What would you bring to a potluck?

I've been handed a new assignment at work and, since it's a bit outside my personal experience, I thought I might propose it to the assembled food-centric hive mind here at LTHForum for a bit of enlightenment.

I've been tasked with developing a newsstand magazine of recipes appropriate for bringing to a potluck/church supper-type gathering. I've never been to a potluck supper, so while I have some idea of the kinds of casseroles and slow cooker fare one might find there, but I'd love to hear what would you bring if you were going to one.

Please note, I'm not asking for specific recipes, only for some advice on the kids of foods you might bring. For example, I'd love to know that you might consider bringing a couple dozen stuffed mushroom caps, but I don't need to know you're favorite recipe for them.

Thanks in advance,
Gregg

Gregg-

My first thought is that you should look at the LTHForum Picnic threads to see what people have brought there. It is set up as a potluck, although I would say skews to the more unusual than a typical, say church, potluck.

-Mary

ghollander wrote:I've never been to a potluck supper, so while I have some idea of the kinds of casseroles and slow cooker fare one might find there, but I'd love to hear what would you bring if you were going to one.

How about host a small one? To answer your question, most folks organize into areas of food e.g., salads, sweets, beverages, main courses, appetizers, and just ask folks to sign up. A large part of the fun is not knowing what folks will bring.

If it is winter, nothing beats lasagna or some other baked pasta with cheese. Summertime, I like to show up with pound cake or my peach-blueberry cobbler. Brunch-type, then I go for a quiche. Best appetizer, deviled eggs!

If you have ever dined at a friend's place for Thanksgiving, our National Ode to food, those are frequently just a bit more formalized and directed potlucks. Last year, I made mashed potatoes, 2 types of sweet potatoes, and a kitchen sink/garbage salad with mixed greens, raw kale, oil packed olives, those sweet little grape tomatoes,dried cranberries, fresh honeycrisp apples, roasted corn, and a jar of just made dressing ( I always leave enough dressing for the hosts to use later).

I don't know why, but the food always makes folks happy, I think it is the sheer bounty of it. Folks are gracious, open, and fun at these events. I wonder why we don't host them more frequently?

Hi,

At the Illinois State Fair in August, Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance is sponsoring a culinary competition. They are asking for dishes brought to potlucks, church and community suppers circa 1950 or earlier. The dishes arrive to the fair by 10 AM, then a winner is supposed to be announced by Noon. I'll be one of the judges, I can't wait to see how this plays out.

If you search by topic title, you will find threads on potluck. LTH had a potluck last June with over 50 participants. As someone else pointed out, our picnic is one of the largest potlucks many will likely attend. If you scroll through those posts, you will get an idea of what people bring to these events. Of course, this is LTH, which means our potlucks are very unlike 99% of the potlucks you would ever attend. A lot of community cookbooks would also give you a sense of what people bring to potlucks.

Regards,

I think the problem with looking over the recipes at LTH events is that, on the whole, the things LTHers bring to a potluck are not necessarily what "real' people would bring to a potluck. No one in the real world is going to make their own goose liver terrines wrapped in their own home-made bacon or cover a card table with banana leaves and build a huge caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes and grilled goat cheese.

There might be some inspiration in those lists, such as an exceptional mac and cheese. But I'm guessing a magazine targeting folks going to church suppers is not going to want the vast majority of of dishes that LTHers bring to events. Remember, not only is most of the country not LTHforum, most of the country isn't even Chicago -- or even suburban Chicago. If it were, Hard Rock Cafe and its ilk would cease to exist.

Of course, I'm making a few assumptions, and please Gregg, correct me if I'm wrong -- but I can't imagine most LTHers actually being part of the demographic that would go out and buy a magazine of recipes for potlucks and church socials.

That said, no reason for everything out there to be boring -- but I think that would be more along the lines of a potato salad with a few exotic ingredients (bacon, walnuts, and grapes, or perhaps some crumbled blue cheese and diced avocado) or a broccoli slaw with sunflower seeds, or a better chicken casserole. Maybe a few recipes in each issue of the magazine could be the "over the top" ones for those who are LTHers at heart, even if they've never heard of us. But think about what you'd feed to people who are not members of LTHforum.

As noted by pairs4life, most folks do organize by items -- either assigning or having a volunteer list -- and all the ideas that follow that note are solid.

Additional things I've seen at potlucks and church socials (nicer ones, not the "lime jello and cottage cheese" types -- but still not LTH-like): bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, British-style lamb curry, beef stroganoff, of course green bean casserole, layered salads, Mexican-like dips, hummus with pita, mac and cheese, potato salad (American or German, depending on the crowd), macaroni salad, lasagna, roasted chicken, fried chicken, baked beans, a fair number of different slaws (some with sunflower seeds and ramen noodles, some with pineapple, others more traditional), cheese trays (Cracker Barrel, not Humbolt Fog), sheet cakes (my three standards were an over-the-top lemon cake, an oatmeal cake, and an the Irish-coffee cake) -- those sorts of things. Nice, often "kicked up a notch," at least in suburban Chicagoland, but homely comfort food, not competition-quality exotica.

I don't believe much in "playing to my audience."
Some of my recent buffet items have included 'tray'-style kibbeh (middle-eastern lamb/bulghur pie), a chicken salad with cashews, water chestnuts, scallions, lemon juice and absurd quantities of ginger. I like bringing muhamarra (red pepper and walnut dip), artichoke-parmesan dip...

It's an opportunity for fun. Challenge people to try something new.

Cynthia wrote:Of course, I'm making a few assumptions, and please Gregg, correct me if I'm wrong -- but I can't imagine most LTHers actually being part of the demographic that would go out and buy a magazine of recipes for potlucks and church socials.

I actually actively seek out and collect church and community cookbooks...to cook from them. I can't get enough broccoli salad made with raisins and sunflower seeds. And, though I've yet to try it, my mom would love it if I prepared and fed my husband a wet burrito.

I've been to hundreds of church potlucks and I have to tell you quality has gone downhill. Back in the day, a potluck was an opportunity for folks to show off some culinary skills. Now, it is just cheap, easy junk food. Some of it even purchased already prepared from the local grocery store.

Hi,

I would flip through Taste of Home magazine, because they are quite an influence in food tastes beyond the major metropolitan areas. It is also the largest circulated food magazine in the country by a lot.

I'm sadly not surprised by razbry's comments on the potluck offerings are not as great as before. When I brought homemade food to a church function I was actually accused of showing off. I happen to work at home, the time spent driving to the store to pick up something ready made or prepare something from ingredients on hand to pop in the oven, is about the same. I will loose 30-45 minutes time either way, may as well make something at home.

Some things don't always change for the better.

Regards,

Again, I think that's probably all different when you get outside greater metro areas. In southern Illinois, much of Ohio, Indiana, Texas, and southern New Mexico -- which I list only because these are places where I've been to potlucks, but I'm guessing similarly rural areas have similar demographics-- these types of gatherings are still an opportunity to cook your best dish, and "prize winning" often appears in descriptions of pies and jams. And just think of where all the big barbecue cookoffs take place -- not in New York or Chicago.

In greater metro areas, foodies like cooking from scratch, because it matters to them. To non-foodies, just showing up with food is considered adequate, because if it doesn't matter a lot, it's not worth the hassle, when your schedule is already booked to the max.

So I think Cathy2's advice to look at Taste of Home is good, because there is a market out there for "competitive potluckers."

As for the person who thought you were showing off, C2, I think the comment actually unmasks the speaker's own feelings of inadequacy, having not done anything homemade.

Just wanted to check in and say a quick thanks to all who responded -- would love to read more, so I hope other readers will continue to respond.

I think Cathy2 hit the nail on the head with her suggestion to flip through Taste of Home; this is a solidly middle American sort of project designed to appeal to the readers of ToH, Better Homes and Gardens, etc.

Again, thanks for your comments and suggestions.

Gregg

Hi,

While looking for something else, I found this article describing potluck at RV parks.

There is a subculture for just about anything.

Regards,

I would bring baked beans. Specifically, Lou Don's baked beans, which can be found in the recipe index. I've yet to bring any home.

Baked beans are a great choice.

My new favorite is a Mexican Lasagna, or as it is otherwise called - layered enchilada casserole.


Alternate layers of tortillas, a meat or bean filling, cheese, and salsa or enchilada sauce.

I serve w/ sour cream on the side.