Plan to meet for dinner with your friends. Add a surprise! At the last minute invite everyone for drinks at your place! Of course no one thinks they have room for entertaining at their place in the city, but why not? Everywhere else people always end up in the kitchen, so whether your one bedroom includes the kitchen in one room or whatever the space is, make it work. Serve only one drink. People like adventure especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Pre make martinis or Cosmopolitans, or margaritas or one type of unusual beer. Do it like in the movies, have a pitcher ready or a shaker. Either can be bought at a discount store or flea market if you do not want to go to Crate & Barrel. For food, slice a baguette diagonally, toast it and add any topping. Trader Joe’s is a marvelous place to find scrumptious toppings such as olive, artichoke, eggplant, or roasted red pepper. Or buy interesting breads and let them dip. Sprinkle grated cheese on any toast, everyone will love it. On the high scale the new Really Cool Foods has incredible edibles prepackaged or à la minute.

Or at the end of dinner when everyone is ready for coffee, dessert, or another drink, surprise them and invite them to your house for dessert. Can you imagine the talk among everyone when they arrive at your place, and you have all of the candles ready to be lit. Do not turn on the lights, or go to Chinatown and buy cool strings of mini lights of wrapped packages, or in the shape of a cactus. Any place can hold 6-8 people, even my apartment. Serve one drink item. You can serve after-dinner drinks. Brandy or cognac is safe for everyone’s taste. For a drink with flavor, try Grand Marnier. Serve one dessert item. There are some great desserts in the frozen section. If you like pies, deep dish pies are great to serve. Cook before you go, sit it somewhere and the aroma will impress everyone when they arrive. Holiday cookies are everywhere in all price ranges. If you want to do it yourself, pick up any food magazine, look in the quick cooking section and do something. I love to make easy bars where you use only butter, flour, nuts, or any other goodies you like. They take no time and are crunchy and decadent. Even though I said one drink, don’t forget the coffee.

You do not have to go out all of the time for the holidays. Bring your friends to your place. When it is time for them to go home, carry around candy canes with ribbons on them, tell them what a great time you had, and tell them it is time to go to the next party. You can stay home or join them!

Need more ideas for holiday entertaining? If you want to impress everyone, try the Turducken. Yes, you heard me right. It is a duck stuffed in a turkey with sausage stuffing. It is unusual and quite good. Catalogs can have incredible foods for the holidays. What about ordering a lobster dinner from Maine? Or order from your neighborhood market or deli and have them deliver.

During the holidays, my family plans one night where we can relax and enjoy each other’s company. No phones, nice music, and candlelight. The food is prepared ahead to be set out. We set the social hour, go spruce up a bit, everyone goes to the kitchen and takes out what they have prepared and sets it up on a coffee table or end table. We set up a bar in the living room, and we all sit in our favorite seats and relax. It is our time to be together with no pressure or worries. And we turn off all cell phones.

Our Menu:
Smoked Salmon with Chopped Eggs, Minced Onions, Capers
Caviar, Crème Fraiche, Potato Pancakes, Carr’s Wafers
White Georgia Shrimp with Traditional Cocktail Sauce
Blanched, Chilled Asparagus with the stems peeled, and homemade Mayonnaise
Or White Asparagus
One Variety of Cheese such as a St. Julien, Montrachet, Brie, or Stilton, with Sliced Baguettes
Melon (the ripest we can find)
Seedless Grapes
Wine
Coffee

Holidays are for being together whether with family or friends!
Happy Entertaining!

The author is Director of Food Services, Restaurant Associates at The Rockefeller University.