Food Friday- problem solving edition

Because problem-solving is about seeing that there is more than one way to do something,

My mother was the sort of hostess who spent lots of dinner in the kitchen getting the next course prepped while the guests were enjoying their meal. She would sit for bits of the dinner but for much of it, she was absent from the table, busy clearing the remnants of the previous course, plattering the next adding radish roses or parsley sprigs to the main course, putting the tea up to boil or adding last minutes garnishes to the dessert platters.

I try to be a more relaxed hostess than my mother. Usually, dinner is served in two courses, the main course, and dessert.  There is something nice about the languid pace of a multi-course meal. My dishwasher though, can't keep pace with a really elaborate meal.

Another problem I have I have in serving a meal is managing the various food issues of my diners. My son and I love charred tomatoes. My husband detests them. My husband and son love pickles and olives. I can't tolerate the salt. I could go on and on about all of our dietary quirks, but I won't.

I have come up a solution that solves both of these problems.After Motzi I bring out a simply dressed bowl of greens and several bowls of additions to the salad. This is most of tonight's additions, roasted zuccini shreds, curried cauliflower, spicy okra and tomato

and a cucumber salad. There may be a few more bowls of goodies added to the mix.

I like that people can build their own salads without having to pick or apologize because of their dietary needs or food aversions.

After eating the salad I bring out the rest of the main course. it's all easy and relaxed and I don't have to pop up and down that often during the meal.

What is our main course you ask?

It's sliced beef again. My son will make another excellent sauce before the meat goes into the oven before Shabbat. I will figure out our arb before Shabbat and our guests are bringing dessert.