Easy Entertaining

Published On: March 30, 2010

Nfocus readers love to entertain. We asked some of Nashville’s best hosts and hostesses what inspires them. Here’s what we learned.

What motivates your decision to entertain? Is it something you want to cook? Are there friends you want to introduce to one another? Sports? Spring? A cause? Kids are spending the night out?

Stephanie Maxwell
I frequently entertain out-of-town guests.

Henry Walker
I hate to admit it, but I enjoy showing off my house and art. 

Tom Black
I entertain at the drop of a hat. I am motivated by my options. Go to a restaurant that will have bad food, bad service and or bad wine one out of four times or stay at home and go with what I love. Second I am motivated by the drunk driving laws. Finally where am I gonna go that has my wine cellar.

Jenny Richter Corts
My main motivation is always to bring friends and family together. I'm a newlywed and love my husband dearly but alone together 7 days a week?! Whether it's rallying around a sporting event or trying out a new recipe from a cookbook, we always find an occasion to celebrate, and celebrate well!

Alice Randall
Love. My daughter and husband both love a full noisy house and I love my daughter and husband—Caroline Randall Williams and David Ewing.

Steve Sirls
Motivation for entertaining largely depends on the time of the year and the reason for entertaining. Outside, inside, dining room, sun porch, driveway or lap trays by the flat-screen are several choices that we have to consider. A lot of things that Allen [DeCuyper] and I do are done for various charities in our city. If not that, family would be the next big motivator. Giving back to the community is the least we can do for such a great place to live! Of course cooking is another reason for Allen. That is what he loves to do the most. I love to make it happen. For example, it is easy for us to have 10 to 50 at the drop of the hat. Allen cooks and I set up. What could be better?

Ellen Martin
I love to entertain so any excuse will do! However, I stay pretty busy hosting dinner parties for out-of-town guests and different events for some of my favorite charities. These parties may be small enough for a seated dinner in my dining room or so large that I call my friend Hunter Husband to erect one of his beautiful tents outside over the arrival court.

Trey Lipman
Having family and/or friends to enjoy each other's company and to try new recipes. Being single I have experimented with new recipes on myself. When alone, I eat simply. And, my most favorite entertainment is having eight friends for dinner for good conversation. I often mix guests who do not know each other.

Anne Clayton
I quite often decide based on something I want to cook. The weather plays a big part. Can we use the deck, can I use the grill. Weather also decides the type of food I will prepare.

Barbara Daane
My motivation is usually a special occasion like a birthday, anniversary, holiday, christening, house guest.

What are the key ingredients to easy entertaining?

Wilson Hardcastle
Easy entertaining? The ingredients are people who do not require baby-sitting for conversation, and cooking a meal that is both impressively tasty and concocted all in one pot, such as summer stew, jumbo, chili and the like. Jiffy cornbread is the easiest side that pleases everyone. An open and fully stocked bar, including a wide variety of mixers and non-alcoholic options is essential, as is fresh fruit. A lemon is not a lime. Guests should sincerely feel free to serve themselves.

Henry Walker
It's important to have several places, not just in one room, where people tend to gather. Serve food that is easy to eat with one hand and hire a couple of good musicians who understand the audience.

Alice Randall
Interesting guests, a simple menu, great wine, a signature cocktail and the right phone numbers. For me that's Bill Forrestor's, Leland Riggins', Princes and the Pied Piper Creamery.

Steve Sirls
The key ingredient to entertaining boils down to one item. This secret item is to ensure that each person is comfortable at your gathering. An easy way to accomplish this is to make sure of your comfort level when preparing for guest. If you are comfortable with lavish dinners, then so be it. If not, order pizza and enjoy yourself. If you are comfortable, others will be also. If they talk about you for ordering pizza try Chinese takeout next time.

Jenny Richter Corts
Good food, good wine, good booze, fresh-cut flowers and fun people. Lots of laughter and attention to detail go a long way. 

Mark Lee Taylor and Steve Hyman
Planning is THE key ingredient. Steve always has asks me if I have allowed enough time to do all the things I need to get done before company arrives. When I was single, I was infamous for answering the door, dripping wet from the shower. It seems I always waited until the last minute to get ready! Fortunately, he helps me with every detail now. The second thing would be to hire someone you trust to help. In our case, that is Kim Suttle. About 10 years ago a friend and I decided that we would make the investment to hire waitstaff/kitchen help even though it seemed pricey. Anytime you have more than six people it is a good idea. It's the only way the hosts can really enjoy their own party unless it's really casual.

Ellen Martin
After you remember the five P's—Pre-planning Prevents Poor Performance—then the key ingredient is to relax, be yourself, have fun and your guests will do the same. If you are nervous and uptight, your guests will be also.

Trey Lipman
Organization. I typically go grocery shopping the day before the dinner and set the table the night before. I also cook recipes that do not take a lot of last-minute preparation.

Share one of your biggest entertaining debacles—if you have one:

Wilson Hardcastle
Oh Lordy. My friend Deborah's parents were visiting San Francisco from Darien, Conn. (the archetypal Aryans from Darien). I offered to host a dinner party.Deb's parents had never—well to their knowledge—met a homosexual. Within the hours before the dinner party, Deb's other friends had to cancel for unrelated reasons. Cocktail hour came and it was Deb, her conservative Connecticut parents, and five mo's—one of whom was a sissy from Hickory, North Carolina, and was nothing but extra vowels and arm gestures. Pearls were clutched all the way around. Add to this that I decided to impress her parents and tried a new recipe from a cookbook. Herein lies the lesson: NEVER TRY A NEW RECIPE ON A DINNER PARTY. Sweet potato stew was the rage of the California culinary scene at the time, and the recipe I found called for a tablespoon or two of peanut butter. Land sakes. a little Jiffy goes a long way. Basically what I served up, as a main course with fresh rolls and very little else, was a big pot of orange-colored peanut butter soup. A side of cocoa and it might have well been a bowl of melted Reese's.

Barbara Daane
The time I dropped the turkey in the oven and flames shot out across the kitchen along with all the greasy drippings. The Exxon Valdese couldn't have been worse. The smoke alarm didn't help matters. I covered the kitchen floor with bath towels and marched on.

Jenny Richter Corts
Ten years ago, when Ashley (my older sister) and I were living in NYC, I decided to throw her a dinner party for her 25th birthday. I invited 15 of her nearest and dearest to our apartment. And, insisted that I would do all of the cooking—from the hors d'oeuvres to the dessert all myself. Who knew then what a feat that would be. Well, after going to seven different grocery stores in the city to find just the right cheese and noodles for my first-ever attempt at lasagna and literally like 12 hours later, the meal was complete. I had sequestered myself in the kitchen, sweat through two t-shirts, called my mother every 20 minutes for advice and cried about three times throughout the day. But, Ashley had a great party and I learned a valuable lesson—a good caterer is only a call away! 

Henry Walker
There was the time a guest ventured upstairs on an unescorted tour, opened my bedroom door, and got bitten by the dog. And the time the dog dragged a turkey leg off the kitchen counter during cocktail hour. And the time the dog got out the front door and I fell headlong off the porch trying to catch her.

Tom Black
Senator Henry and wife showed up at my house for a boys' night when a Greek belly dancer was performing.

Alice Randall
My biggest entertaining debacle without a doubt occurred during one of my first post-college dinner parties. Four of us gave the dinner, I was working for a literary agent, someone was writing for the Post, someone else was working with Maya Lynn on the Vietnam War Memorial and some one else was doing finances for a boutique. Our guests were ancient—in their 50s—one associated with the World Bank, one with a foundation. The ducks caught fire and the cheap metal goblets turned the wine. But we talked til midnight and everybody had a great time. That's when I learned the importance of interesting guests and a simple menu. And I learned to taste the wine in the glass you're going to be serving it in—be that Riedel or a mason jar. And don't serve wine in metal. Ever.

Jana and Ansel Davis
The biggest mishap we ever experienced came one summer evening when we were having a somewhat formal dinner. We had just sat down at the table, when the lights went out—and we realized we'd blown a transformer. Thanks to our over-consumption—lights, music, air, etc.— the entire street was dark. Fortunately, we had plenty of candles lit, and the servers were old pros. They went on as if nothing had happened, and the lights came on just as we were drinking coffee. It made for a very romantic evening.

Mark Lee Taylor and Steve Hyman
Fortunately, I don't have one from at-home entertaining. I was steward at my fraternity house for two years. My first year, we ran out of food at a brunch before the UT/Alabama game. That was the last time I ever had a party disaster. It made a real impression on me. Fortunately, the cheap champagne didn't run out. Lesson two: even if the food runs out, the bar shall not.

Ellen Martin
Years ago when hosting the Symphony Ball Patrons Party I ordered a gold tent knowing it would look beautiful backing 18th century tapestries that I borrowed from my friend Rosalie Buxbaum, who generously flew them into Nashville for the event. Unfortunately, since the tent was new and custom-made, it had never been rained on and getting wet is what seals a tent. As the evening progressed it started raining cats and dogs and I noticed these priceless tapestries getting darker and darker—and it wasn't the lighting! I thought I was going to have a heart attack during dinner and realized that unforseen catastrophes may occur no matter how organized and prepared you are. There is a reason these tapestries have lasted so many years hanging in damp castles...they dried beautifully and we all lived happily ever after.

John Hardaway
One time all the guys were asked to bring a high-gravity beer. The centerpiece of this particular social was tasting all the different high-gravity beers and using colorful descriptors to talk about each. Guests brought a side dish and we provided Mickey Roo's Texas Style BBQ brisket with Hot Boot Kickin' Beans (one of our favorites). After a few cocktails (and/or beer), guests moved to the deck with a plate full of food. Apparently, we were having too much fun without a neighbor who recently moved in. After a few hours of merriment, bottle rockets, and loud music, a plastic bag came sailing across the deck. The tiki torches provided just enough light to see the projectile. One of the regulars, Smack, quickly retrieved the missile, only to discover that it was a bag full of fresh poop. Dirty scoundrels.

Leigh Hendry
Twenty-plus years ago I left the plastic-wrapped package of frozen giblets inside the first Thanksgiving turkey I ever cooked for my mother-in-law—we called it the "Toxic Shock Bird."

Anne Clayton
Thanksgiving...Entire family there...Food's in oven for final roasting and reheating...the oven goes crazy...Puts itself on CLEAN...LOCKS THE DOOR and proceeds to incinerate my dinner.Had to cut off the power at the box and use a claw hammer to get the door open. I finished the cooking at the neighbors house!!!!

What entertaining experience is one of your most memorable and why?

Stephanie Maxwell
Swan Ball Patrons party. I was pregnant and sick. The wind and rain almost blew the tent down. Beth Alexander's hair caught on fire along with my dress. Alyne Massey called the next day to say what great time she had!

Steve Sirls
Weather usually is the determining factor that says inside or out. If the mosquitoes are not bad and the temperature is pleasant then outside it goes.

One of our favorite times was Mother's day, Sunday afternoon 2009. It was a perfect day and around 25 family members and friends were on there way over, so outside it went. It usually starts out pretty simple and builds to a crescendo that is a sight to behold. This can take up to thirty minutes. Starting out with tables is good. From there you build with napkins, flowers, silver, china, the dining room chairs and many unnecessary items that aren't really important but make the table look good. We also have a chandelier that hangs from the tree where the table goes. It was is lowered into place and the candles were lighted even though Trey Lipman's mother used to say "one should not do that during the day." Drinks start in the house and each person helped take out all of the many wonderful dishes, prepared with ingredients from the garden and found at local markets, by chef DeCuyper. Sitting with family and friends, at a beautiful table, alfresco, sipping your beverage of choice for a couple of hours is not bad.

Tom Black
Dinner at Big Kenny's with Bob Waggoner cooking and Steve Cropper singing sitting on the "Dock of the Bay, " "Knock on Wood" and "In the Midnight" hour. He wrote them all. Dinner at my house with Brooks and Dunn and Martina. All singing and drinking wine. Kix Brooks singing. Cropper playing the guitar and Tony Brown playing the piano. More?

Alice Randall
When my daughter was away at boarding school when she would come home we would have dinner parties at which we entertained some of her close friends and their parents... The dinners were quite simple: roasted salmon, roasted vegetables, a green salad with dried fruit and cheese, and a Leland cake. The adults would have wine and the children had sparkling water. Those dinners were charmed. I remember the kids growing up in the candlelight, growing into themselves and into the larger conversation, growing into new power and new independence, creating worlds of their own while retaining the charm of being young Southerners connected to and proud of the world parents and history had provided. Being Mama to ittybitties is hard and wonderous work. Those hours, watching the work my friends had put in and I had put in bloom, were very sweet.

Jenny Richter
I would have to say my most memorable would be my wedding celebration—there's nothing like celebrating with all of your loved ones in one place ... great food, music, amazing atmosphere, beautiful flowers, perfect summertime weather, and a full moon to boot!

Barbara Daane
Dewey's 70th Birthday Black Tie Tennis Tournament at the Belle Meade Indoor Courts. It was the beginning of the T-Shirts that say: "I Played Tennis With A Great Daane in ______."

Mark Lee Taylor and Steve Hyman
Last spring we had a house concert to introduce Nashville friends to our friend Alexander Platt, who is one of the country's rising young orchestra conductors. Steve put together a musical program with Nashville artists and we had 24 people to dinner. That included buying a 36 qt. stockpot to prepare a whole country ham. Alex is from Connecticut, so we wanted to have a quintessential "Southern" menu. Wonderful music, good food, good friends, lots of libations. Heaven...

Ellen Martin
While serving on The Antiques and Garden Show Committee for years, I was always very flattered to be asked to have the prestigious out-of-town lecturers as house guests and to host a dinner party in their honor. Some of these notables include HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, HRH Princess Michael of Kent, Albert Hadley, Colin Cowie, Martha Stewart, Bunny Williams and more. Prince Edward arrived on a Wednesday with an entourage of four staying in my house and four staying with my friend Kathy Follin across the street. They did not depart until Sunday afternoon so I had eleven for breakfast each morning at 8:00 a.m. tea in the afternoon and so on. We all became fast friends.

Anne Clayton
The old BYOL parties: Bring Your Own Lobster. I cooked up all the sides—potato salad, corn, blueberry cobbler—guests brought their own lobsters and we boiled them in the driveway. Each guestswas given a new chefs apron with their name.

What goes into selecting the perfect group for a gathering and do you think about where you're seating people or try to matchmake?

Wilson Hardcastle
Gathering the perfect group is almost like mixing ingredients for a magic spell—you need the talkers and the listeners, the animated and the dry wits, the flowered and the budding. Once I have the base pair, I sprinkle in personalities I think will complement each other, people who may not know each other but have common interests, and when inviting new people into a social circle, I am sure to include other personalities I think will make them at ease and bring a sense of familiarity to a room of new people. Do I think about matchmaking? Yes. For me. I'm pushing 40 and single like American cheese. You can be sure I'll include someone I'd like to engage, and that means hands off to you, Buster.

Tom Black
As to groups. Yes I plan who I invite. Some don't get asked back.

Henry Walker
I try to mix people with common interests, either journalism-politics or art—but not both together.

Alice Randall
I only invite people I care about to the house. It's a rule. I have a napkin test. I don't always iron all the napkins myself, usually I have someone to help me do that, but on ocasion I have ironed the napkins for my own dinner parties. My rule is—if I don't like you enough to want to hand iron and starch a napkin for you I'm not inviting you to dinner. Fortunately, we care for a wide variety of people. We try to invite people who will enjoy and inform/intrigue each other. We like to think of our dining room as a place where the paths of many people walking diverse and dynamic paths cross.

Jana and Ansel Davis
The key to a good dinner party, assuming we know, is the right mix of people. Anything can go wrong, as long as the conversation still flows. Wine helps! With one foot in the music business and the other in Belle Meade, with my background in health care and politics and Ansel's in entertainment and law, we can draw on a fairly eclectic crowd. That's where the fun comes in. One night we asked a group of friends to bring a bottle of wine they would like to share with others—each couple took one course. It got pretty competitive, and it was a great dinner. We had leaders from the health care industry telling music people about health reform, and the people in the music business talking about their days with rock stars. The party ended with Doc McGhee talking about being on the road with Bon Jovi and Kiss "back in the day"—it had been a pretty lively group, but you could hear your heart beating. Everyone wanted to hear the details.

Mark Lee Taylor and Steve Hyman
Yes, guests are carefully selected, even at cocktail parties of 40 to 50 people. We always arrange seating, even if not using place cards. It appears that some hosts seem to throw together everyone they know on one guest list in an attempt to reciprocate for past invites. It makes for a "memorable" party, unfortunately not the type of "memorable" the host was striving to achieve.

Trey Lipman
One night I hosted a party with a priest, rabbi, his wife, an ex-monk and his wife, who was an ex-nun, artist friend and his ex-wife, a friend of mine and me. The evening was quite interesting.

Have you built/arranged your home for easy entertaining and if so, what did you do?

Wilson Hardcastle
Absolutely. I live in a small studio space in San Francisco, and the first thing I did, before my furniture even arrived, was convert one of the pantries into a bar. I designed the living room/bedroom into a social space rather than a sleeping space. And with any luck the two overlap, if you get my drift. Entertaining spaces must have an easy flow between the four focus areas: seating, eating, drinking, and bathrooming. Ample seating must allow for more than one conversation at a time and allow for cross-talk between the engaged. All seats must have a space nearby to set aside a plate or a drink, and be within easy reach of an hors d'oeuvre plate or snack bowl. A good A/V system and low, warm lighting are essential.

Stephanie Maxwell
We designed a home with Bobby McAlpine that would be great for casual entertaining.

Alice Randall
Caroline Coulton helped us with our interior design.We had David Powell design and build us a dining table for 18. And we requested that he make it as narrow as looked reasonable in the room, so that people can talk across as well as to their neighbor. My downstairs desk can be converted to a table for 6 for more intimate dinners, our kitchen table sits 10. We are able to seat 34 without having to go to trays. We made a conscious decision to use minimal fabric. There are almost no rugs in the down stairs. And there is no upholstery in the dining room. A friend of Powell's built us simple crisp black dining chairs that are easy to move. And we put a piano in the kitchen. We made those choices with kids, large groups, and dancing in mind. I am proud to say we've had dance parties with live bands and nearly 200 guests and the house has looked bright and shiny a day later.

Jenny Richter Corts
My husband and I bought our new house six months ago—and, the most important thing to us was a kitchen that was very open—so we could cook and visit with all of our guests at the same time. There's nothing like having a glass of wine (or two) while cooking and socializing.

Mark Lee Taylor and Steve Hyman
Our house is a "four square" and every room on the first floor opens into the next room, so flow is completely uninhibited. It is actually only three rooms now, since we took the den and the kitchen and made them one large room, with the kitchen on one end and the grand piano at the other. We gave up trying to keep people out of the kitchen. They always wound up in there, whether it's a black-tie dinner or breakfast in pajamas.