Choose Your Cheeses

• Start with a simple, balanced mix of cheeses, such as a mild goat cheese, a buttery Brie, and an earthy, hard cheese like Gruyère.
• “A ‘tasting portion’ of cheese should be in the realm of 3/4 of an ounce per person,” Seaton says, “but if you do have some left over, there are worse problems!”
• Buy your cheese the day of or the day before your gathering and leave it out at room temperature (65 – 70 degrees). Serving cheese cold will “mute or mask the flavors,” but if you do have to refrigerate it, “make sure it is wrapped in butcher paper or cheese paper and keep it in the crisper section” to prevent it from drying out.

Add Your Extras 

• Accoutrements should be “a backdrop to the cheese.” Seaton suggests offering a jam or marmalade, roasted mixed nuts, and fresh or dried fruit for texture and flavor. As for the vehicle? Bread and crackers “are both pretty neutral, so you won’t do much harm even choosing a seeded bread.”
• When it comes to cured meats, the occasion is king: “If you’re having a formal gathering, charcuterie should be on a separate platter. If you have guests coming over to watch the hockey game or Golden Globes, do what you want.”
• Serve your cheese on a wooden cheese board for a rustic appearance, or make your own cheese plate.

Pair with Wine 

• Offer an earthy cheese, like Landaff, along with a wine that has similar nuances, such as Roagna Dolcetto d’Alba.
• Take a cheese that is rich and creamy and pair it with an acidic wine. “The acidity should cut some of the richness of the cheese,” Seaton says.
• Pair two items that share the same terroir. Try Délice de Bourgogne with a Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wine, for example.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

What is your favorite wine and cheese pairing? Share in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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• Create different party zones even if you live in under 300 square feet – an area for conversation, games, drinking, and dancing. Keep seating away from drink central to avoid congestion.
• No room to spare for guests’ coats?  Time to hit the showers! I have a collapsible coat rack that fits right into my shower and moonlights as a coat check for parties. To be fun, you can create “numbered” claim check tags printed with a guest photo to hang on each hanger. Try to keep hangers all the same color so they look neat and tidy.  I also provide baskets underneath to hold purses and briefcases.
• Not enough table space? Grow up! Put everything on a footed platter and start stacking. I use regular white plates (a dinner, salad, and dessert size) and stack them with white eggcups. Reusable Museum Gel keeps everything attached and stable. When the party is over, plates store flat in their cabinet until the next gathering.
• Create an invite and menu around miniature appetizers and tiny martinis. Mix up a signature cocktail for the night, which always makes guests feel special and festive.
• Have a few friends help pitch in for a “short” bartender.  Even in a small space, having someone dedicated solely to ice, shaking cocktails, and filling glasses elevates the cool factor for the night and instantly relieve hostess anxiety.
• Invest $50 of your party budget toward a folding butler’s tray table that you can transform into a portable bar. You will use it over and over again. The best part is that everything folds up flat. Another recessionista-style option: a cheap luggage rack can double as a second drink station.  Just top it off with a tray that you own, and guests will be partying until the sun comes up.
• Lighting is key so put your main lights on dimmer switches and opt for flameless candles everywhere – safety first! Flameless tea lights can safely add a glow to bookshelves, windowsills, baseboards, and bedrooms… places you would never use real flames.
• Petite Party Favors To Go: Personalize miniature cupcakes with photo icing for each guest… in take-out form. Just upload your favorite photo to any of several custom icing websites, and they’ll send back edible photo sheets that dissolve into icing.

Our copy team gathered last night to celebrate autumn with an all-too-seasonal pumpkin party. From sinfully sweet treats to hearty, savory delights (emphasis on the former), the writers brought some serious culinary competitors to the well-adorned table. Here are some quick tips to help you throw a gourd-themed bash of your own:

Décor
Start your décor off right with these beautiful DIY Pumpkin Planters that are so easy to make (plus you have seeds left over for a quick-baked snack). Add themed serving platters and – of course – more pumpkins, and the mood will pretty much set itself.

Activities
Pumpkin carving, while the ultimate October activity, is logistically tricky. Instead, pick up some medium-sized pumpkins and set out paint pens, mod podge (equal parts glue and water), tissue paper, stick-on moustaches, and whatever else appeals to you, then let your guests decorate to their hearts’ content. No messy goop to clean up, and everyone gets to create their own take-home favor.

Food
A variety of dishes is the key to hosting a successful meal, so decide on a theme and ask guests to bring a favorite to share. Our spread included baked brie with pumpkin butter, salad topped with pumpkin seeds, pumpkin-stuffed ravioli, and enough delicious, pumpkin-infused baked goods to cover a tabletop. Offer mulled cider, red wine, or pumpkin spice martinis, and you’ll be glad that, by the time your guests say good night, you’re already at home.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

Have a great pumpkin-themed party idea? Share it in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala.

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