Progressive Dinners - dinner parties with a difference

[ga3996]

I have just published a new web site exclusively about organising and running Progressive Dinners.

Take a look at www.progressivedinners.com.

I would welcome any feedback, comment, etc.

[ShawtyCat]

I have heard of this. I also saw it on Food TV a few months ago. Not sure if I would want to do it personally, especially with 3 little kiddies. It is a nice concept though....kinda like going to a few restaurants in one night but it is actually your friends or neighbors homes.

Jodi

[Britcook]

I've done a few of these and in the right circumstances with the right people they can be great fun, but a few cautionary notes. They work best in a geographically small area, focused on some kind of community centre, maybe a church or other social centre, so that diners can walk between courses. You'd also better hope for good weather.
The idea of random selection of people for each course is not always a good idea either, try and ensure the best cooks get the main course. "Why?" I hear you ask. Because after the starter you only have a limited time to get home, complete your preparation/cooking and serve the meal - if your first course runs late for any reason this could be as little as 15 minutes. A competent cook can cope with this but the less able tend to panic with potentially dreadful results. Because of this, regardless of the skill level, you tend to almost always get some kind of casserole for the main course, because of the flexibility of serving time.
And food allergies/aversions/preferences tend to be a bit of a nightmare. I vividly remember one main course prepared by a vegetarian couple neither of whom was an accomplished cook. Inedible doesn't even start to describe it. And one lady who sat down at my table and just I as I was about to serve my best beef dish announced that she was a vegetarian. Well, gee thanks. Mind you even if I had known in advance I could have had problems because all of my best main course dishes tend to be meat based.
If it works it's great, if not be prepared to pick up a take-out on the way home!

[DaveB]

Back when I was a kid (1950's) progressive suppers were a very popular form of church social. this was especially true in our Brooklyn neighborhood where most of the congregation lived within walking distance of each other and the church.

[Georgeair]

This reminds me of a neighbor several years ago who went Trick-or-Treating for drinks. Unfortunately we were among the last doorways leaned up against. Apparently everyone else had also played along as he made the rounds.

We did not see him at too many social events for the next year or so..............