The Art of Hospitality

Food is so much more than food to Grove Station owner, Corrie Sid, who believes dining is an experience all its own. And food is just one aspect when it comes to serving up a meal for friends and family. According to Sid, the atmosphere of the environment is just as important.

Sid, a proud Tallassee native, owns Grove Station in Tallassee, which includes a butcher shop, bakery, market and even an event space. Having spent 30 years in California before recently moving back home, she hopes to share more about culinary arts and hospitality with those who come into the shop.

One of the easiest ways to elevate a dining experience is by paying careful attention to plating dishes. Just a little more attention to decorating or adding color to a dish could make a world of difference for guests.

“Plating makes a huge difference when it comes to serving a dish. People eat with their eyes. They will immediately respond and salivate from what they see first; second from what they smell; and lastly, from what they actually taste,” she explained.

Another way to elevate a dining experience, whether it be a holiday party or an evening serving dinner for friends, is upping the cozy environment. Sid believes an inviting environment can lead guests to feeling more comfortable and perhaps even a bit more willing to try dishes they’ve never had before.

If you’re serving a dish, try arranging it on the plate with a pop of color, she suggested. Sid recommends adding elements that don’t necessarily alter the taste of the meal, but rather draw the eye and capture the attention of guests. This could mean adding a lemon wedge or even a colorful seasoning that pops across the dish.

When it comes to hosting, three simple tips could enhance the evening and leave guests eager to return for another evening.

“Use real plates; it doesn’t even matter if they match. Find a way to organize those patterns, even if they don’t go together, and create an ambiance that lets your guests know you put effort in, that you were preparing for them. Nothing makes a person feel more special than when they show up at someone’s home and they know that person has tried really hard to make it special for them,” she said. When hosting a dinner party, avoid inserting conflicting smells with candles. Though candles add an intimate and inviting feel to the evening, it’s best to avoid having them in the dining room while serving a meal. The flavors of the meal with the smells of the candle could clash and make the evening anything but what you imagined.

“Never use scented candles on your dinner table. It really impacts the flavor profile that you’re trying to give people. The last thing you want to smell is cotton candy when you’re sitting down eating roast beef, so scented candles are a no-no at your dinner table,” Sid explained.

If, however, you want your house to smell amazing for guests without a candle during dinner, she recommends throwing a few pieces of bacon in the oven. Simply put bacon on a cookie sheet in the oven, and your house will smell great. If you would rather have a sweet smell wafting throughout your home, baking cookies is also a good option.

“Some people say if you put a little drop of vanilla extract on the tops of your lightbulbs your whole house smells like vanilla. So if you wanted it to smell like sweets, that’s a trick you can do as well,” Sid said.

With these tips tucked away, the next time you host a dinner party, guests could be enamored by the attention to detail. Serving a meal goes much further than preparing a dish.

Atmosphere is as much a culinary art as the food itself.