Having a large dinner party with important guests is always such a stress. Even if you get the table set correctly, there is always some small detail that could have made the event better. If you really want to impress your dinner guests next time, purchase and use the following.
Wine Chilling Bucket and Wine Bucket Stand
A bottle of wine or bottle of champagne chilling in a chrome-plated wine bucket stand speaks of class. It is refined and considers the fact that most guests would not want warm wine. It also avoids the social faux pas of placing ice in the wine glass to chill the wine or champagne. Additionally, the wine bucket allows you to open the wine and let it "breathe" before serving, a refinement that knowledgeable wine lovers in attendance at your dinner table will truly appreciate.
Soup Tureen
If it is a chilly night, consider serving a soup course. Place this elegant, covered soup tureen on a rolling serving cart. Place the ladel on the cart and not in the tureen. (It is considered especially tasteless to leave a ladle in the tureen with the soup. In olden days, the ladle would taint the flavor of the soup and discolor the ladle.) If possible, hire a waiter or waitress for the evening to serve the soup and make the event just a tad more elegant.
Serving Trays for Dessert
If you really want to add that final touch of class, serve cut fruit, sorbet, or sweet treats like cake and cheesecake on a silver serving tray. Walking the tray around the table with the dessert options presented on plates or glass sundae cups will allow your guests the opportunity to select which dessert they would prefer. It also prevents the faux pas of assuming everyone wants and can eat the dessert in front of them.
Dietary restrictions and food allergies would prevent a guest from eating a dessert that is automatically placed in front of him/her. Avoid that by serving a few different options so that your guests may refuse dessert or avoid eating something that would cause them harm. Having staff wait on everyone is also ideal so that you can continue talking to your guests.
Where to Get the Equipment
Many of the above items are provided by Cambro equipment suppliers for restaurants. However, they may sell individual items to consumers. Select what you want, and have it shipped to your home before your next dinner party.
