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When the prospect of entertaining leaves
you wondering what to serve, step back and consider the occasion and
your guests. Is it a holiday, a special dinner with old friends, or
an informal lunch with neighbors? The occasion will set the mood and
theme, influence the number of courses you choose, and in turn, the
amount of work involved. Let your guests guide your food
choices--adventure-some, spicy, or exotic. Once you have a plan of
attack with regard to mood, theme and style, you're ready to select
recipes. What's in season should help you determine what to
prepare. |
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Whether you let what's freshest at the supermarket motivate your
recipe choices, or you go with a prepared list of
ingredients in hand, here are a few guidelines for
selecting specific recipes: |
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| 1. |
Vary dishes: change the texture, temperature, spiciness and/or color of what you serve to interest the eye and the palate |
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| 2. |
Vary preparation method: roast, bake, sauté |
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| 3. |
Offset spicy dishes with a soothing starch or cooler side dish |
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| 4. |
Consider how each dish will look and what effect you want |
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| 5. |
Serve sauces and pastry only once in a meal |
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| 6. |
Begin with light flavors and add bolder flavors with each course |
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| 7. |
Don't serve too much food! |
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| 8. |
Keep the meal manageable and within your comfort level |
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| 9. |
Most of all enjoy the process! |
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