Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article et>,
> "Gregory Morrow" > wrote:
>
> > Michael Horowitz wrote:
> >
> > > Assume a side dish is cooked some time earlier in the day in any old
> > > containor. Now it's time to reheat it in the oven and get it on the
> > > table. The white Corningware just doesn't fit in with Aunt Sissy's
> > > fine china. Clunky.
>
> > Why don't you simply serve your guests? I can't imagine making my
guests
> > pass containers of food around the table. It's cheap, tacky, and a
> > PITA...very poor manners.
>
> Curiosity question, Greg: How do you accomplish this? First thought:
> I'm picturing you (host) standing beside each guest, one by one, while
> guest takes food from serving dish you hold.


I don't do that, it's pretty unwieldy...


Second thought: Host
> arranges food on guest's plate out of sight (in the kitchen) and
> delivers it to guest. In first thought, each guest receiving a full
> plate of food takes forever; in second thought, guest has no say in
> selection of food distributed to guest's plate.


Well, you just ask folks what they want...and if it's a set menu it's no big
prob...and if yer organized there is no reason for a "time" problem...

If it's a small informal boo - fay the peeps just serve themselves...if it's
a sit - down dealie I like to serve my guests, I've never more than about
six in any case so it's not that hard. If one has a larger number of guests
it could be a problem, but not any worse than waiting for a passed dish to
reach you...

Believe me, passing around a bunch of dishes to guests one - by - one is
INMSHO more time consuming than simply serving them...there will be a time
lag between the first people to help themselves and the last...


In both thoughts, it
> seems like food is going to be nigh unto cold by the time the first fork
> gets into the mouth.


Why would it be any colder than if it's served via a serving dish passed
around...???

And if desired, the plates can be heated (or chilled) so as ensure that the
food is at a right proper temperature...

And manners - wise do the first people to fill their plates wait until the
last folks' plates are full to eat or do they have the courtesy to wait?
That waiting time can affect the grub's temp, too...


What am I missing?
> -Barb
> Cheap, tacky, and well-known PITA.


Now don't be talkin' that way luv...we all know it's *not* true ;-)


[I've actually got a bevy of nubile servants to do my guests' bidding,
donchya know...???]

--
Best
Greg