what's your emphasis? sweet or savory?

[lorilei]

For those of you who love to entertain... we all have our own styles. And we all love to present our guests with a different experience.

Do you tend to spend the most time on the meal you're serving? Or the dessert that follows? Do you tend to serve the same things? Or do you experiment with new dishes for your guests?

I find that when I'm cooking, my thoughts are always concentrated on the finale to the meal -- the luscious accompaniment to a good cup of coffee and a nice long bit of conversation. It's not that I don't enjoy cooking the meal (and I'll often spend hours planning that part as well), but my meals just don't seem complete without something impressive to top it all off...

As far as experimentation goes, I definitely love to experiment. If I'm really unsure of a dish, I'll try it out a week or two before the company comes. But otherwise, it's a lovely, exciting shot-in-the-dark. I just throw myself into the recipe and hope things turn out the way I've envisioned http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif I suppose that's the adventure-bunny in me...

[KValley]

lorilei,
What a great question- I've never examined my style in this way, but it's got me thinking.

Working backwards from dessert- I serve the tried and true. I love making a really WOW dessert, but I won't serve something that I haven't made before as desserts can be so finicky. What I serve, however, depends upon the meal.

My preparation, research, concentration goes into the meal. If it is for a special occasion or I am uncertain of the recipe, I will make it in advance. If it is an impromptu get together with family or friends(say, I know a day or a few hours in advance) I am more likely to experiment or go back to a recipe that I love to make and to serve.

I also find joy in taking time to select wine- for both dinner and dessert-it isn't a true meal with friends without the right wines! And I load up the CD player before everyone arrives, to set and continue the right mood.

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by lorilei:
Do you tend to spend the most time on the meal you're serving? Or the dessert that follows? Do you tend to serve the same things? Or do you experiment with new dishes for your guests?

Hmmm...sweet or savory?? I guess I have a slight emphasis on the main meal, but I like to have a nice dessert as well. That's partly because dessert is not an everyday occurence for us or most of my guests. A dessert makes the meal special and, to me, shows that you really went all-out.

As for experimenting...it depends on the recipe and on the guests. If I'm cooking for someone for the first time, I stick to tried and true. If I'm cooking for family, I'm more likely to experiment because I don't have as much need to "prove myself". And, being family, I know they will be more forgiving. But sometimes there's that certain recipe that you can just tell will be great, so I'll even experiment for others on occasion.

Whether I end up experimenting or not, I almost never cook the same thing twice for guests - I try to give them something new and exciting every time. I can even do this for my family because we live far apart and I don't cook for them all that often. However, when they are staying at my house for a whole week, some of the tried and true MUST be used - I can't be THAT inventive!

[gertdog]

Interesting topic!

I experiment with appetizers and dessert. The main course tends to be something tried-and-true but special (a little more effort than I'd put in for a typical meal, or featuring fresh, seasonal, maybe expensive ingredients). Knowing that the main course is going to turn out fine gives me the confidence to be more experimental with the other dishes.

I LOVE planning appetizers... I'd say this is my favorite part of the meal. What nibbles will I have on the table? What flavors will complement the courses to come? What's something unexpected but tasty? Something decadent that everyone can enjoy since the portions are small?

Dessert is always on the menu, but the recipe is always selected after the other elements are in place. If the meal is simple and fairly light, then I go for it with an elaborate dessert. A heavier or more labor intensive meal gets an easier dessert. One of the most fun (and successful) desserts I did recently was a big bowl of strawberries macerated in sugar and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, served alongside shortbread, mascarpone cheese for spreading on the shortbread, and lavender honey for drizzling over the cheese. That dessert was a big lesson for me... simple sometimes does = spectacular!

[browneye]

I must admit I sometimes almost forget the dessert I get so wrapped up in the main course stuff, and appetizers.
I have started to make dessert more regularly now, since joining up with this BB. That is good, I have been able to make some yummy desserts, so when I invite the guests over, I have something to pull from. Sometimes I assign dessert to the guest that wants to bring something, but so often I don't want my guests to bring anything, so they will relax and enjoy, instead...

[Wendy w]

I'm like browneye, I tend to concentrate on the other elements of the meal and dessert is an after thought. I usually have a guest do it. I'm bbq-ing on Mother's day and waas relieved when my sister offered to make dessert. When I do make dessert, I like for it to be my sole contribution to as I tend to really spend a lot of time on it.