Ideas & Tips — Food & Drinks

An ice cream social is one of the easiest and most fun parties you can throw, especially during the hot summer months! Here are our top tips for a successful and sweet bash that guests of all ages are sure to love:  Flavors: Offer guests at least a few flavors to choose from, such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Offbeat flavors like pistachio can also be fun! If you have any guests with special dietary restrictions, try to offer something they can eat as well.  Ice cream cups: Be sure to purchase attractive-yet-sturdy dishware like these lovely ice cream cups! Stainless...

Food industry experts agree: the days when ketchup, mustard and mayo were the only sauces you were expected to provide are long gone. According to Food Product Design magazine, incorporating more complex "gourmet" sauces into home cooking is becoming more popular, and therefore, "chefs and product developers are showing [condiments] as much respect as they do anything else they put on the plate." For a more compelling condiment experience this holiday season, consider serving up some of these less-common sauces: Chimichurri: A tangy, zesty, sweet-and-sour sauce from Argentina made with chopped parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes, this sauce is...

If there was to be only one rule for appropriate utensil placement it is that everything has to be neat or, more specifically, geometrically spaced with the centerpiece consummately controlling the center and the placements sitting at equal distances from each other. So long as this rule is recognized, it is difficult to create an unsightly dinner presentation.  There are several other general decrees. The knives are always situated with the cutting edge pointing toward the plate. Dessert spoons and forks are catered in with the dessert. Also, never place more than three of any utensil. If there are more than...

Tea parties aren't just for kids! Next time you host a gathering for a group of women — perhaps a bridal or baby shower, book club or luncheon — throw a grown up tea party. Here are some tips for sipping in style:  Encourage hats: Be sure to send out traditional invitations on pretty stationery. Encourage your guests to wear their favorite tea party attire, including pretty, Kate Middleton-inspired hats.  Make dainty sandwiches: Sandwiches make great tea party fare, especially if you remove the crusts and divide them into tiny, bite-sized pieces. If you're feeling especially creative, use cookie cutters...

Tired of all your old standby dinner recipes? Why not mix things up and try serving your family breakfast for dinner? Also known as "brinner," your kids are sure to love having foods normally reserved for the morning hours during the last meal of the day. You may even want to make it a fun weekly tradition! Here are some ideas to get you started: Breakfast burritos: Incorporate a Mexican food twist to your brinner when you set up a breakfast burrito bar. Wrap some warm tortillas loosely in a cotton dish towel and arrange in an attractive fruite bowl...