For the first time ever, I entertained with all cold or room temperature dishes and just one hot dish. Whenever I cook for a crowd, I like everything to come out piping hot from the oven at the same time (restaurant and catering training). Because of this I tend to get in a bit of a tizzy. Unlike in a restaurant or a catering gig-I don't have people working around me who know what they are doing and have their assigned jobs. Instead, what I have is guests standing at the entrance of the kitchen asking me questions about what I put in this or that and if they can help. This annoys me so. You would wonder why I cook if I hate people so much. I wonder that myself sometimes.

Actually, I like well behaved guests. Like I am - a well behaved guest. If I go over to someone's place I will never hover and ask stupid questions. I will only help if asked to do so. I will ask for a recipe if something is so good and unusual and something that I am bound to cook. People ask for recipes for things they have no intention of cooking nor have the skills to cook. Someone who doesn't feel comfortable boiling water should not ask how a souflee is made or a leg of lamb.

I digress. That's what I do.

Back to the "Room Temperature" Entertaining. Despite all the planning in the world, the last few moments when I'm trying to put everything out on the table is an ordeal. So I decided that I am not going to put myself through all that and serve everything at room temperature. It turned out to be an excellent idea and I decided that from here on out-this is how I am entertaining in the summer.
By just having the one dish in the oven, I didn't have to constantly open and close it and switch things around to keep everything hot and make sure that everything was cooked properly, etc. This helped the apartment stay much cooler too.

I made a delicious, sumptuous, unctuous, delectable leg of lamb marinated for 2 days and 2 nights in green chilies, cilantro, mint and mustard. The other things were Orzo with Feta, Grape Tomatoes and Pine Nuts; Asparagus with Citrus Sauce (essentially mayo with lemon, lime zest and their juice), broccoli with Toasted almonds (I used some liquid smoke that makes it savory and summery); sweet potato salad with scallions and fresh ginger and rosemary roasted potatoes. Quite a spread and if I had served everything hot - I would have been in a bad bad mood and a bad bad hostess.

This menu allowed me to spend time with my guests and also be in a generally good mood. That is a good thing.

What tricks do you have for summer entertaining? And don't say that you throw everything on the grill-because then I'll be very jealous. If only I had a grill...aaah

Until I eat again!