"Omelet" wrote

> I've found that discussing menu with dinner guests is always productive.
> :-) I'm not a terribly picky eater so am more than willing to cater to
> guest preferences. I simply won't offer things that I know dad and I
> don't like.

Hehehe same here. When folks ask what to bring, I tell'em anything but
liver (liverwurst excepted, doesnt bother me and Don likes it).

> Makes for a more fun evening and it gives me warm fuzzies when they go
> back for seconds. <g>

And thirds.... ;-)

> Just experienced that last night... I had discussed the menu options
> via e-mail prior to me shopping for dinner.
>
> I prefer to cook for an appreciative audience... It's far more fun!

Yup and nothing wrong with it! I rarely do a 'set menu' but the few times I
do, we email out what it is and anyone who wants to come and knows in
advance they wont want the main dishes etc, brings an extra dish with them
that they like (and enough to share around).

Last time I did that, it was due to an excellent sale on the local blue
crabs and a really nice sale on big stuffable squids. My kitchen wasnt big
enough to make really another 'main dish'. Oven filled with 4 large stuffed
squids, 2 large pots boiling on top waiting for the 15 live crabs. Crockpot
full of mixed sweet and other potato types (steamed in jacket potatoes
really). Ricemaker doing rice. 1 burner for tea, 1 open to reheat anything
needed. Large green leafy salad (4 choices of dressing). Fresh bread as
always.

Joe and Sadie just grinned and told us to tell them how it went (a little
too off kosher for them). The 2 semi-vegetarians decided squid is a
vegetable for the night ;-)

"Dan Abel" wrote

> I have made mistakes in my life. If people won't accept an apology for
> an honest mistake, I don't call them vegetarians, I call them RUDE.
> Other than Jews, most people accept soap and water as a solution for
> this problem. I'm not familiar with strict Jewish cooking, but there
> must be some way to deal with this other than discarding something.

I think he's referring to an extreme case there and yes, they are rude. In
the case of our 'kosher' friends, they are not strict to the point where I
have to worry about kitchen implements. They do avoid pork and many types
of seafoods, but they don't mind (and make themselves) dishes with meat and
milk in the same one etc.