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potluck etiquette


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browniebaker, I can only imagine the feeling if someone dumped Cool Whip over something I lovingly baked! :sad:

If the host said that to me, I would probably look stunned and nod weakly, just like you did, but the suggestions about serving it on the side is much better. I'm sure almost everyone would try the brownies without the Cool Whip (seriously, who does that?) and enjoy them for what they are.

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Seriously.  Is this a regional thing?  I've never, ever had a brownie served to me with any sort of ...whipped topping... on it.  Yes, if it's a brownie sundae, fine.  But just brownie, solo?  no.

A dollop of creme fraiche and some shaved bittersweet chocolate on a brownie is nice.

As far as the cool whip...I would go with the folks who suggested having it on the side so that people could help themselves. Or not.

Heather Johnson

In Good Thyme

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What's Cool Whip?

Whipped "Topping." :biggrin:

It comes in a white plastic tub. It's fake whipped cream. It's sweet, with various forms of sugars added. It also has lots of chemical additives. I'm not even certain what the main substance of it is. I think it's labled "non-dairy topping."

But it's stupifyingly easy. Therefore, it's ubiquitous.

Edited by Jaymes (log)

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Everyone who knows me knows I'm a French Chef. So I'm often asked food related questions. I practically walk on eggshells in social situations especially around Americans. I know it's a broad generalization but they seem to value their own opinions much more than that of an "expert", which doesn't matter to me at all. But as a social lubricant I usually say things like "yeah, sure you do what you want" seems to keep people happiest with themselves. It's a peculiar combination of "I want to do what I want, I'm right but I want a so called expert to tell me that's it's okay. If he disagrees with me though, he's an arrogant French asshole". I remember once I said a particular type of processed food wasn't gourmet French food (that's the word the person used to pose the question to me) and she got really upset about it. She said stuff like "well excuse me! I'm not a Chef like you, so I don't have your standards. It's gourmet to me!"

Huh? Than why did you ask the question? So now on a social basis I just keep my mouth shut or just say, "do what you want."

I try to... but someone asked me the other day what I thought of Rachel Ray's cooking techniques and oh isn't she so good!!! I burst out laughing, my coffee almost came out of my nose. THe woman who asked me the question became stone faced and her eyes began to twitch. But I just couldn't stop laughing.

In answer to te question here... I'd suggest serving the cool whip on the side.

I can be reached via email chefzadi AT gmail DOT com

Dean of Culinary Arts

Ecole de Cuisine: Culinary School Los Angeles

http://ecolecuisine.com

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People don't shit in Chevy Chase.

No, they have it surgically removed. :biggrin:

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Judith Love

North of the 30th parallel

One woman very courteously approached me in a grocery store, saying, "Excuse me, but I must ask why you've brought your dog into the store." I told her that Grace is a service dog.... "Excuse me, but you told me that your dog is allowed in the store because she's a service dog. Is she Army or Navy?" Terry Thistlewaite

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"Why, of COURSE!  and do you have any of these little silver balls, and perhaps a couple of crystallised rose petals, and how about some sugar-coated almonds, too?  Do you have any tater-tots that we can put around your roast, or some instant mash?"

I have a friend (of the rather forthright sort) who replied to a moderately similar question - of whether it would be okay to serve some cheap generic synthetic ice-cream with his grandmother's apple tart, which is, I can tell you, unparalleled in its beauty - with the phrase "yes, splendid idea...  and while you're at it, why don't you just squat over the bowl and shit in it?"

I think his tact glands had been surgically removed just before puberty.

I can't believe the no doubt unintentional gall of the woman in wanting to put anything, never mind cool-whip, on top of the brownies; surely that's just arrogance in denying choice to the rest of the guests.

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Add me to the list of people who would have suggested putting the Cool Whip (shudder) in a bowl for people to eat if they dared my wrath.

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I can't imagine why anyone would want to eat Cool Whip at all, but I would have likely told her to put it out for whoever wanted some.

That stuff is an abomination.

A favorite snack in my workplace is to take 2 low-fat cookies, sandwich low-fat cool whip between them and freeze. Voila, instant ice-cream sandwich.

Or not. I wouldn't even taste one, and they thought I was nuts.

I'll be quiet now. Cool Whip is one of my pet peeves.

I don't mind the rat race, but I'd like more cheese.

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browniebaker: You are right. Your hostess was wrong. Who the hell eats Cool Whip on brownies?!

But just to threadjack a bit -- and I'm sure I'll be run outta town for this -- I like the combination of Cool Whip and Jell-O. Not that I ever keep either one in the house, mind you! *cough*

Don Moore

Nashville, TN

Peace on Earth

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Browniebaker, it's been killing me but I gotta ask.... how did your fellow potluckers like/eat the brownies? With the Cool Whip, or did you notice a bowl of scraped off topping?

Yetty CintaS

I am spaghetttti

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Bb--

it's a good thing you didn't post this on Pastry & Baking...

there'd be a lot of people cleaning vomit off their keyboards...

(sorry for the visual, but that was my first reaction!)

I like to cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.

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Seriously.  Is this a regional thing?  I've never, ever had a brownie served to me with any sort of ...whipped topping... on it.  Yes, if it's a brownie sundae, fine.  But just brownie, solo?  no.

A dollop of creme fraiche and some shaved bittersweet chocolate on a brownie is nice.

Now, THIS would have been the good comeback right here.... "Oh, well, no I think not cool whip, but do you have a little creme fraiche and some valrhona? That would be perfection!" and then wait for the blank stare. I'll bet she'd be talking about you and your odd request for weeks longer than this thread will run.

I like that definition of wit... eliminating the 30 minute lag... very funny. I'm not that quick either. I'm completely certain I would also have been horrified but unable to say no too.

What's wrong with peanut butter and mustard? What else is a guy supposed to do when we are out of jelly?

-Dad

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Thank you, thank you all, for your condolences. I am slowly getting over the trauma, sigh.

browniebaker: You are right.  Your hostess was wrong.  Who the hell eats Cool Whip on brownies?!

But just to threadjack a bit -- and I'm sure I'll be run outta town for this -- I like the combination of Cool Whip and Jell-O.  Not that I ever keep either one in the house, mind you!  *cough*

I'm no purist. I like Cool Whip at the right place and time, just not on my -- if I may borrow Ling's apt phrase -- "lovingly baked" sweets. Confession: there's a crazy, trashy "salad" called Orange Fluff or Orange Stuff that I like, and it's simply Cool Whip, orange Jello powder (straight from the box), cottage cheese, crushed canned pineapple, canned mandarin oranges, and chopped walnuts, all stirred up. . . .

But no Cool Whip, please, on my brownies!

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To answer Yetty's question as to how the guests handled the Cool Whip:

Everyone kept saying things like, "These brownies are amazing!" which made me very happy. I really liked that people tried all three varieties of brownies, some had seconds, and some I caught gazing at the brownie platter longingly for thirds that they didn't dare allow themselves (So sad isn't that? I wanted to tell them that it's okay, life is short, so have another brownie!).

The hostess's husband and kids of course snarfed up the brownies and Cool Whip together. They loooove Cool Whip. Brownie's just a vehicle for Cool Whip. It's no understatement to say that their kids are weaned on Cool Whip. The two-year-old licked all her Cool Whip off and never tasted the brownie.

After the party I asked my husband what he did, and he said he left the Cool Whip on his plate. "Who eats Cool whip with brownies?I" was his reply. Yes, he was adequately indignant, bless his heart.

I can't say I monitored the Cool Whip consumption of every remaining guest, but I gathered that they, like me, didn't know the hostess all that well, and were therefore more polite than close friends might have been. I'm sure some guests, like me, ate the brownies with the Cool Whip, so as not to offend the hostess (if they knew the Coll whip was her idea) or the person who brought the brownies ( if they -- shudder -- assumed that I had brought the Cool Whip to serve on my dessert!).

That's one thing that's bothering me: Do the other guests think I eat brownies with Cool Whip? Maybe they thought they were humoring me by eating the Cool Whip? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

Another thing that gets me: Since the hostess asked if it would be "sacrilegious" to add Cool Whip, she must have known it was a bad thing to ask. If it could be a sacrilege, don't ask your guest!!!!!!!

Whew. Sorry. Had to vent.

Okay, maybe I haven't gotten over it.

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Just thought I'd add that I don't think Cool Whip is that popular in Canada. I've never seen it in anyone's fridge, and I only know of one friend who uses it (she spoons it onto her coffee.) I've never tasted it, but I've eaten artifical whipped cream so I can imagine what Cool Whip tastes like.

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I really really used to love Nilla Wafers and cool whip sandwiches

i remember eating this while the shopping was still being unpacked .............about 30 yrs ago

i used to like it still frozen too....but even better there was this frozen chocolate pudding .............

i dont like anything on my brownies no nuts no icing no cool whip ....just a fudgy death brownie thank you

my mother informed me you can add another egg to the mix to make them cakeier.....oooooh yum how bout another :wacko:

The great thing about barbeque is that when you get hungry 3 hours later....you can lick your fingers

Maxine

Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

"It is the government's fault, they've eaten everything."

My Webpage

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Cool Whip is, to reference another thread, a food crime, or, rather, a crime against food.

One of my pet peeves about Cooking Light magazine's recipes is when they call for reduced-calorie Cool Whip in a recipe. If you're that freaked out about extra calories, you probably aren't going to be eating dessert to begin with.

I'd have probably gone the way of many others in this thread, after a shocked silence, to suggest that it be put on the side to let the guests decide for themselves.

"I just hate health food"--Julia Child

Jennifer Garner

buttercream pastries

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Just thought I'd add that I don't think Cool Whip is that popular in Canada. I've never seen it in anyone's fridge, and I only know of one friend who uses it (she spoons it onto her coffee.) I've never tasted it, but I've eaten artifical whipped cream so I can imagine what Cool Whip tastes like.

Doesn't it separate if put into hot liquids? I only know of one person who used it - and this was for some refrigerated dessert called "Sex in a Pan" - I think it involved a graham cracker crust, broken Oreo cookies, chocolate pudding & Cool Whip - but don't quote me.

I've always figured the best use for Cool Whip was the same as for Squeeze Cheeze - food fight ammo.

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Thank you, thank you all, for your condolences. I am slowly getting over the trauma, sigh.

Oh Jeeeeeeezuz! :wacko: I know there's been a lot of tongue-in-cheek going on here, but seriously. Are we that arrogant that we have to insult people who like things that are "beneath" us?

Say "No thanks" to the host and leave it at that.

A.

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What's Cool Whip?

Whipped "Topping." :biggrin:

It comes in a white plastic tub. It's fake whipped cream. It's sweet, with various forms of sugars added. It also has lots of chemical additives. I'm not even certain what the main substance of it is. I think it's labled "non-dairy topping."

But it's stupifyingly easy. Therefore, it's ubiquitous.

You forgot the weird greasy residue it leaves on the roof of your mouth! Yummy.

Edit: Daddy-A, I wouldn't take it too seriously. We come to eGullet for acceptance when we launch into our petty food vents, for we know they are petty, but we are in our special place, with all the other weird mutant cooking freaks. (Not that we cook weird mutants, you understand..well, some people seem to. I mean, er, oh, nevermind.)

Edited by Behemoth (log)
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