Dinner party help | ExpatWoman.com
 

Dinner party help

371
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 04 April 2011 - 14:53

I need some advice please!

Okay, so I'm relatively new at the entertaining thing as I've not been married that long. So far have never had more than 6 guests in my one-bed apartment at a time. On Friday I have 8 adults and about 8-9 kids coming for dinner. I'm going to do it the Arabic/Asian way... as in, all the food comes out together, not in courses. I'm making four mains, 2 salads and rice. Here's the part where I need help. How on earth do you warm everything up in time? 3 of my mains will be made in the oven and therefore can't possibly be heated up together. I don't have those serving dishes with the candles underneath them either.

Any advice on how I can get everything heated and on the table by 8:30 would be much appreciated!

3804
Posts
EW MASTER
Latest post on 04 April 2011 - 21:38
If you can't borrow the warmers, I know that ACE do hire them out.
371
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 04 April 2011 - 21:09
Thanks for your help. Think I'll need those warming thingies! I used to have three large ones but I never used them and they were stuck on top of my wardrobe for ages and then my DH went and gave them away 2 weeks ago!! Feel reluctant to buy more so will probably just borrow from a friend :) I hope everything goes well..I'm very nervous! Making Syrian food; kofta, oven roasted chicken & potatoes with garlic and lemon, spiced aubergines with chickpeas and yoghurt, and lamb kabseh rice... then fattoush, hummous and spinach and feta pies. And baklawa and umm ali for dessert! It's gonna take me half of Thursday and all Friday I think!
379
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 04 April 2011 - 15:35
I purchased food warmers at HomesRUs at Ibn Batutta Mall. They are insulated dishes with lids and can go straight to the table. They come in different colors and sizes: round and oblong shape. They keep the food hot/warm for up to 4 hours as long as the lids are kept on them. If you use them, you can put a place card in front of it indicating what is in the dish. These are great in that you can cook your food well before your guests come and gives you time to get ready with ease. They are also great if you want to bring a hot dish to someone's house. Good luck and have fun with your dinner party. <em>edited by Crystil on 04/04/2011</em>
577
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 04 April 2011 - 15:10
Depending on what the mains are, do you have a slow cooker and/or electric frypan that you can perhaps use to re-heat them? Or are they suitable to maybe be cooked earlier in the day, or even the night before, and then reheated in the microwave or on the stove-top instead of in the oven? How many shelves do you have in your oven? Is there any way you can cook the food earlier (as mentioned above) and just stack them up in the oven to reheat? Failing that, there may be places around town that you can hire a couple of bain-marie to keep the food warm? Good luck with your dinner party - bet it will be delish!!
 
 

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