Just Stay Home
The Art, Joy and Convenience of Entertaining At Home
In today's fast-paced world, the lure of dining out and drinking at restaurants and bars has become an undeniable part of our culture.
While it can be a great experience occasionally, it seems since the world has bounced back from the pandemic the quality of the experience has gone down while the prices of eating and drinking have gone way up. Two years of not going out for dinner and drinks in public has had a lasting impact on us. We used to eat out every meal on the weekend and go out to bars and clubs with friends as well (living in a major entertainment district made that walkable and far too easy). The startling difference in our AMEX bills in the months immediately following lock-down made us go back and look at what we had been spending on eating and drinking out every weekend. The number was staggering.
We were fortunate that we had bought a home in a new residential community a few weeks prior to Covid lockdown. We had no idea that three weeks after we moved in this would be where we spent every day for nearly the next two years, rarely leaving the house except for necessities. It also got us in the routine of cooking every meal at home, eventually having small gatherings of people in our “bubble”. We experimented with cuisines and made fancy cocktails for each other. We sat on patios and porches being socially distant sipping coffee and catching up on neighborhood gossip. We kinda started to fall in love with our neighborhood and with the joys of being at home.
Now over three years since Covid changed the world we still see that people are appreciating the joys and benefits of staying home to entertain. I think many of us have realized that meals at home not only offer better quality food and beverages but also fosters stronger bonds with family and friends and allows for personalized menus that cater to one's unique interests and experiences. In this blog post, I want to delve into the reasons why staying home and entertaining is a fulfilling, cost-effective, and enriching alternative to dining out.
Embrace the Chef Within: Elevating Culinary Skills
A common misconception is that restaurant chefs always outperform home cooks. However, with the abundance of culinary resources available today, I think people should unleash their inner chef. Preparing meals at home allows individuals to have complete control over the ingredients and cooking methods, resulting in dishes that suit their preferences and dietary needs. Additionally, home-cooked meals can be made with fresher, high-quality ingredients, sourced locally or organically, promoting healthier eating habits and supporting local producers.
Raise a Glass to Quality and Affordability
When it comes to beverages, staying home is a game-changer. It's true that the markups on alcoholic drinks at restaurants can be staggering. Preparing cocktails, wine, or beer at home allows you to experiment with different flavors, mixology techniques, and explore a wide array of options without breaking the bank. Moreover, home bartenders can carefully select top-notch ingredients, elevating the drinking experience beyond what many establishments offer. It seems that you can’t even get a glass of mediocre wine in a restaurant of less than $14 these days and a nice cocktail can set you back $15-$20. For the cost of a couple of glasses of wine I can pick up a much nicer bottle of wine at the store to enjoy with a meal. I can sure make a Grey Goose Vodka and Tonic for a lot less than $12-$14 (even using fancy mixers and organic limes).
Strengthening Bonds Through Shared Experiences
There is a certain intimacy and camaraderie that comes from preparing and sharing a meal with loved ones. Eating together at home fosters a relaxed environment where meaningful conversations can take place without the time constraints and distractions often found in public spaces. If you host a dinner where everyone contributes to the meal's creation, it becomes a collaborative effort, strengthening relationships and creating lasting memories.
Cooking together can also be a fantastic team-building exercise in professional settings or a fun activity for friends who want to engage in a friendly cook-off competition. It encourages creativity, communication, and a sense of accomplishment when everyone shares in the joy of creating a delicious meal.
A Window to the World: Themed Menus and Culinary Adventures
One of the most exciting aspects of staying home to entertain is the freedom to create specialized menus that cater to individual interests or reflect recent travels. Themed dinners can transport guests to far-off lands, allowing them to experience the essence of various cultures through their taste buds.
Just recently we hosted a Spanish themed dinner with several of the items that we brought back with us from a recent trip to Madrid. If someone has a passion for Japanese cuisine, they can host a sushi night, complete with sake tasting and origami decorations. If you recently returned from Italy you could showcase your adventures with a pasta-making party, accompanied by Italian wines and tiramisu for dessert. The possibilities are endless and can lead to unforgettable culinary adventures.
Nurturing Mindful Eating Habits
Eating out frequently can lead to mindless consumption, as portions are often oversized and ingredients may be less nutritious (you would be shocked how much more fat and salt restaurants use on your food - that’s why you keep coming back). On the other hand, cooking at home encourages mindfulness around food choices and portions, as well as the opportunity to experiment with healthier cooking techniques.
Additionally, preparing meals at home allows for better portion control, which can help with weight management and a healthier lifestyle. It also allows you to cater to dietary restrictions or allergies, ensuring that every meal is both satisfying and nourishing (you will quickly learn which friends are gluten free Vegans).
Saving Money and Reducing Environmental Impact
There is no doubt that if you find a great place that dining out is fun, but it can also be a significant drain on finances. The cost of a single restaurant meal can often cover the ingredients for multiple home-cooked meals. By staying home and entertaining, individuals can save money in the long run and reallocate those funds toward other meaningful experiences or investments. I recently made a three course dinner with wine for 10 neighbors for less than $200 (thank you Trader Joe’s for inexpensive and accessible wines and guests who also brought bottles with them)
Moreover, cooking at home reduces the environmental impact associated with restaurant dining, such as food waste and single-use plastics. Conscious meal planning and proper storage of ingredients can help minimize waste, making the home-cooked experience not only enjoyable but also sustainable. And while this definitely is important, I do recognize that it’s probably not top of mind when planning your entertaining.
Conclusion
In conclusion, staying home and entertaining can be a rewarding experience that goes beyond the convenience of restaurant dining. Preparing meals at home allows individuals to unleash their culinary creativity, access high-quality beverages at a fraction of the cost, strengthen bonds with family and friends, and embark on culinary journeys that reflect your interests and experiences. Moreover, mindful eating, financial savings, and a reduced environmental footprint are additional bonuses that come with embracing the joys of home cooking. So, why not gather your friends and family, roll up your sleeves, and embark on culinary adventures that will leave lasting memories and nourish relationships and bring a lot of joy to your life.
Sidenote:
I’m not trying to come down too hard on the restaurant industry here. So many people have a passion for dining and serving the public and I wholeheartedly hope you can support those that do a good job. However, it seems in the current environment the ones that are doing this well are the places that are quite pricey and tend to be a little more special occasion venues. I happily pay silly amounts of money for good food, good service and tasty cocktails and I hope you will too. I just want you, gentle reader, to take some time to start playing with your personal style of entertaining and having get-togethers where you can bond and be silly with your friends and family and learn a little bit about cooking, cultures and cocktails. Bon Apetit
