What is the biggest dinner party ...
- Thread starter Doc
- Start date
We have a Christmas party every year.
We call it a Holiday Open House and run it from 4 to 9 inviting everyone to just stop in anytime. Friends, neighbors, and folks from work. Usually have 100 to 120 or so.
We serve King Ranch Chicken, Chili Colorado, barbecue brisket and a shrimp salad.
We call it a Holiday Open House and run it from 4 to 9 inviting everyone to just stop in anytime. Friends, neighbors, and folks from work. Usually have 100 to 120 or so.
We serve King Ranch Chicken, Chili Colorado, barbecue brisket and a shrimp salad.
Deadly Sushi
Formerly The Giant Mojito
Oh boy.... I would have to say I cooked for 120 for one of my churches concerts. More showed but this was of course made for the ones that were hungry. We figured 1/4 would want something to eat and we sold out! (except for the garlic smashed potatos. We had a ton)
As far as a informal party, it would be my old family Xmas party 10 years ago. We had around 180 kids and adults stuffed into one house. It was not enjoyable though. WAYYYYY to crowded. Didnt really have dinner either. Just many many good appetizers that you usally had to eat standing up.
Damn good question Doc!
As far as a informal party, it would be my old family Xmas party 10 years ago. We had around 180 kids and adults stuffed into one house. It was not enjoyable though. WAYYYYY to crowded. Didnt really have dinner either. Just many many good appetizers that you usally had to eat standing up.
Damn good question Doc!
Here's a pic from a few years ago of the counter with the meats. There was another counter full of side dishes, the dining room table was full of deserts and there were coolers on the deck with the soft drinks.
There are crock pots on the deck to refill the servers. Brisket in the crock pot at the back, then pork roasts, a ham, and a beef roast.
In the servers, shrimp gumbo at the back (not there yet), Chili Colorado in the center, and King Ranch Chicken closest to the camera.
There are crock pots on the deck to refill the servers. Brisket in the crock pot at the back, then pork roasts, a ham, and a beef roast.
In the servers, shrimp gumbo at the back (not there yet), Chili Colorado in the center, and King Ranch Chicken closest to the camera.
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Deadly Sushi
Formerly The Giant Mojito
damn Jim!!!!!! That is a spread good for ANYONE that works for the Food Network!! How big is your kitchen?!?!?! Who helped out? Wow!!!! 
That is our old house. The kitchen and the family room were together. @15x40.
The new place has a large eat in kitchen with more counter space and aisle space. It has better traffic flow too. @16x25
We have a lady who comes early to help set up, her sister comes during and the two of them stay throughout keeping everything neat and the serving dishes full, and then help clean afterwards. Beth does most of the cooking the day before. I do the brisket and baked beans.
WOW, those are some BIG dinner parties. When my wifes Grandma was still around we would go to her place for big dinner parties. Mostly family events, but since it was a big family by the time you get boyfriends girlfriends, SIL's etc ... we would have 20+ at them. Some of the cookouts would be even more than that.
But, I was thinking of sit down dinner parties. The reason it even came to mind was an email I got from someone I used to work with. He's in Colorado now but back about 12 years ago he and his wife put on a really cool dinner party. The only one of it's kind I've been to. This party was not a holiday party. It was for no particular reason. But it was done up very formally. Three or four courses (not sure which) but they put on an exquisite dinner in a formal dining room all fancied up. We were 'kinda' dressed for the occasion but it was not black tie or anything. Tom and his wife (Nan) put on this party completely on their own. Nothing catered. Each course was done at a leisurely pace with plenty of time for conversation in between and during the various courses. And after dinner there was no hurry to jump to the clean up phase. We sat and talked and sat and talked some more. The lighting for the dinner was perfect, rather low but it gave an elegant set to the whole affair. There was Tom and Nan and 4 other couples, so only 10 of us in all. Very small group in comparison to your guys but what a special night. We seem to be in to much of a rush now days to take the time and have a dinner party for a few friends....but remembering that night makes me wish we could do it more often.
As for us we regularly have thanksgiving at our house. Typically we have 25 to 30, and it's done as a sit down dinner, and ....with NO kids table. We extend our dining room table into the living room and then T off of it, so that we are all at one connected table. It works for us.
But, I was thinking of sit down dinner parties. The reason it even came to mind was an email I got from someone I used to work with. He's in Colorado now but back about 12 years ago he and his wife put on a really cool dinner party. The only one of it's kind I've been to. This party was not a holiday party. It was for no particular reason. But it was done up very formally. Three or four courses (not sure which) but they put on an exquisite dinner in a formal dining room all fancied up. We were 'kinda' dressed for the occasion but it was not black tie or anything. Tom and his wife (Nan) put on this party completely on their own. Nothing catered. Each course was done at a leisurely pace with plenty of time for conversation in between and during the various courses. And after dinner there was no hurry to jump to the clean up phase. We sat and talked and sat and talked some more. The lighting for the dinner was perfect, rather low but it gave an elegant set to the whole affair. There was Tom and Nan and 4 other couples, so only 10 of us in all. Very small group in comparison to your guys but what a special night. We seem to be in to much of a rush now days to take the time and have a dinner party for a few friends....but remembering that night makes me wish we could do it more often.
As for us we regularly have thanksgiving at our house. Typically we have 25 to 30, and it's done as a sit down dinner, and ....with NO kids table. We extend our dining room table into the living room and then T off of it, so that we are all at one connected table. It works for us.
