Holiday Parties at Home

A party here; a party there. A party at your house. 

With smart suggestions, and even smarter selections, playing host to a holiday party is definitely do-able. Experts who have organized parties for decades know that pre-planning is a must for any party’s success. 

For the holidays, perhaps it is best to spread out the potential stress so it doesn’t hit home all at once. That advice of spreading the work, and joy, applies to early planning decisions and the party itself. For instance, when you forego a formal sit-down meal, your holiday event automatically becomes less confining and carries fewer associated expectations from you and your guests. 

Try a loosely scheduled open house that allows guests to arrive and leave within your preset time frame. Try a Saturday afternoon, with your door open for about three hours. It should fit many guests’ schedules. 

That was simple. You now know your party’s format. Next, set the date and time. Keep a notebook of your ideas and the guest list throughout while planning. Get your invites out about three to four weeks ahead of time. 

With the schedule set, start thinking about the party itself.  

What to eat and what to drink are the biggest questions. Should you cook everything yourself or have some help from a caterer or grocer’s deli department? 

Steve Ortiz recommends relying on the professionals for some tasks so the host can enjoy the open house more and still remain within budget. “Call to order and make your day easier,” he said. 

Ortiz is the kitchen and bakery buyer for Roth’s Fresh Markets. He also oversees purchasing of deli products and catering operations for the nine Roth’s stores. He has 30 years of experience in food service, is an accomplished pastry chef and worked at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas for 17 years. 

Though a deli can work on 24- to 48-hour notice, he suggests having everything planned and ordered two weeks before the event. Though it is not absolutely imperative, it relieves stress to place an early order for food items you aren’t preparing at home. If you do want to create platters with meats, cheeses and produce, make a list and know how much prep time it can take, Ortiz said. 

“The host can choose to create their own plates of (appetizers), or order ahead of time. We make suggestions,” Ortiz said. Those suggestions come with years of experience for portioning based on the number of expected guests, knowing what foods are fresh this season, choosing healthier food options and knowing how to keep perishable foods safe on a buffet table. 

Whether a customer speaks with Ortiz or any deli manager at any Roth’s Fresh Markets in the area, it is a good idea to visit www.roths.com to see some typical party offerings. Mix and match from meats, cheeses, crackers, breads and small sandwiches.  A veggie tray or fruit platter may be all you need. Rely on the suggestions from Ortiz and his cohorts.  

One of his best selections this year is the Olive Bar, which has lately become front and center at many parties. “Olive bars are really good when entertaining. Olive bars kind of enhance your holiday party by having a divine primary item,” Ortiz said.  

Peter McPartlin, Roth’s meat and seafood buyer, is one of several professionals who have great advice for tasty, healthy and safe meats. “We have U.S.A. shrimp that would be awesome at any party. We’ll have crab of all sorts,” he said. 

“It should be on ice. We recommend putting down a bigger platter and filling it with ice. The serving tray goes on top of the ice and stays cold,” he added. The double tray presentation with ice at the bottom is also the proper way to keep deli meats and cheese safe at your buffet.   

No matter the variety of meats you choose, McPartlin said, if you are making your platters at home, have the deli slice it at your preferred thickness. “We want to make it easier for the hostesss,” he said.  

Hostess tips also come from Jeff Darling, produce and floral buyer at Roth’s. He knows that a food buffet has to taste good while looking great. He said that with a 24-hour notice, any Roth’s location can have a pre-ordered custom floral arrangement delivered to a local store. Otherwise, all stores carry premade arrangements, but they are only available while supplies last.  The poinsettia is popular from Thanksgiving to Christmas, he added. 

For fresh produce, Darling said to rely on appetizers with sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, pineapples, Brussels sprouts, fresh local cranberries and Satsuma oranges. He said all will be in season and available in December. 

To round out the food offerings, bakery selections are vital. Ortiz always suggests Roth’s Butterflake dinner rolls, always made from scratch. A seasonal touch of pumpkin cookies made from scratch daily or a deep dish pie are a great sweet treat, he added. Ortiz also touts Roth’s new French-inspired pastry program that came last year when he worked in a test kitchen to created single portion mousse, éclairs, tortes and more. 

For beverages, fresh juice and chilled wine should be available. Have a selection of favorite varieties and let guests decide which you should uncork. Finally, the host should have warm pots of coffee, regular and decaf.