NY Metro Personal Chefs Offer Holiday Host Entertaining Tips
Holiday meal preparation advice to help you in the kitchen from the
NY Metro Chapter of the United States Personal Chef Association
New York, NY (PRWEB) November 20, 2006 -- When the holiday season arrives, planning the perfect holiday meal can be a daunting task. With a few tips and hints from the Personal Chef members of the NY Metro Chapter of the United States Personal Chef Association, you will be able to entertain with less stress this year.
1. If using a frozen turkey, it must defrost in the refrigerator for four days prior to cooking. Place in a tub/plastic container in case the packaging is torn.
2. If you are offering snacks or appetizers before the main meal, keep the choices light and the textures varied. This will keep your guests from overindulging prior to dinner.
3. Be sure to chill white wine well in advance, (but not too cold!) and decant your red wine prior to your guests' arrival so that each is at its ideal temperature.
4. Don't overload your guests with too many choices at the table. Plan a simple menu with one or two starches and two or three vegetable choices. Everyone will have plenty to eat and leave the table pleasantly satisfied, not overly full and uncomfortable.
5. Prepare all the side dishes in advance and keep them chilled or at room temperature until ready to heat. When the turkey or roast is out of the oven and resting before being carved, warm all of your sides in the oven and/or microwave. Then, when the turkey is carved and ready to serve, your side dishes are piping hot and ready at the same time.
6. For a festive ending, serve a light fruit crumble or pie, a basket of fresh fruit -which can also double as a centerpiece - and a variety of finger-type desserts such as miniature pastries, cookies and petit fours.
7. Serve a variety of cordials along with your coffee and tea for a tasty ending.
8. When storing left over turkey cut it into small pieces instead of storing it whole. Turkey pieces will chill faster therefore keeping the meat safer from any bacterial growth.
9. Plan ahead and buy disposable individual portion containers to send guests home with a doggie bag to cut down on leftovers and so you do not have to give your good containers away.
10. If all of this seems daunting, just hire a personal chef, and be a guest at your own party!
The NY Metro Chapter of the USPCA serves all five boroughs of New York City, Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties, Westchester and Fairfield, and Bergen County, NJ. Our members are dedicated cooking professionals. To learn more about the members of the chapter and how to contract their personal chef services, please visit the chapter's website at www.NYPersonalChefs.com or call 1-800-358-2857.
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See the original story at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/11/prweb480552.htm
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