Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I always make something I really like to eat, just in case. I remember one time someone brought some chicken thighs, skin on, that they had cooked to death and then drenched in garlic butter. I was amazed at the shriveled up dryness of the chicken. No amount of butter could cure that dish. On the other hand, there have been some seriously good eats at other potlucks, so I say make something you like and hopefully you'll be treated to some fine food from people with different backgrounds.

We always have an "Oktoberfest" here in the office, and there seems to be an overabundance of store bought potato salad and soggy macaroni dishes. But, every now and then an inspired dish will grace the table and surprise us all. I think it may be worth it for those unexpected tasty morsels...like this year someone brought an amazing brocolli salad which I took way more than my share of.

Ours is today. The cheesecake is already in the refrigerator and when I leave the computer, I'm putting together a riff on Nigella's leftover turkey Vietnamese noodle salad to bring. We're lucky; lots of people at the office like to cook and work there part time which means they can bring in stuff they've just made, like me. One fellow is a demon smokemeister, and his tenderloin is a dream.

I've worked in places where the reverse was true, to be sure, and I sympathize with you all, but I love this party and the silly gift exchange.

I am VERY picky about food, so I am extremely glad that my office doesn't do this, or else I'd offend a lot of people by refusing to eat their infamous weirdo dish.

We had ours last night! It was really fun - though I'm lucky to work with great people (all with clean fingernails :) and most of them seem to be really good cooks. I made the Butternut-Cheese Pie from Cooking Light (doubled it and made it in a 9x13 pan), and it seemed to go over well, was one of the first dishes to disappear. One lady made the best meatballs I've ever had, and there were a couple of great desserts too. So put me in the "like" column, I guess!

Ours are a little hit or miss. We had one dismal fundraiser potluck where there was only weird cold salads (I had pea salad, potato salad, pasta salad, etc). The lady who heads our social committee makes this decidedly bland kielbasa soup ... she keeps bragging that it's so easy because you just toss pasta, a can of beans, a can of tomatoes, and some sliced, browned kielbasa in and people always tell her it's good ... but while it's not *bad* per se ... I can never finish even half a bowl.

Our most recent potluck was to send off our newly married, much loved custodian. We covered four tables with food (~100 people in the office) ... so it seems the better the reason for the potluck, the better the food. Several people brought fried chicken, we had four crocks of meatballs, the super bitchy lady from hr makes a MEAN chili, and TONS of other food. I brought in a cold israeli couscous salad (mimicks the chop salad from cowboy ciao for any phoenicians reading this) and it was gone pretty quick.

mmmm food.

I don't really care for them, I am very leery of other peoples cleanliness and I really don't like the idea of eating something made by people that for all I know don't have a clue about cross contamination. I am kind of a germ freak. :)

We have a wide variety:

Some people make their family recipe of baklava and it's great.

Some people pick up a cheesecake sampler from their local grocery store.

I try to pick out the stuff that looks good and isn't from the deli counter.

So to all you people who judge your coworkers so harshly and refuse to eat their food (whatever, by all means, please do what makes you happy/sane) ... do you also abstain from eating in restaurants since you can't inspect the kitchen or the cook's nails/home?

I kind of feel badly for those of you forced to work with such grungy co-workers. These are office jobs?

I like it. Most people try to bring something that is their specialty, and I like to taste and get new ideas. I also like getting compliments on my food :)

But I understand those who loathe it, too. Some people just don't like eating things from unfamiliar kitchens. I have one co-worker who is super picky, and another who is a germophobe. I don't take it personally if they don't want to join in, and I hope others don't mind if I'm not into their broccoli salad (sorry juliebug & perk).

potlucks, much like buffets in general, gross me out.

i'm generally pretty wary (and skeptical) of other people's cooking.

OK, are some people really foodies, or are they just OCD?? I was not aware that I had to look like a professionally packaged TV chef in order to have my potluck contributions be acceptable.

I work full time and have 3 kids. Some mornings I throw my hair in a ponytail. Some mornings I don't have time to put makeup on. Some of these mornings may possibly be potluck days - most likely because I stayed up late the night before, after my kids had gone to bed, making something I hoped other people might enjoy.

Most days at work I wouldn't notice if your hair was "unkempt," or if your nails are "grungy," because I am busy doing my JOB. I need this job. I support a family of 5 on less than $30K a year. Potlucks mean that for the price of whatever I bring, I get the kind of lunch I can rarely afford. I have food likes and dislikes too, but I would never think of being judgmental about what was brought, and certainly not about who brought it. I am merely GRATEFUL that so many people are willing to share.

Tis the season for a little compassion, folks, don't you think?

Great arguments for and against. I guess I didn't really concentrate on who brought what and how clean he/she is. The purpose of our carry-in was bittersweet as we were saying good bye to someone who has worked here for 30+ years. I wasn't about to judge a single dish that graced the table and wouldn't regardless of the reason for the dinner.

I can understand how some people's dishes don't suit the taste of others. I can honestly say I enjoyed everything I ate at ours, which is why I suggested we do it every week. My co-workers objected, however, because we'd probably all end up severely obese if we ate like that on a weekly basis!

We have them several times a year and they are hit and miss. One was a soup theme and we had about 8 types of soup and the rest filled in with salads, breads, desserts. We have our share of store boughts, but would rather have staff participate and enjoy rather than thinking they needed to bring something over-the-top, from scratch in order to take part.
One of the best potluck stories isn't from work but from a social group that gets together every month for dessert and conversation. This took place back in the late 1950's or early '60's. (the group, mainly farm wives, has been together in some form for close to 80 years) They had a Sunday night potluck and brought the husbands to share the meal. EVERY member brought a pie! No meats, no vegies, no salads, just pie. Since then they usually send around a sign-up sheet so there's a little protein! I'm sure the old farmers loved the pie, but would have appreciated some meat and potatoes first.

For the most part, potlucks are fine with me. I don't expect everyone to bring in home-cooked marvels, but there are always a few shining stars at every event. And of course, there are a few that should be avoided. But that's fairly easy to do at one of these events, without hurting feelings.

Then again, hubby had a company potluck yesterday, and he's been ill since. Not sure whether it's a food issue or the flu, but he's not a happy camper today.

@Chelley~I think you and Dr. Greg House have something in common! The powers of observation and deduction along with a very blunt delivery of the truth. Baa, Humbug. I can't wait for a new episode of House. I'll be jonesin' until mid January. Please, please give us House addicts our fix with your acerbic wit ; )

@floridagirl ROTfl you should send this into a poet contest you would win 1st prize.

Have to ask this, are the people who are verging to the OCD in this thread the same people who, ooh and ahh over those Mexican foodcarts they've "discovered" in the city?

It may be the other half who is cooking the meal. The past few pot lucks at work, my husband has made the dishes. That way he controls what goes in, how much we are spending, and doesn't get angry at my stories of how the first group of ppl took all the shrimp and left the chicken, noodles, etc. of the pad thai or all the raspberries and blackberries and left behind the kiwis.

I never understood why people go to pot lucks and pick through and take ALL of the "expensive" stuff.

Once, I brought a cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory to celebrate my coworker's birthday. My husband was angry because of the amount of money we spent - it wasn't THAT much. Anyway, someone brought a platter of deviled eggs, someone else brought a cake, and most people just brought themselves.

While we were setting up the table for the birthday person, someone from the other office (not part of the group celebrating) came by and took half my cheesecake and ALL of the deviled eggs. We had told her the party hadn't started, but she put everything on one of our platters and walked off with it. At least she said thanks...I guess.

@floridagirl ROTFL (still love that what you said above) I agree w/you, but the way you worded that could be first place winner of a poetry contest, well said. Pat on the back Floridagirl.
@Cassaendra WTF, that is just crazy, she took all the eggs? Didn't anyone say anything?

Oh my! What are you putting in these deviled eggs? The whole darn plate? Aren't you glad that you weren't sharing office space with her. I mean, whew! Can I get a little "toot toot"....

I am a freak clean person when I make food for guests, can you imagine them getting sick? Also have a food handlers certificate, from the poorer days. The problem we had recently at a potluck, they had all the children line up to make a plate before the adults, no sneeze guard no hand sanitizer, we bolted.

I was looking forward to mine! I was going to bring caramel flan (everyone at my work likes dessert and it doesn't require heating or special serving tools). Unfortunately it was canceled due to lack of interest.