Dinner & Drinks with Danni Rose: A Most Entertaining Proposition

When it comes to cooking, decorating, fashion and entertaining, cookbook author and Internet personality Danni Rose cannot be outdone. With her popular Tastemade series Deliciously Entertaining, Rose uses Pinterest trends as inspiration to entertain guests at festive events filled with fabulous food, creative cocktails and delicious decor. In each episode, Rose invites food and design lovers over to cook, create and gather. From bubbly brunches to awards show viewing parties, backyard BBQs to simple game nights, Rose and her guests turn to Pinterest to plan gatherings featuring menus inspired by a special ingredient chosen by the guest. Special guests who’ve graced Rose’s kitchen include Lance Bass, Trixie Mattel, Terrell Grice, Maurice Harris and most- followed “Pinner” on Pinterest, Joy Cho.

Beyondish was able to pull Danni Rose away from her Pinterest board for a few minutes to chat with “On the Dish” about the show, her love of entertaining, Southern roots and more for one Deliciously Entertaining conversation. She also shared a sweet recipe for her Peach Pecan Whiskey Cocktail.

Where did your love of entertaining originate?

From growing up in my dad’s juke joint in Birmingham, Alabama. It was all about entertainment and it was literally right next door to our house. If you don’t know what a juke joint is, it was something that started back in the Jim Crow era when Black and white people were segregated and could not gather together. Black people created spaces and turned their houses into bars or places of gathering for people to come and hang out, have a glass of whiskey and enjoy food, music and entertainment. Since my father was a part of that, everything I saw every day was about entertainment. It’s in my veins. I also grew up being a blues singer, so I know how to entertain people and rock a crowd. Having gatherings, entertaining people, and seeing people come over all the time was just a part of my life and it was something that my parents always instilled.

Do your friends and family constantly come to you for advice about hosting and cooking?

Yes! People sometimes find hosting very intimidating because they think it’s a lot of work. I send my friends and family recipes that are very simple, are crowd pleasers, and will also feed a crowd. They also call me to rescue their recipes when they need help, which I don’t mind. I actually love it! However, if you keep things simple and do things that you know how to do, you won’t run into these problems. At the end of the day your guests just appreciate the effort you put in. They really don’t care about all the bells and whistles. They just appreciate the effort and the invite.

You can host a dinner with three people, anyone of your choosing. Who’s at the table?

Number one would be my dad. [He] is no longer here and I miss him every day. He was the life of the party and I would definitely want to have dinner with him again. There’s a song that says “I wish to dance with my father again.” I wish to have dinner with my father again because he and I always bonded over food. The second person would be Fawn Weaver. I am an admirer of hers and I love what she has done within the whiskey and spirit community. She is a trailblazer. She is knocking down doors and she is completely admirable. The third person would be Deion Sanders. I admire his confidence and I know that he’s going to be a good time. Prime is always on time! My daddy is the life of the party, Fawn Weaver is going to bring the whiskey, and Deion Sanders will bring the laughs, entertainment and confidence that we all admire. I’m telling you, there’ll be some good food on that table, good conversations and good laughs. Big big energy!

Do you have a favorite dish you like to make for a gathering?

I don’t necessarily have a favorite dish, but I do have favorite drinks. Bring on the libations! Whether it’s a mocktail or a cocktail, I always say drinks can be good icebreakers. It makes people a little bit more relaxed. I love fancy drinks and creating my own infused vodkas, whiskeys and tequilas. Making great drinks is my go-to!

Ingredients for a great dinner party?

The people that you invite! Invite people that you know you get along with. Invite people that you know are going to bring good energy, good vibes and a good spirit. Dinner parties are all about connecting. At the end of the day, you can put out potato chips and a can of dip and people will be happy to be there just because they like you and they like the energy and the vibes you’ve created.

You entertain so much. How do you please everyone all the time time?

It’s important to always be thoughtful about your guests when they’re coming over. If you know that Suzanne loves carrots and ranch, make sure you have that for her. If you know that Lisa loves a particular wine, make sure you have some. Pay attention to who’s coming and just put little thoughtful touches into your planning that you know your guests would enjoy. Finally, make sure you know about dietary restrictions and have something for everybody. Your guests don’t want to feel excluded. My vegetarian and vegan friends tell me that they hate going to dinner parties and have to eat before. It is such a pain! They want to be able to enjoy themselves, so always be thoughtful when it comes down to your guests.

What’s one entertaining tip for our readers?

Keep it simple. Keep the menu simple and keep the decor simple. Don’t try to be the host that does the most all the time, especially when you’re not accustomed to entertaining and you don’t have a real cadence. Another tip is to ask for help. You’d be surprised at how willing people are. When people come over they always ask, “How can I help?” You can have things set aside that are ready and easy for your friends to help you with. For example, if you’re making a dip, set out a bowl with all of the ingredients and ask someone to mix them all and stir. Or you can set up stations for chopping or decorations that people can jump in easily and help with. At the end of the day, do things that you know you can get done and keep it simple. You’ll be surprised. We have all these extravagant ideas in our heads, but a lot of times our guests are just coming there for the connection and to be with you. They’re just happy to be there. They’re happy for the invite and to be connecting with people.

If you were making a Pinterest board for your future, what would be on that board?

I would start with a screenshot of my board now because I always like to see progress and I always like to see where God has brought me. I’ve put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into my work and I’m so excited about my new show with Tastemade and Pinterest, and the new product line that I have coming out.

And five years from now?

Hopefully five years from now, it’ll be the biggest thing everywhere. My board would be full of fashion and entertainment and would nod to my fashion line, my product line, and my food product line. I’d love to get a chance to see where it started versus where it is in the future on my Pinterest board. And who knows, I’m a single girl, so there might be pictures of me and my new husband! I would also add pictures of my daughter. I like to keep my Pinterest board very engaging and exciting.

Try this intoxicating recipe from Danni Rose.