How to Kick Off a Dinner Party Right, From Cheese Balls to Spiced Nuts
Vintage barware is a must, and even cooler with punch in it
CREDIT: DANNY KIM
Yes, dinner is important. But it’s how you coat your cheese balls and ice your drinks that really sets the tone. Here, 15 ideas for kicking the night off right
Snacks
1. Mix Up Your Nuts
Satisfying nut medleys taste better when they’re not dumped straight from the “deluxe assortment” can.
Get the recipes:
Spiced Popcorn with Pecans and Raisins
Toasted Walnuts with Parmesan and Aleppo Pepper
Five-Spice Nuts with Soy Sauce and Sesame
2. The Foodist’s Favorite Store-Bought Bar Snacks
Prawn crackers
Think of this light-as-air, only slightly shrimpy snack as the potato chip of Southeast Asia. They’re crunchy, salty, and sold at most Asian markets.
Biltong
South African–style wind-dried beef jerky ($10 for 4 oz). And man, is it nice with an ice-cold beer.)
Corn nuts
Not just any corn nuts but quicos ($6 for 1 lb.), as they are called in Spain. Much crunchier than the gas-station kind.
3. Yes, Shrimp Cocktail Is Still Awesome
“Though it feels like an indulgence to serve at home, shrimp cocktail is the definition of effortless. Put out as many crudités as you want; this will disappear first.” — Julia Kramer, associate restaurant editor
Get the recipe: DIY Poached Shrimp
4. Everyone Loves a Cheese Ball
“Because it’s cheese! And nuts! In ball form! Best of all, it’s infinitely riffable, as these recipes demonstrate. Hurrah, freedom! Hurrah, cheese balls!” —Andrew Knowlton, the BA Foodist
Get the recipes:
Green Goddess, Pistachio, and Goat Cheese Ball
Everything Spice-Coated Cheddar Cheese Ball
Pine Nut and Feta Cheese Ball
5. Crudités Get a Makeover
Drop the celery stick and forget about the plastic platter. This is what a crudités spread should look like in 2014.
1. Crudités should change with the seasons. Make thinly sliced roots like spicy daikon, sweet beets, and turnips your fall staples.
2. Baby carrots are for your kid’s soccer games, not a party.Heirloom carrots from the farmers’ market? That’s another story.
3. Include small, sturdy salad leaves, like baby romaine or Little Gem lettuce. The concave shape makes a fantastic dip scooper.
4. They’re not raw, but steamed, cold, salted potatoes are the dark horse on any spread—and just as tasty as potato chips.
5. Go for pretty by showing multiple hues of a vegetable, such as purple cauliflower next to green Romanesco.
6. The Skinny on Dips
They’re not crudités without a place to dip them.
Get the recipes:
Charred Onion Dip
Roasted Beet and Walnut Dip
7. The Meat Stands Alone
“Charcuterie plates are dangerous: People fill up trying a little bit of everything. I like to make a statement withone cured-meat option, and it’s almost always thinly sliced, pistachio-studded mortadella from the best Italian deli I can find. Anyone who says they don’t like it is lying.” —Amiel Stanek, assistant to the editor in chief
Drinks
8. You Can Never Have Enough Ice
“I usually have the dinner-and-dessert situation under control. Less so? Cold drinks. So when guests ask me what they can bring to my party, I always say ice. Between mixing cocktails and chilling wine, it’s the one thing you’re guaranteed to run out of.” — Joanna Sciarrino, assistant editor
Get the recipes:
The BA Foodist’s House Cocktail
12 Punch Recipes
Vibe
9. Please Don’t Stop the Music
“Good tunes are essential. When I don’t have time to make a playlist, I use Songza, an app and Web site that deejays for me. It curates playlists by mood or situation (think ‘Vintage Soul Dance Party’ or just ‘Lush’), so no matter what kind of crowd I’m hosting, my music is always spot-on.” —Danielle Walsh, associate web editor
10. Uniform Dishes are for Squares
“Matchy-matchy tableware is boring-boring. I like to party with a mess of vintage dishes: Flowery china teacups, Grand Canyon souvenir plates, fancy crystal punch bowls—each is its own conversation starter.” —Ashlea Halpern, special projects editor
11. Flower Arranging 101
The difference between sticking a few snacks on a table and calling it a party, and throwing an event people will remember? Fresh flowers. Husband of a floral designer (and BA editor in chief) Adam Rapoport schools:
Keep It Simple
“Trying to mix and match flowers is like getting dressed: Sometimes a suit is best. Stick with one type of in-season bloom. It’s elegant and, more important, easy.”
Aim Low
“Cut stems short so blooms pop right out of the vase, or intersperse single-bud vases throughout your spread.”
Go Fragrance-Free
“A dinner party is not the time to stop and smell the roses, or lilies, or any flower that overwhelms the food.”
12. Tie One On
“My grandma always wore a spotless, freshly pressed apron when cooking for guests. Mine get more of a workout, so I have two collections: a stack of white standard-issue restaurant aprons for cooking and my ‘beautiful’ ones, perfect for putting on just before friends arrive.” —Liesel Davis, recipe editor
13. Throwback Tome
“Martha Stewart’s 15-year-old Hors d’Oeuvres Handbook is the party host’s bible. It’s packed with tips and ideas, from the eminently practical (homemade mayo) to the charmingly daffy (a Pullman loaf ‘basket’ filled with tea sandwiches). Browsing the book’s 200-plus color photographs continues to inspire my party nibbles.” —Claire Saffitz, assistant food editor
14. No Paper Plates…Except These
“Kaku by Wasara biodegradable plates (six for $5) are so stylish, they were shown at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. Eco bonus: They’re tree-free.” —Christine Muhlke, executive editor
15. The Platter Matters
“Whether it’s olives, charcuterie, or cheese, I serve all my snacks on wooden boards.” —Alaina Sullivan, junior designer
