Green and bear it!

I was out on a first date and my date ordered spaghetti with pesto sauce. The sauce had some whole basil leaves on it and unfortunately, at one point during dinner, some green stuff got lodged between her front teeth and it was distracting me and making me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to do but finally managed a gentle "You have something between your teeth" and she excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. Did I do right in telling her? I knew she felt a little bit embarrassed but if I didn’t tell her, the evening would have dragged on with the unsightly green stuff between her teeth. – Marco

You were right in telling her that and made her attend to it before it spoiled your evening. It was also natural for her to be a bit embarrassed, but I’m sure she appreciated it, rather than spend the whole evening talking to you with green particles lodged between her teeth. When one feels unsure of food particles lodged between the front teeth, the rule is to cover your mouth with a napkin and discreetly attend to the matter. Discretion is the key as it would be in poor taste to be overtly obvious. The other advice is to stick to light-colored dishes (like lemon chicken) on important dinner dates!

* * * Here’s A Toast To, Uh, A Toast!

I sometimes host sit-down dinners with some of my guests meeting each other for the first time. What do you suggest I do to make them feel at home with each other even if it’s their first time to meet? – Josephine

Toasting is a common practice in Europe. It shows that you can share good cheer even before you start a meal. A wonderful idea comes from Margrit Mondavi, of Mondavi Wines, who always begins her meals with a toast. "I often offer people to toast the person next to them. It gets everyone in the mood. All you have to do is touch the glass and look at them in the eye, until it comes back to the host. This brings everyone together. You feel it from the heart – you want to welcome everybody. It opens you up and makes you want to exchange ideas." Cheers!

* * * Mixing Food And Music

My father always said that dinner music prohibits conversation. Even if he was hosting a dinner dance, the music never began until after the meal was finished. I would always argue with him about this because in my opinion, background music is good to have during dinner and sets everyone in a party mood. Am I not right? – Rolly

Many find music during dinner pleasurable – some even say it aids digestion. Indeed, dinner music is not a contemporary phenomenon. Mozart wrote divertimentos for his friends’ garden parties. Whatever your pleasure, just make sure that it doesn’t drown out your dinner companions’ voices.

* * * Partying With A Twist

I’m having a birthday party soon and my friends are suggesting something more exciting than just the usual dinner and some dancing after. This is becoming to be a bore as most of my friends’ parties are like this. Do you have any suggestion on how I can make my party different and more exciting? – Ina

Prepare some adult games for your guests like Musical Chair but the men are the chairs. Or try the Statue Dance, where someone plays music and all of you dance, when the music stops, you have to stop and not move at all. Anyone who moves is out. Inquire about other games that could make your party really fun! Another suggestion is a theme party: Call of the wild party, where you decorate your place like a jungle and everyone comes dressed like a savage or a stranded pirate or whatever; romantic theme, where you dress up as Scarlett O’Hara or Rhett Butler, or any famous romantic couple like Anthony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, etc. Give prizes for the most original, most funny, most elaborate, (create different categories) costume. My sister had a turnaround party where the women dressed up like men and the men dressed up like women. This was really hilarious. One man came as a geisha, another as a flamenco dancer, another as Madonna. As for the women, one came as Prince Charming, another came as a farmer, another as a sailor. I hope I gave you some ideas for a fun party!

* * * How To Be The Hostess With The Mostest

My husband and I entertain a lot but a lot of times, I want to get away from giving dinner parties especially during weekdays where everyone is in a hurry to go home because of work the next day. Do you have any suggestions? I was thinking of lunches, but then again, everyone is hurrying (including me) to go back to office and my helpers get so tense because time is so short in the morning to clean, fix the house, cook, etc. Any suggestions? – Marla

What about Sunday brunch? It’s a great way to entertain simply and make something special of an ordinary Sunday. It is a limited and contained event with regard to time (you can specify 1-5 p.m. or 2-6 p.m.) if the weather is good, guests can enjoy outdoor activities together. If you have a garden and a pool, you can have a barbecue and a swim. It’s also less formal than a dinner, which makes the menu, setting, guest list, and planning more relaxed.

Another alternative is an afternoon tea party. Served between three and five, afternoon tea consists of a sampling of teas, finger sandwiches, scones, jams, light cakes and of course, great conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. High tea is served later in the day, usually after five and is essentially a light dinner with meats and bread. This is an informal but elegant way to entertain, especially if you hire a trio or a quartet to play classical music. Or a harpist, perhaps.