Entertaining family and friends

When it is the time to celebrate, the usual question that puzzles people is what food should be served to guests? Very often, my friends do ask me that question because they presume that your favorite food columnist is knowledgeable about food given the "eating experience" he has had in the last ten years, and 20 years as a member of a gourmet society.

An average of one invitation is received every week and since there are fifty two weeks in a year, the sum would be over five hundred invitations in the last ten years. Exception would be the Christmas season because during the month of December, there would be at least one celebration to join everyday!

Everything starts with the budget and my advice to my readers is that if you cannot really afford it, please do not go into debt just to celebrate. On many occasions, I have seen people live like a king for one day during the fiesta and live miserably like a rat for the rest of the year. Money is very tight these days and the living conditions in western countries, including the U.S.A., are no exception. The phrases, "sa hirap nang panahon" and "economic crises man jud" have indeed become clichés.

The location where the festivity is to be held is the next factor to consider… whether to celebrate it at home or in a restaurant. If it is a fiesta, it is obvious that your home will have to be the center of the celebration. In the past, houses were built to accommodate many guests. These days, to build a house even for a small family is exceedingly difficult. This led to the trend to live in much smaller dwellings or condo units. Restaurants are the obvious answer to host a celebration.

If you select a Chinese restaurant, your choice would be limited to Chinese food and you should be precise in the number of guest to invite since round banquet tables seat 10 or 12 people. Take a look at their set menu for special occasions because to order these dishes individually would be more expensive.

If it is held in a native restaurant, you select the dishes that are the forte of that restaurant. Should you decide on a restaurant that specializes in western dishes, your choices would be Spanish, Italian or American cuisine.

A shining example on what dishes to serve would be the celebration of the 25th wedding anniversary of a couple that belongs to a political family. These food photos were stored since 2008 because they could not invite all their acquaintances/followers and to publish it then would not be politically correct.

Reception was held at the Chateau de Busay (Lower Busay, Nivel Hills, Lahug, email http://www.chateaudebusay.com, phone 231-2000). In all the years I have been attending as guest, this celebration was the most simple I have ever seen; one appetizer, six dishes (rice and mashed potatoes included) and an array of desserts – a gift from a very generous friend of the family.

The appetizer was lamb, roasted to perfection and was served in small dishes while guests poured their drinks from the bottle of Johnny Walker Blue found, excuse me, on each table. Dinner service was buffet style and there were only four dishes to select: Pasta Marinara, Sautéed Garden Vegetables, Bacalao ala Viscaina (definitely a Teresin Mendezona recipe!) and the Rib Eye Roast.

Very simple indeed and yet so elegant!