Hosting a special dinner during the festive season is no small feat, even for seasoned amateur chefs. After all, we want everything to run smoothly, and the atmosphere be as good as the food tastes. To ensure that your event is a roaring success, we’ve put together a range of tips and inspiration for hosts and guests alike to have the perfect festive celebration – starting with the invitation, on to a healthy 3-course menu and concluding with special gifts for your guests.
Preparation is key if you want to experience a fun and unwound evening with your friends. Here are some handy suggestions for you on how to organize your dinner, so you can get the most out of it: let’s start by inviting good company. If you want to give your invitation an individual touch, be analogue and send out letters. Even though digital invites, such as e-mails or instant messages, are faster, handwritten letters are way more personal. Plus, if you attach the menu to the invitation, the anticipation will rise, and you make your guests’ mouths water already.
Our tips for attractive decoration:
Handwritten menus are a classic touch at the table. They sure whet your guests’ appetite and provide them with plenty to talk about when not seated.
Were your guests able to choose their main course when they received their invitations? This is a great way to find out if there are any vegetarians or vegans coming, or if anybody has food intolerances. It’s best to ask in advance whether you need to take anything into account when preparing their meals. This way, you ensure that your menu can be adapted to your guests’ tastes and dietary habits/requirements, if necessary. You don’t have to have a rigidly set menu, but it is advisable to have three courses, consisting of starter, main and dessert, with options that take your guests’ preferences into account. Tip: Prepare all the ingredients the night before and put the drinks on ice. Hosts usually start with an aperitif, but please remember that not everyone drinks alcohol. You should, therefore, always have non-alcoholic alternatives to offer to your guests.
Who wouldn’t be happy to receive a thoughtful gift? Whether it’s a present for the host or a little something for your guests to take home as a souvenir of a wonderful evening, a gift is the perfect addition to your festive dinner party. It doesn’t have to be expensive… What’s important is that it comes from the heart. Here are a few DIY gift ideas for you.
Salted chocolate? Delicious! We recommend adding a grated tonka bean. Rich in flavour and perfect for refining chocolate in desserts, this is a chef’s secret weapon. You can find it in the spice aisle of your local supermarket, or online.
Chocolate pralines make wonderful gifts for your guests… The way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, after all! Fortunately, you don’t need to be a professional chef to pull these sweet treats off – just roll them in your hands. To avoid spillage, we recommend using tongs for the chocolate bath.
From India, to China, to South America… this spice mix takes your guests on a round-the-world trip from the comfort of their own dining rooms. It’s quick to prepare and has a long shelf life. Attractively packaged in anything from test tubes to small screw-top jars, it also makes an ideal last-minute gift.
Your sauce went down a storm with your guests? Turn it into a relish and let them take some of it home. This gift isn’t just a great condiment for salads and sauces, it can also serve as a delicious side dish on its own. The fermentation time for apple and beetroot is quite short, which makes it taste wonderfully fresh and maintain that crunchy consistency.
Always prepared! Once baked, this sweet souvenir lasts for weeks and stays just as moist and delicious as if you’d just taken it out of the oven. The secret is baking the dough in a heat-resistant jar and sealing it while it’s still hot. This preserves the cake perfectly, giving it a longer shelf life.
This delicious chutney is not only easy to prepare, but also quickly packaged and makes a wonderful gift from the kitchen. When preparing the chutney, make sure you use high-quality vinegar, as this is what gives it its flavour. Keep the jars sterile by placing them in a hot oven or boiling water bath for a while before filling.
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