Dinner party ideas – how about a 70s theme?

I am trying to bring you regular dinner party ideas. I guess after yesterday’s fondue dinner party idea you could take it one step further and think about hosting a 70s dinner party. And you know what? You could just serve a fondue dinner and you'd be set in terms of the food. But there is much more to a themed dinner party then just the food. You need to think dress, drinks, music, decor, ambiance, movies playing as a possible background visual and the list could go on .. and on.

Think about your friends and those who love to dress up – because I know some people are just not into this sort of thing. If you get the right people along, the dinner party will be a huge hit. Think about the people who would enjoy doing something a little different from the ordinary..

But maybe you have some friends that you hear talking with excitement about fancy dress parties they may have been to. Take this one step further and make your dinner a dress up dinner party. Guests need to come dressed in their 70s gear! Flared pants, gold medallions, long boots – think Saturday Night Fever era.

Your menu could include a prawn cocktail, followed by chicken Kiev or the very popular 70s dish Quiche Lorraine, rounded off with Black Forest gateau or gammon and pineapple, duck a l'orange and sherry trifle.

For more menu ideas check out this website:

http://www.foodtimeline.org/fooddecades.html#1970s

I love sharing my dinner party ideas – I hope they help you in some way!

You may want to consider wearing a t-shirt like this with some flared jeans as you greet your guests:



Stay tuned for more dinner party ideas soon.

Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess

A fondue dinner party idea

Fondues were huge in the 70s and this communal experience has again emerged as a great retro dinner party idea. If you've never experienced a fondue with your friends or family I highly recommend it.. it's different and it's fun but there are some etiquette tips you should be made aware of and these are highlighted below. You will need a pot and these are easily purchased from a home store. These will come with instructions of how to melt the cheese properly (remember to use Swiss cheese).

You can also purchase inexpensive small pots for a chocolate fondue in which you can dip lovely morsels of fruit. You'll also need long fondue forks.

I found this great description from Wikipedia:

"Fondue refers to several Swiss communal dishes shared at the table in an earthenware pot ("caquelon") over a small burner ("rechaud"). The term "fondue" comes from the French "fondre" ("to melt"), referring to the fact that the contents of the pot are kept in a liquid state so that diners can use forks to dip into the sauce. The sauce is usually warmed either by a separate burner containing an alcohol-based fuel or simply by tealights. Though cheese fondues are the best known kind, there are several other possibilities for the contents of the pot and what is used for dipping.

As with other communal dishes, fondue has etiquette standards ranging from practical to amusing. Some people consider it rude to allow one's lips or tongue to touch the fondue fork, and with meat fondues one should use a dinner fork to remove the meat from the dipping utensil. The "no double-dipping" rule applies here as well: once a taste has been taken of a dipped morsel it should not be returned to the pot. If the bread or fruit is lost in the cheese or chocolate, it is tradition for that person to buy a round of drinks or to be punished in another way.

Originally Swiss, Fondue became very popular in the United States in the 1970s."

And as I say, fondues are back. Stay tuned for some more dinner party ideas soon.

In the meantime check out this Cuisinart electric fondue maker:



The fun of fondue gets a sleek and convenient makeover with this Cuisinart electric fondue maker. Designed for use with oil, broth, chocolate, or cheese, the set combines powerful electric heat with easy temperature control and handsome but tidy construction.

The 3-quart stainless-steel bowl is lined with nonstick coating for keeping heated foods from sticking, and the stand, bowl, ring, and temperature probe all assemble and disassemble easily. A combination of finishes--brushed on the bowl and ring, mirror on the stand and handles—gives the unit a contemporary flair. Heat up is efficient here--getting oil to 375 degrees F takes between 10 and 15 minutes.

Best of all, you can change the temperature setting with a simple turn of the dial to adjust for different ingredients or the passage of time. For clean up, run the entire set (temperature probe and cord removed, of course) through the dishwasher. A set of eight color-coded fondue forks is also included. Fully assembled, the fondue maker stands 6-1/4 inches high; the bowl is 8-1/4 inches in diameter at the opening. --Emily Bedard

Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess

Dinner party idea - your friends can bring a course

If you want to expand a little on the shared dinner party idea, why not consider inviting guests to bring either a plate of food to share or even a whole course.

We recently held a dinner party for eight people using this idea. Rather than feel pressured by worrying about a three course meal for eight (plus the some hors devours on arrival) we decided to share the load. I was feeling a little tired and time poor. When I discussed the idea with my friends they were more than happy with this idea.

The aim of this particular dinner party was to catch up with old friends, so my friends readily agreed that rather than have someone slaving away in the kitchen for hours, we would share the cooking experience and still have an amazing feast.

It was a lot of fun - I cooked the main meal and I was really able to focus on making the atmosphere and table setting look inviting and comfortable. Although I pride myself on keeping a cool head no matter how many guests I'm cooking for, it does take a heck of a lot of preparation - so I actually felt more relaxed than ever.

My friends arrived at the same time - they handed me their pre-prepared courses and a bottle of wine they had brought to match their course - they were seated.

We were all a little excited about this different experience. One couple brought an amazing dish of dips and cheeses, figs and quince paste. We sat chatting with some wine and enjoyed the wonderful light choices they offered to get us prepared for our starter.

We proceeded to the starter - a lovely beetroot and goat's cheese salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and seeded mustard.

For main, I had made a pasta dish - hand made large ravioli pieces filled with a pureed pumpkin and sweet potato mixture topped with a Napolitana sauce, lots of fresh grated Parmesan and rocket dressed with balsamic.

My friend who brought dessert bought a ready made Greek creme caramel oozing with the caramel sauce. We served tea and coffee and dessert wine for people who wanted some.

Easy - a fantastic meal with fantastic company and while we enjoyed the wonderful flavors tremendously, we really were able to focus intently on one-another. We talked about what we'd been up to, caught up on news of mutual acquaintances and so forth.

We all left feeling warm and fuzzy and we talked about the success of the dinner party afterwards several times so it must have been enjoyed by all. And we could all take the credit because we worked like a team - it was all really smooth and easy-going.

Stay tuned for some more dinner party ideas soon.

In the meantime, why not consider giving your guests a small parting gift as they leave to remember your night together. It doesn't have to be expensive - just thoughtful - I found this magnet for instance with a little humor attached..


Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess

A roving dinner party idea - a starter at your house, main and mine and dessert at another friend's

I always strive to make my dinner parties memorable and so Im always on the look out for the best in dinner party ideas.

In fact, I have a few friends that are just as into spoiling their guests as I am. So, I approached two of our friends who live close by and suggested we all chip in and host a roving dinner party. We were all within a short walking distance to each other so we didn't have to worry about drink driving or anything..

The date was set and we decided who would host the starter at their house, who would host the main and who would host the dessert..

It was a superb night - the actual experience was the most memorable thing about the dinner.

When we got to our friend's house for the starter, they welcomed us with some refreshing cocktails and a light platter of hors devours. We sat and ate a wonderful entree and an accompanying drink. We didn't rush it - we had plenty of time.

We moved on to my house for the main. On arrival to our house, I'd had all the candles prepared to light and I'd chosen the background music that would set the mood further.. It was Buddha Bar CD - I'd been to the Buddha Bar in Paris for dinner and bought their CDs as a memento.. this was the sort of music I wanted to play as I'd enjoyed my meal in Paris so much listening to this and it also brought back wonderful memories.

Here is my personal favorite:



I had of course prepared a meal in advance and on arrival, I was able to make the final touches to the dish quickly and dress the salad so it was lovely and crisp and fresh. We'd bought a bottle of Pinot Gris wine to match the fish dish I'd prepared.

We ate and laughed and chatted. Even though we knew dessert was at our other friend's house, the whole experience was just plain exciting.. and because we knew at the outset what our plans were, we were all prepared that the dinner would involve moving around.

When we thought the time was right, we moved to the final destination where our other friend had again put a lot of thought and preparation into just the right dessert to suit the occasion. She'd prepared a baked dessert and all she had to do was pop it into the oven as we settled in to the new environment. Again, the mood had been set with lighting and the table was beautifully set with flower arrangements, dessert wine glasses and the cutlery and plates for our pudding. We eased into the new environment and soon the dessert was ready to be served. It was truly sensational..

The whole dinner took a few hours but of course it flew and before we knew it, it was finished.But not forgotten!

Stay tuned for more dinner party ideas soon.

Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess

Mango dinner party idea

Mango dinner party ideas? What the heck are you talking about I can almost hear you asking?

Hopefully it grabbed your attention because the point of today's post is really to say a weird and simple idea can make your dinner party different.. and even memorable.

I love mangoes.. they are so exotic and delicious. I could have really picked any fruit for my theme because there are so many different types of fruit that you can use in both savory and sweet dishes. Like figs.. or pears.. etc. You can use your creativity..

Me I chose mango - and when I say theme, I mean each of my three courses included the fruit mango. But I will be doing many more posts on various other themes..

Yes, you can buy imported mangoes or you can use tinned mangoes if you can't find the real thing.. My menu consisted of:

Starter - crab cakes with mango salsa
Main - chicken with a light mango sauce
Dessert - sticky rice with mango

The menu proved very popular with my guests.. it was a different experience for everyone who came.. And my main aim is to make my dinner parties stand out in some way. This was simple.

What's more it proved a fabulous menu for a summer dinner party..

This gourmet mango syrup is ideal for adding to espresso drinks, brewed coffee and teas. Also great in Italian sodas, smoothies and for cooking and baking.



I'll bring you more dinner party ideas soon. If you are interested in any of these recipes I can provide them to you free of charge.

Randa
The Hostess with Mostess

Dinner party ideas - themes

I love looking for new dinner party ideas (as you may have gathered) .. and this post is about a new theme you might consider..

Imagine an invitation to a Mediterranean dinner party.. you are invited to go dressed like you're going to stay at a Greek island resort.. or on the Italian or French Riviera.. you go dressed like you are in that wonderful and alluring place.. you dress to impress..

You arrive to the aromas that ignite your senses.. the aromas are amazing.. and an unfamiliar style of music is playing - not something that you'd normally listen to.. but it appeals nonetheless and you seem to easily relax into the atmosphere..

You arrive - the host has pre prepared platters of homos (chickpea dip), baba ganouge (eggplant dip) and other 'tasty Mediterranean dips with maybe some Turkish bread or some Lebanese bread that has been sliced into small pieces and toasted in the oven to a beautiful crispness .. it is still warm and as you have that first taste, you feel like you are going to die from the pleasures that you taste..

Instead of a dining table, there are cushions on the floor and an incense is burning, so every sense is being catered too.. and you haven't even had the main meal yet.

After meeting and socializing with the other guests in this unique environment, you relax into the cushions and on a low table an amazing buffet of Mediterranean treats are served on platters.. kebabs (meat or vegetables on skewers), tabouli salad, falafel (chickpea balls), stuffed tomatos and so many other scrumptious options are available for you to add to your plate. You eat mostly with your hands.. as is typical in many of the Mediterranean countries. And it's OK.

This is something so different... and to top it all off, your host has organized a local belly dancer to come in to give you a bit of a show.. they invite interested dinner party goers to have a try.. and if you don't want to that's fine.. you sit and watch with respect and amazement.. and if you're like me, you wish you could move like that too!

What a memorable night.. different to most dinner parties that you get to go to and one that makes a lasting impression.. my next post will be about a "mango theme"I had at a recent dinner party. Of all things!

All I'm trying to say is that your dinner party ideas need to be different.. why have just a regular (and possibly dull) three course dinner party when your dinner party could be talked about for years to come. Isn't that what we'd all like when we really want to impress?

Stay tuned for more dinner party ideas soon.

In the meantime, add a bit of fun to your cocktails with these swizzle sticks (drink stirrers):



Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess

How to host a dinner party when strapped for time..

A bit side-tracked in my search for dinner party ideas I found this article in the Sydney Morning Herald .. a reader writes in asking for help. She's in a situation where she has eight guests coming for dinner in the evening but she'll be at work all day.. how does she handle this?

Here's their quick tip - they've also got the recipes they suggest so check out the article if you have time.. it's down the bottom of this post.

"To stop feeling totally out of control and to make the dinner a success, I've learnt it's essential to have the shopping done the day before and have at least part of the meal prepared ahead of time."

Yes, sometimes we forget the most obvious..

Maybe something like this might help too:



The SmartShopper® is a "voice activated" grocery shopping assistant. Through voice recognition you'll be able to input grocery store items throughout the week as you need them. The SmartShopper® is pre-loaded with over 2,500 grocery store items. In addition to food and beverage you will also find household items, cleaning and beauty supplies, office and school supplies, etc.

SmartShopper® is a voice recognition grocery list organizer. Its intuitive interface is fun to use and easy to master. Just push the record buttom, say the name of the item you want to add to the list, and SmartShopper® does the rest; it's as simple as that! There are over 2,500 items in SmartShopper's® library, and it can even learn new items tailored to your lifestyle. SmartShopper® automatically organizes your list into categories, making visits to the store more efficient. Need to make a trip to the bank, post office, or pharmacy? It keeps track of errands as well. SmartShopper® remembers so that you don't have to! The internal thermal printer is ink-free, which means you don't have to worry about replacing messy ink cartridges. SmartShopper®, makes life simpler. Includes 3 paper rolls- 4 AA batteries required, not included- Silver

But back on track I'll continue on my search for more dinner party ideas!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/recipes/midweek-dinner-party/2007/08/20/1187462167058.html

Randa
The Hostess with the Mostess