To some Southerners, a party’s not a party unless it involves freshly pressed linens and well-polished silver.
To Rebecca Kracke Gordon, that's too much pressure for would-be hosts.
The “Half-hour Hostess” columnist for Southern Living, as well as the magazine’s test kitchen director, will swing through Atlanta on Thursday to talk about her new book that maps out dozens of party themes and menus the author swears really do take only 30 minutes to pull together.
Here, she shares her favorite ideas for taking the starch out of party planning and hosting:
Don't do everything yourself: "Have a pitcher of specialty beverages already prepared and let your guests pour a glass themselves. I hate the word 'buffet,' but I like to do a lot of serve-yourself foods when I throw a party. You can plan out the placement and give a test run to how the table is laid out. Make sure it has good flow, with lots of surfaces for people to put down plates and glasses as they circulate."
Go mini: "A lot of the recipes for small bites are inspired by how I like to order when I eat out. I always want to try several things from the menu, so I like to order some appetizers and a salad. That's the same way I feel about entertaining at home. Offering several things that would appeal to a number of palates. You don't necessarily need to have a full serving."
Ditch the matching mentality: "I have hand-me-down fine china from my great-grandmother, and I mix it with everyday Pottery Barn white wear. That's how I make the most of what I have. I have four of everything instead of eight and 12. I didn't want to invest in a separate formal service because I don't entertain that way. We're finding a lot of younger people don't entertain that way, either. My favorite way to dress a table is to mix every other place setting, still using nice things you have but layering them with something less formal, like using a clear goblet at one place setting and then I might use my grandmother's heirloom goblet at the next."
But don't ditch dessert: "For a lot of people, making desserts seems difficult and time-consuming, but we have some fabulous dessert recipes that are so easy. And when in doubt, go with something chocolate. I'll be bringing samples from the dessert party we feature in the book."
Event preview
Book signing and discussion with Rebecca Kracke Gordon, author of Southern Living’s "The Half-hour Hostess.” 7 p.m. July 14. Barnes & Noble Buckhead, 2900 Peachtree Road N.E., Suite 310, Atlanta. 404-261-7747. www.barnesandnoble.com.
About the Author
