How to Host Italian Night

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a sign it's time for Italian night at your place!

Things You'll Need

• Chianti bottles, tapered candles, plastic grapes
• Travel posters, "Viva Italia" banner
• Individual cheese boards, Italian cheeses, crackers
• Biscotti
• Italian food, dessert, wine, grappa
• Microphone, American Idol videos
• Woodcarving tool
• Bread basket and oil for dipping
• Red and white checkered tablecloth
• Accordion player, singing waiters, Italian music CDs, mob DVDs

Instructions

1. Invitations: Mangia! ("Eat!" in Italian.) Send a small tin or bag of biscotti along with all the party details written on a gift tag.

2. Décor: Don't go nuts, go stereotypical.

   • Hang travel posters of Venice, Rome and Florence and a "Viva Italia" banner.

   • Centerpiece: Empty Chianti bottles with a candle in the top (use candles that drip a ton so the wax covers the bottle), loads of plastic grapes and a basket of bread with olive oil for dipping.

   • Red and white checkered tablecloths.

   • Place cards. Individual cheese boards filled with Italian cheese and rustic breads. Before loading them up use a woodcarving tool (link below) and carve guests' names into their board. Give the boards as a favor at the end of the night.

3. Entertainment:

   • Accordion players or music for guest arrival.

   • Singing waiters or Italian music (Pavarotti or Bocelli) to serenade guests at the dining table.

   • Play DVDs of "Goodfellas," "The Godfather" or "The Sopranos" muted as background (unless kids will be there, then go with Italian opera).

   • Lip-sync a mini-opera contest. Feature the songs from "The Barber of Seville," and invite guests to "perform" the songs. Videotape the performances for an "Italian Idol" highlight reel.

4. Food and Beverage Ideas:

   • Pasta, risotto, pizza, lasagna, artichokes, salad, antipasto (Italian cold meats like prosciutto, ham, hard salamis, provolone, mozzarella, marinated vegetables and roasted red peppers). If anyone asks what they can bring, tell them stuff for the antipasto and give a few examples. Serve it all family-style down the middle of the table.

   • Dessert: Fruit, nuts, biscotti, cannoli, gelato, pignoli cookies and Italian pastries, cappuccino, espresso and lattes.

   • Serve wine in short juice tumblers as Italians do-no stemware needed.

   • Go for grappa (a fragrant, grape-based spirit) after dinner.