The game is the main event, of course, and the food and drink are close behind. But there are many other details an organized hostess has to attend to. Here are some tips:
- When you make a party checklist, be sure not to forget any of the following items, which you'll need to buy, rent or borrow: coffeemaker, serving dishes (and Sterno, if you're using a chafing dish), flatware, napkins, plates, plastic and/or paper glasses and cups, pitchers, serving bowls and platters, candles.
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- Where are you going to put the coats? I love this idea: Install brackets for a chinning bar into a doorway, and hang the bar as a coat rack whenever you entertain. This also effectively blocks the entrance into a room that you don't want used by party guests. (If you're using any type of coat rack, don't forget that you'll need hangers.)
- Is storage room in the refrigerator tight? Move condiments, jellies and other items you won't be using at party time to a Styrofoam chest with ice, or leave them outside. You can also spray cake pans with vegetable oil and make ice blocks in them, then haul your picnic cooler out of storage and pop the ice and perishables inside.
- You may be planning to buy paper goods in your team's colors, or use the colors to decorate cupcakes or tint cookies or cake. Here's a quick trick to use with angel food cake mix: Spread l/4 of the batter into the pan, and sprinkle your choice of colored gelatin mix on top; repeat three times.
- Another fun, decorative idea: In some specialty candy stores, you can buy M&Ms by the pound in a variety of colors and make a custom mix.
