Baking Like A Professional

Have you recently found out that you'll be hosting out-of-town friends or family members for the Thanksgiving weekend? Even though summer isn't even over yet, you might be very ready to plan for the holidays that come with the pretty autumn weather. From buying snacks to buying fresh artisan bread, here are some ideas on how to plan the menus for your Thanksgiving guests:

Breakfast And Lunch - Make things easy on yourself! Remember that you want to enjoy Thanksgiving along with your guests. If you're exhausted, that might be difficult to do. 

• When you're planning breakfast foods, think about having a menu that includes foods that your guests can serve themselves easily. For example, put out fresh fruits and a basket of different types of breads. Offer assorted jellies and butter to make the meal a bit more special.
• The same goes with lunches. Again, artisan breads are perfect to have on the table, along with wonderful cheeses and lunch meats. Have different spreads as part of the lunch presentation, too. Individual bags of chips and commercial ice cream sandwiches are simple and usually well received. 
• For breakfast and lunch meals, consider using disposable paper products. There are such attractive ones available, that you can easily provide a pretty table setting.

The Main Event - If you decided to keep things simple for breakfast and lunch, you probably want to make an extra effort with your Thanksgiving meal.

• Consider serving a second meat along with the traditional turkey. For example, your guests who aren't crazy about turkey might welcome a honey ham.
• Do you love serving things like sweet potato casserole and mashed potatoes? Those may be traditional, but think about tweaking your menu by offering things like mashed cauliflower and mango salad along with your traditional gelatin salad.
• And offer different types of artisan breads. Choose some soft ones and others that are heartier. Talk to a clerk in your grocery store's bakery department and order your favorite artisan breads ahead of time. Let the clerk know how many people you'll be serving at your Thanksgiving Day meal and he or she will be able to tell you how many breads you will need.

Remember that your guests might want snacks during the day or before bedtime. Think about inviting them to make themselves at home and show them where you keep your breads, cookies, and other treats that might hit the spot when they want a little extra food.

Contact an artisan bread supplier for more information and assistance.