Holiday Hosting: Skip the Sit-Down and Mingle

Eat, drink and be merry: it's the mantra of the holiday season. But as the host of this years' holiday dinner or party, how merry will you be if all your time is spent in the kitchen preparing the meal while your guests mingle and enjoy each other's company?

Dean "Dino" Reed Jr., head chef at Totally Cooked Catering and Market , 2730 Front Street, and former corporate chef at the B.F. Goodrich World Headquarters, recommends giving your guests a quality spread-- and enjoy it yourself-- by skipping the traditional sit-down dinner.

"Sit-down is nice but grazing, as we call it in catering, lets you and your guests try a lot of different things while mingling," he said.

By having a large variety of appetizers, hors d'oeuvres and small-plate food, Reed said guests can "graze" the selections throughout the day keeping you from being a slave to the kitchen.

"This is a really upscale way of presenting food and it will really wow your guests," he said.

Variety

Variety is the spice of life and the life of your dinner party.

"You want to have several different options available for your guests so that everyone will be satisfied," Reed said. His top suggestions include chicken, seafood, and vegetarian options, as well as a beef, pork or lamb dish, "depending on who is coming."

Other popular dishes Reed uses in his catering: antipasto platters, flatbread pizzas, cheese trays, crusty breads and flavor-infused dipping oils. (See Chef Dino's suggestions at the bottom of this article.)

Reed reminds hosts to be sure to shake up the typical fare, even if it's just a little.

"Everyone does a shrimp cocktail. But toss that same shrimp in jerk and Cajun seasonings and sauté. Boom! You've got three different kinds of shrimp for your guests to choose from," he said.

In lieu of the standby cocktail sauce, Reed suggests mixing up a mayo and Dijon spread to "cut through the heat"  of the Cajun shrimp, and a pineapple mango mayo to accompany the jerk option.

Savory and sweet

No holiday meal is complete without dessert.

Reed always likes to have a few options — including chocolate.

"You have to have something chocolate because everyone loves chocolate," he said. "Truffles are a great option, either homemade or store-bought."

Another option: fresh berries with a whipped cream and lemon curd — with a festive touch.

"I mix the fresh berries with mint and then mist with Asti champagne. It just spritzes the dish up and makes it fresh and lively," Reed said.

Don't over-think the drinks

"People are too worried about matching the wine with the food, " said Reed. "Just get the wine and beer that you like."

In addition to a nice selection of spirits, Reed suggests making a specialty drink, such as eggnog and rum, white sangria or mojitos.

"You can find good holiday drinks online and make them ahead of time," he said.

If you prefer having drinks to complement or enhance your menu, ask your local wine retailer to help you coordinate.

"Go to your local wine store, give them your menu and your price range and they'll be able to set you up," Reed said.

Prep and plan

Having been in the kitchen for 25 years, Reed has developed a foolproof method for planning a menu:  make sure all your dishes don't need to be cooked.

"I like to have one-third of my meal be chilled dishes, one third of the meal needs cooked just a little time before serving, and then my last third are the dishes that have to be [fully] cooked now and put out right away," he said.

Reed also likes to do as much as he can ahead of time.  

For instance, if you plan on serving cocktail meatballs, Reed said you can cook them the day before then "have them warming in the oven before guests arrive." Flat bread pizzas? "Get the crust done first and have the oven hot so when you're ready to cook them, there's no waiting."

Chef Reed's Recommendations

Italian Antipasto tray: baby artichoke  hearts; baby eggplants; white anchovies; sun dried tomatoes tossed in olive oil and garlic; Italian olives; figs; parmigiano-reggiano cheese; crusty Italian bread; and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.

Flatbread pizza: olive oil; arugula; apples; pears; pancetta; and gorgonzola cheese.