Dinner party menu ideas?

Pollycat

peachyprice wrote: »

Lots of people are coming up with vegetarian ideas when there won't be any there. Seems strange to cater for a group that isn't present.

I think people are suggesting vegetarian dishes because if the OP wants to serve the same dish to all guests, she doesn't have much choice as one eats shellfish (but not meat or fish) and another doesn't eat shellfish.

So, no meat, no fish, no shellfish.

JodyBPM wrote: »

I'm having a dinner party in a few weeks and my guests are a bit fussy. One doesn't eat meat or fish, but will eat shellfish. One doesn't eat shellfish, fruit, olives or anything even slightly spicy. One doesn't like mushrooms. The other three of us eat fairly normally.

Any ideas for a menu?

I'm looking for 3 courses, fancier rather than functional, budget not overly limited. Ideally I'd like to serve all one thing rather than singling the vegetarian out for a separate item, but my choices may be limited.

TBH, I think I'd cancel the dinner party and arrange for everyone to go to the local Wetherspoons. :rotfl:

peachyprice

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

It's clearly stated in the first post though, anyone reading the initial post can see they don't eat meat. It says they eat shellfish but not fish, it's fairly hard to be confused by that.

Whose confused?

It's really not that difficult to cook pretty much identical meals using fish and shellfish, I certainly wouldn't make an entire dinner party vegetarian just because of one person, who isn't even a vegetarian, it makes more sense to cater of the majority not the minority of one.

missbiggles1

I'd just make a mixed paella and let them pick out the bits they don't like.

BigAunty

missbiggles1 wrote: »

I'd just make a mixed paella and let them pick out the bits they don't like.

Mixed vegetarian paella?

Edwardia

If I dared to post asking for advice on a DP (which I wouldn't bc I hate the things) I would get all sorts of abuse for being a snob. :rotfl:

You can get loads of pretty good antipasto stuff dirt cheap at Lidl.

Iceland does all sorts of gateaux, cheesecakes etc. Home-made brownies just sounds a bit boring IMO (and actually I did catering at college as a teenager and was a chef for a bit). If you're not going to be more adventurous then might as well fall back on chocolate pud from Iceland and ice cream.

Best vanilla ice creams in UK IMO are the Mackies of Scotland organic one in green tub, Kelly's of Cornwall clotted cream ice cream, the Green & Black organic vanilla and Yeo Valley organic Madagascar vanilla.

For chocolate ice cream nothing else comes to close to Green & Black's organic

January20

Well, Edwardia, if you invited me for a meal and served me Iceland gateau for pudding, that would be the best way to ensure I never went back to yours! :eek::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
It's not the 70s you know!

Homemade chocolate brownies may be boring to you, but to me what's important is the effort my host has made in cooking for me!

Buzzybee90

January20 wrote: »

Well, Edwardia, if you invited me for a meal and served me Iceland gateau for pudding, that would be the best way to ensure I never went back to yours! :eek::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
It's not the 70s you know!

Homemade chocolate brownies may be boring to you, but to me what's important is the effort my host has made in cooking for me!

I agree. To a bonafide dinner party, not just a casual evening round friends, homemade trumps bought every time!! I'd be disappointed to be fed something bought, especially from Iceland!

Pollycat

I agree with the last 2 posts.

If a good friend said come round for tea, I'd be happy(ish) to eat bought pizza etc but if I was invited over for dinner, I would expect the majority of dishes to be cooked not bought.