First, we must master the quantity.
Less, the food fell, and the host was embarrassed; Too much, half eaten and half left, causing waste. Generally speaking, the base is four dishes and one soup. More than two people, one person plus one dish. After the cold dishes are cooked, each serving is 300-400g; 200-300g of each main ingredient of hot-fried fresh goods; 500 ~ 750g of fresh cooked vegetables per serving. Of course, if there are many kinds of dishes, old people and children, the share can be reduced accordingly.
Second, we should consider the taste of the guests.
China has a developed food culture, and people in different places have different tastes. To sum up, it is "sweet in the south, salty in the north, spicy in the west and sour in the east". Southerners prefer fresh and refreshing, and the main ingredients are eggs and aquatic products; Northerners are used to thick soup, and the main ingredients are mostly sheep, pigs and beef. In addition, young and middle-aged people are salty, and the elderly love crispy and rotten. , and others are different.
Third, we should give full play to our advantages.
People who go out to be guests not only want the dishes to meet their own tastes, but also want to taste the flavor of a foreign land. Beijing's roast duck, Guangzhou's snake rice, Xinjiang's mutton, Zhenjiang's yaorou and Hangzhou's sweet and sour fish, of course, guests want to try them. You can let the mountain people taste some seafood and the coastal people taste some delicacies. Some families have their own specialties. When the host puts the "reserved program" on the table, everyone's topic will definitely turn to it and ask the host for advice. But sometimes we have to make some changes, such as Sichuan cuisine, which makes southerners afraid to eat chopsticks after the spicy taste is greatly reduced.
Fourth, we should choose fresh varieties.
For example, the shad in the Yangtze River is the fattest in early summer, swordfish is delicious in mid-spring, anchovies are fat in autumn, female crabs are yellow in September, and male crabs are full in October. Shrimp is suitable for frying in winter and boiling in salt water in summer. In recent years, wild vegetables have been welcomed by people. The once unattractive shepherd's purse, Malantou and Artemisia selengensis have gradually become the characteristics of spring.
Fifth, estimate the time.
If we get together as agreed, we can certainly design and arrange carefully. Make a menu before buying, write down the main ingredients, ingredients, seasonings, varieties and quantities, go to the street to see, and then adjust according to the market. Clean it after buying it back, process it into semi-finished products and put it in the refrigerator. If an unexpected guest comes and cooks in a hurry, we should try our best to make the best use of it. If there is fish in the refrigerator, you can fry fish slices, stew fish balls, smoke fish, sweet and sour fish, or braise in soy sauce. Chicken and eggs can also make many kinds of dishes. If there are dry goods such as fungus, vermicelli, yuba and canned food at home, they can also be combined into dishes. If old classmates get together to play chopsticks, we might as well start work, mainly cooked food, fruits and snacks, and then sit together, which also makes the atmosphere look relaxed and happy.
Sixth, there must be diversity.
The raw materials should be diverse, and it goes without saying that cooking should also be diverse. Pay attention to the division of silk, piece, piece, block and segment in shape. Pay attention to the collocation and embellishment of red (pepper, hawthorn cake), yellow (carrot, egg), green (cabbage, spinach, garlic) and black (fungus, kelp) in the ingredients; The choice of seasoning, whether to put red soy sauce or not, often determines the color of dishes. The taste is salty, sour, sweet, spicy, fragrant and fresh. Cooking techniques such as frying, frying, frying, roasting and stewing should be avoided.
Seven, there must be an order.
In a general family dinner, before the guests sit down, they serve cold dishes first, and then fry them one by one, with light dishes first and greasy ones later. Then cook, snacks, beets, and finally soup.