Paper Palate

Actress and comedienne Amy Sedaris’ new book, I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence has received enough good reviews that it’s made its way to my Amazon wish list. As we entertain frequently, I’m always on the lookout for more tips and tricks, and the more fun, the better.

In a recent issue of Woman’s Day magazine, Amy shared a few of her secrets to party-planning success:

So why write a book about entertaining?  People tend to get wrapped up in the fact that they may not have enough space or the proper silverware, or that they’ll be judged if their plates don’t match.  They forget that all that matters is that you have the right mix of people in a warm environment.

What are your top three entertaining tips?  Be prepared.  Cast the right guests.  Always go with what you know.

Party emergency: Nothing I cooked tastes right, and my guests arrive in an hour.  Maybe you’re overreacting - I’m hypercritical about my own cooking.  You could order in, which really isn’t a big deal.  Or you could burn it - make it obvious that you ruined it - and take a snapshot of people’s reactions.  Send it to them the next day with a witty comment.