xmas party (pot luck)

[fastdogs]

I hate potlucks. I don't cook, so I'm the one that always brings chips or sodas or packaged cookies.
If there's a sign up sheet, that's what I sign up for, or paper plates and forks or something.
We just had a potluck at work today, and occasionally I'll get my husband to make something. He made nasi goreng for this one. I can usually get him to make something indonesian that's spicy and some people are afraid to try, because it's different.
We don't get too many really fancy things brought in. Yesterday's potluck had chips and chocolate cheesecake, dips, vegetable tray from a supermarket, my DH's nasi goreng, pasta and meatballs from an italian restaurant, potato salad from the grocery store, and a salad. Soda and a sweet mix made with kix cereal, and a cheeseball and sliced summer sausage.
we're eating the leftovers today.
vickie

[ACG]

Disclaimer: I don't mean to hurt anyone feelings on this one.

I have over 200 people in my office. I'm the OM so the duty falls on me. By the way we have a formal party too.

I issue assignments: A/P does side salads, Marketing does meatless salads, IT does desserts, etc. I only allow 2 people to bring chips/dip and 2 to bring cheese/crackers. If you don't want to cook, give me $10.00. No money is taken the day of the event, otherwise I won't have enough food. With the money I buy tamales, a fully roasted turkey (this year it was 33lbs) and lasagne and pizza sometimes too.

Tickets are issued the day prior, cuz I have moonchers. They wait until the line dies down and they get in line, only for me to discover they rsvp'd no in the first place. Then other people don't get any food! It has happened before.

I ask the Vegans get together and make some vegan dishes, there are only 5 of them.

Diabetics, I can't say no desserts, they need to stay away on thru your own power. But there is always one person who says that I should nix the desserts.

This year I had 2 seperate lines one with tamales and 1 with the turkey. Why? Because the first 50 people get full plates and everyone else has to pick around. This way they had to choose their main dish and then get back in line if they really wanted the other main dish. I sort the side dishes to go with the main dish. The desserts are kept in a seperate area. This year I had a few people go to the dessert room first! Yup they are all crazy nuts. It is really an event in it's own.

Most of the managers are assigned a duty. Otherwise I'd have to do this alone. Though it still takes all of my day.

Then there are the others... my food was cold... I didn't think there were enough green vegetables...why can't we do this every month...no one ate the dish I made... someone took my plate...I don't think this was worth $10.... I spent more than $10 on my dish....If I leave you my food will you stir it an hour before serving?...this dish has too much salt...someone ate all the vegan dishes before I got there....there isn't enough meat dishes.... there were no mashed potatoes.... the foods didn't balance each other....

Most people are really grateful and it is one of the few times people sit other departments.

So I don't like potlucks in an office when I have to do all the work. But then I change my mind about it when I see how happy people are.

[salsabike]

What a great post, ACG--I love it.

[Karma007]

ACG- I love it! Pehaps that is what every office potluck needs- a plan!

[Andrea]

What a coincidence! My S.O. just called me to ask if I could make a batch of his fav. broccoli dish for a potluck at his work tomorrow. It wouldn't be a problem except they only have a small microwave, which would mean that it would have to be cooked then reheated, which is definitely NOT the best way to eat my broccoli!
I think I'm going to opt for some sort of cold dish that I can throw together tonight & let it marinate until lunchtime tomorrow...

[Pedal Wench]

Ours was a success today. I doubled my sweet potato recipe, and we had exactly half left over. But, we have enough leftovers of everything to do it all again tomorrow.

The guy who brought soda, same flavors that are in our free soda fountain, also brought ice. Which we put right next to our (free) ice machine.

[Tuckervill]

I live in the south and used to go to church. I have been to more potlucks than I can count. I love potlucks. I even collected church cookbooks for a time, which always have the greatest potluck recipes!

I am simply APPALLED that ANYONE complains about the food at a potluck! You're not ALLOWED to do that! It's the height of rudeness. If you don't like something, don't eat it. It is just that simple.

Maybe those of you who have charge of the potlucks can post a little etiquette with your invitations. The first one, No Complaints!

Karen

[sundial]

Tuckervill, LOL! I have visions of chocolate sheet cake with white icing.

[eclectic]

ACG - My bets are on that you are a great manager all the way around - wonderful plan to try to satisfy the majority.

I am with Tuckerville - I LOVE potlucks! With that being said we never have potlucks at the school I teach in and I am very glad of that, much less stress. - but then we have the option of hotlunch everyday whoo hoo or should I say .

During semester exams, parent teacher conferences, last day of school etc the administration, kitchen and school climate committee take care of the logistics, we have had soup/bread, pizza, sub sandwiches, taco salad.
These are prepared for by the kitchen or catered and paid for through the profits from the soda machines in the teachers lounge and the juice/water machines the students have access to.

Honor society does a teacher appreciation Bar-b-que in the spring.

At our school if you are:
Vegan - bring your own
Vegetarian - bring your own
Lactose intolerant - bring your own
Don't eat beef - bring your own
I am allergic to all wheat and wheat products - do I complain? No. - I don't expect them to cater to me, the majority can have everything. They let us know the menu in advance and if I can't have something I BRING MY OWN.

I am not paying unless I drink soda and even then I would be getting the soda.

[Zen]

The guy who brought soda, same flavors that are in our free soda fountain, also brought ice. Which we put right next to our (free) ice machine.

I don't know if that's funny or sad.
Is he fully mentally competent? Seriously, is he?

[smilingcat]

I guess I really shouldn't be complaining about the pot luck itself. I was just reacting to das Schweinn (pig) who requested for sushi. and others who poo-pooed my selection in the past.

We also had our pot luck today. General Manager who had requested for the pot luck did a no show and supposedly went out for Xmas shopping. And half the people in our division disappeared like cockroaches when you turn on the kitchen light.

For those attending, we did have pizza hut pizza, pepperoni., Three kinds of chili (I brought one of the three figuring it rates high on guy-food meter), two kinds of fried rice, fried chicken from Ralph's (a local grocery store), spagetti, bunt cake from local grocery store, an IT guy actually made a pot roast woohoo... And yes I did take my stuffed bell peppers (capsicum). They liked it so that's all good.

I'm happy that no one gave me a hard time about my food. That constructive criticism from the engineers is enough to make you bonkers.

Oh thank you for your own personal experience with pot lucks. It's been fun reading.

[Pedal Wench]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedal Wench View Post

The guy who brought soda, same flavors that are in our free soda fountain, also brought ice. Which we put right next to our (free) ice machine.

I don't know if that's funny or sad.
Is he fully mentally competent? Seriously, is he?

I question it too. But, as far as I know, he is fully competent. Just a bit out there. It's so funny. We're a small company. After lunch, everyone tends to pass folks in the hall and say, "great pie!" or "can i have the recipe for that salad?" When I passed him, it took everything I had not to say, "Yummy Diet Coke!"

[ny biker]

This is really interesting.

We have a holiday potluck lunch every year, and it's lots of fun. There are people here from all over the world, so there's a good variety of food. Most people either are decent enough cooks or are married to decent enough cooks, and the rest bring something simple like veggies and dip. Someone brings Popeyes chicken every year and that's always a favorite. The desserts are also a mix of homemade and store bought, but it's all good.

My cooking skills consist of boiling water for pasta and "cooking" frozen foods in the microwave or oven. So I bring spinach dip and bread or crackers. I found a recipe on Kraft's website that includes garlic and parmesan cheese, so it's got a little extra flavor to it, and it only takes 5 minutes to mix everything together.

Every year we invite the cleaning people who work in our building to join us, and we all chip in and give them a gift card as a thank you for their hard work. Then they start the buffet line since they're our guests.

No one expects gourmet food or worries about whether all the different foods go together or whatever. We're just trying to have a little bit of holiday fun.

[sundial]

I had alligator sausage cheesy balls already this morning.

Does it taste like chicken?

[Crankin]

Wow, the pot lucks I have been to at work (schools) have all been organized and with a variety of great food. Nobody brought KFC! What a bunch of lazy people...