With a round of Jewish holidays coming up, a lot of readers may be expecting a crowd. Smadar Saltun interviewed two caterers, Ronit Bronfman of Mazal Taleh and Anat van der Walt of Sodexo, about how to entertain a large number of people while still enjoying yourself. Van der Walt points out that when cooking for 15-30 as […]
November 24, 2011
Help! I Have No Room in the Refrigerator
Today is Thanksgiving, and that means company. Company, of course, means food and cooking. Back when I reviewed Jonathan Bloom’s book American Wasteland, I mentioned his contention that large refrigerators lead to more waste. I agree that large refrigerators tend to be wasteful. Not only because you end up storing more than you need, and […]
December 2, 2010
Should Vegetarians Warn Dinner Hosts in Advance?
Chaya left this comment on my post When Hosting, How Much is Too Much?: I am a vegetarian and often face a dilemma when I am invited out. I don’t like to tell my host that I am vegetarian so as not to make them feel that they need to make something especially for me […]
July 8, 2010
When Hosting, How Much Is Too Much?
In the comments on my guest post on hosting a crowd at Habitza, I recalled a party I hosted for a newly married couple I hardly knew. Afterward, one of the single men who had been invited complained that guys get hungry, and we should have served more than a quarter of a chicken per person. He would have liked a second piece.
I still remember that exchange because it put me on the defensive. Hosts are sensitive. Here I helped plan and pay for this huge party, and that guy (who also didn’t know the young couple in question) should have been grateful to be invited.
