I usually plan my parties well in advance and so they are well organized and fun. Right from the decor to the drink everything goes as per the theme/occasion attached to the party. The guest list, the venue, the decor, the welcome drink, the starters menu, the main course menu, the desserts, the cake, the theme, the costume, the games, the music, the return gifts(if its a birthday) are all jotted down after alot of brain storming between us(me and my spouse). We both have an eye towards perfection and want to be a great host whenever we throw a party.
But there are some parties you plan on the fly, you just have some close friends travelling who need to meet all the other friends, a surprise birthday party for your spouse or just a potluck or a cards party or say a girls party! I used to get goose bumps thinking of such on the spot parties. I can outsource decor, I can get the gifts from outside, I can delegate the games to my better half, I can put some ever green music,,,BUT BUT BUT, I cannot compromise on the food. My food has to be something to remember for my guests. I cannot just give any small caterer the food part or get it from some restaurant. My food is my identity, it has to have my signature on it. So, how do we plan for a INSTANT PARTY? The answer is in using the awesome stuff from
Kitchens of India and simplyfing your cooking without compromising on the taste and your signature style.The gourmet products I have used from Kitchens of India suits my party needs to the core.
Right from welcome drink to the desserts, I can mix and match some easily available products from Kitchens of India. Here goes the party I have planned for my anniversary next month.
Venue: My SWEET HOME
Date: 26th June 2013
Time : 6 pm to "AAPKE AGAMAN TAK" :)
No. of guests : 20 (Only family and close friends)
No. of kids : 5
No. of adults : 15
Ambiance:
I love the color red, it stands for passion and love. It also stands for celebration. It also represent marriage, in our Indian culture red is THE COLOR for the bride. So what better theme than RED?
I plan to cover all the lamps with red transperant paper to give that red hue to the rooms. Some Red and silver baloons on the floor to give it a celebrative look. My red curtains goes perfectly with the theme.The table cloth and drapes could be covered with red chinese print runners and shimmery cloth. The red bandhani sarees from my cupboard will serve as perfect hangings to give it a traditional feel. Some old and new slow romantic songs, especially selected for this ocassion would be just right to create that MAHOOL(ambiance) of a laid back fun party.
The seating would be at two levels, ground seating for the lazy bones who enjoy lazing around and the sofa and bean bags seating for the others with a lot of cushions in red, orange, silver, golden beige thrown around. Red and white roses in the long vase beautifully decorated throughout the place.
Entertainment:
We make sure that all our parties range high on the entertainment quotient. Just lazing around with a glass of wine or vodka may sound good to many but my definition of entertainment is live music, dance, playing cards, board games, innovative/funny group games.
So for this party I would be calling a drummer to play live music and entertain the guests. Then there will be play area with blocks, hoopla, kitchen set, doll house, balls, bubbles for the kids in kids room, to keep the little ones occupied.
For adults, I have plans of conducting three fun games.The first game would be "KYC" (Know your catch/spouse). I have asked some juicy gossip questions to my girl friends about themself. So I would weave questions around those juicy stories and ask their husbands about their knowledge about their better halves. Eg. Whoz the handsome most guy in this room according to your wife? Would your wife like if Miss XYZ compliments about your good looks? So the winner would be selected depending on how close you are to your spouse's answers. The other two games would involve the co-ordination and trust test between the couples. That can remain as a secret for now.
I have planned for gifting winners of the game with some nice red colored Potli bags for females, red file covers for the men and Chota Bheem goodies for the kids.
Food:
Some eat for living, we live for eating! As mentioned earlier I cannot compromise on food. So the food would range from welcome drink, quick bites, starters, mocktails(we are tea-tottlers so no cocktails included), side dishes, main dishes, desserts, ice cream and then pan.
The party starts at 6 and ends around 12 am, so for 6 hrs I need to arrange for alot of food. Plus kids and adults like completely different type of food, so I need to segregate both the categories.
The welcome drink can be Jamaican cocktail made of coconut malai at the bottom topped with crushed ice then rose syrup and completed with coconut water. Very refreshing and my all time favorite. Also goes with the theme (red). My food also will have the red element very distinctly like the red carrot, the red chilli, , the red tomato. Decorating food is something which excites me even in the everyday cooking I do, so parties would definitely call for a lot of decoration around the theme.
Even our anniversary cake would be a three level with chocolate gooey cake, pineapple cake and Ferrero R ocher cake.
Food for Adults:
Mockatil -
Apple Cinnamon Conserve added in Icecream soda with a dash of orange zest for that zing
Quick bites - Carrot fingers, cucumber fingers,Lavash, potato chips platter with
Tomato Chilli Chutney and Cheese dip (cream cheese, mixed with Shredded Mango Chutney)
Starters -
1. Paneer tikka marinated in Tamarind and Date chutney with yellow n red bell peppers for the Indian touch
2. Letuce+cherry tomato+roasted peanut+tofu+basil+olive oil salad with
pineapple and Green Pepper dressing as a perfect appetizer
3. Roasted stuffed jacket potatoes with baked beans, capsicum and cheese filling served with
Hot Mango Chutney for that zing
Main course -
1. Penne pasta with red and white sauce
2. Mushroom and brocooli lasagnene with an Indian twist in one layer of
Paneer Makhani gravy
3. Garlic bread,
4. Kerala paratha/Laccha paratha
5.
Kitchens Dal Bukhara
6.
Mughalai Paneer
7. Home made Dum Aloo(Bengali style, my signature dish again)
8. Kitchens
Vegetable Biryani Mix makes a perfect Mughlai style biryani for my guests
9. Biryani with
Mich ka salan and Raita
Desserts -
Offlate, I have been doing alot of contemporary desserts.
1. Apple crumble with vanilla custard and blueberry sauce is a lovely combination- Tried and tested!
2. Then
Jodhpuri Moong Dal Halwa for the Indian taste buds
Food for children:
Mocktail -
Strawberry and Mint Conserve added with lemon juice and water
Quick bites -
1. Mcain Smiley potato wedges
2. Choclate and mango sandwich
3. Cheese cubes with yummy
Papaya Raisin Chutney topped on it.
Starters -
1. Less spicy Paneer tikka marinated in
Tamarind and Date chutney with yellow n red bell peppers
2. Chesse corn balls in kite shape planted on a long toothpick
3. Palak chat for that healthy bite
Main Course -
1. Pasta with white sauce,
2. Peas and Corn Pulav with Paneer Malai (non spicy).
3. Vegetable Hakka Noodles with fancy machurian skewers on cartoon toothpicks.
Desserts -
1.Gulab jamun with
Hazoori Petha Halwa with a scoop of strawberry icecream topped with colorful gems and chocolate sauce
2. Strawberry jelly with vanila custard and
3. Last but not the least cake pops!
Wow, Didnt know just by writing a blog I can plan my party so wonderfully! Thanks Kitchens of India, I am glad you have made my life easier and my parties YUMMIER by introducing such wonderful things. I am more excited to try out the conserves and chutney's with the combinations I have mentioned now. I love mixing flavors and add that twist in all my dishes.
Last but not the least, I would wear a red shiffon saree, hubby a red (too bright,, say maroon) party shirt with black jeans. Kids in pretty red and silver frocks. Return gifts would be a box of RED VELVET CUP CAKES from my favorite baker.
So now when my party planning looks so perfect, time for executing it. If you are not invited, please dont mind!! You can follow the DIY formula and make up a brilliant plan yourself. I am always there for sharing ideas and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I give it for free :) Happy partying!! Happy Cooking !! Happy Eating!!
This post is written as part of Indiblogger’s Kitchen’s of India Contest.
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This blog has been selected as one of the winners by Kitchens of India
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