Courtesy of Mary Pam Kilgore

Hi Friends,

Did you ever wonder what a seven course dinner was? Ever wonder how it was served? Today we are going to take a look at How to Plan a Seven Course Meal.

Before we explain each course -- let's look at the courses has a whole.

First Course: appetizer
Second Course: soup
Third Course: salad
Fourth Course: sorbet to cleanse the palate
Fifth Course: fish or poultry
Sixth Course: red meat, fish or poultry with vegetables
Seventh Course: dessert

I know what you are thinking; how can people each all that food, have all that time, or take all that time?

Biggest tip is give the dinner a theme. That helps you choose what types of food you would like to serve. Also remember these are smaller portions. For example the meat course portion should be 4 oz of meat.

Break it down by course...

1. Appetizer Course: Small and light. If you were doing something with an Italian theme you might do an antipasto or you could do a shrimp cocktail.

2. Soup Course: You may use a cream based or clear soup such as a chicken stock based soup or a vegetable soup. Avoid heavy soups.

3. Salad Course: For example use different varieties of lettuce with a nice vinaigrette and a few crotons Also keep the amount of salad dressing to a minimum.

4. Cleanse The Palate Course: Use sorbet like a lemon or a lime.

5. Fifth Course Fish or Poultry: In one of the things I read some called it the first main course. You could serve a baked fish such as Orange Ruffy or baked chicken such as chicken picatta. Make sure that the fish or poultry used in this course don't overpower the Meat Course.

6. Meat Course: This could include fish, poultry, red meat including beef or pork with vegetables and potatoes. If you bake the fish or chicken in the fifth course then you choose a different method here like broiled or grilled. Again keep meat portions small. 4 ounces will do nicely. Adding the vegetable helps cleanse the palate and aid digestion.

7. Dessert Course: Something lavish and memorable. Anything chocolate would work; chocolate cake or chocolate silk pie. You could also offer to have your guest make their own sundaes.

Some hints: Serve foods that compliment each other. This is a meal that is served and not done family style so people won't over load on one thing.

Each course is to have its own wine. A good way to way to do this without sending everyone home tipsy is to visit a wine store and go over the menu with the sommelier to discuss what wines and how much to serve each person.

Also, please allow enough time to enjoy the meal.

Bon Appetite!

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Live well,
Yvonne