At my dinner parties, friends cook for me. I’m not one to make the cooking process invisible. I make the eaters the cook too.
The way we eat affects the way we interact. As a former teacher, my principal pointed out the difference among students’ interactions at a pizza party versus a Chinese takeout party. The action of breaking bread together and sharing from the same pie creates more camaraderie and consideration, than eating from individual takeout containers.
Family style eating fosters interaction. The way we share food affects our interactions and conversation. Sharing food is not limited to eating – we can also share in the labor of preparing a dinner. Working together builds relationships.
In planning a dinner party, the host not only assembles a menu, but the host also considers the dynamic and interaction of guests. Gathering everyone around the table to prepare the meal serves as the icebreaker, team-builder, and entertainment. I find much livelier conversations even long after the cooking is done and over with.
Having 10-15 pairs of extra helping hands takes more logistical planning. It requires consideration in the organization of people, space, and things. Not all foods are good for group cooking. Nor is the entire cooking process meant to be done in a large group. Consider foods that works well for group assembling: dumplings, sushi, tacos & tostadas, pizza, and tamles.
What are some of your “Make Your Guest Cook” parties? I will be sharing a series of ways and pointers on how to make your guests cook at your dinner party – dumplings and beyond.
“Planning a Dumpling Party”
From Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More
by: Andrea Nguyen
Page: 73
To impress your friends with your dumpling prowess- and to share your skills with them – build a dinner party around dumplings. Have a lively, hands-on gathering where guests participate in assembling and cooking the dumplings. Select a theme, such as dumplings made with basic dumpling dough (Chapter 1) or thin skins (Chapter2). Prepare the filling(s) and dough in advance. Ditto for any broths involved.
After your guests arrive, divide them to tackle different tasks, such as rolling out the wrappers, assembling dumplings, and making dipping sauces or chutneys. Use several cooking methods (boiling, pan-frying, steaming, deep-frying, and/or baking) to efficiently use your stove and to offer a varied experience and meal. To wet your guests’ appetites, serve a few premade dumplings such as empanadas or karipap, as snacks. Finish with a sweet dumpling that you’ve prepared or one that resulted from the group activity.
For a more formal affair with no guest participation, make dumplings in advance to the extent that the recipe allows. Some dumplings can be assembled and kept refrigerated. Others freeze beautifully either raw or cooked. Many can be precooked and then reheated. Check individual recipes for tips on advance preparation and reheating. Do not make all your dumplings fresh on the day of the event; this will only make you grumpy.
Other Posts on Dumpling Party:
- More tips from Andrea Nguyen
- Cathy Erway‘s post on hosting a Dumpling Party
Related Posts from RB:
- Eat Down the House: How to Cook Frozen Dumplings
- This is How we Roll: Sushi
