A New Entertaining Mindset

Entertaining can be tricky and intimidating. My advice is to find your signature entertaining style and something you love to make and master it! Then repeat it! Don’t reinvent. Make it personal to you, and your guests will love being part of something unique to you.    

Perhaps you have a beloved family recipe or tradition that you can build around. Like please come for dinner - I will be making my Grandmothers Pierogis and serving a crisp white wine from a vineyard near her home in Poland. Or I want to recreate the best pasta I ate in Italy, come for dinner. Or… it is sweet corn season, and in honor of this magical time of year, bring a dish featuring local sweet corn! It just takes a little imagination to think of something personal that you are confident making. Entertaining is the most enjoyable if you don’t make it too hard - my signature party is Summer Paella. I love making it, and it does not take me that long. It is ready when guests arrive, and I don’t have to do anything more in the kitchen to have it ready. It is a crowd-pleaser. It is casual - I can bring the big dish to the table, and everyone can help themselves; it goes great with a simple, crisp salad with roasted grapes and grated manchego, pepitas and a red wine and herb vinaigrette. Dessert is my go-to - vanilla Panna Cotta with fresh fruit.  

Someone said to me recently the only thing I make homemade is Southern Macaroni and Cheese - I said, perfect, throw a Southern Summer Potluck starring your Mac & Cheese; what is not to love?!  

It is such a gift to take the time to entertain friends and loved ones. I hope this mindset gives you confidence and helps you enjoy the process!

xo Tricia