Visit our Popular Forums

muddy_hollow · 09-25-2006, 05:43 AM

Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot

I like baked beans, bbq beans & three bean salad, but that's not the point of this thread.

The question I wanted to throw out there, is what do people like to eat for dinner at rallies and how is it viewed? Does the average wally type at Rallies like to drink good beer/wine, eat "fancy" food, and generally try something different? Do they prefer hamburgers, hot dogs, and easy prepared food? Do they prefer the old ham and bean or just a loaf of white bread and tuna fish?

So, what do the average wally types eat for dinner at Rallies?

Also:

Cost is always the issue as I see it, but when you are buying for 75 people is it more expensive to buy hamburger(85/15) or pork tenderloin?

Is cooking the big meal considered an adult activity and viewed as a fun time with friends or a job that no one wants but does so because the troops need to eat?

All points are welcomed!

Doug

Pahaska · 09-25-2006, 08:16 AM

We usually have one "major" meal that may be catered or prepared by the rally hosts with a meat, veggie, and desert. Our other meals are usually less formal: hamburgers, sausage wraps, and the like.

A big favorite on the day of arrival at our rallies is a salad pot luck with everyone bringing a favorite salad. It requires minimum cooking and a lot of the preparation can be done before leaving home.

**Janet H** · 09-25-2006, 08:43 AM

Maybe we're not your avereage wally type but we have been at rallies with steamed Artichokes for all, paella for 50, spit roasted lamb,hand made tortillas and other labor intensive foods. Cooking can be a great time to hang out a socialize.

My Favorite easy meal is a BYOM BBQ (bring your own meat). Bring a side dish to share.

Chuck · 09-25-2006, 09:12 AM

My vote is for Spam in a Can.

its "just camping", right?

bryanl · 09-25-2006, 09:41 AM

How about canning the bigotry?

It seems to me that it is very ugly to start segregating "wally type" as if those who are of this class eat differently than others.

There seems to be a lot of such ugliness going around. Not only are eating habits being impugned but also manners of dress and other things.

Some of this bigotry may be in fun, but it is still ugly, especially when it is just one part of other such 'fun' and a current hot topic in other threads (just search for "wally")

balrgn · 09-25-2006, 09:45 AM

We generally like to have, meat veggies salad, hold the carbs please

peegreen · 09-25-2006, 09:52 AM

After happy hour, everything is good.

muddy_hollow · 09-25-2006, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leipper

How about canning the bigotry?

It seems to me that it is very ugly to start segregating "wally type" as if those who are of this class eat differently than others.

There seems to be a lot of such ugliness going around. Not only are eating habits being impugned but also manners of dress and other things.

Some of this bigotry may be in fun, but it is still ugly, especially when it is just one part of other such 'fun' and a current hot topic in other threads (just search for "wally")

Is your beret a little tight? We're all part of the same club after all. I include myself as a wally type and I'm damn proud of it. I don't see anything ugly about it. I'll eat what's put in front of me, but the thread is supposed to be an exploration into what people eat at their rallies?

I guess if I were English and called someone a Wally it would be an insult.

Here in this crowd, being a wally is a beutiful thing. Being a bigot here is usually towards those big fat, ugly white boxes..... I guess that's accetable

It's all in good fun being a Wally

I hope I can include you.

myboyburt · 09-25-2006, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muddy_hollow

Is your beret a little tight? We're all part of the same club after all. I include myself as a wally type and I'm damn proud of it. I don't see anything ugly about it. I'll eat what's put in front of me, but the thread is supposed to be an exploration into what people eat at their rallies?

I guess if I were English and called someone a Wally it would be an insult.

Here in this crowd, being a wally is a beutiful thing. Being a bigot here is usually towards those big fat, ugly white boxes..... I guess that's accetable

It's all in good fun being a Wally

I hope I can include you.

I'm proud to be a Wally too.

And I like the all rally foods you've listed in the survey. Love the diversity we have - each rally is different in regards to the food prepared.

I'm going to host a rally for the NEU next October. Planning a Dutch Oven / Fire Cooking theme. Should be fun on a cool fall night - knowing how much we love our fires.

bobandcarla · 09-25-2006, 11:07 AM

This is hard because depending on all the factors of a weekend such as weather, location of the campground to site seeing, and available free time any one of the mentioned dinners would be good.

But then again I'll eat anything.

Carla is more discreet with what she will have for dinner. Hot dogs are great as far as I'm concerned!

AZstreamin · 09-25-2006, 11:11 AM

I love Mexican food and it is fun to make for large groups (and inexpensive)
Carne Asada
Adobo Pork
Machacha (slow cooked beef)
Beans
Rice
Fresh Tortilla
for appetizer queso fundido (melt cheese> queso oaxaca<, chorizo and green chilies)

The list goes on.. Its fun and easy to make and everyone leaves saying wow that was good...

LuminumTraila · 09-25-2006, 11:26 AM

Are you sayin' rally attendees are just average? That's just plain insulting, Doug.

I can't speak for any "average attendees" since I don't know any, but the wally-types in this family like the kind of food that would make for a good old-fashioned picnic outing. Meat on the grill, cold salads on the side, baked beans, corn-on-the-cob, fruit, and pies and cookies for desserts.

We save the gourmet cooking for home.

-J

muddy_hollow · 09-25-2006, 12:26 PM

Wally types now equals attendees... I've been corrected

I wanted to put this question out there because there are some nagging questions in my mind about food at rallies and why some have very strong opinions about food. Does the potato define us?????

Is it the food that some people get turned off at or is it the perceived pretense, or lack thereof, of the food that people get turned off at? One man's macaroni and cheese is another man's Macarone du Fromage. Same stuff? Cool with me either way....

It would seem that the numbers support the notion that we need a variety of food at rallies, which I think is the case today. Variety is GOOD! If you don't like the burgers bring your steak, if you don't like the steaks bring your burger. Just be there and enjoy the people around you. That's what it's all about.

Aren't there enough issues at work already?

Minnie's Mate · 09-25-2006, 12:50 PM

I like to take the gourmet route, but then, that's why I bought an Airstream! There is nothing wrong with 'burgers and hotdogs. They're our traditional Saturday lunch at home. But I'm with Janet when we travel. We have a little more time when we're relaxed and can enjoy the preparation as well as the consumation of the food. We have taken Paella to the potluck dinners before as well as the Georgia interpretation of Mexican.

As for happy hour...I'm for that too. Since you can't get the built in Nu-tone blenders anymore, I just bought a vintage deco Waring Blendor to go with my Airstream complete with Ice Jet ice crusher. Margaritas at our campsite!

M&M CAPECOD · 09-25-2006, 12:56 PM

I'm surprised at you forgetting the other white meat. I guess I won't be serving you my Warm Chicken and Spinach Salad again.

Come to think of it I'm not sure I'll be eating it either.

No really, I'm not a fan of potlucks, I like the grill together idea much better. No explanation needed for those of you who know me. Having just hosted an Applefest rally with our meals based on apples which included what I would call a high-end banquet dinner and now planning for an All-American BBQ for a rally next Spring, I would repeat that they all have their time and place.

I'd want something warm and hearty in cooler weather and light and refreshing in warmer. I love the theme meals that we plan in NEU, I'm always amazed at how far some of us go in keeping with the theme.

The other big factor is what facilities or lack there of you have to work with. If we're boondocking at Scusset it'd be pretty hard to do what we did at the Applefest. Cooking for over 60 this past weekend was not a chore because of people like you who made it fun. Who says it has to be an adult activity, we had several future Wally members sporting food prep gloves and eagerly doing their part. I don't believe we heard any complaining about workload this weekend.

But to get back to the food. If I were able to have my ultimate camping meal it would have to be Juicy Ribs that fall off the bone with extra sauce on the side, chilled coldslaw, cornbread, an ice cold beer from the local microbrewery and for dessert well I'm feeling pretty stuffed after that meal so I'll have to take a little walk and in a little bit we'll take a ride down to that ice cream shack we saw and have some chocolate soft serve with a cone. I'll give the last bite to Griffin.

kposey · 09-25-2006, 01:16 PM

The good thing about Pot Lucks is getting to try new stuff. There always seems to be something for everyone, those who eat meat and those who don't. And, of course, the little 'uns that just eat hotdogs! I've walked away with several good recipes that I have used over and over again. I'm always willing to try something new! Then, again, those ribs sound good too!

bryanl · 09-25-2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Is it the food that some people get turned off at or is it the perceived pretense, or lack thereof, of the food that people get turned off at? One man's macaroni and cheese is another man's Macarone du Fromage. Same stuff? Cool with me either way....

try this:
Goal #1 - meet and greet. It's the people!
Goal #2 - learn something, gain a new experience
Goal #3 - share the load

If someone is getting turned off, then maybe they need to get a looser fitting beret and put some thinking into what is important ;-)

But you shouldn't wear hats at dinner and there are some serious issues too.
- Potluck, catered, common, hosted, BBQ, or what format?
- indoor or outdoor?
- If potluck, statistical or allocated?
- ethnicity, health, and religious considerations?
- tolerance for the intolerant?
- health and safety concerns and issues?
- recipe sharing?
- quantities and servings?
- themed?
- time and schedule?
- coordination with other activity?
- facilities, utensils, clean-up,

Then there is the belt problem. And the eyes vs stomach problem. And the engineering and mechanics of loading and transport.

And don't forget training newbies so they know what to expect and won't feel left out, guilt ridden, or dissappointed.

BTW, thanks from one interested in inclusivity, tolerance, and happy times with good folks in re thread title.

Breaking bread together hits all the senses to make memories that long linger with a smile. Or at least it should

peegreen · 09-25-2006, 02:05 PM

I'm waiting for Over59 to chime in on this thread. He goes over the top with the WOW factor.

**jcanavera** · 09-25-2006, 02:05 PM

One thing we do differently at the pot luck dinner at the forums rally at Moraine View is to make no meal assignments for the attendees. WBCCI rallies that I have attended tend to break the alphabet down to A-G bring a vegatable, H-......etc.

My thinking is that folks should get to bring what they like and what they personally enjoy preparing. After 4 years of doing this, we don't seem to have too much of this or that. And quite honestly as a preparer of food, you soon learn what folks like and don't like. Everyone brings their own eating utensils, napkins and drinks. I tell every one to bring their own meat dish for themselves and the pot luck takes care of every thing else. It all works out pretty good. No one goes away hungry.

Jack

bryanl · 09-25-2006, 02:07 PM

As for favorites - the Huck Finn idea seems to be a theme. Whether salad, entre or desert it seems simple and compound work. Potato or macaroni or fruit jello salads. Sloppy joes, BBQ stuff, stews, casseroles, steamed veggies for entres. Cake, cookies, pudding. And, always welcome is someone's specialty.

It seems drink often gets ignored as a shared item. I like the water cooler with some disposable cups handy as a basis. Soft drinks in ice can be interesting as the variety depends upon who is providing. Coffee and tea are a good idea. The problem here is that these usually require direct cash outlay so are better done as a delegated thing.