Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of The Bell!
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Okay, on to the content.
For years, I aspired to be the kind of person who’s prepared to welcome anyone into my home…
…at any time…
…whether they stay for 15 minutes or 3 hours…
…with the ability to offer them some easy refreshments.
Emphasis on easy.
I didn’t want to either run to the store in a panic or apologetically offer my guest a glass of room temperature tap water because I have nothing else on hand.
I’ve done both too many times, and I know I will again. It’s not the end of the world—and to be clear, I don’t mind at all when I show up to someone else’s house and they don’t offer refreshments!
It’s just a personal thing I aspire to do, like always leaving the house with groomed eyebrows and earrings on.
You know me; I’m about effort. Especially when it comes to hospitality. I want to be known as a hospitable person who’s always prepared to receive my loved ones into my home with open doors.
And as with most things, after you put in the effort is when you get the ease.
As my husband and I make plans to renovate and outfit a guest house on our country property in France, we’re going to send a detailed poll around to our close friends and family asking them what would make their stay comfortable, homey, and luxurious.
And then I’m going to make sure those things are in our guest house. Things like robes and slippers, good coffee and tea, chargers for their devices and plenty of outlets in the walls, blackout curtains in the bedroom, a variety of reading material, good water pressure and enough hot water, etc.
No one is staying overnight in our apartment in Boston unless they want to sleep on the sofa in the living room (and bless the friends who have done that) so my job is a little simpler in the city.
But for a long time, I couldn’t figure out how to meet my aspiration of hospitable preparedness and I don’t know why. I never had sweet or savory bites in the pantry. I never had milk for tea or cappuccinos. My freezer was woefully empty.
Regardless of what took me so long, though, I’m now finally getting the hang of things and I’m going to share some tips with you today.
Simple hospitality pretty much comes down to some planning ahead and keeping a well-stocked pantry and fridge. I.e., savory and sweet snacks and something to sip on, some pretty vessels to put things in, and some containers to send people home with treats, in the event you have baked/cooked and there are leftovers.
And also flagging to yourself and your household that certain items are for saving, not just opening and eating anytime. I do this by keeping the hospitality snacks in a different, less convenient location than my regular pantry.
But the devil is in the details and this is trickier: remembering that people take their coffee differently from you, have allergies and dietary restrictions, don’t drink alcohol, etc. I keep a note on my phone of friends’ allergies and aversions—cilantro aversions don’t really come into play when someone stops by for tea, but dairy versus nondairy milk definitely does!
Why go to the trouble of keeping in lumps of sugar and a couple kinds of fresh milk? Because it’s a gift to be able to give your guest a beverage that’s exactly to their liking. I feel like we can take a lesson from the British here: they always have cream, sugar, honey, and lemon on hand, respecting that everyone takes their tea slightly differently.
And the dishes the food/drinks are served on/in go a long way to making something as simple as a potato chip feel special. We’re not aiming for fancy here; the goal is just to give your guest the feeling that you’re so happy they’re here.
Of course, the act of spending smart-device-free time together and listening to each other conveys that feeling, but having something to munch on and sip on tends to put people at ease and get the connection flowing.
Here’s how to be prepared ahead of time so that when someone’s coming over, it feels easy.
Snacks
One snack is all you need to bring out; max three. Take time of day, season, and number of guests into consideration of course. But a plate of sliced fruit and a seltzer is hospitality. A bowl of potato chips and a bottle of wine is hospitality. Both sound like the dream to me!
Potato chips
Always welcome and the easiest thing to find anywhere in the world.
Taralli
I first had these Italian salty olive oil crackers at a friend’s house and am now never without them. Available at Eataly, Whole Foods, and some specialty/international food stores. They stay crisp for quite a while once the package is opened.
Mini pretzels
Same deal as potato chips.
Roasted, salted mixed nuts (or one variety, like pistachios or pecans)
Same deal as potato chips if no nut allergies are present. I like Trader Joe’s nuts and Wonderful brand roasted and salted whole pistachios. Taking off the shell gives people an activity.
Whole fruit
Clementines and summer stone fruits are great in a bowl; consider slicing apples or pears on a plate. You can also be French about it and put out whole radishes, a room temp hunk of good quality butter, and flaky sea salt. (Spread butter on radish, dip in salt, eat in one bite. Try it.)
Castelvetrano olives or cheese-stuffed olives
Chic.
Gourmet packaged cookies
Shortbread or Italian amaretti cookies taste luxe and keep forever. Walkers Scottish shortbread is great and widely available. I like to max out cuteness, so I prefer the ones shaped like Scottie dogs. Tate’s cookies are a great choice too.
Chocolate-covered nuts
For just a touch of sweet, I like Trader Joe’s Slightly Coated Dark Chocolate Almonds.
Frozen finger food
Pigs in a blanket always disappear, and everyone loves mac and cheese bites / arancini / croquettes or puff pastry bites with cheese and jam.
Homemade cookies, muffins, or tea cake
If you have some on hand already or have time to bake.
Drinks
In contrast to snacks where you’re fine with just one thing on hand, I’d make sure to have all of these drinks. Chances are you do anyway though; most beverages you offer a guest will be on regular rotation in your household.
Coffee
Caffeinated and decaf. With dairy milk, nondairy milk, and sugar. Creamer if you know a lot of people who use it.
Tea
Black, green, and herbal. With sugar, honey, lemon wedges, dairy milk, and nondairy milk.
A variety of seltzers
Spindrift is always popular, and a big glass bottle of Pellegrino, Gerolsteiner, or Acqua Panna is so chic. No plastic!
Wine and beer
Chilled and ready to go.
Ice cubes
Crucial!
Vessels, etc.
I find this category of things so fun to collect over time. You can pick up little bowls, spoons, and mugs on your travels or from local artisans.
Many small bowls
For many small snacks. Also for discards: pits and shells.
Several large platters
For larger hot finger food like pigs in a blanket, or a batch of cookies.
A large, sturdy tray with handles
To load up with all your stuff and carry to the coffee table, outdoor furniture, or wherever you’re gathering.
Wine bucket
Filled with ice; key for sitting outside in the heat.
Pretty glassware
A pleasure to use.
Pretty teacups / mugs
Same deal as pretty glassware.
Little teaspoons
Cute!
Plenty of paper cocktail napkins
For salty/oily fingers and to avoid rings on your table.
Wine coasters
Also for cold glass bottles of water or seltzer.
To-go containers
I reach for these constantly. You won’t always be sending your guest home with food, but when you do, you need the right container.
Deli containers in multiple sizes
For anything liquid, amorphous, small (the 8 oz deli size is useful), or anytime you need a lightweight, airtight container. I’m constantly sending these home with people and reordering my supply.
For baked goods and large food. I like simple brown Kraft paper.
Shopping bags in multiple sizes
So your friend isn’t juggling loose boxes and delis on the way home. Just stash these somewhere every time a store gives you one. If you’re like my mom and me, the stash becomes a kind of scrapbook of all the lovely shops you’ve visited over the years and pulling one out brings back good memories.
Let me know… what kind of effort do you log ahead of time so it feels easy when people come over?
And remember, you can take 20% off monthly and annual subscriptions until February 7! Talk to you on Friday with this week’s recs.
xx Jane
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Jane - These small “Food Bites” are great ideas. I am going to really take the time to explore when I am in Whole Foods - I usually grab my usual, Vit E Oil, a nice piece of ready cooked Salmon, fresh cooked green beans, chicken salad, organic Blue Berries, organic Strawberries, Six small bottles of S.Pellegrino sparkling water - You always motivate me🥂🍾💛
You EXCEL at hospitality! Your home is pretty much my favorite spot in Boston ☺️