Interview for Lafayette Newspaper!

Save money by entertaining at home

Ashley Troyer of Ashley Troyer Events in Goshen thinks more people are entertaining at home.
"When the economy is like this, people don't want to spend money," she said.
Troyer said a couple can spend $60 for dinner and a movie. They could entertain at home and spend $30 to $40 to make dishes for eight to 12 people.
"I think it's more cost effective," she said.
To help those who want to entertain at home either to save money or stay warm, personal chef Eric Cox agreed to show readers how to transform an affordable home party into an upscale dining experience.
He prepared a three-course meal for four to six people on a budget of $60.
On the menu was a Caesar salad to begin, a mustard-crusted sirloin, roasted red potatoes and asparagus for the main course and a Kahlua mousse for dessert.
While working in the kitchen, Cox demonstrated that technique and presentation are key to making any dish look appetizing.
For his Caesar salad, he arranged romaine hearts in the center of the plate and accented them with red grape tomatoes and homemade croutons. He drizzled Caesar dressing over the top and added shaved parmesan cheese for an inexpensive dish that cost less than $1.50 a plate but looked gourmet.
"Presentation is key to everything," Cox said.
He said at-home cooks should take the time to design the food on the plate. Also, instead of loading a plate with too many foods of the same color, incorporate different colorful foods to give the plate vibrant presentation.
Presentation was also vital to serving the dessert, which was a simple recipe of boxed chocolate mousse enriched with Kahlua and meringue.
To glamorize the dessert, he served it in a wine glass --shaved chocolate and a twig of mint on top -- on a plate lightly dusted with Nesquik chocolate powder.
For a main dish, Cox recommended at-home chefs cook whatever they like, but meat and potatoes are a staple in the Midwest.
"It's important when roasting potatoes that you avoid getting too much oil on them because they won't brown," he said.
He also advised that cooks who are entertaining stick with recipes they know or try a new dish in advance and test it with friends.
Similar to Cox's adage that presentation is key, Troyer said if hosts want to make parties look expensive, dress up the setting. Some of her suggestions include making a centerpiece for the dining table and tying ribbons around napkins to make them look special.
She also suggested having calm and subtle music playing in the background -- John Mayer for the younger crowd and B.B. King for the older crowd.
"That will set the mood for what you do afterwards," she said.


Entertaining at home tips
Ashley Troyer, of Ashley Troyer Events in Goshen, gives tips for what to do after the dinner when entertaining at home.
Play card games, board games or interactive games such as charades.
Invite musicians you know over and have them play at your house.
Do theme dinners, such as a Mexican dinner night with tacos and margaritas and watch a Spanish film.
For women-only parties
Host a scrapbooking, quilting or Mary Kay party. F
or men
Have a poker or card night.
Have a football-theme night. The host can convert a Ping-Pong table into a football field using tape to create the yard lines and straws for the goal posts. The food is placed on the "field."

Link to this article http://www.jconline.com/article/20090125/LIFE/901250322