11 Dinner Party Hacks That Will Make You The Best Maltese Host Ever
Throwing a dinner party can be a daunting task for the best of us. But if it goes well it can turn into one of the best nights of the month.
There are certain things that Maltese people have come to expect and love from a food-filled night. So here’s a few useful tips that will make for a local dinner-party-success.
1. Mediterranean-inspired table setting is everything
Set the standard high from the word go and wow your guests with your amazing table-laying skills. To give it a totally Maltese hipster feel, use chequered dish cloths as napkins, and herbs instead of flowers as centrepieces.
2. Be bold with your seating plan
Yes – make a seating plan. And don’t be afraid to be controversial. Your guests will thank you for it after a few glasses of wine.
3. Prepare in advance
Okay – this is obvious, but what’s not as obvious is the fact that a lot of Maltese cuisine is actually perfect for making ahead of time. How about forgetting trying to be fancy and give your guests what they really want. Yes, we mean timpana.
4. Run the dishwasher before your guests come
And empty everything but the plates. That way, it will be easy for you to clean up once they’re gone, and you can bring out warm plates at the last minute before serving.
5. Gimmicks are your friends
Maltese people totally lose their shit over unconventional food styles. For your starter make something that your guests will think is delicious and get irrationally excited about. Cheese fondue or raclette are perfect examples.
6. Have both red and white wine
Or ask one of your friends to make sure there’s both if it’s BYOB. Maltese generally like to show off about how much they know about what wine goes with what food, but some guests will be quite ABŻ about it, and just want what they want…
7. Don’t disappear
The most important thing about a Maltese dinner party is the lols. Make yourself the centre of it all – don’t spend the whole night tucked away in the kitchen. Anyway, you’ll need to be present for all the compliments you’ll be receiving.
8. Organise entertainment, but don’t go overboard
A well-thought out Spotify playlist is enough, there’s no need for a poetry reading or piano recital. Whatever happens, you’re inevitably going to end up group-stalking your old school friends – guaranteed laughs.
9. Make sure dessert is easy
If your guests are Maltese, you’ll be wasted by the dessert round. Try fresh pineapple and luxurious vanilla ice-cream. Or poached pears with cinnamon ice-cream. Easy AF.
10. Buy a portable timer
And bring it with you to the dinner table. The last thing you want is burnt food, but you also don’t want to be popping in and out of the dining area every five minutes to make sure that’s not happening (see point 7).
11. Don’t let your friends clean up
It will kill the joy and it’s really not such a big deal to do it yourself. End the night with impromptu YouTube karaoke instead. Just be sure you can avoid your neighbour tomorrow…