Dinner for 12... or 20

My next research project was to get potential customer feedback on some things that I'm planning on serving at my booth. A focus group if you will. While I was in town last Sunday attending the farmers' market, I went to my usual grocery store, the OB Peoples Organic Food Store. I needed groceries anyway, but this time I picked up enough to feed 12. I picked up 3 packages of 4 Tofurkey sausages, some whole wheat hot dog buns and what I thought should be enough vegetables to feed 12. I've never "cooked" for a group before. That type of planning was always my wife's department. Sure, I did much if not most of the cooking when we had guests, but she did all the planning. I just did what I was told :-).

The plan was to invite several people and take reservations for up to 12. I was going to charge $12/plate to cover costs and make a couple extra bucks. When I got back to the resort, with both my indoor and outdoor friges stuffed full, I told the resort owner what I was doing. I wanted to make sure there were no waves. She told me I couldn't charge because I didn't yet have a license. Oh well. So much for good planning. I had the dinner party anyway, I just didn't charge anybody.

The new plan was to invite people until we got 12 yeses. As it turned out, the 12 yeses came, as well as 12 of the people that didn't say yes. We had about 24 people. Needless to say not everybody got a whole hotdog.

I held the dinner at my friend Ardath's place, since she has a nicer yard than I do.

I asked everybody at the dinner to evaluate all of the dishes presented. I printed out a "score card" sheet for everyone to fill out, rating each dish from 1 to 9. It was a smashing success. Everyone encouraged me to Go For It!

Now, about that shopping and making dinner for 12 thing. Used up all the sausages, but it looks like I'll be eating leftovers for about two weeks!

One more thing. I'm still on pretty good terms with my Eileen. I still call her my wife. We chat on Skype at least a couple times a week. I was telling her what I was doing and asked her for a name suggestion. She asked if the menu was all raw and I said mostly raw with some cooked. So she said "Nearly Naked". Meaning mostly raw with some cooked. Of course, her knowing that I'm a nudist doing this in a textile world could have something to do with her suggestion. Anyway, now you know you can credit Eileen for the great name.