The Cook’s Kitchen

Actress Kate Walsh (from Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice) is one busy woman. Besides her flourishing career, she fell in love, got engaged and got married … all last year. None of that stopped her from talking to O at Home magazine, and sharing her “Prescription for a Perfect Dinner Party.” Here’s what she had to say:

1. People Love Place Cards. They make guests feel special from the moment they approach the table and say, “Oh, look, there’s a place for me!” In your best handwriting, print each person’s name on nice paper, and then put the cards in pretty place-card holders. I use a set of mini pewter chairs that remind me of something out of Alice in Wonderland.

2. Know Your Limit. My guest limit is 12 people. I find that with this size of group, each person can easily get to know somebody new and no one will become a wallflower. In a larger crowd, there’s a greater risk that someone will feel left out.

3. Good Things Come in Threes. To wit: pasta, salad and wine. Don’t worry about making a fancy entree or lots of courses. Everybody likes pasta and salad, and Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything - a book that actually lives up to its name - includes loads of foolproof recipes for both courses. Add a few bottles of a good, full-bodied red wine, preferaby a Sirah, then lean back and let the conversation roll.

Photo from Wikipedia.