Potlucks
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A potluck is a communal gathering where each guest or group contributes a different, often homemade,
dish of food A dish in gastronomy is a specific food preparation, a "distinct article or variety of food", ready to eat or to be served. A dish may be served on tableware, or may be eaten in one's hands. Instructions for preparing a dish are called recipes. ...
to be shared. Other names for a "potluck" include: potluck dinner, pitch-in, shared lunch, spread, faith supper, carry-in dinner, covered-dish-supper, fuddle, Jacob's Join, bring a plate, and fellowship meal.


Etymology

The word ''pot-luck'' appears in the 16th century English work of
Thomas Nashe Thomas Nashe (baptised November 1567 – c. 1601; also Nash) was an Elizabethan playwright, poet, satirist and a significant pamphleteer. He is known for his novel ''The Unfortunate Traveller'', his pamphlets including ''Pierce Penniless,'' ...
, and used to mean "food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest, the luck of the pot". The modern execution of a "communal meal, where guests bring their own food", most likely originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Some speakers believe that it is an eggcorn of the North American indigenous communal meal known as a '' potlatch'' (meaning "to give away").


Description

Potluck dinners are events where the attendees bring a dish to a meal. Potluck dinners are often organized by religious or
community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, ...
groups, since they simplify the meal planning and distribute the costs among the participants. Smaller, more informal get-togethers with distributed food preparation may also be called potlucks. The only traditional rule is that each dish be large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarily all) of the anticipated guests. In some cases each participant agrees ahead of time to bring a single course, and the result is a multi-course meal. This agreement rectifies the problem of many participants bringing the same dish. Guests may bring in any form of food, ranging from the main course to desserts.


See also

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Buffet A buffet can be either a sideboard (a flat-topped piece of furniture with cupboards and drawers, used for storing crockery, glasses, and table linen) or a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners serve ...
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Free lunch A free lunch is the providing of a meal at no cost, usually as a sales enticement to attract customers and increase revenues from other business. It was once a common tradition in saloons and taverns in many places in the United States, with th ...
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House concert A house concert or home concert is a musical concert or performance art that is presented in someone's home or apartment, or a nearby small private space such as a barn, apartment rec room, lawn, or backyard."VIDEO: House concert in Royal Oak," '' ...
* Pampa mesa


References


External links


What's the origin of "potluck"?
{{Meals_navbox Eating parties Food combinations Serving and dining Eggcorns Communal eating