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Inviting Picky Eaters For Dinner
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Hosting a flawless dinner party for fussy guests and all their varied demands.
Ask a person what they'd like to eat, and almost always the reply is, "I'm flexible, anything." However, a little more prodding and poking will bring out many no-no foods on each one's list. There are the categories that deserve due respect like those with allergies, strict diets due to medical reasons, or religious beliefs. And then the categories that you have no choice but to live with like picky eaters just because they don't like it. Whichever category your guest may belong to, you're still going to have to feed them. Complaining that they're fussy or arguing about their food choices is not going to make it any easier.
- Do your homework - Ask your guests beforehand if they have any food allergies. Don't stop at that. Ask if there any foods they avoid or that they might prefer. Many people won't take the first question as a cue to inform you that they are vegetarians or cannot stand mushrooms or that their spouse, who also invited, is a diabetic.
- Focus on your menu - Unless you have help or are an expert yourself, don't waste your time on elaborate decor themes on the day of the party. Many hosts use time and energy on irrelevant details and end up compromising on the food. You want those picky eaters to go home with a satisfied tummy, not just praising your dining table centrepiece or beautifully carved out fruits.
- Variety - Your menu has to have several options to please several palates. Now this does not mean you have to slogging in the kitchen for days together. Make sure you include at least one meat item, one vegetarian dish, a salad and a few side dishes. Different kinds of bread rolls and rice will offer something of preference to each one.
- Abundance - Stock up on twice as much wine and drinks than you anticipate. Make sure the appetizers are in abundance as well. I once had a picky eater who didn't like the main course, but happily chomped down on the extra finger foods. A huge bread basket for dinner rolls or rotis is an absolute must as carbs are the best way to fill them up!
- Simplicity - Keeping the ingredients to the minimal on key dishes will ensure lesser complaints. For example, ditch the peas pulau and go for plain white rice instead. The pea detester in the group will not have something to grumble about. Go slow on ingredients like ginger and garlic, and more so, on the chilli.
Menu ideas for picky eaters:
- Pizza Party - Make your own pizza parties are perfect for those finicky eaters who want all their toppings exactly their way. More cheese, less cheese. Black olives? No, green for me. Let them decide! Have vegetarian and non-vegetarian toppings, pizza sauces (tomato and basil pesto) and several kinds of cheese. Arrange all ingredients in a row in cute bowls. In another row keep whole wheat and white pizza dough (or pre-baked base). All you'll have to do is pop them in your preheated oven!
- Tandoori Trays - Marinate both vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients in a simple yogurt based gravy in separate baking trays in advance. Bake just before your guests arrive. Serve the trays with a selection of condiments, a variety of naans, rice and different dipping sauces.
- Italian Affair - Pasta, risotto and garlic bread are dishes few people will turn their nose down to. More importantly, these are a few options that even diehard carnivores will consider without meat.
- Snack Shack - A menu like pav bhaji, vada pav and chaat is so mouth watering. Again, even your "only meat please" friends will welcome this menu. Skip the chunks of butter in pav bhaji, and keep it on the side for those who'd like to smother some on. Maintain a slightly lower level of spice, and offer the extra masala in a fancy salt shaker. For the chaat, keep all ingredients in a row and put it together for each guest, according to their personal preference.
- Desi Khaana- Indians are becoming increasingly adventurous, trying different cuisines; but we do encounter the occasional "nothing but desi" please. You can please them by offering a single Indian dish like paneer with rotis; no matter whatever else is on the table. You'll still make your statement by offering Thai curry and Springrolls to the rest of the crowd.
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Aarti Thadani
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