Todd & Monica are getting married on June 12. I’ve known Todd since he was just a kid and known Monica for several years. So many things have been going on in everyone’s lives that this couple hasn’t had their engagement properly celebrated . Or so I thought.
John Pours the Gruet
So I invited Todd & Monica, Todd’s sister Tobi (who is also Monica’s roommate), Todd’s parents Teri & Mark, and Tim & Pam, (our pastor who will marry them). Vic, John (he’s in the wedding party)…..a party list of 10 people.
Once the guest list is made, planning the menu is next. Best to make dishes that can be made in advance. The farther in advance, the better.
Finished Beouf Bourguignon
I just saw the movie, “Julie & Julia”. Remember the scene where Julie makes and burns Julia’s Beouf Bourguignon? Then she remakes it and it’s delicious? Ok, so that was the recipe. Partly out of curiosity because the recipe is FAMOUS, and partly because this is the kind of easy dinner party recipe that should be in everyone’s recipe file/box/online storage.
Beef Stock
When the main course is chosen, it’s easy to pick what goes with it for the rest of the menu. Example, with French beef stew, a sourdough or regular baguette is perfect and sturdy enough to sop up the gravy from the main course. Alongside, something green is nice, a vegetable or a salad that you can put together in advance and either toss the salad or cook the vegetable at the last minute.
Baby Onion Saute with fresh herbs
That way too, if anyone says, “Can I bring anything?” , you immediately know you need either a dessert, or salad, or appetizer etc. and that takes a load off of you.
I was serving cocktails before dinner so I made, in advance, bacon-wrapped, cheese stuffed dates to go with them. And Teri offered to bring cheese dip & crackers so I was set.
I did a first course from a local restaurant (Rosemary’s) recipe, Hugo’s BBQ Texas Shrimp w/ Maytag blue cheese coleslaw. I picked that because I’ve had it before at the restaurant and it’s delicious and because I could make every component in advance and simply combine and plate right before we sat down.
Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp with Maytag Bluecheese Coleslaw.
Julia Child’s Beouf Bourguignon recipe has a lot of steps to it. Starting with making your own beef stock. To browning the chunks of beef to adding the rest of the ingredients (including the wine & homemade beef stock) to cooking, then straining the gravy. Then browning the onions and mushrooms in fat. Then combining everything and letting it rest. Then reducing the gravy and on and on. Wow….this better be good or it’s hardly worth the work.
Straining out the Gravy from the Beef
At least, I was able to make this four days before the dinner party and let it rest in the refrigerator.
ReHeating the Creamed Spinach
I served creamed fresh baby spinach with the Beouf Bourguignon and made a lemon meringue tart and a coconut custard pie for dessert. I made the pie a day in advance and made everything but the meringue for the tart two days in advance.
Lemon Meringue Tart
The cocktails were Blood Orange and Brown Sugar Martinis. I infused the vodka a week before the party and put the drink components (1 ½ oz blood orange infused vodka, 1 oz fresh lime juice, a T. brown sugar and ½ of a muddled blood orange) together in a pitcher the morning of the party.
Monica loving her Cocktail
I served a 2007 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône with dinner and a sparkling wine (a New Mexico Gruet) with the first course. The Brut sparkler was, for the price ($12) a great, easy to drink wine for a variety of tastes. The Cotes du Rhone ($10) was not really tannic, but mouth filling with fruit but not sweet. We all thought it went well with the stew(which everyone thought was delicious) and finished two bottles easily.
Our Wines
Steps to an “Easy Dinner Party”:
1. Plan your menu with make ahead items
2. Make them all ahead
3. Set your table in advance
4. Accept any offers of food from your guests (just adjust your menu)
5. Ask for help during the evening when people say, “What can I do?”
This was a wonderful evening full of good friends and good food as we gathered to honor a soon to be married young couple.
Claremont Diner Coconut Custard Pie
Read Also:
