Let's Talk Dinner Parties.................

[Earlybird]

Am wondering about the 'formula' to a successful/enjoyable dinner party - from the perspective of both host and guests.

What is the most enjoyable dinner party you've been to, and why?
What is the best one you've given and why?

Any lessons learned from disastrous dinner parties you've given or attended?

If I'm honest, I've never given a solo dinner party because I've always lived in spaces not much bigger than a shoebox. Now that I've got a reasonable kitchen and room to comfortably accomodate a group of people, I'm contemplating how to go about it so that guests enjoy themselves and so that I don't collapse in a heap of nerves!

Hoping to hear lots of good advice that will spur me into action!

DO introduce people with a thoughtful one-line introduction which should get them chatting about something in common...

( reminds me of that great scene in Bridget Jones.....)

There are lots of wonderful and practical suggestions here - thank you.

Will check back again later because we're off swimming in a moment - one of the benefits to living on the 'other side' of the world!

What makes it a dinner party and not just friends round for dinner? Because, going by these descriptions, I'm not sure I've ever given a dinner party.

Dished up plenty of meals to friends though. So, when does that become a dinner party?

I think the transition between dinner with friends and dinner party occurs when:
a) you put napkins out on the table before hand
b) You have a red and white wine glass on the table
c) you wonder if the blade of the knife faces in or outwards when you set the table.

I was right then. I've never given a dinner party. Thank you. All is now clear.

lol at after dinner party games - as an army wife I've suffered these over the years - triv is just the worst ever...
I've also been to one army one which was done'on the cheap' - ie decanting cheap wine into 'antique' decanters -
we don't live the amry life anymore - thank god so tend to have great ones at home with close friends.

Good prot is essential - I've also recently had dessert wine with the pudding which is great. Serve belinis to start with - hardly anyone refuses good champagne cocktails and it gets the evening going well..Olives in a homemade marinaide e.g.orange peel & garil & olive oil is a good canape...
Try delia smith's chicken basque (summer collection) its an old faourite of mine as youcan serve it from the table and needs little accompanying veg - dead easy..

Am so glad this thread has been started - this is my greatest phobia! I was quite confident at dinner parties and reasonably successful until we got involved in a group of four coples who all did dinner parties at each other's houses. The DP of one of the four coples has never done anything but push food around on a plate at my house. He clearly hates my food! evryone else wil be sitting there saying it's nice a asking for seconds, and he just looks at it like it's crap. What's more he hangs around me over the stove (which i hate!) looking in all my pans as I cook. He does most of the cooking in their house and does have high standards but he's so bloody rude! Has done it at another friend's house too. Needless to say it took me a year aftermy last experience with him to cook again for other people, and I can't invite the other couples round or we'd have to have him!

meant couples not coples obviously!

I've never been to a dinner party where party games were played after the meal. My friends are either too tired or too pissed to play anything!

thirtysomething - your friend's dh sounds the kind of guest every host/ess dreads!