Bad dinner party dishes

[Lisbeth]

This thread is on a slightly different topic from the "worst tasting dinner party food" thread.

Are there foods or drinks that regardless of how they are prepared or served simply don't belong on a dinner party menu at any time whatsoever?  If so, what do you think they would be?

[Chocolate Cake]

I think anything that requires being served at a particular temperature so that it doesn't "go bad" -- deviled eggs, for example.  I love deviled eggs but not after they've sat out on a dinner table for 30 minutes.   Unless I see the host just then take the eggs out of the fridge, I'm not having one.

[Lisbeth]

Along similar lines, I'd be careful about souffles.  They taste wonderful, but they're so fragile that just about anything can make them fall.  Under the circumstances, I wouldn't serve them at a dinner party unless there's a way to make them fall-proof.

[guihong]

Spaghetti, by personal experience.

I've made lasagna for small parties, and not had a mess yet.

gui

[Emmy]

If the dinner party was large and everybody had to sit on the couch and balance their food on their lap, any food that had to be cut with a knife or messy foods such as spaghetti would be a bad idea.  The best bet would be finger foods in that case.  Some meats can have fat or gristle throughout it which is unpleasant and awkward if you need to spit the piece out in your napkin.

I don't think most other foods are 'bad' for dinner parties, but you should know your guests.  If you have a guest who is Jewish, any pork product as a main dish would be a bad choice for that person.

I don't have a problem with spicy foods, but guests should be informed of this before they eat it.  Very hot foods and other foods probably aren't the best for parties with a lot of children or where you don't know people's tastes.  The only way I'd serve something like that is if I knew the majority of people would like it.

[Shoo]

I would say that any dish that the host hasn't tried before is a bad idea.  Experimenting on your guests is never a good thing.

[emeraldsage85]

I would say foods that you know a large number of your guests either can't eat or won't like.

[Please pass the Calgon]

Haggis, Sweetbreads and the like....unless you know that your guests LIKE those dishes.

[Harriet Jones]

I'd put 'mystery dishes' on the list.  I'm not saying you need to divulge the exact recipe for Aunt Midge's Top Secret Tofu Cordon Bleu, but many people have intolerances or allergies.  You should at least be able to say whether something has eggs/dairy/soy/whatever in it.

[Chartreuse]

Maybe it's just me, but how about dishes that are... well... smelly?  Certain cabbage dishes, as an example, smell unappealing when cooked, and can be extremely overpowering.  It can be a real appetite killer. 

Of course, perhaps if your dinner party is consisting of dieters, that may be a good thing.   

[megswsu]

Posted on: Today at 01:31:03 PMPosted by: Shoo 
Insert Quote
I would say that any dish that the host hasn't tried before is a bad idea.  Experimenting on your guests is never a good thing.

Can you tell that to my mom? She *loves* to experiment. I guess she figures she can get away with it b/c we're all family, but not all of her 'experiments' are good ones! 

[Taralala]

I think anything that requires being served at a particular temperature so that it doesn't "go bad" -- deviled eggs, for example.  I love deviled eggs but not after they've sat out on a dinner table for 30 minutes.   Unless I see the host just then take the eggs out of the fridge, I'm not having one.

I've served things like this in a tray of ice to make them buffet-safe. It helps keep them cold, plus when half the ice has melted it lets me know it's time to throw the remaining perishable food away.

[Chocolate Cake]

I would gladly eat one of your deviled eggs because I know you've taken care to keep them chilled.    Towards that end, I have my eye on one of those "thermal oil trays" where the cook chills it or warms it before loading on the food and the oil inside of it keeps the food at that temperature for hours.   I can't quite bring myself to pay the big bucks most places want for one of those trays right now.  Maybe when Bed, Bath, & Beyond comes up with a knock-off......

[alohomora]

I would say that any dish that the host hasn't tried before is a bad idea.  Experimenting on your guests is never a good thing.

I completely agree with that!  We have frequent potlucks at work and we always have a few people who want to "try that dish they saw on food network."  I don't begrudge someone wanting to try a new dish--I love food network and have gotten great meal idea from the shows--I would just appreciate it if people would taste test those dishes at home before they bring them in for a potluck. 

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

Well, if it is a formal sit down dinner, I would say RIBS.  Now, I love ribs, I adore them, they are NUMMY, but they are very difficult to eat delicatley and still stay pristine..UNLESS they are the boneless ones.