Planning makes holiday parties stress-free

Back when the year was young, you announced in an excess of giddy spirits that you wanted to host the next holiday party.

But now the bonhomie and gin have long worn off, and you are faced with the imminent arrival of 50 people coming to your home for cocktails and canapes.

What to do?

You could hire a caterer to execute a polished, stress-free party, but it's a whole lot less expensive to cater your own bash.
Making food and drink for a crowd is highly rewarding, but it's not for the faint of heart. It calls for a game plan, lists, pie charts - a strategy worthy of Patton. You have got to approach it like a pro.

By now, you should already have asked the big question - "What kind of party can I afford?" If not, press a cold cloth to your brow and create a budget. A holiday open house (with a set start and end time) can fit nicely into a conservative budget.

How much is enough?

Drinks all around: For a full bar, allow 1 quart of alcohol for every eight guests. For wine, allow half a bottle per person, and don't pour more than 5 to 6 ounces per glass. For mineral water, buy two bottles for every eight guests; for sodas and mixes, buy one bottle of each for every eight guests.

Chill out: One pound of ice per person is typically enough for use in cocktails and to chill wine and beer.

Let them eat appetizers: The more variety you offer, the more people will eat. When hors d'oeuvres are the only food offered at a three-hour party, count on about six tastes per hour (12 to 15 total per person). For 12 guests, for example, make between 144 and 180 pieces.

Fill in the blanks: If you are hosting 25 guests or more for appetizers, include some bulk type items such as whole cheeses, pates or sides of smoked fish. Fill in the gaps with nibbles such as olives and nuts.

You should also be racing to the mailbox to send off your invitations. Late October is considered by experts to be the deadline to let folks know their presence is requested for a December soiree.

The theme of your fete is up to you. If you want to decorate your split-level ranch house like a Roman colosseum, so be it. Just create lists for every single thing you need to achieve the transformation - right down to the Scotch tape to affix grape leaves to the living room ceiling fan.

Food and drink are the brass tacks of any party. Besides your sparkling personality, they are the reason people show up. But food and drink are also the elements that throw many hosts into a dither.

Deborah Schneider, executive chef of the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds and author of "Baja! Cooking on the Edge" (Rodale, $27.97), knows her way around a buffet table.

Recently, she catered a bash for 12,000 guests that occupied most of the big buildings at the Del Mar, Calif., fairgrounds and required 40 buffets, 60 bars, 80 cooks working "action" stations, and more than 5,000 pounds of beef.

"If you stand still too close to me, you will wake up chained to a table cutting up something," Schneider said.

Herein lies a helpful hostess tip. Enlist the aid (and refrigerator and oven space) of friends, family and neighbors. Ask nicely and you might not need the manacles.

Nicole Aloni, author of "Secrets From a Caterer's Kitchen" (HP Trade, $18.95) and "Cooking for Company" (HP Trade, $18.95), agrees about getting help for a party with a guest list of 25 or more.

"Have at least one, but ideally two, people who are committed to helping, whether you pay them or they volunteer," Aloni said. "You need someone to handle the drinks and someone to help you deal with replenishing food and keeping things clean. Even if you are using disposable plates, things will pile up."

From there, you just need to use your noodle.

"It's all about logistics, about making your plan and being organized," Schneider said. "When I teach a class, we talk about what things can be done three days out, two days out, one day out, and the day of the party."

Aloni said intelligent menu planning is essential. By that she means coming up with foods that work well together and can be completely prepared a day, week or month in advance. That also means augmenting your homemade specialties with store-bought items.

"Plan on half of the menu being things you can purchase, whether a side of smoked salmon or a pate," Aloni said. "Say, 'I want to serve seven things. I'm going to make three show-stoppers that people will clearly know are homemade, and I will plan three or four things I can buy and garnish or present to make them look special.'"

But perhaps the biggest tip for hosting a bash?

"Relax and realize people are not judging you," Aloni said. "Do a little attitude adjustment on yourself. Let go of your fears that people are coming to criticize everything you are doing.

"They are coming to enjoy themselves and relax. They are grateful to be invited."

TIPS ON HOLDING A PERFECT PARTY

Here are some tried and true caterers' tips for hosting a successful holiday party for a crowd, from Nicole Aloni, Deborah Schneider and other sources:

- Make lists and a timetable for shopping and prep. For Aloni, crunch time starts two days out. This is when she picks up the flowers and her ready-made foods, and makes sure she has things like napkins. One day out, she cleans her house and sets up the buffet table.

- Consider having a double-sided buffet so more people can get at the food at once. Serve a thematic drink such as the festive Hot Buttered Rum (recipe follows) included here or a pitcher of bright red pomegranate martinis that is easy to make, serves a lot, and helps anchor the food menu.

All liquor, unopened wine and mixes will keep for the next party, so generously stock your bar. Running out of hooch is almost as bad as being short one serving of creme brulee.

- Avoid anything that has to be finished at the last minute or requires high maintenance. Fondue, for example, works for four or six guests, but is a nightmare for a large party.

- One party possibility is hosting an all-dessert party, say, from 8 to 10:30 p.m., Aloni said. It's a time most people can make - they are done shopping for the day or they have been at another party - and the desserts available for purchase are "gorgeous," she said. Just set up a pretty coffee station, and voila!

- When in doubt, take a tip from Schneider: "Serve caviar on potato chips with champagne. It's the ultimate party food."

- For more tips, visit Aloni's Web site at www.nicolealoni.net .

HOT BUTTERED RUM

Batter:

1 pound dark brown sugar

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

For serving:

Orange peel strips

Cinnamon sticks

Thermos of boiling hot water

Dark rum

Yields 3 cups of batter; about 40 servings.

In a food processor, process brown sugar, butter and spices until creamy. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

To serve: Place a heaping tablespoon of batter in a mug with strip of orange peel and a cinnamon stick. Add 3/4 cup of boiling hot water and a jigger of dark rum. Stir to blend.

SAVORY SPICED NUTS

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons garam masala (an Indian spice blend)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 teaspoons clarified unsalted butter

2 cups unsalted pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts or blanched almonds

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Yields 2 cups.

Combine garlic powder, ginger, cayenne pepper, garam masala and sugar in a bowl. Heat oil and clarified butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add nuts and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes.

Sprinkle on spice mixture and toss well to coat. Cook until nuts brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle on the lime juice and cook, stirring until nuts are dry, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and sprinkle on salt and toss to combine. Turn out nuts on a baking sheet and spread in single layer to cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

- "Secrets From a Caterer's Kitchen."