Spring Entertaining with Metcalfe’s

Spring Entertaining with Metcalfe’s! Metcalfe’s Market is my one stop shop for all entertaining needs! Whether it’s everything I need for a cheese and charcuterie platter, picking up foods from the prepared foods section or deli, or stopping at the meat counter for some things to grill, Metcalfe’s has everything I need!

This post is sponsored by Metcalfe’s.

As a mother and food blogger, I am at the grocery store about 3 times a week! For me, there are so many factors that I consider when going grocery shopping: what does the produce section carry and look like, what local produce can I find there, what does the organic produce section look like, is there a good variety of fresh produce and products? How’s the customer service? I don’t mind driving a little farther if it’s going to guarantee that I can get great produce and meats. This is why I shop at Metcalfe’s.

Metcalfe’s is a fourth-generation, family owned and operated neighborhood market overflowing with good things to eat. Their markets are known for an abundance of local and premium quality foods. In fact, many of their ingredients are sourced from local farms and artisans at the peak of their season. Metcalfe’s Market is home to fresh baked breads & pastries from 25 local bakeries, more than 500 varieties of artisan cheeses, Boar’s Head deli meats, and the largest variety of local & organic produce in the area! There are three locations: two in Madison, one at Hilldale and the other at West Towne and one in Wauwatosa.

Spring Entertaining with Metcalfe’s

I recently had some friends over and stopped into Metcalfe’s for everything I needed! For dinner parties, I will cook and I’ll pick some things up. .  and sometimes, I will just keep it simple and put together a cheese and charcuterie board and simply pick up some healthy and fresh prepared foods like a kale salad, a fruit salad and anything with vegetables!

Sometimes, entertaining can be stressful so I say, keep it simple and stress-free. You can even ask friends and guests to bring foods too! For me, the most important things are to just have a nice selection of foods for everyone and to just enjoy time with your friends.

My Entertaining Tips

Here are some of my entertaining tips when entertaining at home.

De-cluttering and Cleaning

No one likes a messy or cluttered kitchen. When you are having guests over, stow away some of those extra appliances. Clean off the countertops as much as possible. Clean surfaces are more inviting and mean more room for food and drinks, and that’s always a good thing.

Making It Pretty

Once things are de-cluttered, you’re ready to go! Don’t be afraid to break out the good plates. Yes, use the real ones. I don’t mind using paper plates for the kids, especially when there are a lot of them there for a party, but I absolutely encourage you to use plates for your grown-up guests. All of the dishes can go into the dishwasher afterwards. Don’t worry if you don’t have enough matching dinnerware. Using plates and dishes that are all in the same color family works just fine, too.

I’m all about the extras, too. I love a pretty set-up with fresh flowers and candles (if you’re doing dinner). It always makes me feel at home and welcome. Take the time to pick out the perfect ones and again, use the nice vase. I’m no Martha Stewart but I think choosing the right vase and trimming your flowers to the right size makes all the difference.

Make it Self-Service

When I arrange my food platters and drink service, I prefer to have everything out and set-up before our guests arrive. The serving utensils are already there next to the platters, and glasses next to the drinks. When your guests arrive, you just want to relax and enjoy yourself too, and last minute scrambling for serving pieces and the right glasses will eat up time and create stress.

Arrange everything in a way that will make it easy for your friends to get food and pour themselves a drink. You’ve already done all the prep work, so you may as well make it easy for them to help themselves when they get there.

The Food

When entertaining, it’s all about making my guests feel at home. I plan ahead, create my menu (whether it’s cooking myself or picking up food) and get all of my dishes and platters party-ready.

I like to cook, so I will always try to prepare a few dishes. My rule is to keep it simple, and delicious. If you’re planning to cook more elaborate dishes, plan accordingly. Set an order in which you plan to cook them. Make sure you know when things are going into the oven, and in what order. If the party is more casual, I love to serve a lot of finger foods and appetizers, and of course, the cheese board!

Here’s to spring and entertaining!!!