With just two more weekends until Christmas, I'm sure that many of us have a number of holiday parties on the books. It got me wondering. What's the food situation at the holiday parties you typically attend?
Yesterday my office held a holiday party for all the employees. There was music, food and a raffle for an array of prizes. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the spread of food they had for us - a salad of greens, endive, candied pecans and roasted butternut squash, two different kinds of potatoes, roast turkey, ham, and even lamb. By contrast, my boyfriend's office does a potluck. Does your place of employment hold holiday parties and if so, do they provide the food, or do you and your co-workers all pitch in? If so, what do you bring?
Well In my past employment especially where i lived before( Charlotte NC) we normally would go to a restaurant, on the company of course and run up a bill. On place i worked the holiday party was catered by Dean and Deluca. The spread was crazy!!! But now that i'm back in good ole' hometown, we are having like snacks and desserts. I'm bring guacamole dip( hot and mild) freshly made salsa( hot and mild) and gongorzola stuffed mushrooms.
My department at work has a big pot luck, and the food was really great. People certainly invest a fair amount of time and energy to making good food. There were some salads (I brought a pomegranate salad), fruit, cheeses, lasagna, sesame noodles, pies, cakes, trifle, etc. I was really impressed and it seemed like a nice thing for us all to cook for each other.
This weekend I'll be making mulled wine for a friend's party, but normally I just bring a bottle.
We just had our holiday party for my section at work. It had to be off site (government employees), handicapped accessible (many whom are disabled), and cheap (and underpaid.) For $5 we all got a bit of bagged salad, garlic bread, reheated frozen lasagna, and punch. We did it in a party room of one of the disabled folk. The manager made some martinis, some people brought chips and dip, cookies and wine.
Food was gross, but it was a good time
we have a holiday pot luck at work. last year there were deep-fried turkeys as well, but we're in a new building and can't do that anymore. some food is great, some isn't. i always bring cookies because i walk to work and they're easy to carry. no one seems to go for the desserts, but oh well!
i usually don't bring wine unless asked, and i hate those wine bags. (i just got one from a coworker!) i keep some cookie dough in the freezer and try to make cookies to bring to parties when i can manage it. i bring whatever: booze, flowers, something just for the host. my acquaintance circle is mostly young-acting artsy types who are bowled over by everything, so i don't worry much!
I was impressed with the food at my boyfriend's party - all h'orderves:
-thimble sized crab cakes with dot of tartar sauce on top
-tips of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto
-veggie terrine on bold flavored cheese crisps
(other meat dishes i can't remember)
-bite-sized pastries (quite a variety)
-chocolate dipped slices of banana on a mini-skewer
Mine was more homestyle - in the office with a mix of italian food and a full table of authentic indian dishes (i work for an IT consulting firm and there are A LOT of employees straight from India). I was glad about the Indian food though the Italian selection was something I could easily get at the dumpy and possible dirty pizzeria on the corner.
we're big on the holidays at my office. first there's the staff potluck aka the secret santa party where everyone brings a dish. positively gluttonous this year. some of the offerings: a couple of people chipped in for a turkey, chicken mole, sausage & peppers, potato salad, green salad with dried cranberries & pepitas (my contribution), greek orzo salad from wfoods, swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, candied yams, steamed dumplings, pizza, egg nog with some rum slipped into it, cookies cookies cookies, macaroni salad, deviled eggs...
then tonite, the formal office party at a new restaurant in santa monica. i hope the food's good but in any case i'm sure it'll be interesting!
At my old office (same place at Maxwell's brother...) last year, we had an employee potluck in the imaging department, where there are the biggest tables. I took Strange Flavor Eggplant, a chinese eggplant caviar from the China Moon cookbook. It's funny looking but usually a hit. The spread was incredibly varied--one colleague is Persian and made perfumed rice and a chicken/raisin dish; there were sour cream dips, artisan-level cookies, and everything in between.
We usually take wine when we're going to a party or dinner, but I also want to branch out. No bows or bags; I think they're fussy.
I am a gingerbread cookie person, so I bring cut out Xmas cookies, either done with royal icing, or dipped in chocolate. I just posted the latest batch here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kthomas/
These are going to the party I am going to tonight.
And always, buckeyes. Everyone loves them, and they are so easy. Dipped in dark and milk chocolate, and dumped on a silver tray they look much more impressive than they really are.
Kris- your cookies look amazing! They made my mouth water.
My office does a coffee and treat bar for the holidays. The bosses line up a barista and the employees show off their baking prowess.
When attending parties, I bring hosts candles or wine. The candles are always a hit- I wrap good quality tapers in wire, ribbons, cellophane, vintage tags, etc. Very pedestrian- but they always comment later on how it made their holiday table, mantle or whatever.
Where are those macarons in the photo from????
I just got back from Paris and am in Laduree-withdrawl!
I am going to three office parties this year.
My office had one big party, with a hour of cocktails with passed hors'dourves, a sit-down dinner (with butternut squash soup, crab stuffed shrimp, lamb chops, and vegetables/bread), and then a dessert buffet.
There will be also be a smaller party for a group of us at a local restaurant (on the office).
Last year, we also had a department specific party, but not this year.
My husband's office party was at a club, and they had a couple hours of open bar, a small number of reheated passed hors d'eourves, and a cookie plate.