To say that entertaining can be stressful isn’t breaking news. There are so many decisions to make, starting long before the day of the event. At first, you’ll probably have a lot more questions than answers.
Those questions usually begin with the obvious: What’s the occasion? Who gets an invite? When and where will it happen? Will it be more formal? Casual? Is it a sit-down dinner, or will it be all appetizers?
For a host, the hope is that the answers result in a party that all your guests will enjoy. Of course, it’s even better when the host can have a little fun too, and in my experience, that comes down to time management.
My favorite type of party to throw is a cocktail party, where people can nibble on a variety of flavorful bites with one hand while holding a drink in the other. This type of get-together requires a number of different dishes to be served, so finding things that can be made ahead of time — in part or even entirely — is key. Luckily, it’s not hard to create a menu that will ensure that you won’t be standing over a hot stove as your guests arrive.
There are a few things to keep in mind when planning a cocktail party menu.