It’s never to early to start planning your first summer party!
This year, summer needs to happen ASAP.
Longer days and warmer temperatures will mean that we’ll feel the sting of loadshedding a little bit less, and we won’t spend as much money on our gas heaters and candles.
As we get older it gets more difficult to get, and then stay, “On Trend”…
Whether it’s not understanding the lingo of the youth, missing out on TikTok challenges or simply falling short of our younger self’s strict fashion rules, it’s tricky to stay ahead of the curve and keep your lifestyle up to date.
This summer’s biggest trend is a comeback of…The Dinner Party!
Instead of spending too much money in loud and crowded snazzy restaurants, we suggest you pull out your “special” dinnerware, invite over one or two close friends and flex your entertaining muscles, one side dish at a time.
There are a couple of secrets to hosting a dinner party.
1. It is not the same as a braai
As much as we South Africans love a good braai, a dinner party is something else. It is more than steak and potbrood. A dinner party should be where you can get into deep conversations without the whole “ons gaan NOU braai” thing. It is a slightly more civilised while still equally laid back way of entertaining.
2. Don’t overwhelm yourself (or your guests).
As much as a dinner party can be a sophisticated thing, it shouldn’t be over the top fussy and expensive. Choose one course to focus all your energy on, and phone in the rest. Have a few basic bites for guests to nibble on before dinner, work your magic by making a fantastic main course (think lasagna, pot pie or stew) and then get something comforting for dessert (milk tart, ice cream and chocolate sauce etc)… As much as a dinner party is about food, its also about getting together don’t choose a menu that keeps you cooped up in the kitchen all night. Make things you can prep ahead of time and focus on spending quality time with your guests.
3.Pick your perfect people
Due to it not being a braai, a dinner party can seem more daunting. This is why you should ease into this type of entertaining. Start with your favourite people. You can even inform them that they are the guinea pigs for your newfound dinner party infatuation. Then, if they ask what they can bring along, accept the help and farm out a side dish or dessert. By doing this you have one less thing to stress about, and you can focus on setting the table!
4. A dinner party is not a paper plate party.
There is a time and place for disposable crockery and cutlery, but a dinner party isn’t it. Get out your real plates and metal cutlery and set a real table (Like your granny used to do)…This does not mean that you have to go and buy matching sets of everything – in fact the quirky comfort of a dinner table that’s beautifully set but with bright and mismatched pieces can actually act in your favour by giving your guests a giggle and setting them at ease.
Double up on the conversation
Because you will be sitting down at a dinner table and sharing a meal, dinner parties rely on enjoyable flowing conversations. Skip subjects like politics and religion and be respectful of changing cultural norms. To make sure that there are no awkward silences, you can get a pack of these conversation starter cards and set a couple at each plate, taking turns to guide the talk into a new direction every time it gets a bit forced.
