The coronavirus pandemic took a huge toll on many people’s social lives. You probably spent a significant portion of the last two years either stuck at home in lockdown, self-isolating, or attempting to maintain a two meter distance when meeting up with friends and family.

All these regulations and restrictions were for a good cause, with the intention of keeping as many people safe from harm as possible. But now things are slowly returning to normality. Restrictions are being lifted all over the world, and we can now socialise freely.

But the virus isn’t gone. Although we have found ways to live safely and move on, its shadow is still very much looming over you. Many people remain anxious about its dangers, particularly those who are vulnerable or can’t afford to take time off work if they get sick. These concerns are entirely justifiable, as even the fully vaccinated face the risk of becoming seriously ill.

If you are the type of person who loves opening up their home to guests, you are probably itching to get back to your regular social events. But whether it’s dinner parties, garden barbecues, or just a couple of friends over for a glass of wine, you still need to think carefully about your approach. Your loved ones may be worried about the risks, and the last thing you want is your cocktail night to gain notoriety for spreading the virus amongst your social group.

To help you alleviate any concerns and throw a Covid-safe event, here are four tips for opening up your home in 2022.

Talk to your guests

Your friends may not be worried at all, especially if they’re young and healthy. But there is a chance that one or more of them are secretly worried about mingling in a confined space but don’t feel comfortable enough to bring it up. The best thing you can do is to create an open, non-judgemental atmosphere with your loved ones. You want to feel like they can share their concerns without worrying about what anyone else thinks of them. Speak to your friends individually before they arrive. Ask them if they have any worries and if there is anything you can do to make them feel safer.

Put safety measures in place

It only takes a few simple measures to greatly reduce the transmission risk of Covid. Buy hand sanitiser and place a few bottles strategically around your home, as well as some disposable face masks for anyone who might want one.

Test

By taking a lateral flow test before the event, you can have peace of mind that you won;t be infecting anyone. You can’t force your guests to test themselves, but you can ask and encourage people to put safety at the forefront and help to protect others.

Provide options

Some people may not want to be cooped up inside all evening, so provide plenty of options for attendees to move about and feel safer. If you’re throwing a party, you could open up your garden and move things onto the lawn for some fresh air.

Curating a love for food is often like falling in love with both a craft and an art – as well as a beautiful expression of culture. It’s easy to take the plate of food in front of us for granted, but it will always tell a story, from the preparation methods used to curate it to the sourcing of the ingredients itself. 

As home cooks, it can be easy to fall into our own way of doing things, with our own indulgences, and our own desire to align with a certain diet. There’s nothing wrong with this at all. Feeling comfortable in the kitchen is important, particularly if you have a family to feed daily and only so much time to do it in.

But when you do have time to experiment, perhaps on a weekend or maybe when meal-prepping, challenging yourself as a home cook can be a great way to learn and feel renewed in your efforts. In this post, we’ll discuss how to achieve that, and what benefits this approach could grant you:

New Cooking Methods

It can be nice to try new cooking methods from time to time. For instance, when was the last time you tried sous vide meats? It could be that purchasing a small water bath, vacuum sealing a steak, and then cooking it slowly over hours provides you with a delicacy of flavour that you hadn’t thought possible. This can allow you to extend your reach as a cook, even if that just means using a pressure cooker to steam vegetables rather than using your regular boiling method.

Sourcing Supreme Ingredients

It’s also important to source supreme ingredients from time to time when you can. For instance, this online butcher provides a range of amazing meats, allowing you to try different steaks and cuts that you may have been oblivious up until now. Perhaps you can sear a good steak, but have you tried to cook a beautiful filet mignon before? Expanding your repertoire and trying to be creative with your options can lend you a truly beautiful outcome, helping you feel more confident in the kitchen, and even giving you the impetus to try new things at the behest of your new supplier.

Dinner Parties

If you really wish to test yourself, it can be nice to invite those you love and appreciate to dinner parties in order to have a good time. Note that this doesn’t have to be an ultra-formal event, it might just be that you invite a friend over to try a range of cheeses you’ve imported in order to get a real taste for them, and what kind of wine pairings they go with. Or, you might decide to try inviting a friend around for a venison meal now that you’ve finally figured out how to cook the meat properly. After all – what good is food if it can’t be shared? It might be that a friend or relative returns the favour.

With this advice, you’re certain to challenge yourself as a home cook, and benefit in the best possible way.