Entertaining Tips from Windsor Smith

Image Credit: Luca Trovato for Veranda Magazine

I read a great article featuring the home of  Windsor Smith in the January-February issue of Veranda Magazine. While her home was beautiful, an eclectic mix of colors and styles, what interested me the most was her tips for entertaining, something she does frequently. Her entertaining style:

• Uses stations to create flow and a “progressive dining” experience. Drinks are served on a dresser in the foyer. Food is served buffet style on the kitchen table. Desserts are served on a coffee table in the living room.
• Ignores any type of schedule. She believes parties should flow naturally without a set timeline. She instead pays attention to when guests are ready for a change in environment.
• Avoids seating arrangements. Conversations that start during the cocktail hour can naturally progress by ignoring seating arrangements.
• Uses a personal chef so that her time is free to entertain, not cook. The budget equivalent would be prepared foods from a specialty grocery store or catered meals from a restaurant.

The article is only in the print version, but you can log on to the website to print off recipes created by Susan Baker of Serves You Right! Catering for a winter dinner party menu.