There is a funny article at the New York Times entitled ‘Store Bought’ Spoils the Potluck Spirit which echoes my own feelings on the issue of the Pot Luck. The article focuses mainly on bake sales and the insidious practice of purchasing goods for resale rather than home baking. The writer points out this practice is also creeping into the Pot Luck Dinner as well.
I can understand the many reasons people have for thinking it easier and cheaper to just purchase a pizza or some wings and heat them up for a pot luck. But, if you are going to just purchase food, why not pool the funds of everyone, pick different take-out joints and let everyone try something from everywhere and make a contest out of the whole affair by picking the best restaurant. I have nothing against fast food, or even supermarket prepared food but, the idea of a pot luck dinner, to me, is a culinary role of the dice. As was pointed out in the article, the practice started by just trying your luck at a host's home and whatever they were serving.
I love pot luck dinners and usually try anything that is home made and have had some of the best food I have ever eaten at many a pot luck dinner. Sometimes the food doesn't come out the way the cook intended, and I am sure this is another reason that people choose to buy rather than try. Many people think they have to compete with that one person at each pot luck who seems to bring the perfect dish every time and plates it spectacularly to boot. But, I never compare one dish against any other at a pot luck; for me it is about the plate of food as a whole and the feeling of community and sharing.
Many times I have been invited to a pot luck and was told before hand to bring a specific dish or specific type of dish - vegetable side, starter, meat dish, etc. This I am not a fan of. To me a pot luck should have an emphasis on the "luck". Just like Bits 'n' Bites, every pot luck should be a new experience and, if it happens that everyone brings the same dish, well, so be it; find the humour in it and go with it. Again, it is all about luck. And, after all, the idea is to get together with friends and have a little something to eat. If we are less focused on the food and its presentation and more focused on the people and the conversation the evening will be memorable for more than just the fact that everyone brought Swedish meat balls.
So, here are the rules I think should govern the Pot Luck Dinner:
1) You must bring the food in the pot, pan or casserole that it was made in: no fancy plating.
2) No store or restaurant bought food.
3) No micro managing the food. Everyone brings what they want without instructions.
4) If there are guests who can not cook they must bring a bottle of wine that may or may not go with the food, but they can not be told what is being made. Pure roll of the dice here as well.
5) Host/Hostess supply hors d'ouvres and dessert but no other dish.
6) Everyone helps with the set up and clean up.
No comments:
Post a Comment