hospitality

here's an interesting question to ponder: if you have a food sensitivity and you're hosting an event, do you serve that food to your guests?

It's something to truly think about. Even if you're just a vegetarian by choice, what do you serve at your wedding reception? That's the question that's been raised and discussed recently. I saw something awhile back when Chelsea Clinton got married--she's a vegetarian--that she chose to serve grass fed organic beef to her guests rather than serving a meatless meal. It was considerate to the guests; not a majority of the people in the world are vegetarians, so it's catering to them.

It's wedding receptions where this is really an issue to be debated. It's an interesting statement more than anything else. I was at a wedding reception last year where the bride was a vegetarian (so likely the groom, but I don't know for certain so I won't comment) and the meal they served was vegetarian. They also had a cupcakes and then the one layer cake for them to cut and eat themselves, but they had a gluten-free brownie discreetly sitting there for any guests who wishes to partake and had gluten sensitivities. It was very well done of them.

I will also say--i could eat the green beans, and that was it.

Which raises the question for those of us who have more than just the no-meat thing going on: do I accommodate you or do you accommodate me?

Meatless Monday is a legitimate event and I don't think that many people consider an occasional meal without meat to be a big thing. I don't think that anyone was too surprised at this wedding reception that there was no meat--a comment here and there, but it didn't hurt anyone to eat fettucine alfredo and green beans and then a rice/bean dish (side note: what does it say about me that I can remember what was served at a wedding I went to almost a year ago? this is how much attention I pay to the food when I go out!). Plenty of people eat salads and call it a day; or cheese quesadillas; or some pasta dish without meat. No big deal. So that's not a big surprise if you were to do that at your wedding. Moving on...

I've not done the gluten-free thing, but I don't consider that to be a big change in most people's meals at a wedding reception...so no bread basket, nothing breaded, and then the accommodation with the cake. I know I'm simplifying, but once again, a few comments and then we've all moved on.

What about the milk allergic people? That knocks out anything with cheese...most baked dishes...onwards. Shellfish, peanuts, soy...accommodate-able.

But then there's people like me. I could probably come up with a wedding reception menu that wouldn't raise too many questions, but the caterer would probably think i'm nutso. But then it would be MY wedding reception. Should I accommodate everyone else and serve normal food? Or should I give everyone a taste of what it's like to be me, and eat like me--while celebrating one of the most joyous occasions in my life?

I go back and forth on it. I'm trying to come up with a good place to go for graduation dinner where I'd be able to eat and so would my family. Someplace nice, so not the Mexican place down the road where I can get a cheese quesadilla. Or wherever. I don't graduate for another year and I'm already thinking about it. (I'm currently stuck on The Melting Pot...maybe. may be possible)

I'm thinking about this more now because I had friends over for Memorial Day--and what's tradition summertime food to kick off this holiday? Burgers. I bought meat and we grilled some burgers...and I ate pasta salad. We had to wrap my cutting board in saran wrap so that the meat juices didn't contaminate it while we were shaping the burgers. In fact, I didn't even touch the meat until it was cooked and then only with a spatula. Everything the meat touched went straight into the dishwasher so it would be thoroughly cleaned. And the leftover hamburger buns went home with my friends.

I also almost left the grocery store without any meat I am so used to bypassing the meat counter completely. I also stood there for about ten minutes, trying to figure out the right thing to by.

It didn't bother me to accommodate them; they're my friends and my shield when I go out--they make sure to take me aside at their parties and point out the foods that I can eat and they will sometimes email me to recheck the list and consider a Pam-safe food to serve.

Shades of grey here, hmmmmm? Who accommodates whom?