Food & Wine
Variety Is the Spice of Life
Hosting a tapas style party adds flavor to the holidays.
BY
Leah Johnson
PHOTOGRAPHY
Michael Jacob

The Spanish tradition of serving small plates called tapas is an ideal way to entertain friends during the busy holiday season. The presentation of the food invites partygoers to taste a number of different dishes and encourages mingling among the guests as they sample new plates. Spaniards say there is no better way to foster friendship than passing time eating at the local tabernas, though Sharon and Tom Hayes adapted the custom by opening their home and inviting executive chef Chris Kramer, owner of Trattoria Two, to create a menu featuring an Italian version of tapas dining featuring seafood, poultry and lamb.

Sharon believes in shaping the party around a particular theme, and then “doing it big.” She says the most important ingredient at a party is the people. “When I throw a party, I invite a variety of personalities,” ensuring an interesting mix of guests who are eager to circulate and make new friends. “Hosting a tapas style party during the holidays is a unique way to entertain friends,” says Sharon, “and can function as either a cocktail or dinner event.”

Sharon, author of Psych Yourself Skinny, an amusing how-to diet book, is the owner of Hayes Fine Arts, as well her own advertising firm, Hayes Limited. She characterizes herself as a “spur-of-the-moment” hostess, so she times the arrival of the invitation two weeks before the date. She expresses her creative side by custom designing the invitations and recommends that a host send more than a simple card and envelope to catch the attention of guests. In this instance, Sharon hand-painted a white plate with gold swirls accompanied by a card that read, “Small Plates, Big Wine, Great Times” with party details on the back.  Both the plate and the invitation were placed in a beribboned box, using the unique invitation to set the tone for the evening. 

On the day of the party, her home is beautifully decorated to echo both the holiday theme and tapas elements. Sharon uses white and gold place settings, small yet elegant topiary centerpieces flanked by glittering tree ornaments, and low candlelight to add warmth and intimacy. Every detail is considered, including personalized ornaments with guests’ initials and hand-painted champagne flutes. A wide variety of foods are presented in the Spanish tradition, placed on top of wine glasses, while the infectious sounds of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and other artists from the Big Band Era infuse the home with a festive air. 

Instead of setting up a single bar for drinks, Sharon and Tom mingle with their guests, filling glasses with wine or champagne as needed and always offering non-alcoholic drink options, including a favorite beverage of sparkling water with fresh raspberries. As guests savor the variety of tastes offered in several rooms throughout the living area, Sharon also keeps a steady stream of food coming out of the kitchen so that everything is served and eaten at the correct temperature. A firm believer in using the expertise of a caterer to prepare the evening’s food, Sharon was pleased that Chris created a delectable contemporary Italian interpretation of tapas. He says, “The most important thing about European-style cooking is to find the best ingredients and to prepare them simply to highlight the natural flavors of the season.”