Hosting Tips

Host tips by Sam Beall, Cookbook Author and Proprietor of Blackberry Farm.

1) With early arrivals or family cooking, always have something ready and available for your guests to nosh on. It will take the pressure off the cook!

2) Make the beverages just as important as the food. Whether the strategic selection of a rose, an Alsatian white or pinot noir, or just as easily as mulled cider. Consider a perfect tea or a tea that gets a little bit of love from fall spices, late garden mint or early citrus or a signature bourbon drink for granny! Regardless, make beverages a part of your experience and your guests will find that layered excitement for the meal.

3) Delegate tasks among friends, family or kids. The person cooking shouldn’t have to set the table, light the candles or fill the water pitchers.

4) Fresh floral goes along way, let your house be alive with fresh seasonal flowers as it gives life to a house.

5) Music – make a playlist the week before – a little background sound always makes a party or event feel livelier. For Thanksgiving, we always tip our music hat to Americana music, as it brings back a nostalgic feel and tends to fit everyone’s tastes.

6) Make the day or evening special with real candles! The flicker of real burning candles will always enhance the character of a table.

Learn about The Thanksgiving Plan by Sam!

Host tips by Sam Beall, Cookbook Author and Proprietor of Blackberry Farm.

1) With early arrivals or family cooking, always have something ready and available for your guests to nosh on. It will take the pressure off the cook!

2) Make the beverages just as important as the food. Whether the strategic selection of a rose, an Alsatian white or pinot noir, or just as easily as mulled cider. Consider a perfect tea or a tea that gets a little bit of love from fall spices, late garden mint or early citrus or a signature bourbon drink for granny! Regardless, make beverages a part of your experience and your guests will find that layered excitement for the meal.

3) Delegate tasks among friends, family or kids. The person cooking shouldn’t have to set the table, light the candles or fill the water pitchers.

4) Fresh floral goes along way, let your house be alive with fresh seasonal flowers as it gives life to a house.

5) Music – make a playlist the week before – a little background sound always makes a party or event feel livelier. For Thanksgiving, we always tip our music hat to Americana music, as it brings back a nostalgic feel and tends to fit everyone’s tastes.

6) Make the day or evening special with real candles! The flicker of real burning candles will always enhance the character of a table.

Learn about The Thanksgiving Plan by Sam!