Beginner’s (pot)luck
Want to get a social life? Invite some friends and family over and ask them to bring something edible to share. Voila! You’re hosting a potluck – and there’s no easier way of throwing a party.
“Potluck” refers to the food offered at spontaneous social gatherings. Potluck meals – deliberately scheduled gatherings where guests provide the food – have long been popular “at churches, schools and fundraisers because they capitalize on individual specialties and minimize individual costs,” says Robert A. Palmati in his book “Food: A Dictionary of Literal and Nonliteral Terms” (Greenwood Press, 2000).
Potlucks are also perennially popular among students and groups of friends, who appreciate the ease and low cost of potluck-style entertaining, as well as the sense of camaraderie it fosters.
Julia Parker, a nurse and mother of two from Moscow, Idaho, said, “When I was in graduate school, we were all on such limited incomes that I went to more than one potluck where there were just variations on rice and beans. Once in a while someone was flush and added in a few pieces of chicken. It was still a lot of fun.”
People who love to eat and cook usually love potlucks for reasons other than economy: a chance to shine, to try something new, to taste foods you love but don’t normally cook at home.
Marie Glynn, assistant professor of general education at Washington State University in Pullman, remembers: “In my late 20’s and 30’s, when I was in grad school, I went to potlucks all the time. One hostess who got me to stretch my limits had ‘theme’ dinners once a month: Mexican, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern, African. Of course we tried to outdo each other. It was a friendly competition, and there were no losers. We all had a great meal, a great time, and everyone went home with a stack of new recipes.”
Potlucks can be foodie heaven, it’s true, but for students of human nature, the potluck, or its absence, offers a treasure trove of sociological insights.
You won’t, for instance, find French people tossing out invites for “le potluck” to celebrate a birthday or a wedding, as we might in the U.S. In some cultures, potluck parties are simply … foreign.
I asked members of the Association for the Study of Food and Society to talk about potlucks recently in an online discussion and discovered just how rich a topic it is. (For the full discussion, go to http://forums.nyu.edu/cgi-bin/nyu.pl?visit=asfs, click on “read messages” and scroll down until you see the potluck thread.)
Riki Saltzman of the Iowa Arts Council hosts two multicultural potlucks each year at her home in Des Moines, one at Chanukah for her friends, and one in the summer to celebrate her adopted daughter’s day of arrival from Cambodia.
“It’s taken some years to get Bosnian friends to be comfortable with the potluck approach,” said Saltzman. “It’s regarded as an insult to a Bosnian woman’s ability to cook to bring food into her home. Now my Bosnian friends bring their homemade pita bread and baklava.”
Even throughout the United States, potluck traditions vary from place to place and from event to event. The type of food that gets gobbled up, the acceptability of store-bought offerings, the ruthlessness of the competition, it’s all up for debate depending on the guests and the setting.
“Remember, if you bring chips and salsa, you eat chips and salsa,” warned a Palouse Folklore Society e-mail invitation to a pre-contra dance potluck last summer.
“There are often paltry pickings at some contra potlucks held in dance halls,” agreed musician Anita Anderson of Seattle. “The food for a pre-contra potluck is essentially a ticket to get in, and people don’t think of it as a primary focus. But at a meal that’s advertised as such, then I see the old family recipes and fancy ingredients appear.”
Janet Chrzan, an anthropology professor transplanted from California to Pennsylvania, noted that deviled eggs are always a potluck success for her. However, she said, “Have you noticed that ‘healthy food’ is simply not that popular at a potluck? Everyone always says ‘Oh, look, there’s a salad,’ and then they beetle right toward the mac and cheese and ambrosia salad! And chocolate cake is gone in seconds.”
“When I moved to Napa I was astounded by the homemade but professional quality fare at potlucks,” said Betty Teller, who moved to California from the East Coast. “On the East Coast I was used to lasagna, mac and cheese, and other starch and cheese dishes. Here, that sort of thing sits on the table congealing, in favor of the salads. The most popular dish contributed to a party I gave recently was watermelon salad – chunks of fresh watermelon with fresh mint, a little feta cheese, and a lime juice dressing.”
“I grew up somewhere close to the buckle of the Bible belt and there were definite “rules” about potlucks. Things like only a certain person could bring a certain dish because it was her turf and there was a clear expectation that everything was homemade. Bringing something ‘store bought’ brought you way down the status ladder,” said Jeffrey Miller, assistant professor in the food science and human nutrition department at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. “Today, when I go to potlucks about half the stuff is store bought.”
Store-bought is more common for potluck offerings now, even if it’s done on the sly. A former cafe owner in Portland said that potluck-goers frequently brought their own empty dishes to her shop to fill up with food before heading to a potluck event, pretending they’d been slaving away in the kitchen.
No matter where you live, if you’re invited to a potluck, you can’t go wrong with a carefully prepared homemade dish. But if you bring something from a shop, splurge a little if you can, and offer artisan cheeses, terrines, breads and desserts, undisguised. Not only will you not have to lie about its origins, but the effort you made to find something special will reassure the host and the other guests that their friendship means something to you, which is the main point of any social gathering, even a very casual one.
International potlucks
One potluck constant throughout the country and even overseas is high-quality offerings at “multicultural” potlucks. In a convivial crowd of mixed ethnic origins, the desire to share with friends and acquaintances the best of one’s home cuisine can launch a potluck menu into the realm of the sublime.
Mushroom Medley Frittata
From Omelettes, Soufflés & Frittatas by Lou Seibert Pappas (Chronicle Books, 1999). Frittatas are often found on the tapas bars in Spain. You can eat them with your fingers, and they’re tasty even when cold. This mushroom version is so good, you’d better make two.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or porcini oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
12 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
6 eggs
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch round or square baking dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the garlic and shallot until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, increase heat to medium high, and sauté until soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs just until blended. Mix in the tarragon or dill, salt, pepper, and mushrooms. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until set. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with parsley or chives.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 168 calories, 12 grams fat (4 grams saturated, 66 percent fat calories), 10 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 220 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 186 milligrams sodium.
Chickpeas Stewed with Chorizo
From Williams-Sonoma “Small Plates” (Time-Life Books, 1999). This is a fabulous winter dish, and is about the only way I like to eat garbanzo beans. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to make since the main ingredient is beans; it is deliciously North African in style, and easy to keep warm in a crock-pot.
2 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 bay leaf
Large pinch of dried thyme
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 chorizo sausages, about 3/4 pound total weight, pricked with a fork
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Pick over the chickpeas and discard any misshapen peas or stones. Rinse and drain. Place in a bowl, add cold water to cover generously, and let soak for at least 4 hours or for up to overnight.
Drain the chickpeas and place in a saucepan with the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, thyme and water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the skins just begin to crack and the chickpeas are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and chorizo and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and their liquid and simmer slowly uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the chorizo to a cutting board. Slice on the diagonal into slices 1/4 inch thick. Return the chorizo slices to the pan and heat through for 1 minute.
To serve, transfer the chickpeas and chorizo to a warmed serving dish, and garnish with the parsley. Serve warm. Can be made 2 days in advance, covered and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.
Yield: 6 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 583 calories, 34 grams fat (9.5 grams saturated, 52 percent fat calories), 28 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrate, 50 milligrams cholesterol, 9 grams dietary fiber, 811 milligrams sodium.
Dessert potlucks
Freelance writer Bill London and his wife Gina Gormley of Moscow, Idaho, spoke highly of the dessert potluck tradition they started a few years ago when, as new empty nesters, they found themselves ready to throw some grown-up parties. Their dessert potlucks start around 8 p.m., and have recently morphed into musical jam sessions, which fit together with dessert quite nicely.
“People can nibble and play, nibble, and play some more,” London said.
Chocolate Toffee-Bit Cookies
From Marie Glynn, Pullman
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Melt butter and chocolate over lowest possible heat. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy; add chocolate mixture. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder and add to batter. Add vanilla. Stir in toffee bits and pecan pieces. Chill batter 45 minutes. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or just until risen cookies start to fall.
Yield: 18 cookies
Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.
Pear Crisp with Bourbon and Maple Syrup
From Cobblers, Crisps, and Deep-Dish Pies by Lisa Yockelson (HarperCollins, 1995). I like crisps and cobblers better than pies for potlucks because it’s easier to spoon up a small portion; the better for trying out all the desserts. Yockelson recommends serving this one with softly whipped cream.
6 pears, (about 2 pounds) peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 recipe Oatmeal Crisp Topping (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch oval ovenproof baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, toss the pears with the maple syrup, bourbon, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Spoon the fruit into the baking dish. Sprinkle the crisp topping over the fruit in an even layer.
Bake the crisp for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pears are tender and the topping is golden.
Yield: 6 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 511 calories, 17 grams fat (10 grams saturated, 30 percent fat calories), 5 grams protein, 85 grams carbohydrate, 41 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams dietary fiber, 120 milligrams sodium.
Oatmeal Crisp Topping
Makes enough topping to cover a 9- to 10-inch dish of fruit
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Combine the oats, flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and allspice in a bowl. Scatter over the cubes of butter and, using two table knives, reduce the butter to small bits. Blend all of the ingredients thoroughly with your fingertips until the mixture holds together in large, curdlike lumps.
No-pressure potlucks
Not every potluck has high culinary stakes.
“Most of the potlucks I go to now involve lots of harried and hurried moms so most of them don’t bring fancy food,” said Julia Parker. “Plus, there are a lot of granola-moms who don’t want to feed their kids unhealthy food, at least not in front of others.”
The easiest finger foods are, of course, cheese and cracker trays, sliced fresh fruit, bowls of marinated olives (pitted), and veggie plates mounded with fresh carrots, sweet peppers, and broccoli florets with ranch or blue cheese dip. They are healthy, easy, kid-friendly and delicious.
Yogurt Dip with Garlic, Mint and Dill
From Williams-Sonoma “Small Plates.” This dip is called tzatziki in Greece, and is best served with wedges of pita bread.
2 cups plain yogurt
About 1/2 English cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded
Salt
4 cloves garlic, mashed in a mortar or minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
Line a sieve with cheesecloth (muslin) and place over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve and refrigerate for 4 hours to drain.
Meanwhile, using the large holes on a handheld grater-shredder, grate enough cucumber to measure 1 cup. Spread out the grated cucumber on paper towels, salt lightly, and let drain for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, mint, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice to taste. Stir to mix well, then season with salt.
Transfer to a bowl and serve.
Yield: 6 servings, about 2 cups
Approximate nutrition per serving: 80 calories, 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 41 percent fat calories), 5 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 106 milligrams sodium.
Deviled New Potatoes
From Smith & Hawken Gardeners’ Community Cookbook by Victoria Wise (Workman, 1999). This dish shouldn’t sit at room temperature for more than an hour. It’ll probably be eaten up much sooner than that.
10 small red new potatoes, scrubbed
1 rib celery
1 small carrot, scraped and finely chopped
1 green onion, trimmed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet pickle
1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Paprika, for garnish
Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Drop in the potatoes and cook briskly over medium heat until tender but still holding their shape, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
When cool, cut the potatoes in half and gently scoop out the centers, leaving the shells intact. Place the scooped-out centers in a large bowl and set the shells aside.
Mash the potato centers with a fork. Add the celery, carrot, green onion, pickle, dill, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, and sour cream, and blend until thoroughly mixed but still a little chunky. If the potato mixture seems a bit dry, thin it out with a little milk.
Spoon a bit of the potato mixture into each of the potato shells, enough to mound above the rim without spilling over. Put the filled shells in the wells of a deviled-egg platter or arrange them on another kind of platter, making sure they are upright.
To serve, sprinkle the top of each potato half with a good pinch of paprika and set on the table.
Yield: 20 potato halves
Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.