Tip - Build a Menu: 5 Tips for Matching Side Dishes with Main Dishes

I received several questions and comments during Dinner Week asking for discussion and help on pairing side dishes with main dishes. This left me scratching my head a bit, as I think it's hard to discuss this generally, without a specific menu in hand. I thought about the way that I assemble my own dinner party menus, though, and some patterns emerged. Here are a few very general thoughts on putting together a good dinner.