Party Tips: Dress Up Your Food & Drinks

It is possible to be a good host and impress your party guests without being too outlandish or adopting extravagant methods. All you need to do is make use of the resources you already possess and show some creativity to lend sparkle to your party celebrations.

Some innovative and functional tips are being mentioned below. They are tried and tested, suggested by none other than Jennifer Sbranti – the lady behind HostessWithTheMostess.com, being its editor-in-chief and one of the founding partners.

a) Arrange the table so as to project festivity and gaiety

• Start off by placing big sized glass vases made of clear glass and filled with colorful cranberries or feathers to present a contemporary look to the table. You can add more colour to this look by positioning oversized bowls containing pomegranates or by decorating some green apples with attractive flower blossoms and placing them beside the glass vases.

•The use of flickering lights and candles are always associated with parties and festivities. You can use candles without scent so that they do not interfere with food smell.

•The serve ware that you use has a great bearing on the manner food is presented. So, present the dishes in white serve ware or crockery with simple, sleek designs. May I also emphasise the importance of being consistent in use of serve ware and avoid overly colourful plates or bowls.

•The menu should comprise of items that are in season and which are available easily. Not only are such vegetables and other items easy on the pocket, they are also of good quality making for tasty dishes.

b) Presentation of drinks

•You can set the tone for the evening by introducing a drink that goes well with the theme of your party. If it is a holiday party, you can experiment with a new recipe such as Cuban Mojito* (http://cookingresources.suite101.com/article.cfm/hemingways_cuban_mojito). Juices invariably make for very good non-alcoholic options and you can line up bottles of Pokka juice drinks to not only make the presentation colourful and eye catching but also provide your guests with an interesting choice.

• Garnishing the drink gives it more pep and zing. You can dress up the rims of the tall cocktail glasses with sugars of various colors to go well with the flavor and original color of the drink itself. This can also be done using candies and fruits. Typical fruits that can be used are strawberries and grapes, as they can frozen and put into the drinks to even serve the purpose of ice cubes.

•If you want to keep it simple and filled with fun, then fill up your martini and margarita glasses with candies of different colors, nuts and fruits. You can also pack the table with snacks that are consistent with the food on the table.

Just food by itself is not enough. You need to complement them with beverages as well according to Lachlan Mackinnon Patterson, who has also won the James Beard Award. He also owns the Frasca Food and Wine, besides managing the kitchen at this place.

He is of the opinion that if you combine food with the right beverage, the experience can be great. He suggests smoked salmon as an appetizer, served with small toast pieces or crackers after mixing them with cheese and scallions. When you take it with a citrus beverage such as Pokka Pomegranate juice drink, you will have the guests clamoring for more.