As Bookwich said;
“I don’t really judge people by their cooking skills, I judge them on their ability to make their guests happy, and being able to provide a fun event, with interesting people…”
I could be incredibly difficult to impress if I wanted to be, however it’s not about any one’s particular talent level, I try to judge everyone by their abilities. Some people cooking is second nature, others it’s a choir and one they can never get the knack for, I understand that and don’t expect anything from anyone, just the offer of opening up their home and a willingness to entertain is enough for me. You can take KFC out of a cardboard bucket if that’s all the time you had on your way home from work, but still wanted to share that bucket with me I’m thankful.
(now if this is one of my “industry” friends, yeah then your a slacker. lol If I know you are capable of things yet too lazy to execute them, then I’ll be a little more critical of you.)
Having been in and around the business my entire life I do feel pressure when I have people over to live up to their expectations though and as such I always try to throw in a few unique dishes. As an example here is my Easter Feast from yesterday.
Here was the entire menu starting from top left;
Ribs / Wings (not placed in pan yet)
Chicken Tequila / Ham
Broccoli Rabe / Stuffed mushrooms
Sweet potato casserole / spaghetti and broccoli
Stuffing / mashed potatoes
Turkey
Bottom left going up;
Filet Mignon
Lamb Chops
Spinach Dip
Italian egg rolls (stuffed with hot Italian sausage, broccoli rabe & 6 cheeses)
Fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers
Shrimp cocktail
Chips/Dips
Things like the chicken tequila, Italian egg rolls and my stuffing (dear God I love my stuffing) are dishes I made specifically to add a little “wow” factor to the feast. To my surprise it seemed like the lamb chops, which is a no brainer to me, was a pretty big hit. (the egg rolls though are always a party favorite)
