Peltason Ruth A. - Occasions : always gracious, sometimes irreverent

OCCASIONS

HOSPITALITY MAKES FOR INFECTIOUS FUN

anonymous

Always Gracious, Sometimes Irreverent

Kate Spade

SIMON & SCHUSTER
NEW YORK LONDON TORONTO SYDNEY

Lucky you! Youve just inherited your favorite aunts set of colorful barware. One problem: which glass is for what drink?

Improvisation and common sense will help you navigate most of the choices. The beauty of an old set of anything is that it allows you to mix it in with your own modern glasses.

Its your first real cocktail party. What should you have for a well-stocked bar?

A little of this and a little of that are a good beginning: gin, vodka, scotch, whiskey, rum, and tequila are usual requirements as are such additions as Roses lime juice, tomato juice, tonic, club soda, lemons, and limes.

Giving flowers to a hostess is always a lovely gesture. Should you send something ahead of time or bring a bouquet with you?

It might seem old-fashioned or overly formal to you, but sending flowers before a party is the sign of a truly thoughtful guest. It frees up the hostess from last-minute scurrying around just as her guests (and this includes you) are arriving.

You have food allergies, but you dread calling attention to yourself. What do you do when at a sit-down dinner youre served pecan-crusted salmon and youre allergic to nuts?

There are degrees of likely scenarios. If you can scrape off the nuts and still eat the salmon without any worries, do so as gracefully as possible. Otherwise, dont stand on ceremony: let your hostess know, who will no doubt come up with a solution and one that wont make you sneeze, wheeze, or break out in hives.

Youre not a big drinker but your friends are, so at the next cocktail party whats a light drink to request so you wont stand out?

In the summer, try a Virgin Sea Breeze. An all- season favorite is a Virgin Bloody Mary, the spicier the better. And whether youre stateside or in Italy, Campari and soda is a classic choice.

Every time you have dinner at your best friends, her white tablecloth has a snap and finish to it that makes yours look a bit sad by comparison. How does she keep her whites white, her linens crisp?

Make sure you only wash whites with whitesno other colors allowed. This gives you a chance to wash with hot water and safe bleaches. Air-drying outdoors is ideal for naturally brightening whites, but for most of us, the gentle cycle in a dryer will have to do. A good iron, some steam, and a little starch will put some life into your linens.

The hands on the clock are hitting Hour #6 at a cocktail party, the tarts have long since disappeared, and the candles are stubs. Out of the corner of your eye, you realize that a lampshade has just become someones party hat. Does this mean the partys over?

Sometimes even the plainest cues dont work on those guests who have crossed the line from partygoers to party stayers. If people are still enjoying themselves, then do your tired best to keep smiling. But once the dcor becomes someone elses wardrobe, by all means call it quits.

How do you balance a drink and an hors doeuvre at a cocktail party without spilling one or dropping the other?

Putting aside those with innate balance, for most of us the act of juggling is an elusive art. It helps to have a small hors doeuvre and, better still, to be quick about it. Dont linger and nibble. Eat up! The best hors doeuvres are one-bite morsels.

Youre determined to give a hostess gift thats not the same old thing. But whats special?

How to give something original is the eternal gift-givers challenge. Dont feel as though you have to invent the wheel each time you select a gift for someone, but do think of that person and his or her interests. Sometimes going to a boutique or even looking in a flea market is a way to find something fresh and unusual.

Youre planning a formal dinner for eight, but what music will keep the mood light and fun?

Have on some upbeat music when your guests are arriving and then keep the beat during the meal as well. Lively music stimulates conversation and creates a momentum that lasts the whole evening long.

When planning a party, at what point is mix n match more mix than match?

Whats the secret to just the right balance?

Planning ahead with a guest list gives you the time and focus to select among your friends and acquaintances for any event. Its also a good idea to plan on a few backups in case of last-minute cancellations. Spontaneous get-togethers are always fun, but when it comes to a proper dinner party, sharpen your pencil and start your list.

When is fashionably late just late?

Cocktail parties are forgiving when it comes to time, though if you arrive after most of the hors doeuvres have disappeared (and half the guests), then thats a reliable sign youre tardy. Dinner parties are more time sensitiveif youre 30 minutes past the appointed hour, expect that your hostess will greet you with an arctic smile.

CONTENTS

SECTION ONE
The Mise-en-Scne

SECTION TWO
Tried n True Party Standards

SECTION THREE
An Alphabet of Special Events

To invite a person to your house is to take charge of his happiness as long as he is beneath your roof.

Brillat-Savarin