Misstropolis

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Force the Season

So the Easter bunny froze his tail off, and Florida’s crops are dying under a layer of frost. The calendar says it’s spring! Force the season into bloom like hacked stem of forsythia. You’ve waited long enough, it’s time to have a party.

Just outside of Washington DC, Jennifer Beckman throws parties so celebrated they could probably change the weather. Jennifer has been the subject of two articles in the Washington Post on throwing the perfect party. One, by Annie Groer, focuses on “strategizing,” ; the other, by Stephanie Witt Sedgwick, profiles some of Washington’s top hosts.

Misstropolis spoke with Jennifer recently, just before she was about to have her second baby. Her simple, strategic suggestions could apply to a baby shower or a first birthday party, as easily as a wish-it-felt-more-like-spring blow-out. So before you log on to Evite and move your furniture against the walls, consider some expert advice. With Jennifer’s help, you’ll throw a spring party your guests will be talking about till summer rolls around.

PLAN AHEAD
Spend time on your guest list. Make sure everyone knows someone, and everyone has someone they don’t know.

Buy simple, inexpensive house wares in white. There’s nothing worse, Jennifer says, than people pulling out every piece of Italian pottery they own and throwing food on it.

Buy flowers in bulk and jam “a ton of them” into white vases placed all over the house. In spring, daffodils are easy to find, gorgeous and cheap.

Put someone good on music duty.

SMARTEN UP YOUR PARTY
Choose a color palate - green and yellow is perfect for spring - and stick with it. Use color to pull everything together. Apple green cocktail napkins monogrammed in white make a great statement.

Keep cooking to a minimum. Mix in a few catered or pre-made items. Do not include anything that will require you to be near the oven or stove once your guests arrive.

For a spring party, create a menu around local produce. Visit your favorite farmer’s market and see what looks the freshest. Asparagus and strawberries are sure bets (at least in normal spring weather).

AVOID STRESS
Fill a big bucket with soapy water. Throw all the things you used for food preparation in it before your guests arrive; or, if need be, after they arrive when they’re not looking. Hide the bucket.

Put food out all around the house. Force people to leave the kitchen.

Put a bar in the dining room, another on the other side of the house. Avoid arranging all the food on the dining room table, it will feel like a wedding, or worse.

BE GRACIOUS
Always remember the vibe of the host sets the vibe of the party. Graciousness and warmth are Jennifer’s favorite party favors. Make them yours too; plan the party around your guests, not your menu.

If people start arguing about politics or sports, send them to their corners. Most likely they will find a drink and a bite there, and settle right down.

Have a special dessert or bottle saved for the second half of the party. Once the “outer circle” guests have left, kick off your heels and fall on the couch next to friends close enough to stay past the “till” hour.

Listen to everyone dish about your amazing party.

Jennifer’s Recipes for a flingy spring party:

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus Spears
Serves 8

1 lb fresh asparagus, preferably thin-stemmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
3 ounces prosciutto

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim asparagus by bending in half, allowing the spear to break at the natural woody junction, and discard lower portion.
3. Arrange the asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle it with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned but still slightly crisp, about 7 minutes, then remove from oven to cool slightly.
4. Separate and halve prosciutto slices lengthwise. When asparagus is cool enough to handle, loosely wrap each spear with one half-slice of prosciutto. Artfully arrange on a platter, and serve at room temperature.

Daffodil Cocktails
Makes 8 strong cocktails

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 large bunch fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups standard or “citron” vodka
Club soda
Ice

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan and reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, until sugar has dissolved completely and syrup has thickened slightly.
2. Add basil leaves, cover, and remove from heat.
3. When syrup has cooled completely, stir in lemon juice, strain, and transfer to a clean container. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
4. To serve, combine syrup and vodka in a large chilled pitcher. Fill cocktail glasses with ice, pour half full of syrup-vodka mixture, and top with club soda. Garnish with a basil leaf, if desired.

White vases, from Ikea

Force the Season

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