Cooking in June

June is the month where I write about salads and about how glorious it is to serve dishes that can be prepared in advance. Let’s face it, cooking your food at the very last minute is definitely tastier but serving dishes that can be prepared in advance is so much more convenient! I like to enjoy my guests when I have people over and even if it’s just a family meal, spending time around the dining table is quality time in our family.

So this article will be no exception!

Over the next couple of weeks I will be giving you recipe for some different salads you can serve instead of the standard lettuce and tomato salad. These dishes can be prepared in advance and can also be served as part of a buffet.

Don’t think of buffets solely for large gatherings, dinner for 8 can very well be a valid excuse. Serving a summer buffet for your guests is not as time consuming and definitely impressive.

Make sure to have the following:

1. Large buckets full of ice to keep your drinks. I suggest you have one bucket with soft drinks and another one with wine (if you are serving white) and beer.

2. Roll your cutlery in a napkin; should you be using paper napkins, buy the thicker ones and roll the required cutlery in the napkin so your guests can just pick one and hold it under the plate whilst helping themselves with the other hand. Roll only the cutlery required. It is useless including a spoon of there is nothing in the buffet that requires a spoon to be eaten with!

3. Prepare your glasses. If you are using glass cups, then buy thick rubber bands and write your guest’s names with a marker on each one, then just loop the rubber bands around the glasses. This is a safe way to keep your glass if you rest you glass on a table or ledge. If you are using plastic cups, then just write then names directly on the cups.

4. Make sure to have a good balance between hot and cold dishes. Whilst cold dishes are conveniently prepared in advance and stored in the fridge, you should also include some items that are served hot. These can be dishes that are also prepared in advance but can be warmed or baked at the last minute!

Should you like to contact me, please do so on concita@demicoli.com