What Do You REALLY Think About Guests Bringing Food?

[NYCgrrl]

Don’t unless requested.No idea how or why Jamaicans and sweet potatoes entered the conversation but sure it’s very deep.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Now I understand why I am never invited to dinner parties.

I certainly don't host them! LOL

 

[a1tinkfans]

This Q was from 2015 and we re all still wondering..

 

[bethbuchall]

I will always ask if I can make something or help in some way, but I’d never bring something that is meant to be served at the party. On the other hand, I never throw a party that’s really formal, and I can make a place for anything that’s brought. If it doesn’t look good, I’d be extra sure that I thanked the giver in front of everyone so that they know I didn’t make it

 

[bethbuchall]

This Q was from 2015 and we re all still wondering..

Oh, man! I got caught on this one! I usually check dates and obviously didn’t this time.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

The sweet potatoes you’d find in Jamaica (and other tropical regions around the world) are unlikely to be the same variety we eat most commonly here in the States. We westerners love our fats and sugars and huge portion sizes and we’ve selectively bred and genetically modified our foods to reflect that. While traveling, I’ve eaten (and loved!) many things that are usually too sweet for me — pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes. They were milder in flavor and not nearly as sweet and I preferred them far more to the types I usually have access to at the grocery store. I’ve even found plain sugar to be less sweet in other places.

IMO, sweet potatoes can be somewhat tolerable if baked or roasted and seasoned to lean more savory, but the traditional sweet potato casserole where you dump sugary marshmallows on top of sugary brown sugar on top of sugary sweet potatoes…. The earlier description of baby food topped with candy is exactly right. It’s so gross, you might as well be drinking a glass of simple syrup and I’ll fight anyone who tries to tell me any different.

 

[lisaviolet]

Don’t unless requested.No idea how or why Jamaicans and sweet potatoes entered the conversation but sure it’s very deep.

Because sweet potatoes and baby food in the same sentence was too good to pass up.

Thankfully they left bammy, callaloo and ackee alone.

@TipsyTraveler I knew what American classic they were referring to although I have never had the pleasure I just could not resist. Simply a playin' and having fun.

 

[leebee]

One thing I've learned about holiday foods: People like to stick with tradition. I have a friend who was asked to bring green bean casserole. She'd never had it and asked for my input. I told her: canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and those fried onions that come in a bag or a can. (I gave her brands, directions, spices... but you get the idea.) She wasn't happy, and instead steamed fresh green beans, made a cream sauce with mushrooms and sherry, and made roasted onion slices with a parmesean/crumb coating for the top. It did not go over well... It was delicious, but you know what people were expecting!

 

[mjkacmom]

One thing I've learned about holiday foods: People like to stick with tradition. I have a friend who was asked to bring green bean casserole. She'd never had it and asked for my input. I told her: canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and those fried onions that come in a bag or a can. (I gave her brands, directions, spices... but you get the idea.) She wasn't happy, and instead steamed fresh green beans, made a cream sauce with mushrooms and sherry, and made roasted onion slices with a parmesean/crumb coating for the top. It did not go over well... It was delicious, but you know what people were expecting!

We do frozen French beans but I get it, someone was asked on a Facebook group how to make it because she was asked and was from Canada, one person suggested making it with “real” ingredients, nope, no you don’t.

 

[prairie_girl]

Wow, a seven year old thread being resurected. @ronandannette do you feel extra loved today lol

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Because sweet potatoes and baby food in the same sentence was too good to pass up.

Thankfully they left bammy, callaloo and ackee alone.

@TipsyTraveler I knew what American classic they were referring to although I have never had the pleasure I just could not resist. Simply a playin' and having fun.

I envy anyone who’s never had to choke down that dreck in the name politeness. Frankly, most of the traditional American Thanksgiving dishes that end up on the table belong in the trash.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We had dinner at DBIL's. His adult dtrs helped(?) this year -- with 4 varieties of jello. um, no. The turkey was fine. I just don't see the fascination of instant potatoes.

Speaking of tradition, the last time DMIL insisted on pumpkin pie (along with our choices of more palatable flavors.) No one went near the pumpkin.

FWIW, I didn't "have" to take anything, but the troops loved my homemade caramels.

 

[CT Yankee]

This falls into the "life's too short" category for me, I have to say. I only socialize with the most cool, relaxed group of people. Nobody I know gets bent over things like this.

Amen! I always wonder how people have enough room in their lives to get so offended by minor stuff like this.

 

[lisaviolet]

I envy anyone who’s never had to choke down that dreck in the name politeness.

This Canadian knows what it is, has American family, but has somehow missed the opportunity. Is it only served at Thanksgiving?

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The rest of your post reminds me of ordering groceries for WDW. I added some notes for the black eyed peas I had on there, a la please nothing added. She chastised me a la " Holy. We know our black eyed peas". I said okay then but since I am not ordering dried, I just want to make sure and have seen extras added in - in some of your stores. She chastised me again and said it would be fine.

Received black eyed peas full of other crap.

His adult dtrs helped(?) this year -- with 4 varieties of jello. um, no.

Could feel your post. Hysterical.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This Canadian knows what it is, has American family, but has somehow missed the opportunity. Is it only served at Thanksgiving?

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The rest of your post reminds me of ordering groceries for WDW. I added some notes for the black eyed peas I had on there, a la please nothing added. She chastised me a la " Holy. We know our black eyed peas". I said okay then but since I am not ordering dried, I just want to make sure and have seen extras added in - in some of your stores. She chastised me again and said it would be fine.

Received black eyed peas full of other crap.





Could feel your post. Hysterical.

Gosh, I hope so.

 

[ronandannette]

Pour heavy cream, flavoring, and sugar in an empty pickle jar, close and shake for fast whipped cream that needs to be stored. Use 10X instead of granulated sugar if possible.

Or leave out the vanilla & sugar, add some salt, shake a few minutes longer and have fresh butter. My dear Grandma used to make it for supper with cream from her own cow just about every night.

We do frozen French beans but I get it, someone was asked on a Facebook group how to make it because she was asked and was from Canada, one person suggested making it with “real” ingredients, nope, no you don’t.

This casserole was something I only ever heard of on the DIS. It is totally not a thing in Canada, nor to my knowledge is the sweet potato sludge baked with the marshmallows on top.

I envy anyone who’s never had to choke down that dreck in the name of politeness. Frankly, most of the traditional American Thanksgiving dishes that end up on the table belong in the trash.

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I was ready to come at you until I realized you politely excluded Canadian Thanksgiving foods from your shade, even though they are mostly identical.

Amen! I always wonder how people have enough room in their lives to get so offended by minor stuff like this.

Obviously, it's because we all live such charmed lives that we don't have any major stuff to be offended by. Leaves plenty of room for the outrage of annoying noodle salads.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This casserole was something I only ever heard of on the DIS. It is totally not a thing in Canada, nor to my knowledge is the sweet potato sludge baked with the marshmallows on top.

I was ready to come at you until I realized you politely excluded Canadian Thanksgiving foods from your shade, even though they are mostly identical.

It was an intentional choice. I’m not trying to start an international incident.

Your Thanksgiving foods are definitely not “mostly identical” to ours if you’re not eating sweet potato sludge and green bean cream-of-crap casserole. Does your cranberry sauce look like it came straight out of a dog food can by any chance?

 

[ronandannette]

It was an intentional choice. I’m not trying to start an international incident.

Your Thanksgiving foods are definitely not “mostly identical” to ours if you’re not eating sweet potato sludge and green bean cream-of-crap casserole. Does your cranberry sauce look like it came straight out of a can of dog food by any chance?

Full disclosure - yes it does. But a savvy hostess like myself hits it with a spoon a couple of times and pours it into a fancy dish and really, how could you tell? Protip: Stir up the cranberries to knock the can-marks off!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Full disclosure - yes it does. But a savvy hostess like myself hits it with a spoon a couple of times and pours it into a fancy dish and really, how could you tell? Protip: Stir up the cranberries to knock the can-marks off!
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Here you’ll get in trouble for not serving it like this.

 

[Micca]

Stir up the cranberries to knock the can-marks off!

Anybody who doesn't bother to do this has just given up!