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What does your menu look like over the next few days?
- Thread starter carianna-in-wa
- Start date
This sounds really good also Marge. Thanks. It's a good thing we
Floridians don't wait for cold weather to make soup. The Stilton sounds really interesting and I'll give this one a try also. I've never made Croque Monsieur sandwiches before so that's in the plan and I'm not sure if it would be too much with the cheese. I probably should go with a tamer one.
Floridians don't wait for cold weather to make soup. The Stilton sounds really interesting and I'll give this one a try also. I've never made Croque Monsieur sandwiches before so that's in the plan and I'm not sure if it would be too much with the cheese. I probably should go with a tamer one.
This brought a question to my mind. Regarding the guest at my friends' who decided he'd prefer to
have a meal of soup instead of the entree....
If you are taking a dish to a friend's dinner party and the host is not really a stellar cook, do you make a simpler, less unique and less enjoyable/exciting dish (basically to match the rest of the meal), or do you go for an allout culinary experience for the enjoyment of the other guests all of whom I had met before, and possibly at the expense of your hosts?
I thought that I was going very plain and simple with this soup, for just that reason, but then there's the fellow who responded in a bit of an embarrassing way. By the way, his wife shut down his plans for nothing but soup. So what do you shoot for: the better enjoyment of the guests or the comfort of the host?
Hey, I just realized that I can expand the size of the response box here. Oooh. good deal.
have a meal of soup instead of the entree....
If you are taking a dish to a friend's dinner party and the host is not really a stellar cook, do you make a simpler, less unique and less enjoyable/exciting dish (basically to match the rest of the meal), or do you go for an allout culinary experience for the enjoyment of the other guests all of whom I had met before, and possibly at the expense of your hosts?
I thought that I was going very plain and simple with this soup, for just that reason, but then there's the fellow who responded in a bit of an embarrassing way. By the way, his wife shut down his plans for nothing but soup. So what do you shoot for: the better enjoyment of the guests or the comfort of the host?
Hey, I just realized that I can expand the size of the response box here. Oooh. good deal.
I think these are two slightly separate issues, Marg:
"If you are taking a dish to a friend's dinner party and the host is not really a stellar cook, do you make a simpler, less unique and less enjoyable/exciting dish (basically to match the rest of the meal),(...)"
Yes.
"...or do you go for an allout culinary experience for the enjoyment of the other guests, and possibly at the expense of your hosts?"
No. (Technically, you/one can do whatever one wants, but I think the gracious high road is to let the host/hostess shine at his/her party--whether that shining occurs in the kitchen or not.)
"I thought that I was going very plain and simple with this soup, for just that reason, but then there's the fellow who responded in a bit of an embarrassing way. So what do you shoot for: the better enjoyment of the guests or the comfort of the host?"
The guest of your friend is at fault, in my view. No doubt the soup was worthy of the praise and the compliment, but to throw over the entree for it is immature. Maybe I'm erring on the formal side--this is probably not a big deal if the host/hostess's skin is thick, or if it's a chili-and-beer potluck--but the friend's guest's behavior strikes me as rude.
I think you wisely made exactly what was called for, and the problem arose only when the guest went a little nuts. smileys/wink.gif
Just my two cents. smileys/smile.gif What did you think of the guest's behavior?
"If you are taking a dish to a friend's dinner party and the host is not really a stellar cook, do you make a simpler, less unique and less enjoyable/exciting dish (basically to match the rest of the meal),(...)"
Yes.
"...or do you go for an allout culinary experience for the enjoyment of the other guests, and possibly at the expense of your hosts?"
No. (Technically, you/one can do whatever one wants, but I think the gracious high road is to let the host/hostess shine at his/her party--whether that shining occurs in the kitchen or not.)
"I thought that I was going very plain and simple with this soup, for just that reason, but then there's the fellow who responded in a bit of an embarrassing way. So what do you shoot for: the better enjoyment of the guests or the comfort of the host?"
The guest of your friend is at fault, in my view. No doubt the soup was worthy of the praise and the compliment, but to throw over the entree for it is immature. Maybe I'm erring on the formal side--this is probably not a big deal if the host/hostess's skin is thick, or if it's a chili-and-beer potluck--but the friend's guest's behavior strikes me as rude.
I think you wisely made exactly what was called for, and the problem arose only when the guest went a little nuts. smileys/wink.gif
Just my two cents. smileys/smile.gif What did you think of the guest's behavior?
I don't think it would be possible for you to compromise your cooking
ability and it wouldn't matter what you took. It would be stellar. So with that, I assume your host asked you to bring a dish to the dinner and would know what you can do. They shouldn't have a problem. If they do then it's their problem. They shouldn't ask someone who is such a dedicated cook to bring something. Now, I myself, could never tell a host that I wouldn't eat the food they cooked. That's rude and he was wrong to do it.
ability and it wouldn't matter what you took. It would be stellar. So with that, I assume your host asked you to bring a dish to the dinner and would know what you can do. They shouldn't have a problem. If they do then it's their problem. They shouldn't ask someone who is such a dedicated cook to bring something. Now, I myself, could never tell a host that I wouldn't eat the food they cooked. That's rude and he was wrong to do it.
carianna-in-wa
Well-known member
Kids and Hubs CRAZY raved over the couscous... no recipe, but here's what I did
2 cups chicken broth and 1 T. butter - bring to boil, add couscous and follow directions. smileys/smile.gif
Add to couscous: generous helping of yummy crumbled feta, minced parsley, chopped green onion, toasted pine nuts (warning, do not get distracted by twitter while you are toasting pine nuts or you will burn them, thus burning cash directly out of your wallet), and a few chopped tomatoes.
Toss all of the above with a lemon-basil vinaigrette. Add generous helping of basil leaves into blender - maybe 1/3 cup packed? Add in salt, pepper, juice from 1 and 1/2 lemons (maybe 6 T?) and 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Blend vigorously. Yum.
2 cups chicken broth and 1 T. butter - bring to boil, add couscous and follow directions. smileys/smile.gif
Add to couscous: generous helping of yummy crumbled feta, minced parsley, chopped green onion, toasted pine nuts (warning, do not get distracted by twitter while you are toasting pine nuts or you will burn them, thus burning cash directly out of your wallet), and a few chopped tomatoes.
Toss all of the above with a lemon-basil vinaigrette. Add generous helping of basil leaves into blender - maybe 1/3 cup packed? Add in salt, pepper, juice from 1 and 1/2 lemons (maybe 6 T?) and 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil. Blend vigorously. Yum.
carianna-in-wa
Well-known member
Forgot to say: was requested by youngest to go into her "back to school" lunchbox tomorrow.
Now THAT'S a compliment! (She's 13... moody... any sign of positivity let's us know she's still in there.)
Now THAT'S a compliment! (She's 13... moody... any sign of positivity let's us know she's still in there.)
Oh no doubt, the guest's behaviour was rude and inconsiderate. We seem to be more forgiving of
'eccentric' behaviours as we age and the host generally tolerates him well.
I guess the dilemma that I was experiencing is what Orchid referred to....I know that the host and these guests in particular, have fairly high expectations of me, so do I take something to meet their expectations or do I take something that is more in keeping with the rest of the dinner?
In fact, I think I'll just talk to my friend about it, very carefully, the next time we do this together.
'eccentric' behaviours as we age and the host generally tolerates him well.
I guess the dilemma that I was experiencing is what Orchid referred to....I know that the host and these guests in particular, have fairly high expectations of me, so do I take something to meet their expectations or do I take something that is more in keeping with the rest of the dinner?
In fact, I think I'll just talk to my friend about it, very carefully, the next time we do this together.
Then again, she could be asking you to bring something because it's a sure thing. If she was
concerned about you stealing her thunder, my guess is she'd make the entire menu herself. If I knew someone who had a reputation for being a good cook, I'd want them to always be a good cook...and not "dumb down" their talents. My friend does that and it's so annoying. She is a trained sushi chef, caterer, and works with high profile clients. I often introduce her as a sushi chef and she deflects the comment like I'm exaggerating her abilities. I hate that. I'm trying to pay her a compliment and in her effort to appear humble, somehow I end up feeling like a schmuck.
For all you know, she was raving to everyone at the table about what a terrific cook you are.
When I get compliments for my food, I usually say something like, "It's a terrific recipe, isn't it? I got it from...."
concerned about you stealing her thunder, my guess is she'd make the entire menu herself. If I knew someone who had a reputation for being a good cook, I'd want them to always be a good cook...and not "dumb down" their talents. My friend does that and it's so annoying. She is a trained sushi chef, caterer, and works with high profile clients. I often introduce her as a sushi chef and she deflects the comment like I'm exaggerating her abilities. I hate that. I'm trying to pay her a compliment and in her effort to appear humble, somehow I end up feeling like a schmuck.
For all you know, she was raving to everyone at the table about what a terrific cook you are.
When I get compliments for my food, I usually say something like, "It's a terrific recipe, isn't it? I got it from...."
That's my favourite response as well. Then I normally offer the recipe if I think they're genuinely
interested. So many people are afraid to ask for a recipe as sooooo many people guard them as though they owned the copyright. Hey, it's just a recipe....a bunch of suggestions.
interested. So many people are afraid to ask for a recipe as sooooo many people guard them as though they owned the copyright. Hey, it's just a recipe....a bunch of suggestions.