recipes:
Entertaining
Dinner Parties on the (Ultra) Cheap
Three budget bashes for eight
As the Dow dips and dives like a wayward crop duster, and people begin to whisper about things like bread lines and hiding money under the mattress,
spending $500 on a dinner party smacks of Marie Antoinette and gold-plated toilets. But we firmly believe that no matter how much is in your pocket, eating and drinking with friends is always vitally important. Here are three dinner-party menus for eight people that will cost $30, $50, and $100, respectively. Note that common spices or basic pantry staples like sugar and olive oil are not included in the totals.
wow! what a fantastic and helpful column. thanks for doing this!
I love the tips on the last page, though I'd suggest organic types be careful of such cheap produce as in #4.
After eating a vegetarian meal, I may be full but I don't feel "fed." Something about meat is what I need, so the $30 Indian menu would work great for carnivores, I think, just by adding some thin-sliced, brined pork to the cabbage and some seared chicken (from thighs) to the curry. The extra meat would push the cost to about $35-40 but for me, it would be worth it.
BTW, what are curry "leaves"? I thought curry was a powdered amalgam of spices?
Curry leaves are an herb from a shrub or small tree (Murraya koenigii). They're used in Indian cooking much like bay leaves are used in Western cooking. "Curry powder" is a Western name for various spice blends that Indian cooks call garam masala ('hot spice").
There is, of course, variation within all named spice blends but "curry powder" is fairly standardized and completely different than garam masala. I'm not sure if anyone in India uses anything that resembles curry powder.
I think this is one of the best pieces I've seen on Chow.com, period. All the nouveau-frugality articles cluttering up the internets these days are somehow lacking: too vague, too banal, too obvious, too general, too narrow. In contrast, *this piece* is in tune with what's on people's minds; it's broadly accessible w/different menus; it's appealing; it's concrete. It's making me kick myself that I haven't done it at my house already!
I just had a dinner party with my friends and I used recipes from a budget-friendly cookbook (I'm a cheap college student). It's also perfect for newer cooks because the recipes are basic and easy to follow. The authors will actually be on the TODAY show on April 17th to do a salmon demo! Check out the book for more inexpensive recipes: "Freshman in the Kitchen" (Huron River Press)
(My favorite is the Sesame Peanut Noodles-- major crowd pleaser)
If you are just having a party with the guys I think some <a href="http://1pizzacoupons.com/page/papajoh... john's pizza coupons</a> or whatnot would be a good choice too. Pizza is always a good choice for parties.
Ugh, I hate it when HTML shows. Haha oh well. Just disregard the </a> coding.
Emily - I think mostly right on. But if you scrap flowers, look east and serve family style, then I'm worried that you're inviting the look and feel of a hippie potluck.
Herein lies my bias. When I throw a party and I don't have money, I put in more TIME to make it beautiful, or else I won't throw the party. That means I plate all meals that hit the table, and snag flowers from the gardens in the neighborhood (with permission) if that's what it takes.
These inspirations more or less come from my grandma, BTW, a Great Depression survivor who never threw a dinner party that wasn't on the cheap.
Regarding the Italian dinner, I would want to add some rosemary-infused olive oil to the white bean spread. I'd also add a grated carrot to the basic tomato sauce. And I can't imagine not serving pasta in such a meal (I'd probably go for small shells.) Even with these additions, I'd keep the total tab close to $50 by making my own ricotta and skipping the loaf of "crusty bread" which guests never eat anyway. I might also substitute something cheaper than honey for the figs and honey, like a dab of a fruit preserve or chopped chocolate, and I must admit I'd be tempted to splurge by adding sliced almonds or chopped walnuts or hazelnuts in the fig for crunch.
For what it's worth, I dislike flowers on the table where I'm eating. I'd rather have warm lighting.