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What do you bring when you’re asked to ‘bring a plate’?
It’s a question I find vexing.
I prefer the ‘bring a salad’ or ‘bring dessert’ approach – you know where you are with that (and my favourite ‘bring dessert’ option is the box of Paddle Pops for the kids and either Magnums for the parents or I’ll make a lime/chocolate cake shamelessly stolen from my friend C). See.
I have had two ‘bring a plate’ occasions of late. And two more this week.
I need more plates, both of the recipe kind and the physical kind (is it just me who leaves plates, platters and containers all over town?).
I am considering calling in my good friends from Rabbit & Co Caterers, who did an amazing job creating delicious plates of all kinds for a big (extended) family function on the weekend. I mean, who wouldn’t be popular turning up with a plate of antipasti such as the one pictured?
Mind you, I need to be careful. If I go down that road, I’ll be getting asked to ‘bring a plate’ everywhere I go.
The pressure.
What do you bring when you’re asked to ‘bring a plate’?
I guess it depends on how big the gathering is likely to be. If it’s a fairly small group, I would contact the host and ask if they could be a bit more specific on what they wanted. If it’s a big group, it probably doesn’t matter because there should be a fairly decent amount of variation in what’s brought along. Salads can be a good idea (most people need to eat more veggies), but make something other than a regular green salad, coleslaw or pasta salad. Try a salad of roasted veggies tossed with rocket, or a light and refreshing potato salad dressed with a grainy mustard vinaigrette (rather than mayo), or maybe a simple green bean salad with nuts and dried cranberries (nice and festive). Otherwise fruit is good, either as a regular platter or you could make something a touch fancier by threading several different types of chopped fruit onto bamboo skewers like kebabs.
I prefer more direction of a salad, dessert etc. When in doubt though I take a fruit platter.
Zucchini slice Al! It’s so easy to make, and can be cut up into little squares and served cold.
I am at work and shamelessly sneaking onto Farcebook and blogs. So forgive me if this is random. The container plate issue – I bought a stash of hard plastic but still disposable platters. From a $2 shop. About a decade ago. If they never come back to me, I am relived. And my Tupperware remains sacred and not stolen…
That’s an awesome idea. Much better than the paper plates I usually use… might pinch that one 🙂
I also prefer to have more direction. Usually I end up buying a dip & some biscuits on the way or, if I’m organised enough, I’ll make a very easy herb & garlic dip… but usually I’m not very organised!
I do a selection of chocolate treats for Christmas incl rocky road, chocolate truffles (milk and white), Choc Christmas Balls etc so when it’s the jolly season, all I get asked for is my chocolate treats. Even Christmas Day – all they want are the sweet treats! 🙂
Good plan. You have a ‘thing’. I need to get myself a ‘thing’.