(Real quick: I’m hosting a Dinner Party Prep Club live class on October 27 and you get a discount! Use code HS20 right here: LINK)
When I was a kid, my best friend Christina and I would play “Dinner Party”. She had a pair of white cotton gloves and a man’s suit jacket in her dress-up trunk, so one of us got to play Butler, while the other was Madame in an elaborate “ball gown” cobbled together from the other bits and bobs in dress-up trunk. The game mostly involved ridiculous table-setting, followed by Butler’s elaborate explanation about “Tonight’s Menu”. Every menu was built around escargots (the word always made us giggle).
I thought I’d be eating a lot more escargots as an adult…and wearing more ball gowns!
The truth is, no one hosts those kinds of dinner parties anymore. Frankly, I couldn’t be happier.
To me, a dinner party is just joyful time spent with friends over a meal. No stress, no high heels, no elaborate tablescape, no three-course meal with wine pairings. Instead, a simple, tasty meal and easy conversations with people I love. Like this, dinner parties are my favourite thing. In fact, these type of parties are my go-to move:
New neighbour? Come for dinner. Friend I haven’t seen in ages? Come for dinner! Hockey parents we see all the time at the rink? Come for dinner.
It’s worth mentioning that, personally, I’ve also let go of having a pristinely clean house. I never scrub the baseboards. I pass the vacuum to pick up the visible dog hair and make sure the bathroom is “acceptable”. There’s never a tablescape…or even a table setting. I simply plop a stack of plates, napkins and cutlery in the middle of the table. I wouldn’t care if your house was immaculate, hopefully you feel the same way about mine!
Later this month, I’ve got a few neighbours coming over for a chili party*. I’ll make two pots of chili (one vegetarian, one not) and a big vanilla sheet cake early in the day. The children can build forts in the basement while the adults get to chat and relax. I can’t wait.
So while my “modern” dinner parties never involve ball gowns or butlers (sadly), they’re nevertheless a highlight of my life.
Why not host a modern dinner party yourself? You’ll never regret spending time with friends, and no one will miss the escargots.
https://cart.learnlife.ca/dinner-party-prep-club/*Join Claire’s popular Dinner Party Prep class for the Chili Celebration Menu with a special discount code HS20: https://cart.learnlife.ca/dinner-party-prep-club/
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Claire Tansey is Canada’s Master of Mealtime. She is the author of national bestsellers Dinner, Uncomplicated and Uncomplicated. She’s been in the food business for over 20 years; along the way she sang lead in a rock band, got a master’s degree and was Food Director of Chatelaine. Claire is a guest expert on Cityline and CBC Radio and she runs a virtual cooking school where she inspires home cooks with easy, delicious recipes.
Originally from Montreal, Claire lives in Toronto with her partner, Michael, who eats everything and their son, Thomas, who does not.
