The Perfect Party Mix

Sanjeev Kapoor

This is a very special time of the year for me…actually for all of us with the Christmas season and the New Year revelries in the air. Usually, I do the review of a restaurant in this column. However, since the occasion is different, I have decided that it calls for dishes of a different kind. Though we will be back with the usual course from the next month, for this issue I shall serve the secrets of the perfect party mix.

As 2003 comes to an end, the farewells call for some real good partying. For starters, it does well to prepare much in advance. Someone has rightly said: a party is a gift to friends. But let’s face it, not everybody wants to spend hours slaving over the hot stove getting together a lavish spread or suffer from frayed nerves! Send out the invitations early, get the numbers in, check out the guests’ preferences and then decide on the menu. This can take quite a bit of head scratching! My formula is simple: some things for everyone, one specialty for the non-vegetarians exclusively and one extra special vegetarian dish or starter which will appeal universally. Make lots of this because those who eat non-vegetarian are sure to enjoy this too. And yes, I take the safe side and present a sweet dish sans eggs, you never know who would be allergic to them.

My winning score is for presentation. It has to be love at first sight! The dish should be balanced in colour, texture and taste. If it is garnished well, it is received with anticipation. And then the test: the taste has to be paramount. I would strongly recommend that you try out your special party dishes before the party day... just a trial run, to get the brickbats from the home front before you venture out on the big day. And if they say they will be bored to have the same thing at the party, smile and say, tough luck, guinea pigs!

It is the food that determines the star ratings of any party. I have learnt that there is something to gain from other people’s experiences. It is surprising what one can learn from making a mental note of small details in other people’s homes. If a particular dish seems to meet with everyone’s approval, don’t be afraid to ask for the recipe or the name of the supplier.

Before the party make a list of all the things you will need - cutlery, glasses, plates, bowls, extra chairs and tables, serving dishes, or extra cooking vessels. Check this list against what you have available in your own home or you can borrow from friends. This too is best done with written lists so that returning the same to the rightful owners becomes a simple task to do.

Decide early what can be prepared the day before and what has to be done on the day. Then work out a systematic schedule, which leaves at least three hours breathing space before the guests arrive. When the table is set and the crystal and cutlery polished to a welcoming sparkle, it is time to get dressed up in party clothes not forgetting to wear the most important accessory: a smile!

If ever there is work to do it is after the party! Clearing up, washing up, sorting out and stacking back onto the shelves asks for a lot of energy. It is always faster and easier to remove crockery than putting it back! Years of experience have taught me that the most effective way to clear up is to tackle one room at a time. Let everything come into the kitchen. Have one or two cardboard boxes kept ready to receive the trash and a lot of soapy water in a tub to soak the delicate china. Cutlery is best handled in a separate basket carefully so that the sharp edges of the knives and the tines of so many forks do not cause any injury. Spread out washed cutlery over a thick towel and it will be ready to be put away after a few hours. Leftover food can be put away in the fridge for use the next day or its next.