Ever growing meal sizes

[vilasman]

My wife is in the process of entertaining 6 friends for the weekend and actually being pretty successful at it, I am at the computer to get a rest of having dish pan hands.

But this is what I am noticing and I am wondering anyone else operates this way as well.

How do I phrase...
Say one weekend you have a 6 course dinner for 6 people and you are successful at it, the food is good, you have time with your guest, a good time is had by all.

Then a few months later you decide to have a 8 course dinner with several home made desserts.

Then later you go to a 6 course with 6 different desserts for 12 people,
ever increasing in size and ever increasing in the amount of stuff you make from scratch...

Anybody else go through that?

 

[marmalady]

Lol, it's called learning! As my cooking skills increased, and my 'repetoire' grew, I was hard to decide what to cut out of a menu! Meals got more complex, with more sauces, marinades, etc. Now I'm on the downward slope of that, trying to pare off what I can and still have meals that are delicious.

 

[licia]

I don't consider myself a "gourmet" cook, but I don't serve a lot of dishes, sauces, desserts at a dinner for 6 or 8. I try to make things everyone will enjoy and concentrate on doing those very well. The next time, I will serve them something entirely different, but not a lot of dishes then either. I'm not one to appreciate "too over the top" anyway and feel most of my friends are much the same.

 

[Banana Brain]

Yes, I'm always cooking more and more lately, but I've never cooked a six course (wow) meal beofore or any of those other complex meals. You're becoming a better and better cook it sounds like. Have you thought of turning your culinary skills as a career? For most people who do a six course dinner with six desserts for twelve people, I would imagine its more than just a "hobby" thing by then.

 

[Claire]

This is one thing I'm firm with my husband on. I like to enjoy my guests, and serving courses precludes spending time with them. The food has to be pretty much all ready at once. I love to cook, but am not a servant-girl.

 

[pdswife]

I agree Claire. Serving in courses might be impressive to your guests but, I'm sure they'd rather have you sitting at the table relaxing with them.

My dinners always are served all at once. Except for dessert. That can be later... and it's always ONE dessert not 12. Heck.. if I have to work that hard I'm way too tired to have fun.

 

[Trip]

I hear ya pds, I always make a meal, dish it up, and serve dessert after...if there's room, if not we do it an hour or so later. I like company too much to not be able to join in with it.

 

[Ellen]

I would not like to be served 6 courses, no matter how lovely they were. It is just too much food. Dainty as it may be. Also struggle with the vast amounts put on some served plates. In NZ we seem to be following the US in super size. For clients it is usually 3 courses, for friends and relatives it is 2 courses, for just ourselves it is one course. I find large amts. daunting, I hate what I, and others have to send back to the restaurant kitchen, it is such a waste.