Thursday, March 01, 2012

Thursday Memes -- Things in a row -- Two Questions

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This pretty table setting was the handiwork of our neighbor lady. She was having a "dining in" or a "gourmet dinner" event at her house. I forgot which it was and forgot to take pictures of my plate of food so I won't be able to figure it out what we had.

Both Dining in and Gourmet dining are eating affairs organized by the ladies of our subdivision. At the beginning of the year the ladies sign up for one or the other. Then the couples, H & W, are divided up.

I know our meal was good. I do know that it was around Thanksgiving or Halloween because of the pumpkins and the large gourd used as her center piece.

This serving bar/breakfast bar was holding the hors d'oeuvres (ôr dûrvz ). Again no hint of the main course and the type of dining.

'Dining in' is also called around here as 'informal dining.' Mostly the people sit around and talk, then eat when we're all ready. After dinner we all talked again until someone wanted to go home.

Each group stays the same all year and is expected to have four meals at different group members' homes. Two of the couples are responsible for one meal and bear all of the cost. One of these couples will open their home to the group.

'Gourmet dining' is also called 'fine dining.' Here each group has exactly eight people, four couples. Left over couples are on a standby or substitute list. Three menu committees make three menus, one for each of the three meals.

The host couple has the dining at their home and generally provides the home, main entree, bread, hors d'oeuvres, and the wine if served, which is most often. Each of the other three couples bring either vegetables, desert, or salad. Sometimes one will help the host with a part of some of her food. The cost is apportioned pro rata to each couple.

For more things in a row please visit Pat's Things in a Row post. You might like to post your own 'Things in a Row.'
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And now for my Thursday Two Questions: (See Thursday Two Questions by Poetic Shutterbug for more reading. You could also make your own by checking in at this link.)
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Last week we answered questions about our picture taking nerve, like taking pictures in the doctor's office or rest room pictures. We also discussed our fast food eating tastes. And the bonus question went back to photography in telling about our cameras.
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My Two Questions for this week:
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1. Do you participate in any organized eating affairs. If so what kind are they and if you don't, then might this appeal to having a place in your social life?
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Besides the two I have discussed above we also eat a lot with our church and Sunday school groups. This might be at church, in one of our homes, or at a restaurant.
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2. What would your ideal meal consist of? Could this depend on where you are eating and who you are in company with?
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For me this depends on who does the cooking. Mrs. Jim cooks soooooo GOOD! My cooking is a nice club sandwich, a grilled cheese sandwich, an omelet (pretty good), or two hot dogs with potato salad. At one time I made homemade pizza but after I got really good and was receiving a lot of requests for my pizza I just stopped doing that.
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Bonus Question:
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Have you ever eaten something that tastes so bad that you had to spit it out?
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I try to 'look before I leap' so as to not get in a situation where I need to spit food back out. When I was little I gagged on oatmeal and would take it out of my mouth when no one was watching. My parents finally stopped trying to make me eat oatmeal.

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Comments:
Delicious rows
 
What a beautiful table setting!

All of your "dining in" and "gourmet eating" seems like a lot of work and planning. I guess I'm used to my life here in AZ (for 5-6 months): the other night after we all listened to music in the courtyard someone said to me, "I heard you made a big bowl of chili." "Yes", I answered. She said, "Well why don't you bring it over. I made bbq beef. I'll throw a salad together. We'll invite everyone over." I had leftover cake from a party a few days ago, so I brought that, too. And wah-lah! Dinner was served for 6 couples!

To straighten a couple of things out about my blog: You must have been viewing it when I was updating it last night! Too funny!

And yes, my header is the Grand Canyon and yes, the trees and rocks are on a slant - not the camera. LOL!
 
I love that table! The surface looks so smooth and nice, unlike our rough scratchy and damaged one at home.
1) I would love to have eating socials in my life. When I was younger we used to eat breakfast and brunch at church. In the summer-time, I had oyster grilling with my nephew when it is the season. I know it could be very stressful with children to tend to to dinner parties, so we don't have this kind of friends right now. I really enjoy the company of friends...it's a luxury though.
2) My preferrence would be seafood and lots of salad...somethings. It does depend on our company, and I yield to food that pleases the greater goods.
 
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Please disregard this message if you already know this, I just wanted to give you some options if you don't already know. One big item though, you have to be patient and give the system time to pick up all the IP addresses and detect it for future spam comments that might come in.
 
We aren't involved in anything like this, but years ago before we had children we would meet once a month at friends' house for dinner. There were five or six couples who would alternate hosting a dinner party. It was great fun!

I'm not sure if I have an ideal food or not, I think I would go with what mood I am in at the time, though. I just like the experience of creating through cooking and trying new recipes.
 
Lovely table indeed and I was trying to make out what types of food there was too. Didn't succeed.

1. Yacht club functions involve dining out. Once a month each yacht club has a function. So there are lots of social dining going on.

2. Pasta would always be my answer. I love pasta but rarely have pasta. I could eat pasta three times a day and be very happy.

Have a terrific day. :)
 
What a beautiful table setting!

What a neat concept for the dinning in and gourmet dining options. Sounds like a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!

No, we don't do anything like this since we live in the middle of nowhere and have very few neighbors. We do get together once in a blue moon with friends for bbq's and such, but nothing fancy. I think something like what you described would be fun to do though.

I think it would be hard to pick my ideal meal since I like lots of different things. Lobster would have to be on the menu though. =)

I use to gag on brussel sprouts, but now I love them!
 
Thanks for stopping by my blog and helping me out.

There were three transports in a row...strange because the closest fort was the other direction...who knows where they were going.
 
1. We used to belong to a progressive dinner with out church and they disbanded but it was fun.

2. I love any meal my husband cooks and I clean.

I forgot number 3!

sandie
 
This looks so classy. She did a fantastic job.

I have had awful things in my mouth (meat gristle or fat for example). I try to spit it out inconspicuously into my *paper napkin. If there wasn't *one there, I carry tissue in my purse. :-) Most the time I skip meat and that saves me the hassle.

Thanks for your wonderful response to my questions.
 
That is a really pretty table setting. Both types of dining sound like fun but lots of work. Since Hubby is a ways from retirement yet we don't have a lot of time to socialize. When we do get together with friends it is super casual.

My ideal meal would be something on the grill. Maybe rib eye steaks with potato salad and a green salad.

One nasty taste I still remember was years ago at a McDonald's. I had been working all day and it was the only place to stop. I decided I wanted a small container of milk, something I rarely drink. I really should have smelled it first but didn't, it was soured and very nasty. I haven't ordered milk anywhere since then.
 
Very elegant! My dinner parties are so hap hazard but the food is always good!
 
I don't have a chance to have any dining in at the moment with the kids around..but I would certainly like to experience it.

Must have food..anything japanese.
 
I love that you get to participate in such a social activity.

I do not participate in such a thing, but I would love to, just to be out of my routine.

2. An ideal meal would be anything really. It all depends on the time, setting and reason for eating.

Have a great weekend!
 
I have family gathering Friday night, and my sister often brought a dish or so to share.

Table settings? My cupboards are filled and I have no place for much of anything! But I do like looking at pretty table settings!
 
It takes a village to have joyous gatherings :)
 

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