Dinner Parties Are Back!

Have you heard? The dinner party is back!

I happen to adore this time-honored tradition, this nod to Western civilization passed down through the generations. A chance to bring a mix of old and new friends together for an evening of breaking bread and conversation.

Dare I say it? In my opinion, dinner parties are less about what you serve and more about the atmosphere. Creating an environment that will put people at ease and lets them know they’re in for a special evening is my top priority.

Dinner parties are so classic and cool. I always harness an early 1960s vibe when I think about hosting a dinner. Invitations are made to those you’re sure will mesh well. A menu is decided, something wonderful, but not too challenging. The table is set with china and crystal, yes it’s making a comeback too! The HiFi is turned on, and by that, I mean Spotify, of course. A cocktail is shaken or stirred and the party begins. So utterly civilized.

I had been hearing the buzz around opulent dinner parties making a comeback in 2024 and the wheels begin to turn. You guys know I love Valentine’s Day, so it seemed like the ideal excuse to pull out the finery and set the table.

I invited several couples but did not let the idea of men at the table, stop me from going with pink as the dominant color. It was a celebration of Valentine’s Day after all, and pink is the BEST color to drive this point home!

I laid a white tablecloth and added a centerpiece that I’ve had for many years, that features velvet ivy leaves. It always makes a great foundation for any arrangement that includes flowers.

I bought lots of pink roses, the long stem variety and garden roses. I like the contrast of the sizes and having them both makes arranging so easy. Start with a few stems of the garden roses around the edge of a rose bowl or low vase. Cut the large roses to create a canopy and fill in any blank spots. I made 3 arrangements for the table in graduating sizes. To that, I added lots of white candles, and my centerpiece was done.

The place setting had lots of layers for added opulence. Gold chargers were the first layer, next green chargers, followed by a mix of pink and green Famille Rose plates from William Sonoma and the snack bowls for the center. I pulled out the sterling silver flatware and used simple crystal, and green napkins to complete the settings.

I learned from a friend years ago, what fun it is to add something special, even whimsical to the table setting as the place card. It could be decorated cookies, at Christmas, I used chocolate Christmas trees that we carried back from our market trip to Belgium, and here I chose these darling hearts by Laderach. These Swiss Laderach chocolate hearts come in a variety of flavors and are so good, they now have a store near my home!

Last but not least, just before the guests arrived, the table and the room were sprinkled with pink rose petals for plenty of drama!

When the doorbell rang, I was already shaking French 75’s from my new friends, Brooke Bell, and Brian Hart Hoffman’s, Holiday Coupetails book, and wow was it perfection! Just a note about this gorgeous book; it’s chocked full of 65 drink recipes, all made to be served in coupe glasses. Is there anything more elegant than that?

I am the owner of quite s few cook and cocktail books, and Holiday Coupetails stands out not only because of the delicious and simple recipes but also the stunning golden spine, it begs to be pulled from the shelf!

We started with a few tidbits including Brie Stuffed Pear en Croute that we will be making in my upcoming Bistronomy Class.

Once we were seated we had a simple salad served with laminated Brioche, a la Jules Verne in Paris.

Followed by the main course of Pork Roulade, Fontina Mac N Cheese and Roasted Winter Vegetables. And for dessert I served Chocolate Pot de Creme with Raspberry Coulis and fresh berries.

When hosting a dinner party it’s important to keep a sense of humor. Something is bound to go wrong with this many moving parts and it helps if you can laugh it off.

I happen to love getting out all the pretty dishes, arranging flowers, and making special foods but remember, the idea is to bring people together, to break bread around the table, and to create that all-important human connection. That is what matters. So jump on the bandwagon this year and host a dinner party! Not so sure? Join me for a Fabulous French Dinner Party and you’ll be MY guest!

I hope to see you guys in an upcoming cooking class. I have 2 titles this season still available:

French Workshop French Bistronomy and Fabulous French Dinner Party!

Oh and stay tuned, there is plenty of excitement at A Taste of Paris this season and I’ll be sharing every bit of it with YOU!

XO
Lorie