Brenda Lee's 411 on entertaining

I volunteered to provide a small refreshment table at an upcoming support group meeting. I could easily unfold a card table, throw down some bottled waters & oreos and call it a day, but I  do not operate like that. I plan on using my vintage table linens and depression glass. I also need to go shopping for one of those pretty glass beverage decanters with an iron stand. Ice water with a few lemon slices is so much prettier and economical than cans & bottles, and at the end of the day I get to keep the decanter. Whether it is a small refreshment table or a large party, I have always taken my entertaining and volunteer responsibilities seriously.

My husband wanted to have a big party when he turned 50. He said,” Let’s keep it simple: chili dogs and a keg.   I did my best to make his birthday wishes come true, but it took a little creativity to “Brendify” hot dogs. He hired the band. We also had a surprise set from our friend, Greg, who played the bag pipes. The keg was a craft beer. I hired our friend, Vandi, who is a much better cook than I, to make a few special chilies and several desserts including shortbread, lemon squares & raspberry crumble bars.  It was a casual, serve-yourself-type party. When the hubs first said he wanted chili dogs and a keg, I thought, “This isn’t a tailgate!” My point here: I put my twist on a white-trash menu and turned it into something nice.

I once helped coordinate a Thanksgiving feast at my son’s elementary school.  I specifically recall the note home saying, “If you are able, send in an ethnic dish that your family prepares as part of your holiday tradition” Being a very diverse school, the food was amazing. The tables were full of Arabic, Chinese, Indian & Jewish quisine. I made miniature pasties representing our familys' Finnish heritage.  If you are fortunate like me, our community is a very  generous group.  The school is no exception. Send a note home and the luncheon for staff appreciation looks like the Whoville feast.  (Please take note that if you are having a hectic week, feel free to toss that note requesting a donation of food into the recycle bin.)  NO ONE will starve.  I couldn’t help but laugh at my son’s ethnic feast.  Just as the catty words were about to slip out of my mouth, another mom beat me to it.  She blurted out, “So who is cheez-it mom?” That’s right, there at the ethnic feast, some busy parent felt compelled to send in something. It was a box covered in cellophane full of single serving bags of cheez-its. Sad thing though, give a 3^rd grader a choice between Grandma Chen’s seaweed salad recipe and cheez-its and Nabisco will win, every time.

So here are my two cents on entertaining. First, stick to the theme. Second, do something to make it special. I don’t know whether or not I will have time to make the refreshments for the meeting. If I don’t, you can bet I will be taking the cookies out of the plastic cell pack. I am not trying to fool anyone. We all recognize the Costco variety trio. They just taste better when served from a vintage crystal plate.