Cooking for a Crowd
Celebrations like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays, promotions are some of the common occasions where we may need to cook food for more people than we usually do in our daily routine. Occasions like family gatherings and reunions warrant special cooking for a crowd. People usually, hire a private chef or arrange food from a caterer in such occasions and few others take the guests to nearby restaurants. This is because most of the people think that cooking for a crowd at home is a stressful job.
Sometimes cooking for a crowd at home would be an ideal option due to various reasons. Obtaining outside food for a large number of people may be an expensive affair when compared to home made food. If there is adequate space and cooking facility available at home, then cooking for a crowd at home would be the cheapest option. Another important advantage of cooking for a crowd is that the guests will feel an intimacy while serving the home made food.
The first step in cooking for a crowd is drawing up the guest list and confirming the number of participants. This will give you an idea about the number of guests and also the types of guests. This information helps in working out a menu as well as the probable quantities. Proper planning is very essential to keep one free from the stress of cooking for a crowd as this helps in finishing the work as quickly as possible in order to mingle with the guests. Prepare the list of dishes you want to serve to your guests with the cost of their ingredients and make a shopping list out of it.
Pre-cooking activities such as cutting vegetables, pre-cooking beans, vegetables, meats can be done well in advance before starting the main cooking for a crowd. Preparation of soups, stews, stocks, sandwiches, sweets, deserts and juices can also be done in order to minimize the cooking work while preparing the main dishes.
One has to prepare space in the refrigerator or freezers to store all the cooked items as they need a large space due to their huge quantities. And also it is important to collect utensils like pots, pans and serving dishes in enough sizes and numbers in order to avoid any shortage while cooking or serving. Using Crock pots help in preserving the food in warm condition for a long time. Cold dishes are poured n a bowl or in a ice tray as it would be helpful to keep them cold for a reasonable time.
Safety is the most important consideration while cooking food for a large number of people. One does not want their guests to fall sick after consuming the food items. It is very important to cook food in a safe and hygienic manner whether you serve plenty of rich varieties or it is a simple menu. If you are transporting the food from one place to another, you should ensure that the food is kept in hot or cold conditions during transit and also while serving.