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#Post#: 41815--------------------------------------------------
Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: SioCat Date: November 12, 2019, 9:55 am
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We have a few potlucks every year at work, so it’s not just
Thanksgiving related. I am signing everyone up for the
Thanksgiving potluck now though, so that’s why I’m thinking
about this.
If you’re signing up for a potluck, how “creative” or different
can you be with the dish that you signed up for?
Last Thanksgiving, someone signed up for baked Mac and cheese. I
was going to sign up for that because I had made it the year
before, but he signed up first so I had to pick something else.
He put bacon in it, which meant that the vegetarians and the non
pork eaters couldn’t eat it. I don’t know if that was rude, but
I did feel some type of way.
Different potluck, someone signed up for Cole slaw. They brought
a new spicy version. I personally thought it was the best
coleslaw I’ve ever had. It was too spicy for other associates.
We had a spaghetti cook off not long ago and it was interesting
to see some interpretations of such a simple dish.
So, what do you guys think?
So, what does everyone think?
#Post#: 41819--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: Amara Date: November 12, 2019, 10:16 am
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I like unique takes on dishes (That cole slaw sounds fantastic
and I'd have to stop myself from taking the whole bowl.) I don't
see why it would be a problem if someone put meat in what is
normally a vegetarian dish; it's the way they like to prepare
it. Of course, they should let everyone know the variation but
having the standard recipe means never getting to try out
something new.
I suppose it might be like my cranberry sauce, which I like
really tart. I do add sugar but it's minimal so the bright
flavor of cranberries, citrus and spices comes through loud and
clear. I do tell everyone I share it with that it is tart--and
if someone wants to bring the canned sauce to dinner they are
welcome to do so; the insistence on keeping the can's ridges
intact amuse me--but I love my recipe and wouldn't change it for
a potluck.
#Post#: 41820--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: Hmmm Date: November 12, 2019, 10:21 am
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As long as there is a wide variety of dishes everyone can choose
from, then I think it's ok because someone can just pick
something else.
Potlucks are one big 'you can't satisfy all the people"
experience. I don't like green bean casserole so would be very
happy to have green beans almondine while someone else would
feel disappointed if a green bean casserole weren't present at a
holiday potluck. Some people are traditionalists and want a
standard Libby's recipe pumpkin pie and would be disappointed if
someone brought in a salted pumpkin caramel pie.
Depending on how large the group is, I think it is fine to have
multiple versions of a dish. So instead of signing people up for
Mac & Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, or green beans, I prefer to have
people sign up for a "side dish", "appetizer", "bread", or
"dessert". For me, potlucks do not need to be a balanced meal as
long as there is sufficient variety for everyone to have
something they can eat. And normally anyone with a more
restricted diet will make sure to bring items that they can eat.
#Post#: 41821--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: Winterlight Date: November 12, 2019, 10:33 am
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I think it's a case of, "you can't please everyone." I do feel
like potluck dishes should try to appeal to a reasonable number
of people, and should be within the set parameters (if you've
agreed to a vegetarian potluck, bringing beef with a bacon wrap
is rude), but outside of that, if you want to make a bacon Mac
and cheese for Thanksgiving, well, you do you.
#Post#: 41824--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: kckgirl Date: November 12, 2019, 10:38 am
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I think if you want to take mac & cheese, just do it.
#Post#: 41826--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: Rose Red Date: November 12, 2019, 10:42 am
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People bring dishes they like themselves. That's the risk of
potlucks. There's always something in every dish that *someone*
can't/won't be able to eat. For example, I wouldn't be able to
eat any pasta or bread dish (carbs). Others can't/won't eat
meat. And that's ok because people shouldn't expect every dish
at a potluck to cater to their taste. Potlucks usually have
enough dishes for all tastes, even if you can only eat your own
contribution!
#Post#: 41832--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: lowspark Date: November 12, 2019, 11:56 am
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That's why it's called pot LUCK. It's the luck of the draw as to
what is available. You get to choose from what people chose to
bring. Some you will like, some you will not. It's not rude to
bring whatever you like as long as it's what you signed up for
and as long as there were no restrictions set forth in the
initial invitation.
Mac and cheese with bacon is no ruder than mac and cheese with
broccoli. And everyone has their own version of what they think
is the "standard" for any given dish.
So yeah, you can be as creative or different as you want. And
people pick and choose. And depending on how many people are
participating, or what the theme is, it's not that big a deal to
bring duplicates if you really want to make sure that a certain
version of your favorite dish is available.
Me? I like to try all the varieties of food available at a
potluck, especially the creative ones. Might discover a new
combo I never thought of. And I can eat my own food any time,
and probably will, when I go home with the leftovers!
#Post#: 41863--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: MiriamCatriona Date: November 12, 2019, 5:03 pm
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How planned are your potlucks? Did the sign-up sheet already
say "baked mac and cheese" and he put his name next to it, was
it a blank page, or somewhere in between? If there are known
vegetarians, the organizer could put "main dish (meat)", "main
dish (vegetarian)", and "main dish (meat or vegetarian)" instead
of just "main dish 1[2/3]". Side dishes could also be specified
as vegetarian or cook's choice.
It wasn't rude to bring a variation on the dish that included
meat, but I understand that it would be frustrating if someone
who doesn't eat meat assumed the macaroni was going to be a safe
dish. If you know ahead, you can at least plan to bring your
own suitable food.
In general, people with dietary needs are best off either
bringing something that they could eat as their entire meal or
bowing out and not participating in the potluck. (I choose the
latter!)
#Post#: 41865--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: lakey Date: November 12, 2019, 5:35 pm
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[quote]the insistence on keeping the can's ridges intact amuse
me--but I love my recipe and wouldn't change it for a
potluck.[/quote]
This amused me. I serve two kinds of cranberries, the orange and
cranberry relish, and the canned jelly. And, yes, I want that
jelly to plop out of the can, holding its shape and having the
ridges.
Anyway, in my experience with potlucks, there is always so much
food that there are plenty of choices for anyone.
#Post#: 41869--------------------------------------------------
Re: Thanksgiving Potluck.
By: Venus193 Date: November 12, 2019, 6:55 pm
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My cranberry sauces are made with Splenda and I cut the
sweetness; commercial cranberry sauces are too sweet. I usually
make three batches: one plain, one with mandarin oranges, and
one with maraschino cherries. For the latter two I add the
other fruit after the cran has cooled down.
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