Food is so much more than what you put in your body.

香蕉视频直播淔ood is the great connection for us all. When we break bread together, we really are communicating with other people. It香蕉视频直播檚 a gesture of love,香蕉视频直播� said Denise Marchessault, the self-described 香蕉视频直播渁mbitious home cook香蕉视频直播� who has now published two cookbooks, The Artful Pie Project and British Columbia from Scratch.

Along with being a cookbook author, Marchessault stays busy teaching online cooking classes from her commercial kitchen in Victoria, where people can cook with her live, step by step in their own kitchens or watch and cook later.

For Marchessault, cooking and sharing food is her love language.

For others, breaking bread and immersing ourselves in deep conversations with friends may be something we enjoy partaking in, but planning the event can be quite stressful.

What do I cook? What if I don香蕉视频直播檛 have enough food? Do I decorate?

HARVEST asked Marchessault if she could share her tips and tricks for hosting a dinner event. Here香蕉视频直播檚 what she recommended.

Keep it seasonal

香蕉视频直播淢y planning always is based around the menu.香蕉视频直播�

The easiest way to plan your menu is to start with what香蕉视频直播檚 in season. For summer months, this may be fresh fish like salmon or steelhead trout, corn on the barbecue and a kale salad, she recommended.

香蕉视频直播淭he more appetizers you have, the less you have to worry about the main dish and the fewer portions you have to have.香蕉视频直播�

Easy appetizers include dips, nuts, tapenade, crackers, strained yogurt and fresh, in-season berries.

香蕉视频直播淭hose are nice grazing foods that you can put out.香蕉视频直播�

Keep it simple

It can be easy to go over the top, but what香蕉视频直播檚 easier is to keep it simple.

Marchessault likes to put craft paper on the table and decorate it with whatever is in season, which you can also theme the party around.

香蕉视频直播淚f it香蕉视频直播檚 summer, it香蕉视频直播檚 going to be wildflowers 香蕉视频直播� If I have a lot of salal, I香蕉视频直播檒l decorate with salal, and I would put it directly on the table in a long stream.香蕉视频直播�

For fall, she recommended leaves and in the winter, pine cones.

Another simple but fun thing you can include is coloured markers next to each person香蕉视频直播檚 plate or in a few jars on the table.

香蕉视频直播淯sually, people don香蕉视频直播檛 pick them up until the wine is flowing, and then it makes for a very interesting evening to see what people have written beside [their plates]. Sometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 really lovely and sometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 really silly and sometime香蕉视频直播檚 it香蕉视频直播檚 really funny. Sometimes it香蕉视频直播檚 just pictures and doodling.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 also a great activity for kids.

As for the rest of the decor, 香蕉视频直播渓et the food speak,香蕉视频直播� much of what can be prepared ahead of time, including dressings, pickled vegetables or desserts, Marchessault said.

Maybe it means having the pizza dough made in advance so guests can be ready to top them up with the pre-chopped ingredients.

香蕉视频直播淏uffet style works best.香蕉视频直播�

Collaborate

Still intimidated? Rest easy for the rest doesn香蕉视频直播檛 have to fall on you.

香蕉视频直播淸Ask guests] to bring something.香蕉视频直播�

Not only does this take the weight off the host香蕉视频直播檚 shoulders, but it makes the evening interactive.

香蕉视频直播淧arties are fun when the host is having fun. If they香蕉视频直播檙e not香蕉视频直播攚hen the host is stressed or worried about the timing of the food香蕉视频直播攊t definitely reflects on how the guests are feeling.香蕉视频直播�

Guests can alleviate this stress by getting involved. They can bring appetizers, salads or drinks or be in charge of laying leaves across the table.

They can also make their own meals香蕉视频直播攕ay gyozas, where the dough is premade and they select their own fillings香蕉视频直播攚hich gives them a sense of pride.

香蕉视频直播淚t gets them involved and they香蕉视频直播檙e very proud of it. You know, if you香蕉视频直播檙e putting [the food] in the oven, they get very territorial. 香蕉视频直播楴o, that one香蕉视频直播檚 mine!香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� They香蕉视频直播檙e very proud of their work when it comes out of the oven.香蕉视频直播�

Liberate yourself from perfectionism

香蕉视频直播淚t really, truly is about sharing and I think sometimes because we see such beautiful food all the time in magazines and we see these beautiful spreads, we have these high ideals of what it should look like and what it should be like.

香蕉视频直播淚t really is about sharing. When someone makes something for me, I am so thrilled. To me, that is a gift.香蕉视频直播�

Marchessault香蕉视频直播檚 most recent cookbook, The Artful Pie Project, came out last year and was a collaboration between her and Deb Garlick, artist and photographer.

香蕉视频直播淪he brought the cookbook to life with her playful blend of creativity and artistry.香蕉视频直播�

Preparing for the pie cookbook involved a lot of, well, baking pies, which meant further collaboration was needed.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I was writing this pie book, I did not know any of my neighbours but I was testing a lot of pies 香蕉视频直播� I would send my husband out with a tray of pies around the neighbourhood and I got to meet so many people that way. People were so touched. It came back to me tenfold,香蕉视频直播� explained Marchessault, who had neighbours returning the gesture with knitted socks, bottles of wine and vanilla from Mexico.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you make something for somebody or invite somebody into your home, it is very special 香蕉视频直播� Plan something, you know, with a little bit of heart, then it always turns out well.香蕉视频直播�

You can learn more about Marchessault, her cookbooks and cooking classes by visiting denisem.ca.

kim.kimberlin@blackpress.ca
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