What wouldn't you serve guests
...for dinner, providing you knew of no food allergies, dietary restrictions of whatever sort (including veganism, vegetarianism and whatever other 'ism' I've forgotten)?
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29 Comments:
Hoagies or other "sub" type sandwiches. Too casual.
izatryt at 11:01AM on 08/05/08
If there were kids around, I would never serve ribs. That would drive me CRAZY. Hell, some adults are just as messy.
Cassaendra at 11:23AM on 08/05/08
Any type of "banquet" pasta meal-- spaghetti, lasagna, penne with meat sauce, garlic bread and a salad with italian dressing. It's overdone.
smile at 11:25AM on 08/05/08
I guess I was looking more for foods that a significant percentage of people might have serious aversions to--like (in my case, at least) liver...or offal in general. Even if I myself liked these, I would not serve them to guests unless I knew they liked them as well...
Lilla at 11:46AM on 08/05/08
Nio organ meats unless I knew they were a big fan.
As much as I enjoy breakfast foods for dinner, I wouldn't invite anyone for dinner and serve that.
PerkyMac at 11:46AM on 08/05/08
I would not serve something I don't like or anything too weird. I want my guests to leave full and happy. :)
That said-you will not see:
~Liver
~Anything overly greasy (I have served ham/cheeseburgers and the like at BBQ's but that's about it)
~Frozen Hors De Houvers (sp): I make my own
~Any Frozen Dessert: I either make my own or buy from a bakery
~Never serve too little of something (there's always plenty of whatever I put out)
~Anything served/cooked without love.
Butrflygirly at 12:03PM on 08/05/08
Any kind of "Helper."
robincat at 12:29PM on 08/05/08
Anything I wouldn't enjoy myself.
(and I'll happily admit that 90% of what's been posted so far, I've served to guests. I like entertaining, and think that anything I serve to guests should either be fun - everyone in the kitchen for fresh pancakes! - or easy. Or both.)
jenilowrance at 12:49PM on 08/05/08
Anything that people might be uncomfortable or self-conscious about eating: too drippy, too messy on the hands, etc. In some situations and with some guests it would be no holds barred, but in a mixed crowd or with some unknowns, I wouldn't do it.
For ex.: grilled steaks the other night with an awesome spicy rub that included ground coffee. We really liked it, but at the end of the meal we had coffee grounds in our teeth! I wouldn't serve that to company, unless we set the table with toothbrushes! (Kidding!)
Cary at 12:52PM on 08/05/08
It depends on who the guests are. In general, though, I wouldn't serve anything I didn't make myself, with some exceptions. If I found a fabulous bakery, I might buy a dessert there, or if I just went to a cookie exchange, I might have a tray of those cookies along with whatever dessert I made.
I try not to serve things where portion size is difficult to adjust. Like a pork chop. For some people, a single pork chop is too much and for others, it's not enough. Instead, I'd do a pork roast, so people could have as many slices as they wanted.
I tend not to serve one-dish meal kinds of things, because if there's a spice someone dislikes, I don't want them to be stuck with just the salad. So there are almost always separate side dishes.
I tend not to serve things that require special cooking for each guest. Like steaks, where I'd have to poll everyone to find out what doneness they like. Again, a roast solves that problem, where the outer edges are more done than the inside, so people can choose which doneness they prefer without me being a short order cook.
And whatever I serve, I make sure there's a lot more than we need. I hate it when we're dining somewhere and there's one chicken wing and the hostess is passing it around, and you know that three people are still hungry and want the wing, but no one wants to grab the last piece.
dbcurrie at 1:24PM on 08/05/08
I would most likely never serve:
*offal (unless, like Perky said, I know that the company invited enjoys it)
*beets
*any kinds of ready-made foods (I'm absolutely with you on this, Butrflygirly - I always make my own, and enjoy every minute of it!)
*I would refrain from serving messy, greasy or sticky foods (although I've served burgers and pulled pork - my Other Half insisted:-))
*unpeeled shrimp (tails on for shrimp cocktail - maximum, with designated "tail bowls" set up in convenient proximity)
brooke29 at 1:29PM on 08/05/08
Lilla, as you suggested, gut meat. I don't like to eat it, don't know how to cook it, and thus wouldn't serve it. I'll experiment with just about anything else as I like to push the boundries to learn new things.
OliverRanch at 1:53PM on 08/05/08
I serve pretty much everything. I tend to have different groups of friends with varied tastes. People like coming to my house and being surprised to some degree.
I would not take any real chances without first clearing it with guests - i.e. "How do you feel about some tripe today?"
@robincat - even if it's from scratch? I make a "from scratch" Helper-style meal (two, actually - One Italian, one like goulash). People love it. Admittedly, those who like it are usually quite young...LOL.
therealchiffonade at 2:16PM on 08/05/08
SpaghettiO's ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPWz6x1VEp8&feature=related
Chef Boy-Ar-Dee (even at .15 a serving!) ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSFIdYcClrs
Spam ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaGYqAiPNFY&feature=related
KoolAid ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TppRjknOryk
Jello ~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCKxWQCs3f0
To name a few. ;-D
PerkyMac at 2:50PM on 08/05/08
I would not serve anything that I wouldn't enjoy myself. But specifically, anything that I have to prepare right at the moment... like a quesadilla or a stir fry. I like to enjoy the party too... not be in the kitchen all the time.
oh... and i would never ever serve any animal protein - my kitchen is vegetarian and it is staying that way!!!
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 6:14PM on 08/05/08
Liver
bessfour at 7:39PM on 08/05/08
Anything with raw onions, strong cheese or difficult meats. I'd probably steer clear of shellfish just because there are lots of people who don't like it.
smile at 9:55PM on 08/05/08
I suffer from a crockpot curse, I have never cooked anything but shoe leather in one. Guests would not relish the tasteless lumps that emerge from that accursed appliance.
LearP at 1:19AM on 08/06/08
Anything too hot (spice-wise, not temperature). I'm a little heavy handed with chilis, but most of my friends have a similar palate so I'm not accustomed to dialing things down. I made the absolute best IMHO pot of spicy gumbo ever, but felt terrible that the girlfriend of a guest practically choked to death! I had an emergency swap in the fridge (thank God), but I'll never repeat this mistake. At the very least in the future, I'd make both spicy and mild versions.
Josdean at 10:02AM on 08/06/08
No organ meats or raw meat and fish. I adore carpaccio and tartare, but I am alone with that in my sphere of family and friends.
But as discussed in another thread, I always ask invited guests about their food dislikes. Nothing upsets me more than buying expensive food my guests will not eat. That was life lesson #88. ;-)
izatryt at 10:17AM on 08/06/08
I could never imagine serving a meatloaf to guests in my home.
jonfoxx at 10:54AM on 08/06/08
Radish sandwiches. Which I saw Ina Garten serve for a house warming meal.
eatorama at 5:29PM on 08/06/08
Here is one for the blogger who likes to use me to stir the vegan population-NO Tofu ever. I just do not serve it and I will not cook it.
@smile well well pasta overdone? someone pinch me. It is never overdone here. People beg me to make them my lasagne, baked ziti, ravioli etc. We do not serve garlic bread. I serve garlic rolls.
No raw onion, strong cheese, shellfish? Good lord what do you cook for company?
But hey make what you like.
@jonfoxx whats wrong with meatloaf. I make this CI turkey meatloaf with tangy ketchup people rave over. Diner food is back sexy again.
I make everything and anything for company. If I can taste it I can make it.
However there are things I refuse to make.
Watercress sandwiches. Get real!
as Perky says no organ meat
I do not serve jello but I do make great gelees with fruit juice and sparkling wine. Very refreshing. No box of strange colored sugar water, all natural.
We need to make a post what would you cook for company.
JerzeeTomato at 6:44PM on 08/06/08
What wouldn't I serve guests? Cool Whip or Spam. After that, I'm pretty open to just about anything - provided I know people want to eat it. I'd make offal if the company coming over is, say, my mom. Because she'd eat it. But I wouldn't make it for coworkers.
Amandarama at 8:15PM on 08/06/08
I've thought and thought about this...
The only answer I can come up with is nothing "convenient". I can't imagine using a mix, or a short-cut for entertaining - whether it's my family or strangers.
But, yeah - I'll ditto the no organ meat or tofu. Never will find their way into my kitchen.
thewrighttaste at 10:11PM on 08/06/08
@Jerzee- good for you with the pasta thing. I personally find it to be quite boring and basic (I could blame it on growing up in an Italian household). I don't know if you noticed the word "banquet" in my 1st post because I don't know how many times I've been to a gathering and had crappy pasta with crappy red sauce be a sorry excuse for dinner. It's a huge let down. Of course, if you can do a phenomenal pasta that your guests beg you for, there's no reason to stop you.
As far as the strong cheese or shellfish, I do like all of those things but I believe they often require some getting used to for some people (not all of us are foodies). I also like raw onions, but I'd rather my guests not have onion breath after the meal. With that said, I'd stick with something milder... but of course, just as exciting.
smile at 12:52AM on 08/07/08
Tuna noodle casserole. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
juliebugsmama at 1:58PM on 08/07/08
@ Jerzee: are you by any chance a politician? :)
"I make everything and anything for company. If I can taste it I can make it.
However there are things I refuse to make."
Cary at 10:47AM on 08/09/08
As a vegetarian, I appreciate that you won't serve tofu! I mean, I enjoy tofu, and I cook with it a lot, but it's rather easy to mess it up. Someone who doesn't eat it regularly (and who doesn't realize how yummy it can be when done properly) would probably create something horrible, and that wouldn't be good for anyone!
randomeater at 11:59PM on 08/09/08