Cooking for 100+...ideas anyone?

[ChocoMom]

Greetings to all!

Feeling a little disorganized at the moment, trying to plan a massive all-day event. Wondered if anyone might have food ideas they'd be willing to share.   Here's the deal: 

 

I've got two kids graduating from high school. They attend different schools- one is online, and the other is local.  Their graduations are 3 weeks apart. Also have my inlaw's 60th wedding anniversary right after the second graduation.   My idea (which I might be a little regretful of now), was to rent a facility with a kitchen, and combine all three parties on one day- July 1.   So....the thought process was from 12p-4...the kids' graduation party- with buffet style food for 60-80..   6p-9...the inlaw's party at the same location. (It will already be decorated.)   That can go either buffet or served- for 40-50.   I've got the facility reserved already.  The primary reason for combining it all on the same day is that we have family traveling from all over the place. Secondly, its one of the only pleasantly warm months up here...so it seemed logical. 

 

A couple food ideas I've been mulling around involve simple stuff for the kids....sloppy joes, BBQ chicken, a burger-bar, green salad, fruit salad, veggie tray, nacho/dip tray, drinks.  and...the customary cake, etc. 

 

The dinner for my inlaws is a little more complicated.  I was thinking of doing something like chicken picatta and angel hair pasta for one entree. Then maybe grilled salmon fillets and new potatoes,  mixed veggies, salad.  And, as I did for their 50th anniversary-- a massive wedding-type cake.  Drinks...coffee, tea, pop, and perhaps some bubbly. 

 

I just don't feel confident really with what I've got thus far. Anyone who would like to weigh in with more ideas or words of caution...I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks so much! 

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

I'd avoid the dips, they are difficult to manage, unless you can have waiters policing the tables constantly and cleaning up the spills. IMO, you're better off with more salad varieties like: potato salad, pasta salad w/veggies and Italian dressing, slaw with a citrus dressing*, etc. -All things which can be easily spooned out to serve, and which won't clog up the serving line with people fussing and nibbling at the table. Remember, the speed with which people can go through the buffet line is important. If you have a one-sided serving table and it takes 5 min to pass through, 60 people will need 5 hours to just get a plate. So, try to make the serving table double-sided, and every dish quick to serve. If you MUST have nibbles, get them off the buffet line and onto their own separate tables. Still, I'd avoid anything with dips just to avoid the bother and the double-dippers. I'd make a separate drink station, so that people grabbing water don't slow the line down, either.

 

IMO, the burger bar is going to be difficult to manage because the burgers will need to be made one by one. Plus, people will fiddle with all the condiments. I'd offer sloppy joes as one option, and chicken salad (on a bun or on greens) as an alternative. (I recently saw that Costco is selling 4lb sealed packs of the white meat from the rotisserie chickens. Looks like an easy way to make a lot of chicken salad quickly.)

 

I'd avoid the angel hair pasta. IMO, there is a fleeting moment when it is properly cooked and by holding and serving on a buffet, you are likely to get overcooked mush. Holding pasta in general is tricky. Also, rather than making time-intensive mains that are generally cooked to order in a restaurant, I think you'd be better off making something that can be assembled and baked in quantity, like a vegetable lasagna with some chicken in it. Or Chicken Diavlo. Overall, if you can roast anything, do it. Also, anything which can be prepped in advance is great. (fish pie in individual ramekins?)

How big are the ovens at the venue? Use them to their fullest potential. The nice thing about many baked dishes is they can be assembled the night before, and, can be held in the oven until you are ready to serve.

 

*I use a recipe for boiled dressing with juice from my early 1950's Joy of Cooking. (boiled dressing #3)  It's great with orange, lemon, or lime juice -just different each way. The lime is my fave.)

[Lisa Shock]

Also, FYI, the catering company I worked for never did fish in anything except a cold salad, summer rolls, or soup. Cooking/grilling 40-50 portions and holding them for service, or attempting to serve immediately, can be difficult, time consuming, and smelly. -And we had a team of cooks and cater-waiters.

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

Personally I'd avoid anything with mayonnaise that will be on the table for several hours. Having had an "issue" with mayo left out too long, I don't think you will want your party to be that memorable. There are plenty of dressings that don't require mayo, for a chicken or potato salad, for instance. I've used the French Potato Salad recipe in the Joy of Cooking, though if you want it a little creamy you can stir in some plain yogurt, which will hold better. You could put the dips or hummus and vegetables on individual tables so that people can graze without holding up the line. Beverages in another area to avoid traffic problems.

 

I like the idea of lasagna or some other baked pasta, though that doesn't exactly say "July" to me. How about cold salmon with an array of fancy salads? How about roasting a turkey or ham?  I think you wanted something special for the adults, so the usual casseroles may be a little too ordinary unless you have a recipe that is spectacular and unusual. For the meat lovers you could do several flank steaks that could be served at room temperature or used in one of the salads. Caprese salad is always good, and my sister makes a roasted corn salad that she has to hide from her older son because he'll eat it all in one sitting--recipe on request.

 

What about vegans and vegetarians? If you want to do a casserole, I'd suggest eggplant parmesan or something cheese-less for the vegans--maybe a white bean casserole with Italian vegetables and seasonings and a dash of liquid smoke or hot sauce if you want. Deborah Madison's first cookbook (Greens) has some good timbales and substantial vegetable side dishes, many of them perfectly vegan. I have considerable sympathy for people with dietary restrictions because I have a few of them myself, though in my case it's because some ingredients make me sick, not because it's a lifestyle choice. But everyone deserves to eat what they like regardless of their reasons.

 

The real problem with buffets is the amount of wasted food, either on the serving table or left uneaten on plates. I'm as guilty as anyone else for taking food that I don't eat, especially if the food is delicious and there are items that I didn't get to try the first time around. Eyes bigger than stomach--that's the problem.

 

Will the kids be around when the adults start their party? Be prepared for them to be interested in eating again. They graduate from high school with 2 hollow legs, I swear.

 

I sense that you're starting to have second (or third) thoughts. Just take a few deep breaths and start making lists. Simplify your menu so that you aren't juggling too many dishes. Focus on 2 or 3 good mains and figure out the sides to go with them. Even with a buffet you'll be better off with 3 or 4 sides in generous quantities plus appetizers (on the tables) and dessert. Frankly I prefer fewer sides that compliment the mains rather than a bunch of them that don't have good relationships to the mains.

 

I've done several Thanksgivings for up to 80 people, and a time-line is essential--one week before, do this, 5 days before, do this, etc. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but I enjoy it. It's a lot of work--I hope  you're not doing this all yourself--but if you're organized you can do it. It's even possible, with adequate advance preparation, to enjoy yourself!

 

Nancy in Pátzcuaro

[btbyrd]

Commercial mayonnaise is perfectly safe to leave out at room temperature. Its water content and pH are low enough to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In fact, higher concentrations of mayonnaise in meat salads have been shown to retard rather than promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Edited May 9, 2017 by btbyrd (log)

[Nancy in Pátzcuaro]

1 hour ago, btbyrd said:

Commercial mayonnaise is perfectly safe to leave out at room temperature. Its water content and pH are low enough to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In fact, higher concentrations of mayonnaise in meat salads have been shown to retard rather than promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

 

I have heard that, and while I'm sure it's true, there's always going to be a part of me that shies away from room-temp mayo. It may be a generational thing for those of us who grew up with mayo not being trustworthy out of the fridge for more than an hour. But if the science is correct we may use mayo in all our salads without fear. That would be a good thing. Thanks for enlightening us.

 

N. in P.

[Lisa Shock]

No one said the salads had to be served at room temperature. It's easy enough to place a bowl inside of a larger bowl or tub filled with ice.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I read this as geriatric cuisine.  Carry on.

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I don't look at as geriatric at all. It is just an offering of practical ways to serve that many people at once.

 

I did a sit-down birthday dinner party for 20 people once. I bought whole rib eyes and hand carved them into steaks myself, and served with twice baked potatoes, salad and the requisite homemade birthday cake and ice cream. I expected a little help from my brother in the grilling department, but he was much more interested in drinking and being waited on. I expected a lot of help from my sister, but I did not realize how useless women with small children become for anything else except looking after said children. I spent the whole five hours running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, and was only able to snatch a bite here and there. I would not do that again by myself. By the time I got rid of everyone, and yes, that is the way I was looking at it at the time, I had lost my appetite. I was organized, did a lot of prep work prior, but I never realized how much time it took to comply with requests like snacks for kids, aspirin, tampons and on and on. So I find these tips for serving a huge amount of folks in a small space of time very interesting, even though I have sworn not to do it again myself without a team of competent helpmates. BTW everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves with me being the only exception.

 

It is probably more accurately leaning toward institutional because those places are understaffed and many times underfunded in other areas as well. @ChocoMom, how much reliable and competent help will you have, because that is going to make a huge difference!

 

10 hours ago, Lisa Shock said:

If you have a one-sided serving table and it takes 5 min to pass through, 60 people will need 5 hours to just get a plate. So, try to make the serving table double-sided, and every dish quick to serve.

 

This was particularly interesting. I initially thought the math must be off, but I ran it myself, and it's absolutely correct, and would result in a fiasco. You had a lot of other great tips too.

 

Serving a crowd is a logistical nightmare, especially if you don't have a lot of help, so tips like we are seeing here are priceless, especially when they come from professionals who have done this for a living and pleased picky people who are their paying customers. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Throwing this out there as well. When my brother graduated law school, he and his ex-wife had two parties at their home in Durham on a large acre lot sort of out in the country.

 

The first was catered by a professional and had far fewer people there. Only about 25, with lots of family and a few of his best friends from school. They put up tents outside, and I do not even remember what they served at the outdoor table with tablecloths, but it was good as was the service. It is run by friends of his and he used to work with the husband at Cafe Giorgio's Restaurant (now defunct) in Cary. None of his friends were there and just sent their staff. It was good, but not particularly memorable.

 

This same couple who founded The Catering Works also sponsored a baby shower for my brother's wife at their home. That was more memorable. The food and company was great, and they handled everything so well for our party of about 20. The husband even had time to give me a tour of their garden, and I remember from back all those many years ago that it was the first time I ever saw of heard of the beautiful clematis vine. 

 

What sticks in my memory better is the larger graduation party later (not catered), where he invited about 60 or more people including a lot more people from the law school. Everyone was expected to bring a dish. Far more casual. I remember almost having to get into a fist fight to get some of the marinated shrimp skewers that I brought which were grilled onsite with a big bruiser who was scarfing them all down. He was one of my brother's law school buddies, and I hated him on sight, still do.  Another conversation that comes out of that memory is the couple who brought skewered shish kababs with mostly vegetables and very, very (ridiculously) little meat. He gave a lecture on "Guns and Butter". For those unfamiliar with this philosophy, it concerns investing your money into things that appreciate in value and skimping on consumables like butter, and apparently meat. He is a financial adviser. 

 

There were some good dishes there, and I brought quite a few myself, but my point is that this party was more fun and memorable to me. Many more real moments when everyone was not trying to be on their best white table cloth behavior.

[JohnT]

@ChocoMom - can you enlighten us to what facilities are available at the hall - hobbs, ovens, Bain-Marie's etc.? Or are you thinking of pre-cooking and just heating for the functions? Also, will you have some "helpers" at the hall and during the cooking process?

[ChocoMom]

OH wow!  Thanks everyone! 

Such great reminders and points you've all made!!!!

 

As for the facilities...it is a pavilion at our local park. Quite nice.   There is a full kitchen, with ample refrigeration and stove/oven space, and a massive outdoor BBQ pit.   Many of the local groups utilize the facility things like the Fire Dept- BBQ chicken fundraiser, the Lion's Club, etc, and lots of wedding receptions.  

 

In refining my thoughts a bit, the "burger bar".  Plates/utensils/napkins and buns on the first table/station.  Next station, hubby will be handing the grilling of burgers. Next to that, a table w trays of ice (actually thinking of using my planters or aluminum tubs), setting large platters on the ice with tomatoes, lettuce leaves, pickles, onions, cheese(?), peppers...then set the ketchup/mustard/relish at the end of that.  Next. another large tub(s) of ice, with salads...fruit salad, lettuce salad, maybe potato salad or something. And, for another option...I LOVED the idea from @Lisa Shock about the chicken salad!  That would be simple, and can be made beforehand.    I have entertained doing the vat of sloppy joe.  It is a family recipe handed down from Uncle Carl (RIP), and the whole family adores it.  So perhaps we will go with that. I want to run all of this by my kids- as it is primarily their friends who will be devouring the majority of it.  (Honestly, the kids are flexible and will be grateful for a spread of food. I could probably put Fruit Loops and Taco Bell out there, with a cooler full of RedBull, and all would be happy. )  I planned to set up the tables so there would be two sides from which the food can be gathered. 

 

I am certain there will be plenty of kids still around for the anniversary party.  @Nancy in Pátzcuaro... yes, my kids and several of their friends have hollow legs, and have had them long before graduation was ever on the horizon!   I think the two older boys (28 and 30) may still have a hollow limb, come to think of it.    I do like the idea of having a full ribeye to slice from. Gramps would probably dig that.     I will have chaffing dishes available for the potatoes and mixed veggies.  In the next couple weeks, I am going to experiment here at the house with the whole meat/fish thing, figuring out a way to prep it nicely, and transfer into the chaffing dish....or plate it and serve.  I will likely nix the pasta. It is just too iffy- as to whether it would stay edible.   Thank you for that pointer, @Lisa Shock.      And, I adore the idea of Kabobs!! I had not thought of that---but will seriously consider doing that in lieu of- or in addition to- a burger bar!   We took a cow to the butcher a couple months ago, and have some beef to work with. I will likely do chicken too. 

 

I can make plenty of the foods before hand, but am able to start right from scratch in the pavilion's kitchen with other things.   @JohnT - I will have helpers who are more than capable of pulling this sort of thing off.  I did this for my friend's daughter's wedding reception and another friend's daughter's MASSIVE 16th birthday party.  so I will enlist them (and a few others) for this.  I am just so terrible out of practice.  Before the house fire, we've hosted over 100 at our home/outdoors for weekend 4th of July festivities. I cooked for all of them, no problem.  But then, not doing it for awhile...I've gotten a bit rusty in noggin- trying to work out the logistics. 

 

So...I'll get the pen and paper and start scratching things out.  Keep the ideas coming!!! 

 

Thanks a million, all of your glorious, wonderful people!!!! 

[daveb]

As said, Lisa makes several good points (and no bad ones)  Me thinks she's done this before.

 

Couple thots I've not seen yet.

 

You should consider an outside caterer for a least one of the events.  Most will offer a "drop off" menu based on your requirements.  There will be a cost premium but it's an easy button for what you have planned.  You would be expected to provide tables, chafers, hot box, cold box, serving utensils.

 

You've arranged your facility and now I would give some thought to equipment requirements.  

 

Rental:  I would want several buffet tables, some full size sheet trays,a few half size trays,  chafers for hot foods, at least 1 120qt cooler,  At least 2 cambro boxes for hotel pans or half sheet trays. (one for hot, one for cold), serving dishes and utensils.  A full or half size speed rack - if you're not familiar with catering a speed rack is worth it's weight in gold - all of your room temp and most hot/cold will spend some time on this.  This stuff is a generic list and can be found at most any equipment rental shop in town.  Some of this may be available from facility, put your eyes on it before you check it off your list.

 

Purchase:  Full size aluminum pans and lids.  18 to 24 in cling film.  Sterno for chafers.  Water (if not readily available).  Dish cleaning supplies including sanitizer, including 2x the number of dish towels you'll think you'll need.  Cheap clamshell "to go" boxes.  Disposable dinner ware can be had that is as nice (almost) as china.  Real dishes / silverware can be rented 

 

Peoples:  I would want at least two peeps dedicated to serving event (not a good idea to press a guest into service)  Advertise in local Craig's List or culinary school for servers, two minimum four hour shifts, 15ish bucks an hour.  These folks will resupply your line, bus tables, take out the trash, perform any other clean-up duties. Do quick interview about banquet experience.  Depending on where you live english may not be a primary language and that's ok.  Make sure you have some food for the servers.

 

Some things I'll touch on but have seen above.  Definitely divide your buffet line into main meal, salad, desert, beverage stations.  Would not be uncommon for these to be in different corners of room.  Definitely do buffet service.  Definitely do not consider plated service unless you're willing to staff it with at least 1 server / 20 people and 2 - 3 BOH for building plates.

 

Your event is definitely doable for a home cook.  Lots of good advice already given and I'm sure any questions will be addressed the same way.

 

 

[daveb]

Looks like we crossed posted.

 

Forgot to add you'll want to consider what foods will hold well and at what temps.  Easiest of course is room temp.  Holding cold is relatively easy - alum food pans full of ice and covered work well in a box,  food in a food pan on top of food pan with some ice will hold well on line.  Holding hot is a little more problematic.  Not only do you need to hold it hot, at the same time you don't want to overcook it in the process.  In my experience pork holds the best of any proteins  It can hold in a hot box for a couple hours then go to chagers without losing any flavor or consistency.  Ground beef holds well.  Chicken turns to rubber when held at temp, thighs less so than breasts.  

 

To hold hot I'll frequently put a pan of boiling water on a towel at the bottom of a cooler or hot box for 10 - 15 min before starting to fill it.  This way I'm not using the food to heat the box.  A circulator does very well holding hot at serving temp.  If you can bag pork, mac and cheese, hamburger patties, etc then it's simple to transfer to chafing dish.  

 

The only way I would do burgers cooked to order would be on separate station, pre-par-cooked patties (SV?) and build  your own condiments.  And I would try and avoid it.   Lot of potential for things going south.  

 

As you've no doubt learned already, prep is the key to pulling this off.  Have fun!

[pastrygirl]

A couple of thoughts I don't think have been discussed -

 

Is it a gas or wood/charcoal grill?  If the latter, consider how much grilling you can do while the fire is at its prime.  Hubby may need to re-build the fire or have extra fuel to maintain it if you're going to be grilling all day long - if he's the grill master, make sure he has a plan so it will be good for burgers for an hour or two plus whatever else you want grilled for dinner.  If you want to do a grilled salmon entree for dinner, just quickly mark the pieces on the grill to get the char marks, then refrigerate on sheet pans and heat through in the oven for dinner.  Much easier to get them all cooked & on the plates faster.

 

Are there any dishes that can do double duty for both parties?  Maybe the teens prefer chips and the adults prefer crudite with their dips, but both parties could get hummus and guacamole as an appetizer.  Make a big batch and divide into a few bowls so you can refresh and have a nice one out as needed.  Or sides - maybe cook a enough new potatoes for both parties, turn some into potato salad to go with burgers and crisp the rest in the oven with olive oil and herbs for dinner.  Likewise with green salads, fruit trays, grilled or roasted veggies - maybe they get a slightly different garnish or presentation but it's easier to prep more of fewer items.  Add goat cheese and pecans to the dinner salad, dress, and plate it vs. a bowl of mixed greens on ice with a few bottled dressings with the burgers.  As much overlap in ingredients as possible will make it easier.

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

One thought about the adult meal, depending on how 'gourmet' or adventurous they might be as eaters, terrines make an easy appetizer course. You can make them 3 days in advance. They are simply sliced and served cold on a bed of greens, maybe with a slice of baguette. One loaf should give you 10-12 slices, and you can cut the slice in half diagonally to make a triangle for visual interest. (so, you'll get 20+ portions per loaf) It's just a super-compact item to serve and transport. If your guests would consider a cold main, a fish terrine could be part of a good plate for the pescatarians -some salad with lots of veggies (include some chilled baby potatoes which have been salt-boiled) and croutons alongside.

 

If you have access to electricity, you may wish to consider getting a couple of electric chafing dishes with temperature controls for your meat items like sloppy joes. I have a couple of them which hold a full size hotel pan, or two halves, three thirds, etc. They are much better than the ones which use sterno. I got this, and then realized I could have gotten a professional one... but both work well.

 

Another easy main dish for lunch is pulled pork. You can cook it low and slow overnight, then shred and serve with some sauce and buns. It's MUCH easier than burgers. (with burgers, you'll spend several hours just shaping patties) Beef brisket could also work.

 

An easy snack is strawberries, if you can get them. They can be rinsed and placed in a big bowl on ice -very little prep time. Small plums or apricots, if you can find them, also make good nibbles.

 

Do you have access to a restaurant supply place like Restaurant Depot or Chef'Store?  They sell some convenience items that may help you, like pre-cut veggies in large quantities and washed lettuce in larger bags (for less) than Costco or the supermarket. They also have great prices on cheese and meats.

 

In terms of planning, do you have a vehicle or two that can hold all the stuff needed? Renting a van might be useful here.

 

Are you prepared for the trash and general waste disposal? Get good quality trash bags, bring extra trash cans (clean rubber ones can double as containers for bags of ice at the beginning), and supplies like a broom, mop, dish soap, sanitizer, cloth towels, paper towels, etc.

 

It also might be useful to rent the venue the day before the event as well as the day of -if it's ok with them to let you store items there. This way, you can get all sorts of things transported over and mostly worry about cooking on the big day. (and have those 190° pork butts going all night on site) You could even do a last-minute shopping trip the morning before and just deliver directly to the venue.

 

I like the idea of hired helpers. Give people defined tasks and areas of responsibility, and things will go smoothly.

[ChocoMom]

@pastrygirl  I'll have to ask hubby about the grill. I tend to think it is charcoal, but I am not sure.     I will have access to electricity, running water, and a full kitchen facility with worktables. The pavilion comes with tables and chairs- so no worries there.  ... just need some tablecloths and decor. 

 

I am slowly rebuilding my arsenal of food serving items, like chaffing dishes and larger roasters.  The only restaurant supply relatively close is GFS- Gordon Food Service. And, I have already purchased a large amount of the serving bowls/trays from there.     If need be, I can move one of my worktables from the chocolate shop down to the pavilion, but I doubt that will be necessary.    

 

All of clean-up/garbage necessities are taken care of. The pavilion comes stocked with all of that, for our use.  The venue is completely booked for 45 days straight, so I don't really have the option of getting in there except the day of.  It would be lovely if I could, but not going to happen. Its a very popular spot. 

 

I've got two pick up trucks, an SUV, and...my daughter's WRX- for REALLY FAST emergency trips.      Might take the Jeep out, if needed.   Its only two miles from our house, so not a huge worry if we forget something.   

 

In addition to myself and three pals- who are somewhat experienced with events of this scale-  I also have my two sisters-in-law, and 9 strapping lads to help do set up and cleanup.. (My two daughters-in-law already have wee ones to take care of, and one is due with grand-kid number 4 on July 23....so she will be in no shape to help.)   I'd love it if we could afford to hire culinary students, however, we don't have a school anywhere near us.  

 

I will ponder some of these cold-entree ideas.  However, my inlaws are 80 now- kind of old-school, and are entirely into eating a hot meal for dinner. I may throw in a cold option though, for others who would appreciate it.   I'm really loving the Kabob idea for the graduation though. Maybe snack and dessert kabobs for kids and teens?  I did some for one of the kids' parties some years ago- strawberries, pineapple chunks, marshmallows, banana chunks--drizzled in chocolate.  that might be an option. ? 

 

 

 

 

 

[gfweb]

In general, I worry about the difficulty of pulling this off in a way that you will be happy with. The more you care about perfection, the more I'd suggest getting a pro involved.

 

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

21 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

I don't look at as geriatric at all. It is just an offering of practical ways to serve that many people at once.

 

Reread the thread title.  And I was serious this time by the way.

[daveb]

1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Reread the thread title.  And I was serious this time by the way.

 

I get it (finally).  Surely you didn't make that interpretation based on personal experience?

[Thanks for the Crepes]

11 minutes ago, daveb said:

 

I get it (finally).  Surely you didn't make that interpretation based on personal experience?

 

We have a thread on here of cooking for large numbers of geriatrics, and they are very challenging to please, especially within budget constraints that are far from generous. I think that might be where @JoNorvelleWalkeris coming from, but she can speak for herself. The old folks want meat and veggies cooked to death, can't tolerate a lot of salt (salt is the most important flavoring agent, IMO), aren't interested in new to them dishes or ingredients, can't tolerate spices, and are generally unrewarding to attempt to cook for. I admire @CaliPoutine for hanging in with this thankless job as long as she did. Who wants to cook up tasteless mush? Cali managed to make the thread interesting anyway.

[liuzhou]

19 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

We have a thread on here of cooking for large numbers of geriatrics, and they are very challenging to please, especially within budget constraints that are far from generous. I think that might be where @JoNorvelleWalkeris coming from, but she can speak for herself. The old folks want meat and veggies cooked to death, can't tolerate a lot of salt (salt is the most important flavoring agent, IMO), aren't interested in new to them dishes or ingredients, can't tolerate spices, and are generally unrewarding to attempt to cook for. I admire @CaliPoutine for hanging in with this thankless job as long as she did. Who wants to cook up tasteless mush? Cali managed to make the thread interesting anyway.

 

You seem to know very different old people from those I know.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

1 hour ago, liuzhou said:

 

You seem to know very different old people from those I know.

 

Well you, of course, are the delightful exception to my experience with older folks. 

 

I tried cooking things for my elderly grandma who had suffered a stroke, but what she really wanted was Pepperidge Farm fruit turnovers, and they had little fruit, so not so good for her. I discussed this with her doctor, and he told me to go with what I can get her to eat. Some old folks are much more functional than others, and I for one, am very happy that you are in those later mentioned.
 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, daveb said:

 

I get it (finally).  Surely you didn't make that interpretation based on personal experience?

 

No, thankfully, I am but 68.  However I have had acquaintances and neighbors over 100 -- one 107.  Within the limits of dentation centenarians I have known prefer the same foods any of us do.  This does not include low salt or mushy vegetables.

 

I was speaking with an older neighbor recently (not yet approaching 100) who went to a presentation at the local old folks home.  She said she could never afford to live there but that the cuisine was exceptionally good.

 

The older I get the more I crave salt.  I eat it from the box.  Not just with my evening peanuts course.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 minutes ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

Well you, of course, are the delightful exception to my experience with older folks. 

 

I tried cooking things for my elderly grandma who had suffered a stroke, but what she really wanted was Pepperidge Farm fruit turnovers, and they had little fruit, so not so good for her. I discussed this with her doctor, and he told me to go with what I can get her to eat. Some old folks are much more functional than others, and I for one, am very happy that you are in those later mentioned.
 

 

I don't stock them in my freezer (though in my youth I used to) but I would not turn down a Pepperidge Farm turnover at the moment.  In fact you now have me craving one.  Why is this a bad thing?

 

I do have some frozen Pepperidge Farm puff pastry...hmm.