The Monday-to-Friday Dinner Party

Appears in
Monday-to-Friday Cookbook
Monday-to-Friday Cookbook

By Michele Urvater

Published 1991

  • About
Although this hardly ever happens in my house, I do know people who, for reasons that are completely mysterious to me, invite guests over for dinner during the week. Now even though I don’t play hostess on a work night, I do think there are some simple solutions for those people who choose to or, perhaps through no choice of their own, have to entertain guests during the week.
  • The key to a successful during-the-week dinner party is to cook a meal much like any other weeknight dinner and gussy it up to make it look grand. Be sure to decorate the table to add to the festivity.
  • Plan and cook as much as you can in advance. The entire procedure probably will take a couple of days. Two days before the party, plan the menu and shop for the ingredients. The night before the party, cook and prep as much as possible. Even if you’re comfortable handling last-minute cooking on the evening of the party, don’t burden yourself with more than one last-minute dish. Everything else should be made in advance.
  • Choose dishes that involve a minimum of clean-up. Rule out messy roasts unless you use disposable baking pans. (Ordinarily I don’t recommend disposable pans because they’re not easily recyclable. However, it’s okay to make an occasional exception.)
  • Set the table the night before. Use good dishes and flatware so that the emphasis is on how the table looks and how the meal is presented. This will contribute to a special feel without your having to do more cooking.
  • Try to create a centerpiece to make the table look festive. Flowers are the obvious choice, but if you don’t have time to buy flowers nor want to spend the money, create a gorgeous centerpiece with a bowl of brightly colored fruits or vegetables. Contrasting red and yellow peppers makes an unusual centerpiece; as does a bouquet of purple broccoli. After the party you get to eat the centerpiece.
  • Even if you are planning a menu much like one you would serve to your family, stretch it into three courses. Salad or a separately cooked vegetable makes a fine starter. Then serve the main course and end with dessert. If the main course is skimpy, you could insert a cheese course in between it and dessert to give more substance to the menu. This strategic spacing of the courses contributes to the weight and look of the meal but doesn’t require more cooking.
  • Only when you are entertaining during the week would I recommend you mince fresh herbs to garnish a dish to make it more attractive. Minced parsley turns plain steamed potatoes into a more elegant dish, and chopped chives give a finished look to a big bowl of hearty soup.
  • Introduce a note of surprise whenever you can. This will contribute to a party atmosphere without more work on your part. Buy an unusual walnut or olive bread for example, or serve an exotic imported beer, which are so in fashion at the moment.