Entertaining

[Wrecked Spark]

Hello everyone,

My hubby and I do an incredible amount of entertaining and this is where I find the most difficultly in making the transition. We host bonfires for 30 to sit down dinners for other couples.

I absolutely love fine wine and the fresh nibbles before the meal are my favourite part ~ olives with tepanade, fresh cherry tomatos, etc.

I hesitate talking much about our desire to change to 100% raw until we know we're almost fully there (raw talk is fun when it's inspiring and encouraging but sometimes I need a break from having to explain or discuss or even debate the whole lifestyle ~ there are so many other wonderful things to discuss during dinner and I'm already infamours for being a strong advocate for a natural way of life and I'm quite opinionated! :rolleyes: ) so we continue to make cooked meals when friends are over. Most of our friends are very open-minded and are either curious about or already living alternate lifestyles but some are not ~ so we must respect that and it does not negate my desire to enjoy their fine company! Sometimes I'm in the mood for a healthy debate and sometimes I want to just chill out with other stimulating conversations.

For all of you 100%'ers out there or others who are successfuly and smoothly making the transition, how do you entertain without alienating friends or making them feel as if they have to defend their way of life? I don't want the contrast to be so glaring that they feel I'm being a smarty-pants when serving something so different. It's fine now while the transition still exists, but 100%... whew! I'm not a whiz in the kitchen but I'm sure there are incredible recipes out there for dinners and parties without screaming "raw!" and getting a few raised eyebrows round the candlelit table!!

Any thoughts are most welcome!

:)

Cheers,
Wrecked Spark

[Rawkinlocs]

I haven't been faced with this as of yet, but this is my frame of mind:

Until I became a total WIZ at making raw gourmet AND making it so cooked fooders couldn't tell the difference or wouldn't mind the difference, then I'd probably make SOME raw items...maybe appetizers, pate', dessert, etc. but I'd also do some cooked (vegan/vegetarian) things for THEM as well. I wouldn't partake, but for them. Why? Because I feel that it's fair seeing that often times if close friends and loved ones make things to accomodate us when we visit them and not force their cooked food on us, then why force our way of eating on them?

I'd have lots of raw goodies for them to try and then maybe say, "Hey, next time, what do you think of having a TOTAL meal of this kind of good and good for you food?"

We can't push this on others...it would either be that or just not entertaining at all OR...make it potluck and they can bring whatever cooked dishes they and the other cooked fooders may want to eat while the dishes I provide would be raw and I'd eat only what I made (and if they respect me and my decision, they'll respect my decision to not eat their food without being offended) and they can eat the cooked food and are free to sample or endulge in some of the raw food I make but I wouldn't get offended if they decided not to as well.

There are ways to compromise and still be social. I'm gearing myself up for the holidays where I KNOW I'll be toting my own food as we make our rounds to my family and dh's family. Either that or fill up before we leave and maybe carry dessert with me.

[Wrecked Spark]

I think you're right...

With the amount that we entertain, it's certainly worth our while to learn to cook so that our guests don't feel they're being bombarded with "rabbit food" (HA!). There appears to be incredible dishes out there and perhaps we'll even open up a whole new vista for them in a supportive and inspiring atmosphere...

[Sweet lips]

Yes, I agree - fix for your guest what you know they will enjoy. From there, you can then prepare a few raw things that would go for appetizers, as well as deserts.

I have made Alissa's raw ravioli, using a radish instaed of a turnip and my cooked friends thought it was delicious. Of course you have to practice first, but try Alissa's site and Alex - rawguru.com - he has some interesting things to impart. Of course, a beautiful raw salad is always a good choice.

[Wrecked Spark]

Wonderful!

I think I'm going to hunt down Alissa's book... will have to see if it's available in Canada. Might check out that Rawguru site also.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Cheers,
Wrecked Spark

[vegbaby]

This summer I went to the International Raw Foods Fest in Portland, and I was lucky enough to get in to an all-day session with Cherie Soria and the chefs at the Living Light Institute. Two of the things I learned to prepare, which were just wonderful, were tortilla soup and chocolate cream pie made with avocados. The latter is just to live for - no one could believe it was raw, it's that sinful! I made them for a group dinner, then I ate my raw stuff, and they ate their cooked stuff, but NO ONE raved more about anything than my chocolate cream pie. :)

But we are having someone over for dinner tonight, and I will make cooked food for him, just like I do for the rest of my family every night. Then I will sit by with a big fresh juice cocktail, and what do you bet someone will ask if they can try it?

Melanie

[cnjd36]

vegbaby do you think that I could get the recipe for the pie. My family is hosting Thanksgiving for my moms side of the family and I will be doing raw. Nobody but my hubby and my oldest daughter know that I am doing this and I'm not going to get into a discussion with my mom's sisters at this point. They think I'm crazy enough already. (I think the life of the party). I will be bring several different meals for myself since we will be there for several days. I know about the heating of food but what about freezing items?

[vegbaby]

Sorry I didn't see this request till now! I've sent you the recipe privately and will send it to anyone else here who would like it, but I hesitate to post it to the boards because of copyright issues. I don't know the chef personally, so I felt I couldn't.

Melanie

[ksabe98]

I host a group of friends almost every wednesday and until I went raw almost 3 months ago they were fed with cooked fare. Then when I went raw I started preparing only raw foods. Right from the start no more cooked food. With the exception of one guest who doesn't eat fruit or veggies almost at all, he brings his own meat already cooked and partakes of some salad, everyone begs for the raw meals. In fact when we don't do it for a week or two they call me requesting the raw food. It is wonderful. They feel like for that one evening a week they are doing something wonderful for their body and maybe at least one will become a convert. So give it a try. I didn't even really know what I was doing just read alot, copied the recipes that looked easy or are beautiful in presentation and I had a winner. My friends all call me the beautiful dinner host now.

[Wrecked Spark]

Hmmm.... beautiful dinner host.... I like the sounds of that ;)