How exciting: a dinner party for our adult children, who are joining us here, coming from all over the United States. What fun this is going to be!
I will be super organized and make step by step directions for the meal. It will be as easy as pie, if that were the dessert, which it is not.
First a list of menu items. Then the ingredients in each dish. What does that leave me with? A shopping list with everything on the list I need to put this amazing dinner together.
We’ll start with my famous hot, luscious chicken soup. My grandchildren always love my chicken soup. But, I suddenly realized, my daughters wouldn’t consider eating the chicken soup. Neither of them would appreciate anything made with cute, cuddly, chickens.
Better leave that recipe aside for a while,plan the main course and move on from there. My wonderful recipe for rack of lamb stuffed with a delectable filling of ground beef, truffles and fragrant spices. I prepare that only for company; it’s too much work to prepare for the two of us.
Oh no! I remember that another guest on the dinner list that would object t my cooking with lamb. “Don’t you know the terrible conditions lambs live under? You must boycott buying lamb to protest this inhumane treatment.”
Maybe a dinner based on read meat is not the way to go. We can have a fish dinner: that way nobody can be offended, put off or nauseated. How about a ciappini or bouillabaisse? Not again: now someone on the guest list is allergic to shellfish. It wouldn’t do to have to call an ambulance for a guest who is experiencing Anaphylactic Shock! OK: no shellfish. I’ll prepare a simple fish stew.
“NO,” my son protests. How can you accept the risk of a small child getting impaled on a fish bone and choking to death?
Undefeated, I try the idea of a fish or meat pie. “NO!” they shout in unison; “some of us have gluten intolerance.”
Close to tears, with my heart in the right place, when the guests arrive I hand each one a printed menu from the local restaurant. The restaurant delivers.
All will be well and I will be resolved of any deaths, allergic reactions or nightmares thereafter.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "FAMILY DINNER" (19)
Just read this. Fun post! Don’t know how it escaped me for 6 months.
Sent from my iPhone Jerry
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lol! I sooo rejoice on those rare moments I get a thumbs up from everyone! I usually prepare two of everything (two different entrees, coleslaw & lettuce salad, two unique desserts) when I entertain a crowd.
How generous and thoughtful of you, Inger. I’m not sure the time it would take preparing all that food would make the entire date worthwhile! But if I were there I’d have to try some of everything.
A return to grandma’s day is indicated. Why put up with nonsense? Various polite options could be offered, like, ‘Eat it or starve,’ or ‘If you are nervous about what I might serve up, bring your own.’
If only I had the nerve to say “Eat it or Starve.”
As an alternative one could always lie a little and tell each one that the basis of the food is what they prefer. Of course, one would have to de-bone the chops for them to qualify as ‘soya steaks’. Trouble is they’d find them so delicious you would be badgered to name the supplier.
Ah, a bit of larceny in your soul, huh?I recognize a fellow plotter when I see one! Love your response!
How times have changed!
…and not for the better.
What would your grandmother have done?
Grandma would have said, “This is what’s for dinner.” Period, end of conversation. Why is so so hard to sy that now???
I’m not part of the solution…I’m part of the problem! Both vegetarian and a super picky eater. But I assume all responsibility for that. And trust me, I never go hungry.
Jill, you’ve never lied to me before, so why should I question your truthfulness now, Miss vegetarian, picky eater who never goes hungry!
Yes, I can relate to you dilemma. What we do here in Hawaii is to have each person bring what they ‘do’ eat, with plenty to share. That way, potluck becomes a tasting party for those who have never had a good gluten-free bread. Or a dessert made with cashew cream and dates for sweetener. Everybody wins, because there are always leftovers and everbody leaves with a takeout paper box. And make some meat or chicken dish as well! I’ll bet more will get eaten than you think 😉 Have fun, Ronnie!
That sounds wonderful, as long as your guests don’t take offense at being invited to dinner only to discover that they have to bring their own dinner. And another problem for me is a strategic one: airplane travel is involved with one and a long car trip for another.
Heavens you poor thing! c
Your children are far away in assorted places, so perhaps you don’t face this problem in your family.
What’s most important is that you’re together.. not what you eat. Hard to accept sometimes, especially for us moms who love to cook and bake, but better to just go with the flow…
You lead the way and I’ll follow!