November 05, 2007i'm coming over to your house! i'm bringing food!i was thinking about what my favorite dish is to bring to a potluck, but i have so many, and they vary according to theme and time of year, so instead i'm just going to write about potluck dos and don'ts. as i see it, you have a few major considerations when it comes to potlucks: allergies, tricky ingredients, and kid-friendliness. as far as allergies go, unless you specifically know that one of your friends can't eat something, it's their responsibility to make sure that they can eat your food without, you know, dying. i like to bring an index card with my dishes that lists all the ingredients and then put it next to my food item so no one has to wonder. but if i have a choice between a dish with a well-known allergen and one without, i go with the one without. (briefly, while we're on this subject, preparing gluten-free dishes for potlucks will likely bring you the starry-eyed devotion of at least one attendee. wheat allergies are a nasty business, and i like to think of gluten-free folks, diabetics, and vegans as all being in the same boat, and that boat is named: "we can't eat a single thing you've prepared for dinner, so we're filling up on celery sticks and olives out of the can.") when i say "tricky ingredients," i mean those controversial foods that people either love or hate. like cilantro. three of the people that i love most in the world are confirmed cilantro-haters, and while this is killing me very slowly and painfully, i am considerate of their tastes when i'm preparing dishes for events where i know they'll be in attendance. if the recipe calls for cilantro, i sub parsley, or i (gasp!) leave it all together, if it's just a tablespoon or so. it's the considerate thing to do. finally, even if i'm pretty sure that there aren't going to be kids attending, i try to make something that is pleasing to all palates. that doesn't mean bland—give kids some credit. i just mean that no matter how much i like my nachos to be drowning in jalapeno slices or my curry to burn like the texas sun on a black top basketball court, i scale it way back when i'm cooking for a large and assorted group of people. after all that is factored in, i make something that: - is very portable - can feed a lot of people - doesn't require any special equipment or serving dish (in other words, if you're bringing soup or vegan ice cream, make sure you bring bowls for everyone, too.) - doesn't necessitate that the host of the event do anything (don't be that person who shows up to the potluck with a half-baked casserole that has to be in the oven at 375 for 10 more minutes, because maybe your host already has something in the oven, or maybe she doesn't want to babysit your food while you sip cocktails in the other room, so don't put her out.) - is able to sit out without going bad - uses seasonal ingredients, because i cook seasonally. you do, too, right? - and tastes stupendous. but don't worry too much about this one. if you like it enough to share it, other people will like it, too. what are your favorite foods to bring to a potluck?
posted by joanna @ 2:18 PM
12 Comments:
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your goddess pasta salad! it makes a boatload, and people love it. great at bbqs.
cupcakes! i bring cupcakes way too often, it's almost sad that i don't mind skipping the meal if it means i'll have dessert!
--kelly
I have a reputation for bringing vegan gluten free cupcakes. But I also like to make cornbread--I make it with brown rice flour and buckwheat.
hey-you're not really coming to my house, are you?! that's tricky. =)
i brought sushi to the last asian-themed potluck i went to and it worked out well. i get stuck sometimes when trying to think of what to bring. i reaaaaallly want to impress, so i will try a new recipe and it doesn't always turn out well...
sorry to hear about all of the difficulties re: lolo's book. i can't wait for your book to come out! i plan on buying multiple copies and giving them out as gifts.
i like to bring indian lemon rice. it's quick and easy to make in large quantities, gluten-free, tangy, and can be served at room temp. I usually vary the spiciness according to the group.
spinach tofu pie, samosas with homemade chutney, mac & cheeze for the kids, and appetizers (pate or phyllo rolls) to keep people busy until everyone arrives are some of my usuals.
i agree with rose, your goddess pasta salad is a real crowd pleaser. i also like to bring stuff in phyllo, either triangles or cups, most of the time i am asked to bring dessert, so, of course, i bring cupcakes.
Our TVPs are themed, which helps a lot. So I guess it just depends if I feel like showing off or not. I made some faux shrimp for our Chinese one which were pretty rad. They were filled with soft stuff and rolled in yuba, though I can't remember the details.
Love!
xo
kittee
Cupcakes. *blushes* I'm such a jump on the bandwagen type of girl. But they just always get such good reactions!
My other favorite is cucumber salad. Portable and delicious. :)
I wish you were really bringing food to my house! I like to bring salad to vegan pot lucks anyway. People always eat salad but everyone forgets to make them. Also wingz, tempeh or with a sub. They're messy, but good.
Hummus and veggies are a great potluck item.
We have a monthly pot-luck at the Quaker meeting we attend (Live Oak Friends Meeting - Houston, TX)... so, as you can imagine there are a lot of vegan/veggie dishes and lots of kiddos to consider, including mine. I usually stick with dessert 'cause its my favorite thing to make - but I also have a rule about pot-lucks... I take something I KNOW my family will like, that's filling, in case everything else falls into the "that's too weird or is really yucky" category. My stample is mac'n'cheese from scratch. I use all organic ingredients... and home-made mac'n'cheese is a LOT easier to make than you think and is just plain YUMMY!!! Its a hit for young and old alike. And... though I don't have any gluten issues here - I assume its just as easy to use gluten-free pasta.