Food is the ultimate connector. It’s a reason to gather and a method for deepening relationships. Preparing a signature dish is a way to showcase your culture, exhibit your style, and bring people together. In this article, we’ll be sharing expert advice for ways to up your food and drink game so you can wow your guests at your next event.
Prepare the perfect potluck dish for a group gathering
A potluck is a classic type of party for a reason. Dividing up the menu among guests lightens the load on the host and allows everyone to contribute to a robust (and tasty!) selection of dishes. If you’re unsure of what to bring to your next potluck, start with ingredients that are in season. Visit your local grocery store or farmer’s market and see which vegetables look appealing.
When your ingredients are good, you don’t need to do too much to make them shine. Fresh organic carrots with a dip are a delicious appetizer. A crudité board with a variety of fresh vegetables will be sure to have something for everyone.
Get inspiration from a living legend. Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the most well-known chefs and cookbook authors today. His take on modern Middle Eastern cooking has helped home cooks across the world break out of recipe ruts and embrace new flavors.
Looking for some ideas for your next gathering? Take a page out of Yotam’s book: make some mezze! Popular throughout the Middle East and Southern Europe, mezze is an arrangement of foods designed for sharing. A mezze spread can include small salads, dips, falafel, cheese, vegetables, and plenty of bread. Ottolenghi shares his approach on MasterClass, breaking down his approach to menu-building for stress-free entertaining, with plenty of advice and recipes.
Continue your cooking journey with groups near you dedicated to mastering new recipes. Try joining culinary communities like Chez Francois French Cooking Classes, Oakland vegan cooking classes and events, or Denver, Healthy Plant Based Cooking Classes on Meetup.
Pre-batch cocktails before your next mixer
Skip the case of beer and opt for a more elevated beverage. By pre-batching (preparing a large amount) a single cocktail, you can have a sophisticated drink for all your guests without the strain of making complicated drinks one at a time.
Don’t have a background in mixology? There are plenty of resources available, even for the novice bartender. Lynnette Marrero is an award-winning mixologist known for being at the forefront of the NYC craft cocktail movement. In her class with MasterClass, she brings insider tips from the hospitality industry on how to stock a home bar, develop your palate, and pair drinks with food. By the time you finish this class, you’ll have gone far beyond the basics of bartending.
Lynnette’s advice for beginners is simple. Start with what you like. If you enjoy vodka, buy a bottle of a brand you know and start making classics like a vodka martini or a Moscow mule. Later, you can build out your bar with fortified wines, bitters, mixers, and herbs to give you the versatility to try new things. Don’t be afraid to make creative riffs on classic cocktails (including mocktails).
Learn from local bars and restaurants. Join happy hour groups in your city like Chicago Food, Fun & Social Networking, NYC Brunches, Cocktails, + New Friends!, or The Jacksonville Happy Hour & Social Club on Meetup to explore new hotspots and meet people who share your interest in dining—they could be your next dinner party guests.
Connect with other activists and explore food justice
Food is political. The source of your ingredients, the conditions of agricultural workers, and the question of who has access to fresh food are considerations that matter. Lean into this fact and make food justice an activity.
Spend some time learning about what goes into each bite you take. On MasterClass, Ron Finley talks about growing up in a food desert in South Central Los Angeles, and his solution to start growing vegetables in the curbside strip of dirt next to his home. Hear how a citation from the city sparked a greater conversation about food access. Harness this spirit of independence and learn to grow your own food.
Ron explains that one of the most important factors for plant life is temperature. In most climates, the seasonal window between the final freeze in spring and the first freeze in fall is when you’ll see the majority of your garden activity. Depending on where you live, you have access to more or fewer plant varieties. For Angelenos like Ron, you can grow nearly anything you like. In colder climates, you have more limitations. Dig into the possibilities using the USDA’s plant hardiness zone map, which has information about plant hardiness by zip code. Find your zone and familiarize yourself with the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that thrive in it.
There are thousands of groups and events on Meetup dedicated to personal gardening, community gardening, and food justice. Search to see what’s happening near you.
Bring the heat to any cookout
Nothing says summer like barbeque. Inviting some friends over for a good old-fashioned cookout is a time-honored way to connect—with minimal cleanup. You can learn from Aaron Franklin, one of the most prolific and influential pitmasters, on MasterClass.
Central Texas barbeque isn’t flash-in-the-pan style cooking. Instead, viewers are invited to experience the magic of “low and slow” preparation. Cooking meats and vegetables at low temperatures for longer periods of time ensures optimal flavor, without a dry bite in sight. Aaron’s approach boils down to some basic rules you can apply to any barbeque session.
- Make a game plan: Good barbeque takes time. If you want to serve a meal at 7:00 PM and your dish takes 12 hours to cook, you need to get everything prepped and ready to go so you can start cooking by 7:00 AM at the latest. Stick to your plan throughout the day by setting alarms for any adjustments you want to make to the temperature.
- Stay accurate: Every degree counts when smoking meat. Try and keep your temperatures within five degrees of what’s recommended in your recipe.
- Simplify your seasoning: the flavors of the meat and smoke should be the stars of the show. Be judicious in how much rub you apply so you don’t overpower the dish.
- Maintain moisture: You don’t want your meat to dry out. Aaron recommends placing a pan with a few inches of water in the smoker to keep the humidity constant and allow the smoke to attach to your dish. You’ll also want to spritz the exterior of your meat throughout the process. When the meat is done cooking, let it rest by wrapping it in foil (known as a “Texas crutch”) so you don’t lose any of the flavor as moisture evaporates.
Take the lessons further by joining Meetup groups for barbeque like the New York City BBQ Lovers, or start your own group to meet BBQ enthusiasts near you.
Last modified on October 12, 2023
