Cooking
Here's my theory. Everyone has a good potluck story. I know I've got a couple. When I was growing up potlucks were very popular. It's economical for one thing and there is the pride in showing off your culinary skills of course. Personally I feel a great deal of pressure nowadays if asked to bring something. What if I mess up? My reputation is on the line! These days potlucks aren't as common among my set. The only potluck events I can think of are my parents annual 4th of July party, my book club and Christmas cookie parties.
The first potluck I can remember attending was with my family and I must have been in one of the primary grades. I think it was a school or Campfire girl event and several parents were in charge of bringing main dishes. Maybe 4 or 6 main dishes all together, I can't remember. What I do remember is that all the main dishes without exception were lasagne. All different of course, but still what are the odds?
My other potluck story has to do with my parents famous 4th of July party. A big annual outdoor event with 60-100+ people; my dad barbecues sausages most of the afternoon and invitees are instructed to bring an appetizer, salad, or dessert. One year in particular almost every other salad brought was tabouli. The funny thing is, when anyone would tell this story to someone not from the San Francisco Bay Area the invariable response was--what's tabouli? (for those who don't know, tabouli or tabbouleh is a middle-eastern bulgar wheat salad see the picture above this post)
If you have a good potluck story, I invite you to post it here in the comments section. Potluck style. With any luck we'll end up with enough for a meal.
- Two Bean Salad: Recipe
Consider this my heartfelt apology to the leeks, rutabagas and beets languishing in my fridge. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't love you. I'm just so bored of Winter right now. I yearn for Summer tomatoes, bright fresh herbs, spicy chilies...
- Fourth Of July Salad
Six Degrees is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. You may remember a few years back there was both a movie based on...
- Food & Wine Bloggers Potluck
One of the things I love about blogs is that they can be such a personal form of expression. Reading them you really get a feel for the blogger, who they are, their sense of humor, what they care passionately about, etc. It isn't long before they...
- National Hunger Awareness Day 2004
Do you have a favorite recipe? Wanna share? How about for a really good cause? America's Second Harvest is sponsoring One Big Table to increase awareness of hunger in America. National Hunger Awareness Day 2004 is June 3rd and there are several...
- Avocado, Chipotle & Smoked Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Some friends were having a small potluck-style get-together over the weekend, and we were stumped; what to bring? Finally, I came up with these yummy sandwiches. Diced avocado, celery, scallion, smoked turkey breast, mayonnaise and freshly-ground chipotles,...
Cooking
Potluck Stories
Here's my theory. Everyone has a good potluck story. I know I've got a couple. When I was growing up potlucks were very popular. It's economical for one thing and there is the pride in showing off your culinary skills of course. Personally I feel a great deal of pressure nowadays if asked to bring something. What if I mess up? My reputation is on the line! These days potlucks aren't as common among my set. The only potluck events I can think of are my parents annual 4th of July party, my book club and Christmas cookie parties.
The first potluck I can remember attending was with my family and I must have been in one of the primary grades. I think it was a school or Campfire girl event and several parents were in charge of bringing main dishes. Maybe 4 or 6 main dishes all together, I can't remember. What I do remember is that all the main dishes without exception were lasagne. All different of course, but still what are the odds?
My other potluck story has to do with my parents famous 4th of July party. A big annual outdoor event with 60-100+ people; my dad barbecues sausages most of the afternoon and invitees are instructed to bring an appetizer, salad, or dessert. One year in particular almost every other salad brought was tabouli. The funny thing is, when anyone would tell this story to someone not from the San Francisco Bay Area the invariable response was--what's tabouli? (for those who don't know, tabouli or tabbouleh is a middle-eastern bulgar wheat salad see the picture above this post)
If you have a good potluck story, I invite you to post it here in the comments section. Potluck style. With any luck we'll end up with enough for a meal.
- Two Bean Salad: Recipe
Consider this my heartfelt apology to the leeks, rutabagas and beets languishing in my fridge. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't love you. I'm just so bored of Winter right now. I yearn for Summer tomatoes, bright fresh herbs, spicy chilies...
- Fourth Of July Salad
Six Degrees is the theory that anyone on the planet can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. You may remember a few years back there was both a movie based on...
- Food & Wine Bloggers Potluck
One of the things I love about blogs is that they can be such a personal form of expression. Reading them you really get a feel for the blogger, who they are, their sense of humor, what they care passionately about, etc. It isn't long before they...
- National Hunger Awareness Day 2004
Do you have a favorite recipe? Wanna share? How about for a really good cause? America's Second Harvest is sponsoring One Big Table to increase awareness of hunger in America. National Hunger Awareness Day 2004 is June 3rd and there are several...
- Avocado, Chipotle & Smoked Turkey Salad Sandwiches
Some friends were having a small potluck-style get-together over the weekend, and we were stumped; what to bring? Finally, I came up with these yummy sandwiches. Diced avocado, celery, scallion, smoked turkey breast, mayonnaise and freshly-ground chipotles,...