salad question

[foodfiend]

I had planned to make a mixed green salad with strawberries, blueberries, toasted walnuts and a strawberry-balsamic vinaigrette for MIL's birthday dinner. SIL just told me that her "kids" (aged 18 and 20) just like "plain" salad and could I provide a ranch dressing as well. I won't say what went through my mind as she told me this...

First, we have limited room on the buffet table to separate everything. I was thinking that I provide greens then set out a few small bowls of a cheese, toasted walnuts, and ????? for everyone to embellish their own salad. I am going to use a plain Italian vinaigrette (ranch, ick)to dress the salad beforehand because there is no room for a bunch of bottles on the table (plus everyone shaking the bottle, pouring the dressing, replacing the bottle, etc. takes too much time). What kind of cheese should I put out, and should I add anything else to the greens?

Also, SIL mentioned that her daughter just turned vegetarian so she wouldn't be eating either the braciola or the chicken, and she can't eat the pasta since she is gluten-intolerant, and she hates tomatoes so she won't be having any of the grilled tomato & scallions... only the lemon rice and salad. And she told me that her son will probably only eat the braciola (if we didn't mention the proscuitto) and maybe the pasta, but that he hates vegetables and doesn't like sauces on his chicken.

So, am I wrong to want to put these spoiled kids out into the main dining room with the old folks and allow us adults to enjoy our food without their meager-plate presence???

Grrr. Sorry for the unexpected vent!

So, what should I do about that salad?????

[Gourmet_Mom]

Good Grief! That's just plain ridiculous. Okay, I just deleted my snide post.

I don't know about putting the salad toppings separate. If you do that, be prepared to have lots of fruit left over. People will be hesitant to try the fruit on the salad, but if given the salad with the fruit already incorporated, they'll try it and be surprised at how good it is.

Would it be too much trouble to just stick a bowl of salad, or two, somewhere with a bottle of Ranch? Maybe at their place at the table? Or just tell her she'll have to feed them before they come. Okay, so that one slipped out.

[chef_Tab]

OMG! The nerve! This is why my kids are not picky and thank me every moment they can for not allowing it. It seems to me you have so many different foods on this buffet, everyone should find something they can eat. Those extremely fussy should bring their own PBJ or whatever and be polite. If possible, I would seat those ill mannered people in a separate room. And I think you should assemble and dress the salad because most of the people will probably love it that way. You will only make yourself crazy if you try to cater to a select few idiots.

sorry for my little rant, but rude and obnoxious people are a pet peeve of mine. Give me their names Vicci, I know a guy......

[labradors]

Quote:

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So, what should I do about that salad?????

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Given all the rest, maybe you should soak the greens in beef stock.

[foodfiend]

Lettuce au jus???

You guys are SO great! I've been stewing since the phone call, and was laughing while I read your responses. I think that I will take some plain salad leaves separately, dump them into a couple of bowls and place at the "kids" place settings, then ask their mom to supply the dressing. The salad will, for the real people, consist of greens, berries, nuts, and cheese with a nice strawberry vinaigrette.

What kind of cheese? I think that gorgonzola or goat cheese would be great, but DH hates both kinds (and I have a feeling that the rest of his odd family are the same). Maybe I should have a bowl of goat cheese for me, and what else for the rest of them? Something safe... asiago?

[Gourmet_Mom]

While Culinary Artistry does not mention any cheeses for either the strawberries or the blueberries, I like the goat cheese....maybe on the side? But then, how do you serve goat cheese on the side?

Since I'm new to cheese, I should let somebody else jump in here.

[Mare749]

Vicci, I just have to throw my two cents in here because I've walked in your shoes a few times. IMHO, make your salad and the rest of the meal exactly the way you want to, and make no apologies. You can't be making special orders for every picky PIA.

And most importantly, relax and enjoy your party, it will be great! BTW, the menu sounds delicious.

[labradors]

All kidding aside, why not just make the whole thing a salad bar and let everyone build whatever he or she wants?

As for the cheese, Gorgonzola is often used with sweet things, especially pears, so that would probably work well, but not everyone likes blue-veined cheeses, so the goat cheese wouldn't hurt, either. In fact, I'd probably include some smoked Gouda, as well.

[Harborwitch]

Vicci, Vicci, Vicci! Isn't this dinner about your MIL??? Tell the SIL to . . . and the kids need to be . . . . up alongside the head. Geeze, shouldn't have said that.

Bob says gorgonzola. I like the gorgonzola & the goat cheese idea too.

You've got such an incredible menu planned. Perhaps a stop at McD's for a couple fish sammies and some fries for the brats, I mean kids???? Dressing - go with your dressing. Any more rude idiots need to be told that the dinner is for your MIL, and if they don't like what's served they should eat before they get there.

Allergies I can understand. "just turned vegetarian" is a spoiled brat attitude, and the brother's even worse. Of course their mother obviously raised them . . . .

[farnfam]

I vote for Gorgonzola too. We do a spinach salad with strawberries etc. and that's the cheese we use, and it is ever so good