LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2018

Caviar Tartlets with Crème Fraîche recipe on page 141

PARTY tips Invite Right Send invitations four to six weeks before a formal party, and a few days or week before a casual one. Printed or hand-written invitations are a lovely, standout touch: but be prepared to follow up with a phone call, as RSVPs require slightly more effort for guests than a one‑click electronic option! Try evite.com or paperlesspost.com.Seat of Power

Don’t Burn the Toast

Designate the right guest to prepare and deliver the first toast early; if done right, it will set the tone for others to fol- low. It should be short, funny and sweet, devoid of in-jokes or “roast”-style humour. Late Bloomers Don’t hold dinner for late-arriving guests (unless they’re the guests of honour, of course!). Graciously give latecomers an estimated ETA for dessert, to relieve their stress and to allow the special- occasion celebration to unfold without disruption.

For a lively dinner table, split up couples and friends who arrive to- gether. The chattiest guests should be on opposite sides of the table, and not facing each other. Host(s) and guests of honour should sit at the ends of the table. Remember that conversation flows across the table, too.

Wild Mushroom Summer Rolls recipe on page 138

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