Our Entertaining Lives

I have been married for 32 years. To the same man.

And, in that time, we have had numerous parties. We are entertainers and love having friends over for almost any occasion. I am a cook so we invite friends over frequently to eat with us. We have small, intimate dinner parties with another couple or two; we have huge, loud, noisy parties with at least 100 people. And we have every kind of gathering in-between.

Big parties are my favorite kind of party. I love them. I’d rather cook for a big, huge party than a small or medium one. When I talk about a big party, I mean at least 50 people, or even better, 100 or so people. This is a crowd, to say the least.

My favorite part of any gathering, large or small, is the planning. I love planning parties, but always feel an urge to leave once the food is cooked and the guests start to arrive. I have the heart and soul of a caterer. I like big parties because I can get lost in them. I like to plan the meal, cook the meal, present the meal, and then disappear. I can stop and chat – very briefly – with a guest and then run off to do one thing or another. It is the perfect scenario for an introvert like me.

I also think that big, crowded parties are more fun for the guests. They, too, can chat briefly with a fellow guest and then move on. There are so many people to talk to! And the noise level – high to be exact – conveys excitement and fun.

Cooking for large gatherings takes a great deal of planning. For our almost annual holiday party – typically between Halloween and Thanksgiving, an event we named “Hallowgiving” or “Thanksween”– I start making plans in early September. I make lists of the foods that I will cook and a separate list of ones that I will buy. And change my mind many times as new recipes find their way into my life.

I always make knishes (mashed potatoes wrapped in puff pastry), at least 300, sometimes more, and pepperoni rolls (pepperoni or sausage wrapped in puff pastry), at least six or seven of them. Both of those appetizers I can make a month or so in advance and freeze. Now that I live in Mexico and have a much smaller refrigerator and freezer, I beg and borrow refrigerator and freezer space from generous friends.

For these large parties, I always have a nice vegetable platter, along with a cold meat platter. You can buy large quantities of ready-cut vegetables at the local supermarket or Costco. I also buy a variety of desserts – cookies, cupcakes, anything that could easily be picked up – at Costco. (And, yes, we do have Costco in Mexico.)

Sometimes I think my parties are “Catered by Costco.”

There is one dessert that I almost always make: Chocolate Truffles. They are easy to make and much cheaper than buying them.

I always have dips – hummus, salsas, and guacamole – with tortilla chips or crackers. I always make deviled eggs because everyone loves deviled eggs. You can never have too many deviled eggs.

Since most of our parties are in the late fall or early winter, I often make a hearty dish, such as Cassoulet. Or, now in Mexico, I buy a Costco spiral ham and make a huge pot of beans. Then I buy an assortment of tamales from Dona Margarita, the Mexican woman who lives across the street from our house and who is known for her delicious tamales.

Perhaps our best ingredient for any party we have– large or small – is a sense of fun. We like to think if we’re relaxed and having a good time, our guests will too.

Photo Credit

Knishes on a Plate – by Arlene Krasner – All Rights Reserved

Deviled Eggs – Wikipedia Creative Commons

Guest Author Bio

Arlene Krasner
Arlene Krasner’s food memoir, Kosher Sutra, was published in 2013. She has written numerous articles for Sally’s Place, a website for useful information and insightful commentary on food, wine and travel. Her writing covers a range of topics, from cooking Mexican food to joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). In addition to her food-related book and articles, Arlene has served as a cookbook recipe tester, a caterer, and chief cook for a fraternity house. In fits and starts, Arlene worked on Kosher Sutra for seven years before deciding to focus her memoir on her true passion – food and cooking. She is currently working on a book about entertaining, as well as her first novel. Arlene teaches technical writing at Portland State University and has an M.A. in Writing from San Jose State University.

Blog / Website: www.arlenekrasner.wordpress.com

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