Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Thanksgiving Potluck

Today is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and what better day to have a Thanksgiving potluck?! Nevermind a majority of us will be eating a feast tomorrow night. I brought in homemade Chex mix, because come on, who doesn't like Chex mix? That reason, and I had left over boxes from my insane stocking up of Chex last week. I had this idea to make Christmas gifts, so I was experimenting with Chex recipes and went a little nuts. Plus, it was on sale which made me want to buy more and get a good price. Now I am so sick of Chex that I don't know if making holiday gifts with Chex is such a good idea. I am still looking for other homemade options.

It never fails. Someone brought in the block of cheese. A potluck, in my opinion, is a time to bring in foods you can share and pick up and go. A block of cheese takes time to cut, place on crackers, etc.- its a social food, if you will agree. People eat cheese and crackers at cocktail parties and events where chatting fits the mood. At work and at a work potluck, the idea is not to chat and stand up near the array of foods. There is work to be done! Am I the only one who sees this? Perhaps the person who brought in the cheese is trying to get people to talk in an effort to allow them to work less. Its all a big plan...There was also mysterious deli-cut salami. Now if you are going to bring in salami, at least bring in the "summer sausage," or the kind you cut and put on crackers with cheese. I am assuming the same person who brought in the cheese block brought in the deli salami.

Here is one definition I have found of the term "potluck":

A potluck or potluck dinner is a gathering of people for a meal where the participants are expected to bring food to be shared among everyone at the gathering.

There are no typical dishes in potlucks, the only commonality in dish is that they are large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarilly all) of the anticipated guests.


I realize the above definition states there are no typical dishes, but I have proof that the block of cheese is unfit for potlucks. The actual block was about 6 ounces. NOT ENOUGH for an office full of crazed food eaters and anticipated droppers-by from other departments. And the proportion of crackers to cheese was way off. There was an entire box of crackers for a small block of cheese. Thats like a 25 pound turkey stuffed with 1 cup of stuffing. Doesn't make sense. And the salami was just wrong all together. The person who brought in the cheese should be banned from participating in potlucks.

I am happy to say there was no fried chicken or nacho cheese this time. My Chex mix was made the healthy way (probably much to the surprise of all co-workers). However, that was most likely the only healthy item. I guess you can't have a potluck in an office without doughnuts, pies, and cinnamon buns. Oh, and the cheese.