dinner parties: C/D? - or TS: staying at home to eat and get shitfaced vs going out and doing the same...

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i think i'm getting older - i now really like inviting people over for dinner: it's cheaper than going out, you can listen to your own music, i really like my apartment and you can make the drinks as strong as you like them, too. however i did feel a little working-class reactionary twinge the other day when someone at work asked how my dinner party went, replying: "it wasn't really a dinner party, just a bunch of people coming over to eat and get drunk..." i am torn...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave you are OTM!

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

The problem with dinner parties is that someone - well, the host - has to do a whole bunch of work ie shopping, cooking, washing up afterwards. Not to mention worrying about whether people are veggie / like mash etc. Also they involve setting up complex social situations whereby you owe people dinner and have to impress them with your cooking skills and worry about not giving them food poisoning.

― Emma, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i made uber-easy, but v tasty food and i don't trust non-mash-loving vegetarians enough to have them in my home...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

staying at home to eat and get shitfaced=classic in every way!

Dave - I am a vegetarian & I love mash more than life itself, may i come round for dinner?

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Having folks round for a bit of tea and a lot of booze = k-classic. Having a formal dinner party where you're having a major stress about food and the guests = k-rub. The mash issue never arises because if you don't like mashed potato you're no friend of mine.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Dinner parties are so awesome. I wish I could get my shit together to have them regularly. Sometimes its fun to have proper classy ones with a nice bottle of wine and it's also fun to have sloppy ones where everyone gets high and you all fall asleep on the couch watching a bad movie.

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Dave - I am a vegetarian & I love mash more than life itself, may i come round for dinner?

absolutely an time. you and james = v welcome, it's only if yr a vegetarian and a mash-hater that i'd consider you one of those things sent to try me ;-)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Mash is vile you sickos. and I would stress about the food whether I was doing beans on toast or boeuf en croute.

The problem is that staying home for you usually = trekking across city to a public transport hellhole in the middle of nowhere for other people. Meeting up in town is far easier.

― Emma, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

i am even prepared to meet in the middle and do crushed new potatoes with dressing, but to say mash is vile is an act of total insanity...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I cant wait til we get into our new house & get a new dining table & chairs & then hopefully we can have proper dinner parties. Although mine are always informal affairs!

All potatoes rule, but mash is the king edward! heh heh!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah Dave you are just proving my point. If you go to a restaurant people can order what they want. If you have a dinner party you have no choice so it's all 'oh no you should've said you didn't like X' 'yeah I did years ago DO YOU CARE SO LITTLE THAT YOU FORGOT?' etc etc. And nowadays it's not just likes / dislikes / veggie / vegan stuff, you have to worry about real / imagined food allergies & intolerances. bah.

― Emma, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

If I ask people round for dinner and they have weird food issues, it's up to THEM to point them out, and then go from there. TBH, if it's anything more complicated than plain old veganism then I'm unlikely to bother. Actually, for vegans/vegetarians it's easier cooking that finding a restaurant IME. The number of places I've been with vegans where supposedly vegan dishes have had egg, cheese or butter in them is phenomenal.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

i am a potato nazi, sorry...
you would still get drunk at my expense, so would hav e no grounds to complain ;-)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)

It always bugs me when the so-called vegetarian options in a restaurant include fish & even chicken!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

that's just stupid - i really hate "vegetarians" who eat fish... they're lying!

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

since when did anyone plant, grow and dig up a chicken?
they are difficult to mash, too...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

uh huh! I agree! mashed chickens are just so wrong, i mean all that nastiness in the masher!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.seethru.co.uk/zine/ticklist/dinner_party.htm

― piscesboy, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

You know, technically, the chicken is a fruit, not a vegetable.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Either way dude, I am not eating it!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

reminds me of when i failed my economics mock gcse becuse there was an essay question in there about why the barter system eventually failed and was overtaken by cash. i wrote a stupid essay abt how difficult it was to stuff pigs and cabbages in a cigarette/condom machine, thus it was really impractical and cash was much better...
(i did the real one sensibly and passed btw...)

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:17 (twenty-two years ago)

i think i need to go home, as I just found dave's post extremely funny! esp the i did the real one sensibly and passed btw...

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

;-)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

haha great link piscesboy!

― teeny (teeny), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Yus, it was, that made me laugh loads too!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:22 (twenty-two years ago)

many of those reasons are why a don't have "dinner parties" per se... also i demand that everyone drinks similarly daft amounts, thou i do like balsamic vinegar... dessert is never a tower, it is normally some kind of fruit soaked in booze with cream...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I have dinner parties, but with fire and beer and outside. We call 'em "cook outs".

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

i think the trick is to have the casual cookout attitude regardless of schmance-level - so you can do bottles of wine, water glasses, cloth napkins etc as long as you don't stress the fuck out about it and make me feel like you're playing dress-up with mommy's clothes

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

And under no circumstances whatsoever should anyone suggest playing charades.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

cooking for friends = fantastic, I love it.

I do get stressed when I do it too, but in a good way, it's exciting to try and cook seven things in one oven and four rings

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, it's totally classic. what i hate is birthday parties at restaurants, sorry, $40 for the privilege of talking your room-mate wasn't the gift i had in mind!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I too love the pressure of cooking for friends; the intensity of something on each burner, something in the oven, something in the toaster oven, and prepping food on the counter all at once; the "oh my god, will they EAT this? will they LIKE it!?!" tension; and especially the post-stuffing-ourselves glasses-of-wine (and optional doobage) fun and relaxation. I don't usually call them "dinner parties", but I soooooo love to do this.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I had a dinner party once. I made flan, and no one would eat it. :(

― Mandee, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:52 (twenty-two years ago)

++fruit soaked in booze with cream

this sounds good...any tips?

― kephm, Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

mandee you should have called it "creme de wolfshirt"

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

punnt of strawberries halved, punnet of rapberries washed, punnet of redcurrants washed, tip into a bowl sprinkle lightly with demerara sugar add about 4 large shots of drambuie, cover bowl and leave overnight then serve with extra-thick cream...

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I love dinner parties. I love them even more than going out to eat, unless you're talking about somewhere close to 30 or so of my relatives, in which case it would probably be cheaper and less of a hassle to go to a buffet place to converge and nosh. But in a smallish setting, which encompasses all my friends, dinner parties are fantab.

The timing for this question is great, btw. I'm going to a potluck dinner in two days' time and I'm really looking forward to it. The last one was utterly beyond amazingly fun. We got to swap recipes and talk about Life in General and overall just had a really good time.

I am ancient, darlings. Please fetch me my walker.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

ok - fave recipes, then?

― Dave Stelfox (Dave Stelfox), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The tart I've mentioned before (on the easy recipe thread) is a good an easy one. Also good and relatively easy is a good big lump of horse. I can't remember what else I've cooked for people to be honest, I tend to end the nights a bit tipsy as I have a habit of drinking rather heavily while cooking.

Marinating meat and then barbecueing it is always a winner though.

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh goodness me, there's this amazing cookie bar I had the last time around and that I have the recipe for, but I have it at home! Tonight I will definitely have to post it for you. It is so absolutely beyond wonderful.

My personal speciality is Waldorf salad. 'Tis a salad with apples, celery, walnuts (or pecans), raisins, mayonnaise, whipped cream, and lemon (or lime) juice. The trick is to get the absolute best apples and raisins. I've made this so many times I do really think I could make it in my sleep.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I had a dinner party once. I made flan, and no one would eat it. :(

When I was a teenager, our Spanish teacher took us all up to Ybor City (the Cuban and black section of Tampa), and I have never been more embarrassed to be part of a group of people in my life. First, three different people referred to the place--right in public in the middle of it, too--as "Niggertown". Second, we went to lunch at the Columbian (concidered at the time to be the best Spanish resteraunt on the East Coast), and not only did one person ask for ketchup for his (delicious) chicken, everyone treated the flan like it was some sort of alien conoction. Seriously. "What the hell is it?" "I don't know." One person even spit it out onto the tablecloth. It was a good thing for me, because I got to eat three portions of it.

Sorry to drag the thread off-topic. And I love Waldorf salad, too.

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Emma is against this because she has this huge problem of persuading an embarrassing housemate to be elsewhere, for fear of humiliation.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I love dinner parties. In my usage, they aren't formal, but rather inviting a few friends over for dinner. Everyone helps, there is a division of labor, we gather in the kitchen and talk while prepping and cooking. Much better than a restaurant, and people can sleep over if they are too drunk or tired to go home; or stay up and talk until 3am, whatever. Love 'em.

― Orbit (Orbit), Wednesday, 30 July 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I do roast dinners for my friends on occasion. Roasts are great cos you just chop up a load of veggies and throw them and a lamb leg into the oven, and it cooks itself. Boil up some peas and make some gravy and shazam!

Plus, I can accomodate my veggie friends by cooking the veg on its own and using vegetarian gravy and making loads of desert :)

And everyone is happy with a belly full of roast lamb and veg.

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 31 July 2003 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Damn straight

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 31 July 2003 00:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked 'em when I had a house with a porch. We throw something on the grill, crank up the jukebox and play games on the porch. Now I live in a crappy apt and never want anyone over. We just meet at Ships, order Mexican from next door and play Uno.

― Texas Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 31 July 2003 01:36 (twenty-two years ago)

It is important to have someplace where people would want to come. But this is exactly what we do, and exactly the sorts of "parties" I enjoy -- friends eating, drinking, playing games or music, having a nice time. I am always baffled when people come into town and want to go "out" -- c'mon, we've got booze here and couches (well we used to) and food and we can take our shoes off and no one has to be designated driver and -- there are no advantages to drinking out unless you want to see and be seen, and I'm just not interested in that.

Also I am old, OK, you got me.

― Chris P (Chris P), Thursday, 31 July 2003 01:44 (twenty-two years ago)

having recently overcome my fear of alpha males i also enjoy a good cook-out (read barby). cook it, stick it on a big table with some plates and let people grab what they want, sit where they like. let someone else bring the salad or dessert.

add alcohol and a stereo.

― gaz (gaz), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I so want to throw a progressive dinner party. Now that I have more friends and aquaintance in my neighborhood, I could so do this.

― rosemary (rosemary), Thursday, 31 July 2003 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I've had one of these. Interesting but not fun enough to do on a regular basis. why not have a flash mob potluck?

― Texas Sam (thatgirl), Thursday, 31 July 2003 06:57 (twenty-two years ago)

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