the lazy person's guide to hosting

(not vegetarian) (mostly chicken)

Every once in a while you see a lament go round about how nobody has dinner parties any more. The response is that you have to host them yourself, which is true, but then people get intimidated because they feel like you have to be amazing to be a good host—serving restaurant-level food in a spotless penthouse with real dishes and silverware for everybody while a live band plays the songs of Jacques Brel, whatever.

Not only do you not need to be amazing, it’s often better to be a little bit… not-amazing. At any gathering somebody’s going to spill something, for instance; you might as well make them feel at ease about that. If they drop a glass, they will feel better if it’s either nothing special or a plastic one from the store. What you actually want to be is good, not amazing, and good is very achievable.

I love cooking and I love hosting, but I am extremel…