Party in action

Party in action

 

We may love to entertain guests but we don't always have hours to prepare for a party. Sometimes we rush home from work and barely have time to wash up and put on a little make-up before our friends arrive. Here are clever little tricks that allow you to beat the clock every time.

Stage 1: the cleanliness drive (5 minutes)

Take a large plastic bin or a bag and shove all the miscellaneous clutter that's sitting around into it. Spend another couple of minutes sweeping the floors and dusting any furniture that needs to be polished a bit. Spend a minute sprucing up your kitchen so it's ‘presentable.’

Stage 2: setting up the mood (3 minutes)

First, candles. Whether you display groups of pillars in varied sizes or simple arrangements, bathe your living and dining rooms in a warm glow. Next, music. We like to create party playlists ahead of time so we can just pop in a disc. Spruce things up a bit with fresh flowers or a simple centerpiece to dress your coffee  table. Keep a stash of dried flowers or decorative twigs on hand for impromptu gatherings - or make a simple centerpiece by filling a glass vase with dried flowers, rice, or coffee beans from your kitchen.

Stage 3:  munching on munchies (3 minutes)

Collect cool little hors d'oeuvre servers. They're indispensable and enable you to throw out a handful of munchies that look put together rather than stuck in random bowls. Some of our fast favourites include almonds, olives, carrots, breadsticks and cheese straws.

Stage 4: junk and funk (10 minutes)

The quickest and easiest recipe of all time is pasta and salad. Put on a large pot of water to boil and open up some gourmet sauce-in-a-jar before guests arrive. Pour a bag of mixed greens in a bowl and sprinkle shaved cheddar cheese, tomatoes, slivered almonds, walnuts or whatever you like on top. If you have the time, spend a minute to slice up some yellow pepper, mushrooms, or fresh pear. Have a fresh loaf of bread out and ready for slicing. For dessert, treat guests to a scoop of gelato or ice cream with a cookie garnish.

Stage 5: bottoms up (2 minutes)

Uncork a bottle of red wine and set it out to breathe. For non-drinkers, pour sparkling cider or apple juice into a decanter for that fancy touch.

Stage 6: get, set, go... (5 minutes)

Set the table for dinner - place mats, plates, utensils, glasses, napkins. Place a decorative touch on each plate - a twig of rosemary, leaf, flower bud, or small soy sauce bowl filled with olive oil for dipping bread.