#hosting

#hosting

It's no coincidence that my last name, Mesa, translates to "table." I believe I was born to work in the hospitality industry, and my passion for hosting people was nurtured from a young age. Growing up in the Dominican Republic with my maternal grandparents not only introduced me to an immaculate home but also a beautifully decorated dining table. My grandmother took pride in creating bright floral arrangements, polishing silverware, and making name cards with magic markers.

Indeed, in January, the Atlantic's Ellen Cushing declared that America is in a party deficit, quoting a 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics report that found only 4.1% of Americans attended or hosted a social event on an average holiday weekend. That figure was down a whopping 35% since 2004. Maybe the pandemic is to blame. Or the loneliness epidemic. Or smartphones.

Dozens of women who considered me their gay best friend sounded great until it was time to exchange presents with all of them during the holidays. I was too cheap to buy all my friends expensive Christmas gifts but too classy to give them something, well, cheap. I had also grown tired of spending $50 on something pointless in bulk, usually a criminally overpriced novelty item.

Parting with a lot of expensive wine is the cost of hosting Harry. Although his liver would probably appreciate it, placing any limits on what he's allowed to consume would be rude and decidedly non-festive. So here's what you're going to do: Open one bottle of the good stuff, or as much as you need to pour everyone a glass. When that's gone, switch to bottles you don't care about-perhaps

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But the thing is, wine doesn't need to be that complicated. When it comes to my work at Bon Appétit, I'm most interested in helping people loosen up around shopping for wine and just go with their instincts. Wine is not, in my experience, this big, scary thing. At its best, it's an exclamation point in an already wonderful meal. For me and the Bon Appétit team, it's an excuse to spend even more time around the dining table.

The pound cake element in this sundae is the classic cream cheese Bundt we've had on Bon Appétit for over 20 years, halved to fit in a standard loaf pan.