Of Gourmet Meals and Dinner Parties Pre Packaged Food with a Heritage

Dinner Parties for friends or for family...
Any excuse to get together and celebrate each other's company...
Laughter and Memories and Gossip ...
Best of all FOOD!

Nothing makes for better memories than good food...
All your table decor and artefact's and votives will be forgotten, but the finger licking food will stay in your guest's memories forever...
A spread...
A day may be more spent slaving in the kitchen...
Happy faces and filled bellies...
That's what you are aiming for...
A Gourmet Party of your own...
A Gourmet Party with your finest silverware and the choicest of foods...
The beat way to begin is with the planning...
The first and most important rule in party planning...

• The Guest List.

Some thing to be extremely careful about-invite those who will gel with each other and those who are sure to enjoy your hospitality.Never invite two people who do not get along and if you are of the single variety still-never invite your exes and your present love interest together...they just might compare notes...

• The Ambiance.

Make sure your entire house is clean and your loos are super,super clean.With clean towels and soap in the dispenser,try to place a small green plant in the loo.And for best measure,get nice candles and keep them burning somewhere safe in the bath room. Really handy in taking away bad odours...

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Like wise in your entire house.Just make sure the candles don't create a fire hazard.

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Flowers always set the mood...

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If you want to be different ,try leaves...green is uber cool today...

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They don't have to be super expensive...random leaves plucked from the neighbours garden will do too.

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Use them as place mats...

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I use them as the base...as white finger food-baby Idli's here get lost on my white serving platters...

• Seating Plan.

Unless you have a caterer ,avoid a sit down formal dinner. Lets face it ,it is difficult to plate and serve an Indian meal by your self...so a buffet is always easier...
Just make sure you have comfortable chairs or couches and an abundance of cushions...

• Music.

A great ice breaker-good music. Depending on the mood of your guests,change the tempo-maybe trance or dance music ,or some oldies or ghazals...better to stock up and sort through your music collection.
I love happy music-whether peppy numbers played low or just happy ghazals...

• The drinks.

The watering hole is always the most popular plce to be,jungle or corporate jungle or just your living room.Make sure you have plenty of booze even if you don't drink.B-O-R-I-N-G.
And glasses.

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Also,make sure you have the drinks that your guests love.

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Even if it means calling before hand or observing what your guests are drinking at someone Else's party. Courtesy,this is.Also keep plenty of lemons,soda,ice and juices handy.Don't forget the bacchhas(kids)stock plenty of tetra pack juices for them -and paper serviettes or napkins...saves you the bother of broken glasses and washing up later and stains on walls or upholstery...ewww.

• The Menu Planning or most importantly Food.

Plan an executable menu. Something that will not require your attention when your guests are around. Prepare food that can be heated and served, and if possible hire help to help you  heat the food and make the rotis.So if you cant really cook-get a restaurant to cater,or better still get the stuff from Kitchens of India.
My favorite -the Dal Bukhara
Served like ...
You can also buy Curry bases and add the main component  to get an incredible preparation at home.
For Paneer Makhani Masala-Use fresh cottage cheese and cook the mix to get your yummy dish.
With pre cut chicken making a chicken curry is so ,so easy...Use Chicken Curry Masala Mix to prepare a yummy curry.
And if you cant even stir fry a curry paste just open a pack of Chicken darbari...
Or just open a pack of Murg Methi-Methi chicken to wow your guests...  Or maybe Mirch Ka Salan...
And if you cant find the time to make cottage cheese simply open up..
 That for you is a sample of the stuff available...
For the  accompaniments to the meal ,just twist open a lid and empty the contents to a pretty bowl...
The Freshness of Kerala in the pineapple and green pepper chutney- brilliant in its combination...
Or my favorite Strawberry and Mint-the kiss of summer...
A regular in most homes-Shredded Mango...
More flavours in their bouquet at Chutneys and Conserves...
And desserts...
Gift your self this pack of 4 -one for the party and 3 for the after conti party...
Then there is Petha Halwa and Moong Dal Halwa...
They are available a click away here.
Just make the rice and the rotis...
And serve with elegance.
Adopt an easy life. Do up your self.Look pretty and be an amazing hostess...
Welcome your guests to your pretty nest...

Let Kitchens of India do all your hard work and rake in the complements...
And enjoy the fruits of your labours.(who is to know that you only opened the packets)
Psst...ensure that you dish out the food before your guests arrive and enthrall them with your Awadhi and Hydrabadi cooking skills.
 This post is an entry to the Indiblogger Contest -Kitchens of India -a feast for the senses .All products available at Kitchens of India home delivered to your dinner table ... to ensure memories are drenched in tradition...