There is something special about a two-course meal that makes having dinner an occasion. But unlike some occasions where much time and effort is made in order to produce a spectacular meal; learning the basics will allow you to cut the time and effort in half and double the enjoyment.
What Courses to Serve
A good portion of the struggle in planning a two-course meal is deciding on which courses to serve. The options are plentiful, but determining the atmosphere of the dinner will narrow down the options.
Appetizers are a great choice as a first course. You can tailor the flavor of the appetizers to complement the main course. Keeping the appetizer light but flavorful will take the edge off the hunger that may be mounting but still allow them to be able to eat their second course.
Appetizers are served either hot or cold. If making a hot appetizer, make certain that you will have access to the stove or oven when your main course is cooking.
Preparing the appetizers ahead of time is a great boost for your hosting skills. The day before is a great time to make most appetizers and put the final touches right before serving.
The same advice is useful for your second course: prepare as much as you can ahead of the dinner. The dinner portions can be slightly smaller when you serve an appetizer beforehand. Often when an appetizer is served first, the desire for larger dinner portions is reduced.
Dinner is Served
Dinner and dessert can be a great combination. A spicier dinner can be served to complement a sweeter dessert. When the second course comes after the dinner, the tendency to consume more dinner is ever present. You can serve more side dishes to pair up with the more expensive protein portion of the dinner or you can place the dessert in the center of the table as your centerpiece enticing the guests to save room to enjoy dessert.
Changing up the Courses
There are no rules that state that you have to have dinner as one of your courses. A great two-course meal is one that includes two favorites: appetizers and desserts. Your appetizers can have several components to make it a fulfilling meal; a hot, a cold and a salad could be one such combination. The next course as the dessert course can be one or more desserts for the dinner.
The real secret to planning a successful two-course dinner is to have fun planning the meal. Don't worry about what the latest trend may be or how someone else completed their two-course dinners. Have fun and enjoy being with your dinner guests.
Tags: second course, two-course meal, dinner portions, main course, meal that, time effort