what do you mean i can't serve spaghetti and meatballs with tomato bruschetta?!

If the title of the post evokes either confusion or joy within you, then you're probably going to like this blog!

Throwing a good dinner party is like choosing an outfit. You wouldn't wear an all-over sequined top with shiny metallic shoes and lots of sparkly jewelry--that is, unless you wanted to look like a disco ball! It's all about balance, and having too much of a good thing is a risk we run in many different areas of our lives. Like the different components of an outfit, each course or dish that you serve in a dinner party (or lunch, or brunch, or cocktail nibbles!) should be compatible with all the others, and they shouldn't all be fighting to steal the show.

I'm not an expert homemaker, I don't have a culinary degree, and I'm definitely not advocating that you abandon all sense of spontaneity when entertaining! Instead, I just want to share some tips that I've gathered over the years of compulsively planning and throwing parties, and advising my friends on their own menu planning endeavors. The process of planning a menu is an art, not a science; but, when you're aware of how different flavors and textures play off of each other, I promise you'll be more prepared to face unanticipated party challenges. Instead of panicking when you discover that every Whole Foods in your city is out of the star anise you need for your masterpiece braised lamb shank dish, you'll know how to wing it and come up with a new dish on the spot that complements the rest of your perfectly planned meal!

I have lots of nifty tricks up my sleeve, and I hope you'll stick around to discover the secrets behind the magic of menu planning!

Up next: food pyramid basics, and a classic early spring dinner party menu.