Hub of the Home

Entertaining in the Modern Cottage

Many of our modern homes feature an open floor plan in which the kitchen island is the hub of the home. Sleek tile backsplashes with custom cabinetry featuring the cooktop are the backdrop to the island, and the island has a bright, shiny granite countertop with a sparkling clean stainless-steel sink at its center.

These kitchens are beautiful, but we all know that life happens. Most days our hub of the home, modern kitchen is not picture perfect. We live in our homes and sometimes dishes are left to dry on the counter, a few things haven't made it into the dishwasher yet, or the island becomes the household's collective drop-zone for keys, purses, sunglasses, iPads, and the latest Amazon delivery. No matter how many other niches we may designate as drop-zones the island always catches it!

Since I don't have a butler's pantry or prep kitchen behind the scenes, my kitchen has to pull double duty when I entertain. It has taken time to come up with a few tricks, but I'm finding them.

Preparation

• Prep as much as you can, as early as you can to allow time for thorough cleanup.

• Create designated work zones for specific tasks. This is especially helpful if you have someone who offers to help.

• Use portable electric roasters or slow cookers that can be plugged in elsewhere and stay out of the way until the festivities are over - the laundry room or the garage workbench can work great for this.

• Always run the dishwasher and have it empty before entertaining. This becomes the place to stash lids and bakeware that aren't needed while serving.

• Clean and organize the refrigerator. Any containers that may be needed for leftovers are best kept in the refrigerator. Out of the way and ready for later.

• Make sure the trash and recycling bin are empty and that extra trash bags are in easy reach.

Setup

• Use sticky notes to identify all the food to be served. Put the notes on the serving dishes you plan to use and plan the placement for dishes. This is helpful for planning the layout and for not forgetting to serve something that may be hiding in the fridge.

• Visualize the flow of guests into your home and how they will approach the food and drinks.

• I've found that the island is ideal for serving beverages and lite snacks. It is a natural gathering place for guest.

• The backdrop counter of the kitchen works well for serving heavy appetizers or the main part of a meal. Remove daily use and decorative items to create the buffet space. Plan to use the cooktop for keeping hot food hot. There is ample space and electrical outlets for slow cookers or other serving appliances. There is also space to stage desserts.

Beverage Zone Basics

• I generally use two beverage decanters - one for water and the other for tea or punch. Decanted beverages are especially pretty with sliced citrus fruit or cranberries as an accent.

• An ice filled bucket for bottled and canned beverages. I keep a decorative towel looped through the handle to help catch any drips.

• An ice bucket, bottles of wine and openers.

• With smaller groups I use glassware, but with a larger group plastic cups make more sense.

Snack Zone Basics

• Especially at family gatherings, there needs to be a snack zone. Guests arrive at various times, and some have traveled an hour or more, so they're ready for something to snack on.

• The snack zone is also good for the host while they're putting the finishing touches on dinner - carving a turkey and making gravy always happen when guests are arriving.

• Snacks can be on the island by the beverage zone, or on a coffee table or an outdoor space.

  
  

Buffet Zone Basics

• Using the backdrop counter and cooktop, setup the buffet in the traditional sequence of salads, side dishes, main dishes, and staged desserts for later.

• Serve bread, butter, salt & pepper and any other condiments on the table.

• The cooktop works great for serving the hot foods - casserole dishes, cast iron skillets and griddles, pans of gravy, pots of pasta and sauce all work great.

Dessert Zone Basics

• Desserts are the floating finish to a gathering. For a family dinner they'll be staged on the buffet zone, for a Christmas open house they'll be on the table as their own special buffet, and for a bigger gathering they may be on a table in our lower level. Sometimes they may appear as a replacement for snacks on the island.

• The key is to have them staged and ready - a cake will be served differently than cookies and candies. Have fun with it.