Description

We are joined by an expert party hostess who gives us a number of tips that any host or dinner party guest can put to good use this season.

Transcript

Audra Lowe: Alright before holidays are quickly approaching you know and that means a social calendars starts fill up and it’s a perfect time to start thinking about hosting those casual gatherings and entertaining dinner parties. Lisa Mullins is here, she is an expert party hostess and managing partner of Louisville Stone Wear. She’s got some great tips that any host or dinner party guest could actually put to good news to season. Welcome to the show Lisa. Lisa Mullins: Thanks so much for having me. Audra Lowe: One of the main things that you are hosting a party, a lot of people always said do I have favors for my guests or is that cheesy to do and if I do it what do I give them so what’s your tips? Lisa Mullins: Right. Well a great favor I think to do for your hostess is part of the table arrangement if don’t have some fresh flowers on the table or something that you would like to share with your guest that it has a purpose. Audra Lowe: Queue for one right? Lisa Mullins: Exactly, that’s right. Audra Lowe: Okay I like this one and this is just from the garden, you just – Lisa Mullins: Yeah this is right from your garden whatever fresh flowers that you have that you are liking and— Audra Lowe: Your entertaining you are tying to figure out what kind of food to serve, what are your tips for what you are going to serve, what’s best for your guests for example like hot foods, finger foods things like that. Lisa Mullins: Well as far as appetizer got you want to make to make sure that you stay away from food and once you know your guest very well, if you are doing like a neighborhood gathering and it’s not as intimate is it. You know when we meet friends you don’t want to serve shell fish or peanut things that people got allergies too. So, finger foods are a great item and this totally proud here so you think how you can have a lot of different appetizers and finger foods on the tray. You can even do a quick walk throughout the house so leaving in the kitchen was people tend to congregate. Audra Lowe: Easy to get too. Lisa Mullins: And it’s a great way that right, absolutely. And it’s easy for people because they can have napkins and they’re not carrying a plates, and spoons in finger food just that the much easier way. Audra Lowe: You know what fancy is always fun but you say the best now and it is just the most common things are better sometime. Lisa Mullins: Well absolutely, absolutely. Well comfort food especially this time of year macaroni and cheese for example. It’s a great dish you know. Audra Lowe: People recognize it. Lisa Mullins: That’s right. And they don’t know in coming to a dinner party if they’re going to leaving or have dinner. Audra Lowe: Exactly, that’s true. Lisa Mullins: So, everybody like macaroni and cheeses it’s a great cover here, so when you pour your hot items of the oven you want to make sure they’re warm for the guests. You don’t want to pull that so early that, that food is cold and this is the great way to keep it warm. Audra Lowe: It’s very decorative I like that very much. It’s different what if you sit down, is it proper to have guest are sitting a certain way. What’s more comfortable you know. Lisa Mullins: I think it just— it depends on the guest that you’re having. A sit down versus buffet is always nice because your guests can sit down and kind a rub that those and get to know each other and you can serve family style. You can pass the macaroni and cheese or pass the line. Audra Lowe: Exactly. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. Women have this all the time. Lisa Mullins: They can do at all. Audra Lowe: Yeah, right yeah. Lisa Mullins: That the host and hostess you can ask them to bring you know— Audra Lowe: Absolutely. You know some appetizer dessert as well. Lisa Mullins: And I think more to the people are volunteering, they all know we are busy; we have a lot going out. What can I do to help? You know someone says, can I bring an appetizer or bring the dessert say absolutely. Audra Lowe: Okay. Lisa Mullins: So it’s nice not to obligate them to bring a specific dish if it’s not and they’re not familiar with making. You could say, you know well we don’t have anything chocolate for dessert how about that? What about an appetizer before dinner that has cheese. Audra Lowe: Yeah. Lisa Mullins: Or something likes that so you are not obligating them. Audra Lowe: So you are uncomfortable. Lisa Mullins: Right. Audra Lowe: Right, okay. Alright let’s about the gifts, you are going to with dinner party. Lisa Mullins: Yes. Audra Lowe: A lot of people like to bring a bottle of wine is that a good idea? Lisa Mullins: It’s very appropriate to take a host that gift to dinner. A bottle of wine is one of the more popular items and a lot of times if they may not serve the wine that you bring it the gift to them and they may save it for another night. So don’t be offended if they don’t. Audra Lowe: Exactly. Lisa Mullins: But if you’re host just some maybe doesn’t drink wine, it’s always they have napkin to a great idea with the small kitchen utensil or your favorite recipes. There are something there affordable and inexpensive and you can easily from multitude of different things from the bar to the buffet. So you don’t need a gift idea. Audra Lowe: What ever you do, you say do not bring a bouquet of flower because it’s extra work for those. Lisa Mullins: Well it is, it is, as pretty as they are as nice as they receive flowers when you got there ovens going to houseful guests. Audra Lowe: Yeah, you’re opening wine and you’ve got to find the vase and put them water and so it is a little bit of jars. Lisa Mullins: So it’s look great but a little bit more ward for me. Audra Lowe: Thank you so much Lisa. Lisa Mullins: My pleasure. Audra Lowe: Lisa Mullins party expert, good to have you here. Lisa Mullins: Thank you.