Teresa from Nashville, TN (one of my favorite cities!) asks:
Hi Martie, our monthly supper club has gotten so boring. It's always the same thing. Any suggestions to change it up a little? I want to do something different, maybe a theme? Our supper club is all couples and every time we get together, the girls end up in the kitchen and the guys end up in front of the TV watching whatever game is on. How do we turn this from a dinner to a party? We love your website, it is wonderful to have a place to get ideas just for parties.
Hey Teresa from Nashville- thanks for the question! One thing I know for sure. Good food and drinks are the foundation for any good party. Since everyone is cooking at home more these days--- and since the girls are already hanging out in the kitchen, why not host a "TOP CHEF" party? This one is really fun and it gets everyone in on the action.
Couples draw a course--- drinks, appetizer, soup, salad, entree, dessert. If you have 10 couples, add several drinks, appetizers, entrees or desserts so everyone gets a course. Couples arrive with their dishes already assembled or with most of the ingredients prepped and ready to go. If kitchen space is limited, ask guests to bring their dishes already done or open up some additional space by firing up your grill. They can use slow-cookers or whatever they need. Set up folding tables to give everyone room to work. The teams have a timer and everyone has to complete their dish by a designated time.
Everyone votes for their favorite. Have prizes for the top three winners. Gift cards from Williams-Sonoma, a set of measuring cups, spatulas, ice cream scoop, cocktail shaker, cookbooks, spices, a good bottle of vanilla or liqueur you can cook with like a bottle of Grand Marnier. Any prize is great.
We did this party one time--- it was a blast. We all took pictures and exchanged recipes after the party. Even the guys loved it and the TV never even came on, not even Food Network!
Hope this help! If you have a question or party problem, email me!