olives and cheese for stretching a no stress dinner party a lot, though my go to mains are a few Spanish tapas standards. Tortilla can be made in the morning and served at room temperature, as well as Portuguese marinated carrots. The dishes which require last minute attention are pimientos padron and gambas ajillo but both only involve a quick fry in a large wok. And if you do the padron peppers first you don’t even need to clean the wok before doing the prawns. I don’t serve in any particular order but like to get the dishes which require actual cooking out of the way early, so as not to interfere with wine consumption.
  • Horsekeeper
    Horsekeeper Posts: 21 Member
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    I've made Coq au vin - it's straightforward (though a little time consuming) and you can definitely make it a day ahead, then finish it in the oven. Hosting people at your home seems like a lovely idea.
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
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    After going to the market, I have decided on the following menu:


    Charcuterie
    Crostini & assorted crackers
    Gherkins
    Olives
    Cherry tomatoes
    Pate
    Mimolette, gouda, brie
    Proscuitto, peppered sausage, summer venison sausage


    Salad
    Mixed greens with blue cheese & pear with a french vinagrette


    Main
    Coq au vin blanc with spring vegetables
    New roasted potatoes with thyme and parsley
    French bread


    Dessert
    Fresh fruit
    Chocolate rasberry tart
    Coffee/espresso


    I have gotten pretty lucky as it is going to be very chilly here, so I am going with the coq au vin because I can make it the day ahead. That will be the only thing I actually spend any time on, so hopefully I will be good.

    I'm excited, wish me luck!!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited April 2018
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    If you are making it the day before I would definitely stick with an all dark meat chicken version of the recipe and good luck. I am sure it will be a success!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    crazyravr wrote: »
    madwells1 wrote: »
    After going to the market, I have decided on the following menu:


    Charcuterie
    Crostini & assorted crackers
    Gherkins
    Olives
    Cherry tomatoes
    Pate
    Mimolette, gouda, brie
    Proscuitto, peppered sausage, summer venison sausage


    Salad
    Mixed greens with blue cheese & pear with a french vinagrette


    Main
    Coq au vin blanc with spring vegetables
    New roasted potatoes with thyme and parsley
    French bread


    Dessert
    Fresh fruit
    Chocolate rasberry tart
    Coffee/espresso


    I have gotten pretty lucky as it is going to be very chilly here, so I am going with the coq au vin because I can make it the day ahead. That will be the only thing I actually spend any time on, so hopefully I will be good.

    I'm excited, wish me luck!!

    What time is dinner??? ;)

    i'll join you!
  • madwells1
    madwells1 Posts: 510 Member
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    Come on over! Just bring more wine!!
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
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    Roasted potatoes won't reheat well for the main. Unless you plan on doing them at the last minute, I would probably think about using a different starch. Also, I find that roasted potatoes never do a great job of 'becoming one' with a braise on the plate because they don't really absorb gravy. IMO, mashed is always a preferable choice when serving with a braise or stew.

    Pasta is also a good suggestion as it reheats well in the microwave and you can toss it with some of the hot braising liquid from the chicken to loosen right before service.

    It might not be the classiest choice, but egg noodles would be my choice. The texture is perfect to work as a base for a braise and the noodles themselves cook to a perfect al dente in 6 minutes so you can do a large amount of them in a short amount of time (a 5 quart pot can handle 2 full bags/12 smallish portions at a time).

    After cooking, toss the noodles with salt/pepper, butter and a bit of parmesan reggiano cheese. The butter will provide flavor and will help to keep the noodles from clumping. If you use a light hand, the cheese won't come off as cheesy and will instead add an umami depth that will work wonderfully with braised meat dishes. You can gild the lily by tossing the noodles with some parsley after reheating as well.
  • PMCG1
    PMCG1 Posts: 3 Member
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    I see nothing wrong with coq au vin in April. Unless it’s blazingly hot, I don’t think people fuss about whether something fits a particular season. People care if the food tastes good and the company is pleasant. And I would opt for home too. More chance to mingle and relax
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
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    evening at home 100%. People go to restaurants because they dont want to cook or just want a change, Why go out if you can provide that at home in a quiet nicer atmosphere. That said its only if YOU want to do it. They wontcare if you dont take hours making something fancy and special for them, But the first post sounds like youd enjoy it so go for it
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,900 Member
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    I say catered at home!

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