(member)

30/08/2008 15:41

Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

I haven't been invited to one in ages and I haven't had one for years. Mainly now I do lunch with girlfriends but rarely in mixed company.

Has anyone still got a hostess trolley? They were all the rage at dinner parties years ago.

Maybe they're going on all around me and no-one is inviting me. If you have them, are they worth all the anxiety?

(member)

30/08/2008 15:46

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Hi MT
No I dont do dinner parties anymore, I do invite people around for supper though. Much less stress.Come to think about it I tend to meet friends for lunch, or early supper straight from work. Do you think its a generational thing?

(member)

30/08/2008 15:47

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Yes, mangetout, I have dinner parties. Although I think thats quite a formal term for them. Basically I love having friends over to dinner. I love cooking and my friends seem to enjoy eating them! We all go to each others houses and take turns with the cooking.
I would quite happily spend all day in the kitchen preparing for it.
I think that we'll have to stop doing anymore for the time being though, as I said in another post, finances are pretty bad at the moment, and it not cheap to provide food and drink for 6/8 people.

(member)

30/08/2008 15:48

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Mange Tout,
When Oh was in the air force we used to have them on a regular basis, as we love entertaining. Since we have moved here to Derbyshire, Im afraid its only family that we invite, but still enjoy company.

I have to admit to owning a hostess trolley MT, and it comes in handy for storing my ever increasing numbers of crockery that are piling out of the shrank.

You would be welcome at any dinner party I was throwing anytime MT.

Plasmo x

(member)

30/08/2008 15:50

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

I haven't got a full size hostess trolley but a work top plug in mini hot trolley which holds 3 full size vegetable dishes. I've been on the dinner party circuit in the past - they are lovely to go to but horrible when it's my turn to do the cooking - quite stressful and always a worry about getting the quantities right so nowadays I try and avoid them and meet friends at restaurants instead!

(member)

30/08/2008 15:51

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

When's the dinner party scheduled for then, Plasmo??

(member)

30/08/2008 15:53

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Spangle,

It will happen sooner, rather than later my friend.

Plasmo xx

(member)

30/08/2008 15:54

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Yes I do have them though mine are not really formal affairs. I like them to be relaxed and friendly not stuffy. A chance for friends to get together and unwind with good (though sometimes very simple) food and wine and enjoy each others company.

(member)

30/08/2008 15:57

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Hi dizzee,

Thats the way to do it I think, good company, easy tasty food, music, and making people welcome.

Plasmo x

(member)

30/08/2008 16:03

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

actually MangeTout, I do, but it's usually dinner parties in winter and lunch parties in summer.

As a matter of fact I had one lunch planned for tomorrow but my friend rang to say she and OH have just had a crash with the scooter and he was staying in hospital overnight.

Fortunately nothing major, so we'll have the shoulder of lamb on confit of veg in a couple of weeks.

As for a dinner trolley, never seen one let alone own one!

What are they used for ???

(member)

30/08/2008 16:43

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Quote:

You would be welcome at any dinner party I was throwing anytime MT.

You're on, Plasmo! Derbyshire just happens to be my second favourite county, after Yorkshire of course.

(member)

30/08/2008 16:50

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Yes I do! But think the term 'dinner party' suggests a lot of people.......we like having just one other couple to dinner on a Saturday evening, and we do that a lot.
Don't enjoy the cooking for cooking's sake, but love that way to spend an evening, so the work is worth it.

(member)

30/08/2008 21:11

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

When I was younger we would invite friends round for dinner but people don't seem to so that as much.
I enjoy cooking and I think it's made so much easier now days.

Maybe thats why we all need the supperclubs.
People do have much busier lives also this must make it much more difficult.Our lives where much slower.
We had Sundays to get over the evening before
i.e no shops open on Sunday only the papershop and corner shop

(member)

30/08/2008 21:16

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Yes, whatever happened to dinner parties, I used to love them, a group of us used to take it in turns to host them, about once a month. And yes I do have a hostess, although it has lost two of its wheels, I tend to use the serving dishes more that the hostess itself.

(member)

30/08/2008 21:23

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

We hold them fairly regularly and enjoy them and being invited back in return. I can certainly do a dinner party of six to eight people cheaper than going out for two. ie under �60.00. All good stuff and a relaxed way to spend a night at home with good friends.

(member)

30/08/2008 21:36

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Yes - I do dinner parties - 10-12 people and I LOVE THE WHOLE THING! I love choosing menu, shopping, laying table, ironing napkins, flowers...the whole event. I always work like crazy before folks arrive. OH does music & drinks and takes over kitchen at coffee time.

I ALWAYS choose food that is heavy work on preparation but leaves me free to be with the people as soon as they arrive. I rarely feel stressed and love the buzz of feeding lots of people. This makes the evening relaxed and lovely..Quite informal in a lovely kind of way...

ejanexx

(member)

30/08/2008 22:17

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Ejane,
So tell me what food you do. Love to swap recipes!

(member)

30/08/2008 22:32

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Kazaan,

Couldnt agree with you more, things have changed a lot, people are so much busier these days, and what time they have to relax they probably want to do with their family and friends.

Good comment about the supper clubs though, at least we get the chance to have a "dinner party" so to speak with none of the hard work, and a lot more pleasure.

Plasmo xx

(member)

30/08/2008 22:53

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

My brother and SIL have loads of dinner parties,if SIL can think of a reason for having one,consider it planned.

She has a beautiful Hostess Trolley,a kitchen to die for,and a wine cellar to match. Sadly,no children,their choice but they just love having people around.

You couldn't wish to meet a more pleasant couple.

Of course it helps that SIL is 'Cordon Bleu' trained and consequently my brother is now MWTM trained!!

(member)

31/08/2008 07:17

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

What is MWTM??

(member)

31/08/2008 09:35

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Guessing My Wife Trained Me! Is that right? Have the occassional dinner party or informal supper always enjoy them with friends. Thank god for M and S and Waitrose.....no work at all! x

(member)

31/08/2008 09:52

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Used to have formal dinner parties, with the whole works, days of planning & shopping, cooking etc, which I used to love doing but was exhausting. Nowadays just prefer to do a casual supper, easy food and less stress. Often its short notice & will happily buy a ready made pudding.

I think its just a general trend change towards more informal living.

(member)

31/08/2008 10:14

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Could mean

MAN WITH THE MONEY!!

tee hee

ejanexx

(member)

31/08/2008 10:41

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

I have a hostess trolley too.It is useful when entertaining.We tend to have Sunday Lunches for family and friends or even Sat.ones.
We are not late night birds and lunch seems more relaxed.Decent joint of meat and lots of veg. and simple fresh puds (crumbles,pies,fresh fruit,cheeses,I am getting hungry!!!)
I am OK once I have worked out menu and done shopping.
I used to enjoy the meals I did for the Shoot.Men are so easy to please with a large casserole or even Shepherd's pie!!

(member)

31/08/2008 10:54

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

I do the occasional dinner party. My last one was for eight people and we unbelievably sat outside all evening! A few candles, fairy lights on the patio umbrella, lots of wine, reasonable food. I used to stress out about making the food but having seen other women stressing out when I went to their houses I realised that it really didn't matter what the food was like, it was the company that mattered. We can eat restaurant quality meals in restaurants so I just make simple dishes which can be prepared beforehand and everyone seems to enjoy them. The simplest meal is to bake chicken pieces and jacket potatoes. Put both in the oven for one hour and make up any side dishes you like - salad, vegetables, baked beans (I did that once and called it an indoor barbecue). Put sliced vegetables and soy sauce with the chicken pieces, or herbs or paprika on the chicken. It is so easy and reasonably cheap and better than not having people around at all.

(member)

31/08/2008 12:01

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

That sounds lovely, issi. I only fed family until just recently when I got married again and we had 'couples' as friends so it's all new and nerve-wracking for me. We were invited by a couple who pushed the boat out to the extent that I felt I was in a 5* hotel rather than eating with friends. Needless to say I was terrified at the prospect of the return fixture and it didn't go entirely to plan. Put me off entertaining for ages but I loved your approach so maybe I'll try again...

(member)

31/08/2008 12:11

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Used to have lots but only occasionally now. Ate out with another couple last night and they were saying they'd heard that dinner parties were making a comeback as people can't afford to eat out any more! Hope not - they're so stressful!!
I've never had a hostess trolley. They make me think of that Victoria Wood song!!

(member)

31/08/2008 12:30

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Is it on the trolley???

(member)

31/08/2008 20:04

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

Don't mock it!! I have a Hostess server, and I wouldn't be without it when all the family come over.
I stick it on the kitchen table,and every one dishes up from it, it has 4 pyrex dishes for veg, and a small heated bit underneath where you can keep tatties warm or some roast meat. Its so usefull, and not big like a hostess trolley.

I have people over for supper more, these days. Infact have a couple of friends over in a couple of weeks. Its is still stressful, the couples OH doesn't eat cheese, anything green, or curries. People do make things difficult don't they?

(member)

03/09/2008 21:45

Re: Does anyone have dinner parties any more?

I was going to ask the same thing!

Ejane, your dinner parties sound fabulous. You have it all so well organised. Last week I had people over and was shopping for the ingredients about an hour and a half before they arrived! But it was fine because my son helped me and it was a stir fry recipe which he had got from school H.E. class. Sticky Chilli Beef with stir fry vegetables and served on a bed of noodles. I have to say it was lovely.And fast!

But your evenings sound so relaxed because you do the preparation first so you can relax when people arrive. I don't like going to someone for dinner and they are huffing & puffing. I feel guilty. You and your husband are a winning team, he does the music,drinks and coffee. Perfect!

What about a few ideas/tips for the rest of us. Ideas on recipes, presentation etc. Like my OH always says when I fire the dinner down in front of him " It's all in the presentaion Dear!"

Which reminds me of a joke about an overbearing wife and her hen-pecked husband out for a meal. The waiter taking the order compliments the wife on her choice of main course and then asks " And the vegetable?" to which she repiles "He'll have the same!"

Before I go, doesn't "Candlelit Supper" sound lovely, aside from jokes about Hyacinth. And pre-theatre suppers.
Off to make a bit of toast!

Shelbee

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