Ambience for Entertaining

Believe it or not, there are actually worthwhile books out there about entertaining, containing some good advice and food for thought. In this post we're including an excerpt from one of these books regarding the importance of creating ambience when you are playing host. This excerpt is from the book "Veranda Entertaining" and is written by Clinton Smith:

Ambience

There are a lot of things that can go wrong when you entertain - a lot - whether it’s brunch, lunch, dinner, cocktails, or even breakfast in bed. I’ll discuss the entire list throughout, but in the meantime, there is one important thing that you can control: ambience. When it’s done correctly, nobody will notice (sorry!), but if you get it wrong, you’ll be the talk of the neighborhood (and not in a good way - again, sorry!). Call it what you will - mood lighting, candlelight, dinner under the stars. And create it however you can - flickering votives, pendants on dimmers, moonlight, flameless pillars. Ambience is simple and straightforward, yet many people dismiss it, ignore it, or forget it. There are so many other unknown variables when you entertain - invitations lost in the mail, last-minute cancellations, mess-ups in the kitchen, soufflés that fall flat - so make ambience your first priority and check it off your list ahead of time. 

It’s probably the one thing you can do a month in advance! But note: If you only see your dining room or entertaining space in the daytime and are planning on entertaining at night, don’t be surprised if the picture-perfect evening you envisioned doesn’t live up to the dream. A friend of mine always found her dining room too dark, so she created a table runner out of small mirrors to reflect the flickering candlelight. The effect was stunning, and everyone looked their best. 

Appetizers

Finger foods, canapés, hors d’oeuvres. Whatever you call them, they prove the adage that good things come in small packages. But a few words of advice If you have waitstaff serving, don’t choose anything that requires more than one hand to eat. Your guests will have to come up with awkward, acrobatic moves to juggle their wineglass and a plate while trying to hold a beef slider with both hands - it’s neither a pretty nor a gracious scene. And please don’t pass nibbles that require guests to think about where to stash a dirty toothpick, shrimp carcass, or empty skewer afterward; provide them with an easy solution for disposal, even if it’s just an extra napkin. Finally, make sure you offer enough food to balance out the alcohol consumed during cocktail hour. No one enjoys a tipsy dinner companion. 

Basics

What do you need to entertain? Whether it’s a successful party for a dozen or a casual inner for a few friends on a Tuesday night, preparedness is key. If you’re always scrambling to put something together, you’ll never do it right. Being a great entertainer and host is about having a well-stocked pantry and bar at the ready. (Don’t forget the mixers!) Being able to call upon a cadre of recipes that you can prepare in a flash will make everything much easier and less daunting. If you’re not a cook, a roast chicken from the local market can be a lifesaver. One of the best dinner parties I ever attended was when the host served thin flatbread pizzas with Gruyére and ham and a lightly dressed arugula salad along with a few bottles of Chianti. Luckily, she confided the pizza’s provenance - her grocer’s freezer. One other rule of entertaining: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s calling upon the prepared-foods section at the market or hiring someone to man the bar and serve drinks (and assist with cleanup), having extra hands to help out can go a long way in making for a stress-free evening.

- from "Veranda Entertaining" by Clinton Smith