Serving up a party

Finger sandwiches for Father’s Day, spilled salsa on a white bridal shower dress, lobster served to a shellfish-intolerant crowd or undercooked meat making its way to the table are all recipes for disaster.

Yes, any special-occasion celebration can turn nightmarish in a jiffy if the host isn’t paying attention to everything from food preparation to the party’s mood and tone. We invited several party, etiquette and food-preparation mavens to help illustrate common faux pas and other don’ts that can crop up while entertaining.

“You have to decide what it’s going to be. You have to define the occasion. Is it a flip-flop or stiletto crowd?” says Diane Phillips, culinary educator and author of “Perfect Party Food.”

This means no watercress-and-goat-cheese sandwiches cut in triangles for Father’s Day, she says.

“Stay away from anything that’s ladies-who-lunch type of food,” Mrs. Phillips says.

Instead, she suggests serving “manly man” food, such as steaks or hamburgers.

Tanya Steel, New York-based editor in chief of Epicurious.com, echoes the sentiment.

“Go for heartier flavors and more abundance when it comes to Father’s Day,” Ms. Steel says. “No elegant finger foods.”

Epicurious.com, which features more than 60,000 recipes, highlights several “manly man” dishes for Father’s Day, such as beer-brined grilled pork chops and spice-roasted porterhouse steaks. Sides include caramelized onion dip with cilantro-garlic pita crisps and red-leaf Caesar salad with grilled Parmesan croutons. Among the desserts, brownies.

Mrs. Phillips’ own Father’s Day recommendations are similar. Her side dishes include brewski cheddar dip (which includes beer as an ingredient), chipotle corn dip and blue cheese Caesar salad; her main-course recommendations include barbecued sirloin roast and New York strip roast. (These recipes can be found in her “Perfect Party Food” book). Hearty indeed. No fuss, no frills.

“And don’t serve low-fat and nonfat products. It’s a fact that you are celebrating something, and lighter foods just aren’t that appealing,” Mrs. Phillips says.

Another recipe for Father’s Day menu success is to serve nostalgic foods, Ms. Steel says.

“What are the things that his mom made him? Party food is all about connections. To people, to memories, to places,” she says.

Mrs. Phillips agrees and says this is why she thinks pigs-in-a-blanket — basic ingredients: cocktail franks, puff pastry and mustard — are one of the most popular summer party foods, even in health-conscious California, where she lives and works.

“I’m pretty sure it’s nostalgia. People remember how mom used to wrap hot dogs in Pillsbury Crescent rolls. … And they love it,” Mrs. Phillips says.

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