Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think fancy tables, China, crystal and WINE are what I miss most about thanksgivings. I grew up with them fancy. We even changed into fancier clothes for dinner. My in-laws is on card tables, paper plates. People roll from the football game to dinner. No one drinks

Why don't you host? Why don't you rotate holidays so that sometimes you are with your family? I'd bring my own wine unless there was an alcoholic in the company.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am shocked at the number of people who don’t understand that a plated sit-down dinner doesn’t necessarily include green bean casserole. Or multi-main courses. Or 30 side dishes. I suppose it could, but there are a lot of assumptions about other people’s holiday traditions and why they are “rude” or wrong.

DP...I don't want to be part of a Thanksgiving dinner that doesn't include tons of side dishes. No thanks, I go to plenty of upscale meals and catered affairs throughout the year. Twice a year, I want a meal to be purely homey and nostalgic.

Great. Nobody is making you. It doesn’t mean families who do it differently are wrong. And I hope you’re the one doing the cooking with an attitude like that.

I am responding to how "shocked" you are that people "don't understand" that Thanksgiving can be a formal, plated meal without tons of delicious, homey sides. I *understand* that...I just don't want that. I'm "shocked" that you "don't understand" that some people would never want that kind of meal on a holiday.

I think we're just "shocked" that you are so rude and that you're so unwilling to concede that others may have different practices. Perhaps (I am being generous using this word because I am trying to stay in the spirit of the season) you are different in real life but posting here you come across as a judgmental ignoramus. I also am completely "shocked" that you have anyone who is willing to invite you to their house.

DP.

DP, who has read the back and forth (why, I don't know). I think it's likely relatively unusual to plate Thanksgiving dinner and that, coupled with more than a little haughtiness from the chef, is what's setting people off. There's this "how can you not know that I serve a gourmet, plated, Thanksgiving meal!?!" attitude that's very off-putting.

And really, no one called the chef PP directly rude, it was a generic comment about plating, and s/he took personal offense and can't let go. It's strange.

I don’t think it’s the same person on the thread bc I’m not the chef and I’ve made a few posts in defense of him or her. But I agree the idea of plating has really set a lot of people off for whatever reason.

Anonymous wrote:I think fancy tables, China, crystal and WINE are what I miss most about thanksgivings. I grew up with them fancy. We even changed into fancier clothes for dinner. My in-laws is on card tables, paper plates. People roll from the football game to dinner. No one drinks

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like for many people Thanksgiving is about someone serving them an all-you-can-eat buffet, without any food touching, and without any regard to the person who cooked all day. Are you people five?

In my family, there is no one person who "cooked all day." Let me guess: in your family, one woman does it all? Nope! In my family, we all make or bring dishes, in addition to the hosts, as in I cook *and so does my husband.*

So our family collectively makes a feast, and then we all help ourselves to whatever we want, however we want it, in what quantity we please, with no observation or judgment from the hosts.

Nope. Not a woman. A male family member does the entire meal and enjoys it. Sorry to disappoint you in your gleeful attempt at stereotyping Internet strangers. But I have cooked it all myself in the past and I’m a woman. No, I didn’t feel victimized, my parents are elderly and I cooked for them and their friends a few years. No, I didn’t ask their friends to bring food.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all people out here plating food for your guests, are you asking them what they want and how much of each thing? White meat vs dark meat? Gravy all over everything or just in a little hole in the mashed potatoes?

As for "presentation" of the food, can't you present it on platters where your guests can then fill their plates from?

I ask white or dark and if folks want some of everything. I don’t ask how much of everything, I eyeball a serving and have enough for seconds or thirds. Gravy boat is placed on the table and passed. Everyone always wants to try everything but we are an easygoing crew.

So easygoing that you must control what and how much your guests eat?

They can eat as much as they want. We make plenty and everyone usually has a few things they want more of after trying it. They are all sitting around enjoying the wine and company too much to ask me to measure out specific amounts of each item I suppose? We are a close family, I have to admit I don’t understand all these suggestions that making a plate is about controlling someone or showing off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all people out here plating food for your guests, are you asking them what they want and how much of each thing? White meat vs dark meat? Gravy all over everything or just in a little hole in the mashed potatoes?

As for "presentation" of the food, can't you present it on platters where your guests can then fill their plates from?

I ask white or dark and if folks want some of everything. I don’t ask how much of everything, I eyeball a serving and have enough for seconds or thirds. Gravy boat is placed on the table and passed. Everyone always wants to try everything but we are an easygoing crew.

So easygoing that you must control what and how much your guests eat?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Y'all people out here plating food for your guests, are you asking them what they want and how much of each thing? White meat vs dark meat? Gravy all over everything or just in a little hole in the mashed potatoes?

As for "presentation" of the food, can't you present it on platters where your guests can then fill their plates from?

I ask white or dark and if folks want some of everything. I don’t ask how much of everything, I eyeball a serving and have enough for seconds or thirds. Gravy boat is placed on the table and passed. Everyone always wants to try everything but we are an easygoing crew.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like for many people Thanksgiving is about someone serving them an all-you-can-eat buffet, without any food touching, and without any regard to the person who cooked all day. Are you people five?

In my family, there is no one person who "cooked all day." Let me guess: in your family, one woman does it all? Nope! In my family, we all make or bring dishes, in addition to the hosts, as in I cook *and so does my husband.*

So our family collectively makes a feast, and then we all help ourselves to whatever we want, however we want it, in what quantity we please, with no observation or judgment from the hosts.

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like for many people Thanksgiving is about someone serving them an all-you-can-eat buffet, without any food touching, and without any regard to the person who cooked all day. Are you people five?

Anonymous wrote:Do you set your holiday table with a nice centerpiece, linens, china, crystal, and sterling silver place settings? Or are you more casual?

Anonymous wrote:Y'all people out here plating food for your guests, are you asking them what they want and how much of each thing? White meat vs dark meat? Gravy all over everything or just in a little hole in the mashed potatoes?

As for "presentation" of the food, can't you present it on platters where your guests can then fill their plates from?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop arguing about the chef who plates the meal? Let’s talk about OP’s question.

Amen. Because so far all I’ve learned from this thread is that if I really hate someone, I should invite them over for Thanksgiving dinner and present their food on a plate.

Anonymous wrote:Can we stop arguing about the chef who plates the meal? Let’s talk about OP’s question.