I could use some dinner party advice

[FHwku]

i don't know what kind of humor your professor has, but Cosentino has a Meritage white blend called "The Novelist." $15-$20

or you could get him a coffee table book about wine or wineries, in lieu of an actual bottle.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by FHwku

i don't know what kind of humor your professor has, but Cosentino has a Meritage white blend called "The Novelist." $15-$20

LOL. I love to pick gift wines based on the label when it's something fun like this.

My current go-to wine for something like a hostess gift is an Argentine Malbec. I recently heard a sommelier say that he had never been disappointed by any Argentine Malbec, regardless of the label, and that has been my experience as well.

[SydneyK]

Have you asked the prof what you can bring? If you haven't been asked to contribute to the evening's menu, then you've been given some excellent suggestions - bottle of wine, coffee, coffee table book, fruit, flowers. If your prof asked you to bring something specific (e.g. appetizer, salad, dessert) and you're at a loss, let me know and I'd be happy to share some of my favorite easy-but-snazzy dinner party recipes.

When I was in grad school, one of my profs had a dinner party for all of us. I didn't have any idea what to take, so I took a wine bottle holder (similar to this). I also stashed a thank you card in my purse, thinking I might have an opportunity to write a quick note. I didn't have such an opportunity, but I mailed my thank you the next morning. (My classmates called me a brown-noser for the thank you note, but it seemed appropriate to me - his wife laid out an amazing spread, and she totally deserved some recognition for the work she put in for people she hadn't ever met. I couldn't not thank her.)

[Gusteau]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

When I was in grad school, one of my profs had a dinner party for all of us. I didn't have any idea what to take, so I took a wine bottle holder (similar to this). I also stashed a thank you card in my purse, thinking I might have an opportunity to write a quick note. I didn't have such an opportunity, but I mailed my thank you the next morning. (My classmates called me a brown-noser for the thank you note, but it seemed appropriate to me - his wife laid out an amazing spread, and she totally deserved some recognition for the work she put in for people she hadn't ever met. I couldn't not thank her.)

In other words, your classmates were mad that they hadn't thought of it first, lol. I'm a huge proponent of thank you notes. Twice this summer my coworkers and I had the opportunity to write notes, the first time I wrote them while everyone rolled their eyes, the second time everyone else followed suit.

Leslie Anne if you decide on wine, your local wine store might have labels next to bottles that indicate employee favorites. They usually (but not always) pick out gems throughout price ranges, so that could be a good way to choose a bottle.