If you’re like me, you enjoy hosting your friends and family. But when it comes to planning a night in, I know that I personally can get overwhelmed and stressed out at times. What do I make? Is there enough food? Will everyone be happy? Since I know that I can’t be only one that feels this way I decided to share my three tips to wow my guests in hopes that they help you create the perfect get together this fall. Come and take a look!
You’ll have seen that we recently had the pleasure of chatting with Harry Lalousis, world-renowned Maille Mustard Sommelier. Catherine & I were even lucky enough to get in the kitchen with Harry to share some easy recipes and ways to host a truly Canadian inspired get together using some of the amazing products available from Maille Canada.
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*please note that the special contest we mention in the video is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered. Stay tuned as Maille Canada announces the winners soon!
After this amazing experience with Harry, it really got me thinking about hosting and how I personally try to impress my guests. After all, inviting friends and family into your home is a very intimate experience. Not to mention you want to be a gracious host. So, the three ways in which I try to do just that are
1. Use fresh ingredients
Support farmers, shops & brands that you know and trust. There is nothing more delicious than a well executed charcuterie board or main course, and using what you know best can help to execute that. For example, serving Maille’s Cornichons as an accompaniment to local cheeses is the perfect mixture of texture and flavour contrast. Or pairing a sweet fig, prosciutto & original Dijon is a deliciously balanced way to make everyone happy!
Click here to learn more about Maille Canada Cornichons & why the brand makes the best in our opinion! You can access an online coupon simply by clicking the link – who doesn’t love to save money?
2. Test new recipes before you serve them
I am an avid believer that you must try new food, new recipes and new things on a regular basis. Food is meant to be a journey and not a destination. Using new flavours in your cooking is necessary, but sometimes newness can backfire. I’ve done it before. Just ask Julio about the time I cooked lamb in red wine I didn’t realize was corked…. Not a great culinary moment. So what I always try to do when I host friends over a delicious glass of wine and some yummy dishes is try it out beforehand. It sounds simple, but the worst thing that could happen is get too experimental and have it backfire the night of your get together. So yes, step out of your comfort zone and try something new, but try it first. Any good chef will agree this is a good idea in order to avoid having to order in pizza last minute to make up for missing the mark!
3. Have a theme
As I’ve gotten older, I have come to appreciate the idea of a culinary theme more. In my younger years of hosting, I would spend hundreds of dollars on cheese, proteins and spices only to serve pate with a red curry. Confusing to say the least. Using a theme, such as the one Harry suggested of Canada 150 inspired ingredients, allows for a bit more cohesion. For those of you who drink, including beautiful Canadian wines with his ingredients just adds the cherry to the proverbial sundae for you and your guests. Maille Canada offers vinegards, mustards & other accouterments to enhance your theme in exciting new ways.
With these three easy guidelines, I can assure you that your next soirée will be a hit! To ensure that we see what you’ve come up with I encourage you to follow @MailleCanada on Twitter and Instagram. Use and follow the #FlavourHero & #MailleCanada hashtags. And of course if you need more inspiration in the planning process, make sure to check out www.maille.ca
For more behind the scenes information and other amazing brands we are working with globally, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join us on our adventures!
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Photos: All social media accounts listed above, Capital One Canada & Daniel Reyes
Cheers!
Mobile photos are always taken on my NEW Huawei P10 Plus
*Please note that this is a sponsored post – our disclosure can be found at all times by clicking here.