We are now around the 40 to 50-day period before the final holiday party of the year.  This is the time to set all your plans into motion.  Whether at the office, home, or at a venue, planning can be challenging.  Following the proper steps will safeguard a successful party every time.  You can locate free on-line party budget estimator calculators that assist in this arduous task, saving valuable time and stress!

No matter where the party is, invitations need to be sent.  Prepare your list of guests to include everyone possible.  Re-arranging the list thereafter in order of key guests sounds a bit stuffy, but certain people do guarantee a better soiree than others.  And at the office, of course inviting the top members of the corporation is never a bad idea for your own corporate growth.  Keeping your budget at the lowest possible can be aided by using free email invites.

Once your list has been narrowed down and solidified, a budget will be easier to approach.  The theme needs to be set to guarantee a welcoming vibe.  Decorations are easy to find now that the theme is in place for the holiday party.  Finding any decoration now a days is simple due to the internet.  Type away into many websites to find your special décor at a highly discounted price.  And do-it-yourself decorations are super fun for the family to create their own mood.

Some items we have in stock that bring holiday cheer & support to a party include:

• Le Creuset Blueberry Candle Light Christmas Tree
• Omcan A-Frame Sidewalk Menu Chalkboard with Mahogany Color Frame
• Omcan Stainless Steel Body Pyramid-Style Patio Heater
• Omcan 60” Solid Folding Table
• Country Harvest Popcorn

We know a folding table, a heater, and a chalkboard aren’t glamourous.  That’s why planning for your holiday party encompasses so many aspects.  Keeping people warm is of utmost importance.  Allowing people to know where to go is vital.  And placing all the incredible food, drinks, desserts, and presents require more than one table.  And the little Christmas tree candle lights are just cute atop the table, illuminating a Hutzler Popcorn Bucket!

One aspect people often forget is entertainment.  Choosing something that engages everyone creates that “ice-breaker” situation.  For the kids at the home party, a holiday movie can keep em’ occupied for 90 minutes. At the office, Pictionary, Charades, the White Elephant Swap, and the Gift Relay Race are all tried and true company party fun.  And, if the budget allows, a DJ or a visit from Santa to the home, office, or venue adds holiday cheer!

Since we are “The Candy Store for Cooks” let’s talk about the spectacular ways to plan your holiday party with food & drink!  Again, the party style and location, along with the budget add to the confusion of food and drink prep.  For the office, a potluck can be a nice end of the year celebration. Baked goods and slow-cookers can be enough for some.  While some prefer a more intimate-styled party.  In this case, a standing rib roast roasted with an Outset Non-Stick Reversible Roast & Rib Rack inside a Mauviel 1830 M’Heritage Roasting Pan will delight your party guests.

There really is no equal to a Standing Rib Roast, aka, A Prime Rib!  When purchasing your roast for the holiday party, quality counts.  Luckily here in Canada, we have an excellent grading system for beef.  Obtaining an A/AA/AAA/ Prime grade of standing rib roast will ensure the most moist, tender, and “beefy” flavor everyone yearns for during this season.  Dry aging brings that “beefy” flavor out more than any other technique.

DRY AGING PRIME RIB AT HOME

What’s needed:

• A 6-rib prime rib (1 pound per person, or 1 rib for 2 people is the typical rule when buying)
• Lots of cheesecloth
• de Buyer Mineral B Element Iron Roasting Pan with Stainless Steel Grid
• The top-shelve of your refrigerator

How to:

• Rinse the roast well with water.
• Dry completely.
• Wrap roast with 3 to 4 layers of cheesecloth (touching, but not wrapped too tightly).
• Place paper towels on roasting pan.
• Position the roast on the rack.
• Leave in cold fridge, fat side up, for 1 full day at a time.
• Each day at the same time, for at least 6 and up to 15 days, remove the cheesecloth and re-apply.
• Trim the ends, cut the fat, and remove any discolored harder sections.

This technique looks scary.  But chemically, drawing out the moisture and allowing the steak’s enzymes to break down the collagen guarantee a better dinner.  There is of course more waste than cooking this roast straight from the store.  Therefore, this method is for those who wish to provide the most elegant of all the holiday party dinners.  By employing a Waring Cordless lithium Electric Knife, the slicing guide facilitates in protecting the valuable red meat from the castoffs.

There are many procedures in roasting the king of a beef.  After the dry aging, time to cook!  Here is a great recipe for a classic prime rib dinner.

PRIME RIB DINNER

Ingredients

Your dry-aged prime rib

3 small yellow onions quartered

4 medium carrots cut into 2-inch chunks

3 celery stalks cut into 2-inch chunks

1 ½ cups beef broth

Marinade:

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon each: Dried rosemary, thyme, granulated garlic & onion.

3 tablespoons fresh, cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Au Jus:

Liquid from the pan

½ cup red wine

Half a stick of butter

1 cup beef broth

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.  Using a Cuisinart Black 4-Cup Chopper/Grinder, mix all the marinade ingredients to a paste.  Rub generously into the roast.  Allow to rest at room temperature for one hour.  Place your veggies in an All-Clad 16” x 13” Stainless Roaster with Rack.  Insert a Maverick Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer into the thickest, middle portion of the roast.  Set end temperature for 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place your prime rib on the rack.  Pour the 1 ½ cups beef broth over the vegetables.  Cook for half an hour, then lower the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pull immediately once temperature hits 120 degrees.

Wrap roast lightly in foil.  Place away from heat.  Cover vegetables tightly in foil.  You can place veggies back in the oven if turned off to keep warm from residual heat.

As for au jus, pour all the liquid out of the pan into a Cuisipro 4-Cup Gravy Fat Separator.  Drain the fat.  Place the pan over the oven burners with one cup of beef broth.  Heat over medium-high heat to remove the dried bits and dripping.  Add the remaining liquid from the fat separator as well as the red wine.  Boil until reduced by a third to a half.  Remove from the heat.  Add butter and S&P.  Strain once more in the fat separator, then pour into a Danesco White Porcelain Gravy Boat & Saucer for service.

Slice the beef with Zwilling J.A. Henckels 9” KRAMER EUROLINE Damascus Carving Knife.  Serve with the veggies, mashed potatoes, au jus, dinner rolls, and some great red wine. This is one way to plan to impress all that were invited to your holiday party!  The holiday party can be just appetizers and finger foods.  The friends, family, and co-workers are what makes planning for a holiday party special.

Enjoying a cocktail or a glass of wine is part of many holiday parties.  Be sure to ask around what people enjoy drinking, whether it be alcoholic or not.  When serving a vast array of alcohols, the Cuisivin Bel-Air Barware Hanging Bar Tool Set adds to the celebration. The Maison Plus 5.5L Beverage Dispenser is perfect way to plan for supplying lemonade, ice water, or iced tea to your holiday party.  And there is no beating the Krups Fully Automatic One Touch Espresso Machine for all your coffee loving guests!

Being prepared in any situation matters.  Holiday parties are no exception.  Planning now will save you many hassles in the near future.  Always start your holiday party planning at Williams Food Equipment for the best products and prices in Canada!