Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Foods that begin with the letter "p"


Khadija

Recommended Posts

I'm in a strange cooking situation and I need some advice. A bit of background: I recently agreed to cook a birthday dinner next Saturday, for a friend. A couple of days after saying I would do this, when my friend was going on about how excited she is about the dinner, I realised that I am going out of town this week and will not get back until very late Friday night. So, most of the work will have to be done on Saturday. My partner can do some of the shopping while I am away. The guest list consists of about 12 people (including us). We are grad students with modest accomodations, and this is a big party for us. I may wind up cooking at her place, even though I don't especially like cooking in other people's kitchens, just because she has more space than I do. She has offered to help me with the cooking, but she does not know that her best friend is coming from another province to surprise her. So, she may feel differently when the day comes.

Now, I made the mistake of asking this friend what her favourite foods are. Her response was "foods that begin with the letter 'p'." I am not kidding. She mentioned pizza, potatoes, and pomengranetes, although she has been trying to go low-carb when she can (go figure!). Should I even try to make "p" a theme for the party? There is no way that I'm making a low-carb meal, but I don't think I want a really carb-centric meal (like pasta). Normally, I appreciate a cooking challenge, and I feel that my friend is a great person who deserves what she wants on her birthday (however weird), but will trying to come up a meal based on "p" just induce too much stress? Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THIS ought to get you started.

Pad Thai? Paella? Pan-fried ____?

The possiblilites are mind boggling.

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I were you I would do somthing like pork or lamb crusted with pine nuts,pomagranate yogurt sauce and cumin scented chick pea polenta and maybe somthing like panna cotta with a fruit salad made of carmelized pineapple,pomagranate seeds and plums

I hope this helps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's like Sesame Street: Tonight's dinner is brought to you by the letter P.

Sure, why not? You wouldn't expect someone to be too carb-conscious with their birthday meal, but I'd clear it first. Sounds like a good excuse to eat pizza on a bed of fries.

I'd also find out if she really wants all P things and is open to whatever, or if it is just a coincidence that her three favorite things start with P, and she really just wants those three things.

Either way, sounds fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. These are great ideas! I think I was just so overwhelmed that I hadn't really considered the possibilities. I especially like the idea of serving pinenut crusted pork with pomegranate sauce. And profiteroles sounds like a really fun dessert.

Meez, she just likes "p" foods in general. We're philosophers, and I think her obsession with "p" has to do with an interest in the way that language shapes aesthetic sense. I can get into this view. By a neat coincidence, I'm slightly obsessed with adjectives that begin with "p." I'm not just a culinary nerd, I'm a nerd in all possible worlds (what a wild metaphysical claim!).

Time to stop talking nonsense and start planning the menu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't it supposed to be 'foods that start with the letter "Q"'? Anyone, anyone?

"He could blanch anything in the fryolator and finish it in the microwave or under the salamander. Talented guy."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Meez, she just likes "p" foods in general.  We're philosophers, and I think her obsession with "p" has to do with an interest in the way that language shapes aesthetic sense.  I can get into this view.  By a neat coincidence, I'm slightly obsessed with adjectives that begin with "p." I'm not just a culinary nerd, I'm a nerd in all possible worlds (what a wild metaphysical claim!).

Time to stop talking nonsense and start planning the menu.

Might be worthwhile to plan a menu (write a menu) with adjectives beginning with "p" that describe the foods that begin with "p".

Like. . .

Pearlescent Parsnip Soup

Porcine Pork Chops napped in Pickled Plum Sauce

Philosophic Potato Puree

Pedagogic Pineapple and Passionate Pomegranite Mosaic

Passable Port

:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grilled or salt baked Porgy..With fried Pea Cakes.. And served with a Polenta..

You could do a Potato Pizza.. With ricotta cheese and sage...

Penne with prosciutto and peas maybe a little percorino on top..

Parker House Rolls.

Peel and eat Prawns..

Pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie..

How about a peck of pickled peppers.. :biggrin:

Edit to add

Poached Pear

Pink Pepper Ice Cream

Puffed Pear Pancake

Pound cake

Pad Thai

Panna Cotta

Pork Parmasean

Portobello on toasts

Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Potato gratin

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Peach Pudding

Portobello wrapped in Phyllo

Edited by Daniel (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hope that as part of the festivities you will all take part in reciting "Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers", finally culminating the game with a Grand Winner who of course will win a Precious Prize of perhaps some small Pecuniary Possibility or more Prettily, some small Peckadillo. One does not want to be too too Parvenu!!!

:sad::wink::smile:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's like Sesame Street: Tonight's dinner is brought to you by the letter P.

It's a good thing it wasn't foods that start with the letter S, or you'd all be covered in spit by the end of the evening just from saying the menu! :wink: Sufferin' Succotash!

"Many people believe the names of In 'n Out and Steak 'n Shake perfectly describe the contrast in bedroom techniques between the coast and the heartland." ~Roger Ebert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...