Host a “Big Apple” themed open house!
Bright lights, big city, what is there not to love about New York? The food, the energy, the glitz all play a part in what makes New York one of the most spectacular places in the world to visit. This is the theme for our holiday open house and the menu highlights New York City style and all its glamour.
Open house entertaining is a great way to host a party. It gives you the opportunity to stretch the party out over the course of an afternoon, an evening or a combination of the two and allows your guests the freedom to come for as long as their hectic holiday schedules allow. It’s also a fabulous way to get friends and family that wouldn’t normally spend time together to meet and share in the holiday spirit. Send out invites early to ensure your guests can include your event in the ever-growing list of must-dos of the season. From sophisticated handwritten, personalized invitations to a whimsical “Broadway theatre ticket” sent by email, let the theme be known. Everyone will “want to be a part of it!”
As always, the menu for your party is the first thing that comes to mind. The recipes that follow are “top of the heap” and incorporate all that is special about New York. Sugar Glazed Spicy Pecans pair beautifully with champagne or sparkling wine to begin the festivities and welcome guests. A buffet table heavily laden with Crostini topped with Marinated Cheese and Roasted Red Peppers and Chicken and Chorizo Ragout with Herbed Fusilli Pasta will be a sure hit. Be sure to keep platters filled and fresh as new guests arrive. To end on a sweet note – bring out a delicious Warm Apple Caramel Upsidedown Cake.
Décor for your open house should be as sophisticated as your menu. Chose a soundtrack laced with the old greats – Ella, Frank and Dean will all add style to your soirée. Candles flickering throughout the room to emulate the “city that never sleeps” will add to the overall ambience of the room.
Have on hand twice as many hors d’oeuvres plates as you think you will need. Rentals are a great option (for your stemware as well) and renting eliminates the big clean up at the end of a long day. If you are planning on a crowd, it’s relatively inexpensive and saves you so much time it truly is a worthwhile expense.
Keep your buffet table modern and elegant with black, white and silver plates, bowls and serving platters. It will accent the food perfectly and follows your elegant New York theme. Fortunately, New York’s state flower is the rose! Fill vases with fragrant deep red roses for your centerpiece and place smaller vases containing single roses all around the room to really spread the holiday décor throughout. Linen napkins are a nice touch, however if you are expecting a large crowd there are now so many beautiful options in paper that I’d be hard pressed to worry about all that pressing!
Your “little town blues will be melting away” as your party becomes the talk of the town and you become “king of the hill”. All puns and bad lyrics aside, enjoy yourselves and your guests and “start spreading the news!”