Alie and Georgia: Great!! How are you?

 

I'm great especially for the fact that the holiday season is here. We are in the peak of it all. And it's definitely that time of year to be with family and friends and of course those favorite holiday foods are on a lot of people's minds. What are some of your favorite dishes for this time of year?

 

Georgia: We love making coffee cocktails. We think it's a really great way to end the party before you kick everyone out and on their way. You can give them a hot coffee or a tea, and we have a lot of great coffee cocktail recipes that we love.

 

Alie: Yes, and we are obsessed with our Nescafe Dolce Gusto machines. We've had it for about a year and half and I use it everyday. And then whenever I have a party and it comes to the end of the night, I always like to offer guests their pick from my display with all of the different coffee or tea pods. The flavors range from espressos to cappuccinos to vanilla macchiatos. It's always really great to give something to the guests when they want to wind down at the end of the party.

 

I love that idea especially for those guests who have a longer drive ahead of them and want a little bit more of that caffeine and that energy to keep them awake while they are driving at the end of the night.

 

Alie: Yes, agreed. And then I always make sure to have some decaf pods on hand just in case. Then this Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine is a great vehicle too for cocktails earlier in the night. We have a favorite, which is the Almond Rum Caramel Latte and it's SO GOOD. It's kind of marzipany with some spiced rum. I love to also have that as an option at the end of the night.

 

That's a really neat idea because most people think of coffee with dessert, but to keep the fun going then this is a refreshing idea to combine some spiced rum with that favorite coffee flavor. And it's something warmer than that typical cocktail.

 

Alie: And it's so funny to see our guests eyes light up when they see their options rather than just a pot of coffee and maybe some creamer. Instead they can just customize it and do what they want. It's really just kind of like giving a present to kids, but it's grown ups making coffee.

 

So they get that excited when they see it coming?

 

Alie: Yes. Now we are friends with a lot of comedians who tend to be a little bit jaded. I have seen some of my most irascible comedian friends just lose their minds over picking a pod. It's really great.

 

<lauging> That's really awesome to try and picture. Now what are some of your other tips to help those hosts and hostesses make sure they have everything they need?

 

Georgia: Well, we're really big into planning ahead and doing as much as you can a couple days before the party. This way you are relaxed on the day of the party and the decorations are already up. You could even consider setting the table ahead of time. It's just all about being calm the day of the party.

 

Alie: Yeah, and we even pick our dresses out a day or two ahead of time so that you're not throwing on clothes when the doorbell is ringing. That is one of the least optimal situations to put yourself in. So we make sure our dresses zip and are ready to go ahead of time. Then on the party day, you have half as much work.

 

That's a great point, because the last thing that anyone wants to be doing is running around getting everything set up between the food and decorations only to realize you have five or ten minutes to get dressed and you haven't even thought about that yet.

 

Alie and Georgia: Exactly! Exactly! <laughing>

 

Georgia: If you lay it out the day before and make sure it's ironed and all put together, then you will be that much happier and relaxed on the day of the party. We also love to have a playlist planned as well. A lot of times many people don't think about the music until they have guests there already. It's nice to have a playlist or an internet radio going.

 

Alie: Yes, and we love a lot of vintage, holiday carols. This way everyone can kind of sing-a-long. Although sometimes the vintage might be some 90s Mariah Carey that will get people in a good kind of mood.

 

I agree, and that will definitely give people a good mix of the classic holiday songs with some of the more newer songs.

 

Alie and Georgia: Yes. Keep it fun!

 

And it's also a nice approach for those family-friendly parties where there's a mix of ages and you're able to find some music that everyone will love.

 

Alie and Georgia: Yes, definitely.

 

Now, what about when it comes to thinking about what to serve on the table for finger foods or even an actual meal?

 

Alie: A lot of times people want to be mingling. They want to catch up with people, so the food really depends on how many folks you have. If you have enough that they can sit comfortably at your table, then maybe do a sit down. But we like to serve family-style. That way they can just pass the dishes and you're not plating everything in the kitchen like it's a competition chef show. That would just add some extra stress to your party hosting.

 

Georgia: If it's a larger crowd, then it's nice to have a buffet. That way everyone likes to talk and it's a little more casual. Just make sure to stay away from the flimsy paper plates. That is one thing that we insist on.

 

And the holiday party is definitely a time for those people to make sure they're not trying a dish for the first time unless they have the experience of someone like you two.

 

Georgia: That's a very good point. And we do like to supplement part of the menu with stuff you got at a nice deli. This way you're not slaving away. Instead put the focus into one beautiful dish and purchase the side dishes from the deli. You can purchase them, no one will know.

 

Alie: Yeah, unless you're a caterer or party planner it can really be a challenge to pull that off. So it's important to delegate. If you have a friend who makes an amazing kale salad, then have her bring that instead of a bottle of wine. Or you can go to your favorite restaurant or deli and get a couple dishes so that you're not putting all of the work on yourself.

 

And that's a great point, because usually for parties there are a handful of people asking if there is anything they can bring and wanting to do something to help out.

 

Alie: Yes, and that can even be just a bag of ice, if you need it. So don't be afraid to ask for help because someone is going to stop and bring you something anyway, so you might as well give some insight into what they can bring.

 

And it takes one less burden off of your chest because then you know that some things are being taken care and you don't need to worry about it.

 

Alie and Georgia: Sure! Absolutely!

 

Georgia: Just make sure your transfer it in some cute bowls because cute bowls will make anything taste good.

 

<Laughs> Very true. You want to make sure that table looks as nice as the food sitting on the table.

 

Alie: Yes, exactly.

 

Do you have any advice for those planning a holiday get together especially with the New Year's parties coming up?

 

Alie: I think it's important to get a little inventive with the desserts. You can try a recipe before you serve it. We actually love recipes that have a little bit of a pop like a Latte Macchiato Cheesecake. We use some espresso with it, and also some espresso intenso fudge. It's so good and kind of fun to have. After all you're used to the traditional desserts at parties and this is nice to help create some additional options with something a little bit inventive.

 

Yeah, it's definitely something to add for everyone at the party to make sure they have those options. For instance factoring in that one person that may have a food sensitivity, and making sure they are included by have a dish they can eat on the table.

 

Alie: Yeah, and it's nice to have some options.

 

Georgia: Our advice to the food sensitivity people is to tell the hostess because it's the worst when you find out the day of.

 

Very True.

 

Alie: Another thing that we like to do is to create a hashtag for our party. This way you can connect your friends after the party. They can look at the pictures online. Maybe there was even someone who didn't get someone's number and wishes they did. They can connect through the hashtag. It's always a great idea for the friends on the social media network.

 

Oh I love that idea because despite the social media, the hostess can even look back on the pictures that they happened to miss. It's a good idea to show how much fun people really had at the party.

 

Alie and Georgia: Now where can people go for more ideas and tips on throwing a perfect party?

 

Georgia: Well, you can find more information about the Nescafe Dolce Gusto machine at www.livewithgusto.com. You can find a lot of our recipes like our coffee cocktail recipes on our Youtube under AlieandGeorgia.

 

Alie: Most importantly just remember to chill out, you can do the dishes tomorrow. Don't worry about because everyone is there to have fun.

 

Georgia: The best party is one that the hostess isn't freaking out at.

 

So let this time of year be a happy and enjoyable time. Don't be stressed and worrying about if the party is picture perfect. Get things done a couple days ahead of time, delegate certain dishes to some of your guests, and relax the day of the party. Feel confident that everyone will have fun and everything will work out.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!