All that work for naught!

[shortbun]

We just got back from Easter dinner at a friends. The plan was that four families were getting together and we'd each take responsibility for an area of the meal. I had dessert, deviled eggs and drinks(non alcoholic). I made two tortes, a huge banana pudding and thumbprint cookies as well as 36 deviled eggs. There was a lot of time and prep that went into all of it AND it was excellent if I do say so myself. When we got there, another family had been invited. They brought a huge, store bought sheet cake and deviled eggs, partially constructed. I cut one of the tortes and spooned out pudding for some people. Most people ate the cake probably because the tortes were unusual and the face it, not many people even know what banana pudding is these days. They mixed the partially constructed eggs on my platters and people just made their own from there. I had a great time but I'm never going to that much work again for that group. I'll be doing store bought stuff from now on and going to a movie the night before!! lol!

 

[Tracy Savage]

Sad isn't it. all that work. Well not that it matters I'd much rather eat homemade than store bought anyday. You can come to my house next year! Did the pudding have Nilla wafers??? Yum!

 

[focusondisney]

We just got back from Easter dinner at a friends. The plan was that four families were getting together and we'd each take responsibility for an area of the meal. I had dessert, deviled eggs and drinks(non alcoholic). I made two tortes, a huge banana pudding and thumbprint cookies as well as 36 deviled eggs. There was a lot of time and prep that went into all of it AND it was excellent if I do say so myself. When we got there, another family had been invited. They brought a huge, store bought sheet cake and deviled eggs, partially constructed. I cut one of the tortes and spooned out pudding for some people. Most people ate the cake probably because the tortes were unusual and the face it, not many people even know what banana pudding is these days. They mixed the partially constructed eggs on my platters and people just made their own from there. I had a great time but I'm never going to that much work again for that group. I'll be doing store bought stuff from now on and going to a movie the night before!! lol!

I hate it when stuff like this happens. If the dinner assignments have already been made, the least the hosts could have done is call you & split up the dessert/ eggs/ drink assignment. This has happened to me. I hate it when you go to all the trouble to think up a dish that you think will be special & then someone shows up with some generic item to compete with it.

Oh well, at least you are putting a good & positive spin on it!

 

[agnes!]

Shoot, I think I could make a meal off of your homemade banana pudding, deviled eggs, tortes and cookies...who needs a main dish?!? Life is short...eat dessert (and deviled eggs!) first !

agnes!

 

[Buckalew11]

was it homemade banana pudding or out of a pudding box?

Sorry that happened...poor planning on the host's part.

 

[kpm76]

So sorry this happened to you! FWIW, your contributions to the meal sound much better than a store bought sheet cake

OT but one thing that always bothers me is when I host a party and tell people to just bring themselves, I really mean just that. I know people feel funny coming empty handed but I always feel bad when someone shows up with something unexpected and it goes to waste. I hosted a bridal shower a few weeks ago and some people brought desserts that I was not expecting. The cake we had was large enogh to feed twice the number of attendees so we realy had way too many sweets. After sending some people home with leftovers, I ended up tossing a lot of good food because we just couldn't eat it all and my freezer was already overflowing. I so appreciate the thought but then I feel sorry for the time and expense people put into dishes that are not consumed.

 

[PixieTopaz]

I'll never forget years ago we had a neighborhood "Progressive" dinner.

One house for Appetisers and cocktails-second house for main meal-2nd couple provided the meat (and 3rd couple brought nice vegetable dish) then on to the 3rd house for dessert.

Everyone always made a special dish except this one couple.

When it was their turn for bringing aveggie-they showed up with 2 cans of corn

 

[HunnyPots]

I am in shock that ANYONE would choose store-bought cake over BANANA PUDDING!!! That's blasphemy! When we have our pot-lucks, the banana pudding is the first dessert to go. I mean, people scope it out ahead of time and plan their meal around it. If I'd been there I would have sampled each of your offerings and completely ignored the cake!

 

[kellydizfan]

I have seen this happen at pretty much anything I have been too that calls for food. They eat the store bought stuff over the homemade and it is really sad. I give up and either don't make anything or dont go to the trouble to take anything at all. It really irks me. I would have loved the stuff you made. Were the eggs store bought also?

 

[Sleepy]

They brought a huge, store bought sheet cake and deviled eggs, partially constructed. They mixed the partially constructed eggs on my platters and people just made their own from there.

If they were that interested in turning it into a kindergarten class project/party, you could have brought some store bought ginerbread men cookies and a tube of frosting. I bet it would have been a huge hit!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I have seen this happen at pretty much anything I have been too that calls for food. They eat the store bought stuff over the homemade and it is really sad. I give up and either don't make anything or dont go to the trouble to take anything at all. It really irks me. I would have loved the stuff you made. Were the eggs store bought also?

I'm guilty of doing this. Sorry, but I just can't eat everyone's cooking.

 

[swanmom]

When it was their turn for bringing a veggie-they showed up with 2 cans of corn

Oh, NO !!! Please don't get us started on 'canned corn' again!

 

[shortbun]

was it homemade banana pudding or out of a pudding box?

Sorry that happened...poor planning on the host's part.

It was home made pudding Buckalew! I stood over the stove for a long time just to make the pudding alone. Like I said, never again. On a positive note, my husband loved it!!!

 

[iwrbnd]

I know how you feel! I did a cookie exchange once and made my grandmother's sugar cookies which are made from scratch, lots of work and absolutely delicious! The cookies I got back in the exchange were easily made or store bought! Never again!

 

[shortbun]

I am in shock that ANYONE would choose store-bought cake over BANANA PUDDING!!! That's blasphemy! When we have our pot-lucks, the banana pudding is the first dessert to go. I mean, people scope it out ahead of time and plan their meal around it. If I'd been there I would have sampled each of your offerings and completely ignored the cake!

Yeah, and I made a huge bowl of it. It was really good but I think people just don't eat that kind of stuff anymore....no one knows how to make it. I learned years ago from my grandmothers and aunts. I have one girlfriend who still cooks like a farm wife and my MIL can but rarely puts a good old fashioned meal together. She usually comes through on a holiday or when her sons(my DH especially) are around.

The tortes were old fashioned linzer tortes from my German ancestry and an Easter tradition for my family. They are loaded with almonds and rasberry filling, everything is hand ground, layered and they have a lattice top with a wonderful almond glaze on top. Lots of time and effort. On the positive side--I got my linzer torte for Easter.

 

[agnes!]

Yeah, and I made a huge bowl of it. It was really good but I think people just don't eat that kind of stuff anymore....no one knows how to make it. I learned years ago from my grandmothers and aunts. I have one girlfriend who still cooks like a farm wife and my MIL can but rarely puts a good old fashioned meal together. She usually comes through on a holiday or when her sons(my DH especially) are around.

The tortes were old fashioned linzer tortes from my German ancestry and an Easter tradition for my family. They are loaded with almonds and rasberry filling, everything is hand ground, layered and they have a lattice top with a wonderful almond glaze on top. Lots of time and effort. On the positive side--I got my linzer torte for Easter.

Damn, girl, if I knew where you lived I think I'd start stalking you for your home-made food . REAL tortes, REAL banana pudding !

agnes!

 

[shortbun]

Damn, girl, if I knew where you lived I think I'd start stalking you for your home-made food . REAL tortes, REAL banana pudding !

agnes!

the funny this is that I love to cook but rarely have the time. It's similar to fishing for me, theraputic. Never enough time to fish or cook. sigh

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm not a "jelly/jam" dessert type of gal--but I would have at least tried your torte.

I would have polished off your banana pudding.

And cake--well...it's cake. Sometimes people just cannot help themselves.

That is a shame and if I was one of the guests, I'd be a bit bummed over no more banana pudding in the future.

 

[Hoodie]

That's frustrating. But I would have been a cake person.

Only because I hate deviled eggs, am allergic to bananas (so no pudding for me!) and not nuts about jelly/jam desserts. (actually, I don't care for fruit in desserts at all. Dessert should have no nutritional value.)

Still, most people I know would love the banana pudding. I'm surprised that didn't make a huge hit!

 

[sbell111]

What's a "partially constructed" deviled egg?