How to Have a Stress Free Dinner Party

Social events can come in many guises - from the extravagant VIP experience at Glyndebourne to the more intimate and personal dinner party.

A quiet evening at home entertaining those we hold most near and dear can be one of the most enjoyable entries in our social calendars.

However there is a slight snag with these evenings of sociable conversation - there is no one to do the organising for us.

I don't know about you, but I always thought a stress free dinner party was a mythical entity.It is something that everyone else seems able to achieve, but not me. No matter how prepared I am something always goes wrong sending my stress levels into orbit.

However help is at hand. After a bit of research I have come up with a few pointers that will ensure that the cook enjoys the evening as much as the guests.

By following these simple tips you will be able to entertain with confidence and style.

Keep it simple

We all want to be the perfect hostess or host. But is it necessary? If you are stressed your guests will be stressed and that will lead to an evening of tense conversation and everyone leaving at the earliest opportunity.

Keep the dinner party informal.

Forget gourmet catering and smart dress codes, if you want relaxed guests go for an informal, comfortable format.

Plan it!

No one can conjure up a dinner party without planning. Prepare as much as you can in advance. Go for soup or a cold starter that can be made earlier in the day (or even the day before), you could do the same with the desert. Don't forget to plan what you are going to wear and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get ready.

Eeny, meeny, miny, mo

The guest list; think carefully about how many people you are going to invite. Eight people is manageable, any more than that and your stress levels are likely to go through the roof. Choose people who will compliment each other, this will help the conversation flow and help create a sociable atmosphere.

Fake is good

Many people seem to be under the misconception that having a dinner party means that everything has to be made from scratch. Of course it doesn't! We all lead busy lives and don't have the time to spend all day slaving away in the kitchen (even if we wanted to). There is absolutely nothing wrong with using pre-made pastry, sauces, frozen vegetables or even entirely pre-prepared courses. Your guests accepted your invitation because they want to spend time with you! So get out of the kitchen and enjoy their company rather than the cooker's.

No food mountains please.

This is when it is good to remember the old adage ‘it's the quality that counts not the quantity'. Don't go overboard on the number of courses - a few well prepared dishes will go down a lot better than a vast array of thrown together ones.

Your guests don't want to be uncomfortably stuffed by the end of the evening. Go for three well prepared and presented courses. Whatever you do, choose simple dishes. It is very tempting to reach for that new gourmet cookery book you bought in the sales and find the most complicated menu imaginable. Simple dishes with simple flavours made with good ingredients will impress more.

Everyone makes mistakes

Even the best trained chefs in the world have off days. If you have a minor (or major) calamity, don't panic. If you don't tell your guests about it, they won't know. If it's a mistake that can't be hidden, laugh it off. I can assure you it will lead to a new strand in the conversation as all manner of dinner party confessions come out of the woodwork. (Remember Bridget Jones's blue soup?)

Ah, didn't I tell you?

Your table is set, your guests have arrived. While you lay out the starters your partner is topping up everyone's glass. After one last quick glance to make sure everything is perfect you call your guests through. As they take their seats and look at the wonderful dish before them you hear a nervous cough followed by ‘Ah, sorry, I forgot to mention. I'm a vegetarian now.' ARGH!!!

Don't leave anything to chance.

When inviting your guests ask if they have any particular likes, dislikes or allergies it will save a lot of blushes later.

Ta-Daaa

As my old Home Economics teacher always said, it's all in the presentation. A clean table cloth, your best cutlery and tableware will show your guests that you value their company. Use fresh flowers to enhance the table. Be relaxed about the seating; allow your guests to decide where they want to sit.

Well, there you have it, a few simple points to remember when you plan your next dinner party. Now all you need to do is grab your diary, find a suitable date and invite your friends.

Shall we say next Saturday at 8pm? Lovely; looking forward to it.

For more information visit The SaVVy Club at http://www.savvyclub.co.uk/