Adoption – Supper “sitting down” – For such a dinner, the number of invited guests should strictly depend on the size of the table. In times of, when very few people have an old style dining room, where the leading position is occupied by a large folding table, about normal, adapted to the needs of the eaters of heights, you need to think carefully about it. There is nothing worse than sitting on folded chairs with access to only a tiny scrap of the table, overloaded with platters and salad bowls, and the desire to serve a neighbor ends up with a tipping glass or a sauce landing on your lap. This situation creates embarrassment, there is no question of casual conversation, and with more complex "operations” (fish, poultry) there is inevitably a profound silence, caused by concentration in the rather embarrassing one, situation not caused by the guests, after all. I was a participant of such a dinner several times and, despite all the sympathy for the hosts, I didn't keep my fond memories.
Even worse, if only a low table is available, type of bench, so widespread in lounge furniture sets. Making the guests a normal dinner in such conditions, which consists of and snacks, and warm dishes, lettuces and dessert - is really a denial of hospitality. Admittedly comfortable, but short, seats cannot be seated while eating, as the position, which we take in them, it does not allow cutting or reaching into the platter. The proverbial "knees under the chin."” they are a contradiction of aesthetics and any comfort, not to mention the bothersome feeling of stomach pressure for several hours. Let's spare our guests that.
Yeah, but if we have an apartment furnished in this way, whether we can never invite more guests again? Of course, that we can, but this type of dinner or lunch is out of the question. It can, however, be afternoon tea, for which we only give something small, e.g.. w kokil-kach, it can be a cocktail that does not require any dishes, apart from small snacks for one bite. You can finally serve food in the kitchen - if we have a solid table here and the room is aesthetically decorated - and for coffee and dessert go to the rest room.
The kitchen variant is not yet popular for various reasons. The main disadvantages are, first of all, bad ventilation, slight mess caused by recent preparations, roast 'coming” in the stove, etc.. But let's remember, that everything can be made like a program: we invite friends after all, and I suppose, that a duck or a goose flushing appetizingly behind the transparent oven door will be a very nice sight for everyone, rotating skewers with skewers or mixed lettuce in front of everyone. Of course, the kitchen must be in perfect order, and the table should be set with particular care.
We start dinner with serving cold snacks. They can be: fishes, cold meat and salads with spicy additions, like pickles, olives, Mushrooms, marinated pepper. If we do not avoid alcohol - well-chilled vodka or homemade tinctures. We serve rather wine with warm dishes (it harmonizes much better with the food), and for very specific dishes, e.g.. from Czech or German cuisine - also beer. However, the individual tastes of our friends should decide here, both in the selection of alcoholic beverages, and dishes. You know, that each of the ladies of the house, and even gentlemen, has its signature dish and most often guests come with hope, that they will be picked up just before. It doesn't mean that, that a few novelties could not be introduced, Recipes freshly imported from vacation travel or invented in a new cookbook. However, if I am to give you advice - try a new dish at least once before. You know, recipe not equal to recipe, and last-minute experimentation serves only gamblers.
The principle of a well-composed menu should always be variety. And yes, if we serve fish in jelly as an appetizer, it should not be served hot, if - poultry salad, it is no longer a roast duck, etc. The exceptions are dinners conceived as "a piece for one note”, e.g.. trout in all its forms or duck in seven ways, but it is already a higher form of initiation, requiring mastery on the part of the hostess, and the refinement of taste on the part of the guests.
