What to cook in May: Recipes to help you enter your hosting era
Intimate gatherings are in — here’s how to make them more effortless
As dinner parties soar in popularity among Gen Z and Millennials, you might be entering your #HostingEra for the first time, or steaming your tablecloth collection and firing up the Pinterest boards in preparation for your time to shine again.
Elaborate dishes are a hallmark of the "hosting era," along with meaningful conversations and creative tablescapes. But in my years of figuring out how to be a composed and present host — as opposed to a frazzled and distracted one — I've discovered that it's best to keep things simple where you can. So, our offering for May is all about recipes that are elegant but easy — the perfect gateway to enjoying hosting.
I can't stress enough how important it is to plan ahead and prepare dishes in advance. Cookbook author and food personality Sohla El-Waylly gave us some really helpful tips for hosting a great dinner party, including how to make a workback schedule, what to serve for different numbers of guests and how to avoid skipping your shower (IYKYK).
I think that a good opening offering can be pretty but uncomplicated, like El-Waylly's deviled egg dip. It's a good conversation starter too; she thinks it's better than regular deviled eggs because "with a deviled egg, you always end up with a bite that's just white, but with the dip, every bite is delicious." Please discuss.
A batch cocktail like French 77 punch can be a game-changer, because it allows you to enjoy yourself as guests arrive, instead of running around to deliver everyone's drink order at the same time.
It's lovely and economical to make a very simple and classic main course, like a roast chicken, with a few sides that feature seasonal ingredients wherever possible. But I also think you can just serve one dish, like Dhivya Subramanian's beautiful zucchini dal. It's hearty, aromatic, vegan, looks very nice plated and comes together in just 30 minutes. For dessert, our chocolate mascarpone pudding is just the right kind of thing, especially if guests have drifted from the table. It can be served in charming thrift-store coupes.
Finally — and this is getting deep, but keep in mind that at CBC Life, we're perpetually in our hosting era — if you want to feature fresh ingredients from your own garden or planters by summer, now's the time to plant. Imagine serving a dish centred around tomatoes you've grown yourself. I think a tomato can truly be the star of a dinner party.
Enjoy these recipes and please share your own hosting hacks and stories with us in the comments.
Mini Blinis with Smoked Tomato
Party Pizza with Fennel, Sundried Tomatoes and Olives
White Bean, Garlic and Artichoke Dip
Pork Loin Roast with Spicy Chimichurri
Roasted Cauliflower with Dates and Herby Farro
Classic New York-Style Cheesecake
French 77 Punch + Lemon Ice Block
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