Seven Special Tips For Hosting Parties

by Stacey Moore

 When asking experts about tips that will make your next party fun and entertaining, we discovered the following suggestions that will help keep you from getting overwhelmed:

1. If you're hosting a dinner party for a special occasion, you might want to have a small gift for each guest at the dinner table (e.g., chocolates, photo frames, etc.).

2. Flowers or candles set for each guest add warmth to any dinner table and make your guests feel welcome.

3. How much wine should you buy? When you know your head count, figure that each guest will drink an average of two and a half glasses each. If you're buying      standard bottles, estimate one bottle for every two guests. When selecting a wine, choose a couple of varietals from a winery you trust. A good choice is Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, which has been making great-tasting wines since 1979 and is always a crowd-pleaser.

4. Remember, wines taste best when they are slightly chilled. So put your white wines in the refrigerator the morning of your party. It's also a good idea to pop         your red wines into the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

5. Always plan ahead as much as possible and, if you feel up to it, plan your party around a theme. People enjoy themed get-togethers like a "supper club" or "game night"; they are fun and make for great and interesting conversations. Your imagination is the limit!

6. If you're hosting a big party, don't stress about wine glasses. Just serve your guests wine in plastic cups-it's less expensive and will cut down on cleanup. If you're using glassware, make sure the glasses are free of soap residue by rinsing them with hot water after washing.

7. Don't forget that wine doesn't need to be enjoyed the same day it's opened. You can always recork your wine or use a simple bottle stopper to reseal the bottle and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Regardless of whether you attend or host a party, visit http://www.woodbridgewines.com/ for more wine information, recipes and food-and-wine pairing suggestions.

Wines with a rich heritage are the perfect choice for entertaining.

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How to Set A Formal Table

By Mary DeMello

Throwing a formally dinner party doesn’t need to be a stressful occasion. You can really impress your family and friends and make even Miss Manners proud if you know how to host an event properly. And, if you know how to set a formal table, your food will present in a much more appealing way.

There are several items that you will need to set a completed table. Formal dinnerware, along with a complete set of flatware will make for a nice looking table when used along with fine glassware and table linens.

• Dinner plates need to be centered in front of each chair, if using placemats, they should be center in front of each chair with the dinner plates centered on the placemats
• Soup bowls should sit on top of each dinner plate
• Salad plates are placed to the left of and just above the forks or on top of the dinner plate, if there is no soup to be served.
• The bread plate should be placed to the right and slightly above the salad plate.
• You can also bring each course’s plates out with that serving of the meal, so that p each appropriate plate is placed on top of the dinner plate with each specific course. For example, soup bowls are placed and removed, to be replaced with salads plates, etc. Get creative with how you fold your nalpkins and make your table elegant and original!
• Napkins can be placed on the plate, under the forks, or inside the drinking glass.
• Water glasses are placed to the right of the knife. Wine glasses and other drinking glasses areplaced next to the drinking glasses.
• Cups and saucers are put near the knives, or can be brought out after the meal, if coffee or tea are only being served with dessert.
• Silverware that is used first should be the furthest away from the dinner plate so that your guests will be using their flatware from the outside and work towards the plate.
• Forks are placed to the left of the dinner plate; knives and spoons go to the right.
• Knives should be placed with their cutting-edge toward the dinner plate, except the butter knife which should be laid flat on a bread plate.
• Utensils should be about 1/2-inch away from the plate or each other, and they should also be lined up evenly from their bottoms. Each course should have its own utensil, but don't overdo it.
• Dessert silverware can be originally placed at the table setting if you wish. The dessert fork or spoon should be centered above and parallel to the dinner plate.

And remember to relax and enjoy the company of your friends and family, After all, isn’t that the reason you decided to invite them in the first place?

Mary DeMello is the manager of Cooking Supply Company where they sell all the products needed to for both formal and informal dining. You can check out her store at http://www.cookingsupplycompany.com.
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