Quay Po Cooks: Potluck is a good idea for Christmas

Monday, December 20, 2010

Potluck is a good idea for Christmas

I think potluck is a good idea for any party that needs to cater for a big crowd, especially when the host does not want do too much cooking. Yesterday, my son, Nick attended a Christmas party at his boss’ home. It was a potluck party so I prepared a few things for his contribution. I made salsa, grilled vegetables, beef burgundy and coconut speculas. It was my first time making the beef burgundy and fortunately it turned out quite delicious. So the next time I cook this again, I will share the recipe with you all.

I made some Belgium speculas but somehow when the first tray of cookies were done and I tried one, I did not like it because it was too sweet. In order to cut down the sweetness, I added dessicated coconut to the next batch of dough and the cookies tasted much better. I do not know if they is such thing as coconut speculas, if not, then let the name be borned yesterday. LOL!

I was eager to know if his colleagues enjoyed the food I prepared. It was around 10pm that I received a thank you sms from Nick to say they did. I can’t tell you how happy I was. I guess the best reward for any cook is to know that people enjoyed what they cooked. Do you agree with me?

Beef burgundy

Coconut speculas

spicy mango salsa

grilled mixed vegetables

13 comments:

AnonymousDecember 20, 2010 at 1:17 AM
I always find potlucks brilliant for all occasions...love them:)
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Belinda @zomppaDecember 20, 2010 at 1:49 AM
Wouldn't mind going to a potluck at your place!
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DianeDecember 20, 2010 at 5:11 AM
I made your Christmas rice tonight, it was delicious. You say it tastes better the next day so I am looking forward to tomorrow's left overs :) Diane
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matt gordonDecember 20, 2010 at 5:22 AM
i will be over for a potluck so tell me what is a great time. love your pics and recipes.
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lequanDecember 20, 2010 at 5:43 AM
Hi Quay Po,

I think pot luck is a great idea for any big party gathering. Gives everyone a chance to show off their skills, creates great dinner conversation, and allows the host to relax a bit. You sure made a lot of yummy dishes for your son to bring. Glad to know they were a success. Seeing empty plates definitely brings a smile to a cook's face.
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La Bella CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 6:10 AM
I agree, feedback is one of the great pleasures of cooking. What a feast you made for the party. They are were quite lucky.
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VegeCooking ClubDecember 20, 2010 at 8:08 AM
I agree! THe best reward is definitely when those who eat it enjoy it! I wish I had been at this potluck. The grill veggies sound wonderful!
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Quay Po CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 9:44 AM
David,
I just catch up with all your posts! Love them all.
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Quay Po CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Beinda,
If you are staying nearby to me, you will no choice not to taste my food. If you don't come to my place, it will be brought to you. LOL!
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Quay Po CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 9:46 AM
Diane,
I am so happy to hear that you made the Christmas rice and I am sure my hubby will be very please to hear that you like it. Thanks so much for the feedback!
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Quay Po CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 9:50 AM
Matt,
It has been a while I heard from you. You are welcome anytime to come over for my potluck hahaha.
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Quay Po CooksDecember 20, 2010 at 9:54 AM
Bridgett, lequan and Dawn,
You all put a smile on my face with every comment you leave on my posts. Thanks so much.
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"Simplifried"December 20, 2010 at 11:54 AM
Great, chalk up another vote for Christmas rice. It is a crowd pleaser. I am convinced by the empty bowls even though we keep increasing the amount we make each year. Thanks for the feedback Diane. Delighted that you enjoyed it.
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A LITTLE ABOUT THIS QUAY PO

Before I was married to my "Quay Lo" (Guaylo) husband, I did not know how to bake or cook. Subsequently I learned some baking and cooking Western cuisine from him, and providing his food for him launched an interest in cooking in general. Many of my Chinese friends and family told me that "Quay" is the wrong spelling for devil in Cantonese. The right spelling should be "Kwai" or "Guay". Well, somehow I like the spelling "Quay" better although I have to agree that it does not sound very Cantonese. Try asking a Westerner to pronounce "Kwai" and you will probably hear "Quay" haha. Whether is "Quay" or "Kwai" or "Guay, just know the devil woman is me when you see Quay Po Cooks. My hubby said if people pronounce "Quay" as "Key" is even better because I am the key to his heart. LOL!

Only now, have I started to learn the traditional Cantonese cuisine of my Mum. She cooks fabulously and all her specialties are divine. These two interests, my husband's Western food, and my mother's traditional food, prompted me to document them so they will not be lost.

Here, I wish to share my cooking and baking experience with my readers. I also hope to inspire those who do not know how to cook or bake to do so because, trust me, if I can, you can too.

Something I'd like to mention is that I find that many people are rather unwilling to share their recipes. However, for me, I think differently. I think good recipes should be shared thus allowing as many people to enjoy it as possible. Unless those recipes are for doing business, I don't see why we want to keep them all to ourselves. So if you are generous in sharing your recipes, you are welcome to share on my blog. Send the recipes to me and better still with pictures of the final products and I will be very happy to post them them with credits to you of course.

Our cuisine is a deeply embedded part of our culture. When two cultures come together under the same roof the results in the kitchen can sometimes be comedic, sometimes confrontational, but more often it is a journey full of surprises and discovery. There is joy in our food. If we think upon this, it is intuitively obvious. This blog is a journey of joy and sharing, reflecting what the French like to call "joie de vivre" (joy of living). No one could be more different from one another then my husband and my mother. Yet one thing they share in common is knowing intuitively that food, cooking, and sharing can be avenues of joy in life itself. So herein, help yourself, to a little joy and , if you like it, share it with your own family and friends. Joy is something that should be shared.