Letter from the Editor

BURLINGTONMAGAZINE b lingt

PUBLISHER Indie Publishing

EDITOR Dana Grizzél (919) 590-0720 (ofc) connect@indie-pub.com

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

With the holidays upon us, like a lot of people, I've been making lists and planning for the hustle and bustle to keep from getting overwhelmed.

It occurred to me that, as a former caterer and restaurateur, I might have some valuable advice for those of you hoping to stay on top of things and avoid overwhelm as much as possible. Here are some ways that I prepare for those big meals that can stress you out:

• Put together a one-week calendar for the week of the holiday meal.

• Make a grocery list AND a menu list — I like them to be on the same page because I can remind myself of my menu while I'm out shopping so I'm less likely to forget something.

• On that calendar, map out everything you could do EARLY in that week (grocery shopping or anything that can be cooked, prepped or even components of meals made ready for the big day). ANYTHING you can do in advance in the days leading up to the big meal to make "the day of" less stressful will pay off — big time!

• Delegate! You don't have to do it all yourself! Ask someone to bring a case of bottled waters for guests; enlist some help to do prep work. Consider grabbing a favorite store-bought appetizer to lighten your load.

• At least ONE DAY before the meal, gather all dishes you need for the meal, including serving dishes and utensils, wine glasses, etc. — leave them all sitting out on your buffet or a counter space designated for this purpose.

• The day of the meal, set up "stations" around your kitchen/countertops for various dish preparations and populate the stations with the ingredients for the dish. This is also a great way to get some help in the kitchen — even if it means enlisting the kids to work at one of the "stations."

I hope this helps! I know it helps me!

We're wishing you the best, brightest and most fulfilling holidays possible. We've sure earned it this year!