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

害羞草研究所淔ood is the great connection for us all. When we break bread together, we really are communicating with other people. It害羞草研究所檚 a gesture of love,害羞草研究所� said Denise Marchessault, the self-described 害羞草研究所渁mbitious home cook害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檛 have enough food? Do I decorate?

HARVEST asked Marchessault if she could share her tips and tricks for hosting a dinner event. Here害羞草研究所檚 what she recommended.

Keep it seasonal

害羞草研究所淢y planning always is based around the menu.害羞草研究所�

The easiest way to plan your menu is to start with what害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淭he more appetizers you have, the less you have to worry about the main dish and the fewer portions you have to have.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淭hose are nice grazing foods that you can put out.害羞草研究所�

Keep it simple

It can be easy to go over the top, but what害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚f it害羞草研究所檚 summer, it害羞草研究所檚 going to be wildflowers 害羞草研究所� If I have a lot of salal, I害羞草研究所檒l decorate with salal, and I would put it directly on the table in a long stream.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 plate or in a few jars on the table.

害羞草研究所淯sually, people don害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檚 really lovely and sometimes it害羞草研究所檚 really silly and sometime害羞草研究所檚 it害羞草研究所檚 really funny. Sometimes it害羞草研究所檚 just pictures and doodling.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 also a great activity for kids.

As for the rest of the decor, 害羞草研究所渓et the food speak,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淏uffet style works best.害羞草研究所�

Collaborate

Still intimidated? Rest easy for the rest doesn害羞草研究所檛 have to fall on you.

害羞草研究所淸Ask guests] to bring something.害羞草研究所�

Not only does this take the weight off the host害羞草研究所檚 shoulders, but it makes the evening interactive.

害羞草研究所淧arties are fun when the host is having fun. If they害羞草研究所檙e not害羞草研究所攚hen the host is stressed or worried about the timing of the food害羞草研究所攊t definitely reflects on how the guests are feeling.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所攕ay gyozas, where the dough is premade and they select their own fillings害羞草研究所攚hich gives them a sense of pride.

害羞草研究所淚t gets them involved and they害羞草研究所檙e very proud of it. You know, if you害羞草研究所檙e putting [the food] in the oven, they get very territorial. 害羞草研究所楴o, that one害羞草研究所檚 mine!害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� They害羞草研究所檙e very proud of their work when it comes out of the oven.害羞草研究所�

Liberate yourself from perfectionism

害羞草研究所淚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.

害羞草研究所淚t really is about sharing. When someone makes something for me, I am so thrilled. To me, that is a gift.害羞草研究所�

Marchessault害羞草研究所檚 most recent cookbook, The Artful Pie Project, came out last year and was a collaboration between her and Deb Garlick, artist and photographer.

害羞草研究所淪he brought the cookbook to life with her playful blend of creativity and artistry.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淲hen I was writing this pie book, I did not know any of my neighbours but I was testing a lot of pies 害羞草研究所� 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,害羞草研究所� explained Marchessault, who had neighbours returning the gesture with knitted socks, bottles of wine and vanilla from Mexico.

害羞草研究所淲hen you make something for somebody or invite somebody into your home, it is very special 害羞草研究所� Plan something, you know, with a little bit of heart, then it always turns out well.害羞草研究所�

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

kim.kimberlin@blackpress.ca
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