Three Tips For Easy Entertaining
I’ve been wanting to start a series of posts talking about wine and entertaining guests since I started the blog. I realized there was no better time to start this discussion then the time of the year when many of us gather with family or friends and stay inside to watch sports, celebrate the holidays, or avoid the colder temps outside. I believe entertaining doesn’t need to be complicated or an elaborate affair. Some of my favorite gatherings are often last minute get togethers to watch a sports event or catch up with friends over food and wine.
Today I will share three tips to help organize any prep work needed to say yes to guests and my go-to items from Crate&Barrel which are used on repeat at our house.
Three Tips for Easy Entertaining
1. Set The Mood
2. Serve The Food
3. Drink The Wine
1. Set The Mood
Setting the mood helps your guests feel welcome and creates a cozy environment. This will look and feel differently depending on the reason for the gathering, the number of guests and time of year.
For a more formal gathering centered around a meal indoors, I like having the table set and ready for guests. I keep black rattan placemats and a fruit bowl on our dining table all year and switch out what is in the center based on the season. The black placemats I have are no longer sold so I linked a similar placemat which has three color options of gray, honey or natural. All of these choices provide a nice way to display your dinnerware and add textured contrast to any place setting. If we are hosting a meal, I will switch out the bowl and add in candleholders for a simple ambiance to the table. Candleholders such as this small candle holder, medium candle holder and large candle holder placed together adds height and interest to the table setting while still allowing your guests to see each other. I have these in the clear and a light green color. They look great with or without candles as the visual interest of these candleholders adds an extra element of design. The final step to set the mood is to turn on the music! This adds energy to a space and provides a backdrop of sound while guests enjoy the meal.
For a more casual gathering, which is us most of the time as we often gather to watch sports, I focus any prep work for the basement spaces. I spend little time with a table setting and mostly ensure all the basement TV’s are on to watch our favorite teams. I keep these outdoor plates in our basement to have on hand as I prefer to use this over paper plates unless the occasion calls for a more disposable option. These plates were used often this summer as we ate outside on our back patio and I love the style as well as how lightweight they are to carry in and out of the house.
2. Serve The Food
I find having a few items out to munch on even when the gathering is not around a meal, is always a good idea. I try to keep staples in the house for my favorite appetizers so I can easily pull together items to host company with little notice.
One of my go-to’s for any gathering is this modular serving set. This is used on repeat in our household and the modular dish allows for a quick way to collate a few items from the pantry to create a delicious spread. I like the dividers as it helps me think through different items to mix and match flavors. My favorite way to use this set is a dip in the middle surrounded by veggies or chips in the four quadrants. I often prep the veggies and dip in advance, store the pieces with wrap in the fridge and put together on the platter when ready to serve to guests.
I also love a classic cheese and cracker spread and this cheese board was an item we received from our wedding registry 14 years ago! It’s still one of my favorites and just the right size to have a few different cheeses out on display to pair with any wine. We have this in both sizes and this style makes for a nice display in just a few minutes. This year I plan to purchase this cheese marker set to add to our collection.
3. Drink The Wine
….or the beverage of your choosing and relax! Once the guests are here and the conversation is flowing, it’s time to enjoy your company. Our wine cellar is one of my favorite decisions we made when building this house. This modest space allows for us to stock up on all of our favorite selections. The only challenge is keeping the wine on the racks for display! Anytime we are drinking wine, we have out one of our wine coasters to protect the countertops or table. We have collected several of these over the years and I have my eye on this marble wine coaster to add to our collection as it’s matches several other items in our kitchen. The coasters are easy to wipe off if the wine drips and gives your wine bottle an elegant holder for the evening which looks great out on display.
These three tips: set the mood, serve the food and drink the wine help focus my energy and gives a fool proof way to be ready for hosting company in just a few minutes. The next time you have an opportunity to gather with friends or family, seize the moment. Life is short and entertaining guests can be simple and uncomplicated. Follow these tips and enjoy your time!
Cheers!
