Is this an okay menu for DP's somewhat fussy siblings?

[ShadowsCollideWithPeople]

Have DP's siblings and their DH/Ws for dinner on Sat night. Usually, if I'm doing dinner for a group, I'll start with French onion soup with a gruyere cruton or a seafood platter, followed by maybe a chicken, chorizo and chickpea stew. None of them eat seafood, or chorizo, and they would hate French onion soup. One of them won't eat meat in sauce, so that rules out a stew or casserole.

Am thinking a 'butcher's board' to start, with Parma ham, salami, pate, and plain cooked ham (for the fussier ones), with bread, crackers and cornichons. I'd usually include black pudding, think I still will, for those who will eat it.

Then roast beef with red wine gravy, glazed carrots, roast broccoli with parmesan and champ.

Finally, Toblerone cheesecake with cream. Served with a glass of Baileys.

Loads of wine and beer.

If you are a bit fussy, would you eat this? Should I do some plain vegetables too?

I would, sounds lovely!
Although yes, I'd do plain veg as well.

And I don't like cheesecake. A CAKE of CHEESE ?!

That all sounds delicious!

Okay, so some plain veggies. Lots of wine, and if any of them think that the veggies are too plain, I'll just pour Baileys in to them. Sorted .

The guests, I mean, not the veggies

I was thinking veggies with Baileys would be a step too far for even none fussy eaters!

NCISaddict, you mean to say that you wouldn't enjoy my carrots and broccoli stewed in Baileys? Whatever would good Leroy Jethro Gibbs say? Actually, he'd probably prefer them stewed in Burbon, with a side of sawdust

It's quite a heavy menu - are they big eaters?
I'm not the biggest fan of chocolate bar flavoured cheesecake. Give me the bar of chocolate or bake my cheesecake, New York style. Still can get over the horror of a mint aero cheesecake...the textures just aren't right, IMO.

I think a fruit based pudding would work better after the first two courses.

It sounds lovely but I'm with slack - together it's quite a heavy menu and I'd fill myself up on your delicious sounding starter

Can you go for a veggie starter? It's a lot of meat to be followed by meat.

I'd do something like open ravioli with mushrooms and butternut squash, a goats cheese tart or a butternut squash, blue cheese and walnut salad to start.

I'd probably be happy with the dessert but you might want something light after the beef? I'd either go with a lemon mousse or a panacotta.

You sound like a very accomplished cook and a fab host, though

Thanks all. They are big eaters. I'd prefer to do a fish/veggie starter followed by a meat main, or vice versa, but they are dedicated carnivores and I honestly can't of a veggie dish that they would all eat. Hazel, much as your suggestions sound delicious (I'd happily devour all of them), they genuinely wouldn't eat any of them. Very fussy! A light fruity dessert sounds good though. I do fridge cheesecake, as opposed to baked, so maybe a light lime cheesecake? Desserts are not my strong point, I'm much better at the savoury stuff, so any fruity dessert suggestions will be much appreciated . Slack, the mint aero cheesecake sounds awful. I love mint chocolate, I love cheesecake, but combined? Nooooo!

They do sound very fussy shadows Hats off to you for cooking for them!

Lime cheesecake sounds amazing though, make that!

I am not much into puddings either. How about eton mess - crushed meringue, whipped cream and raspberries strawberries. Or lemon posset with shop bought little biscuits. Both very simple, light and fruity!

They are unbelievably fussy, Hazel. The lime cheesecake is delicious, it's a Momma Shadows recipe. It's really just cream, cottage cheese, and dissolved lime jelly blended and poured on a digestive biscuit and butter base. Momma Shadows tends to stick with the reliable (delicious) basics .

Yummy, I love Eton mess, but they wouldn't eat it. Too fussy to eat berries. Lemon posset could work.

Did I mention that they are awful fussy? Fuck, what have I let myself in for? Copious amounts of wine abd Baileys will be the key, I think. And that's just for me .

Personaly, I'd be pointing the fussy buggers in the direction of a take away. You sound lovely, as does your menú. Would they deign To eat a simple fruit salad, as they won't eat a lighter starter?

Ah, thank you Adora. We don't get to see much of them, so wanted to go all out. I also tend to tie myself in knots trying to please people, and literally cater to their every (fussy) whim. They would not eat fruit salad. My Mum suggested just saying fuck it and getting a curry delivered. I would, except that it would probably be too spicy for them

I like your Mum

There is such a thing as a good guest, as Well as good hosts.

I also think the lime cheesecake sounds deliciosa, hope it goes Well and you can relax and enjoy the evening. And the wine & Baileys .

My Mum definitely has the right attitude to entertaining. Serve food, get drunk is pretty much her ethos .

The lime cheesecake is delicious and very easy. It's really just digestives and butter blitzed and pressed into the bottom of a cheesecake springform, with a mix of 2 dissolved lime jelly packs, a small tub of un-whipped cream and a tub of cottage cheese all blended up and poured on top. Refrigerate overnight then run a knife around the edge to release it.

The dinner will be fun... As long as I start quaffing wine at about 6pm. And possibly stash a bottle of Molinari next to the oven .

Hope it goes well, fussy guests are a challenge to us all. but at least you know they are fussy. The guests who when asked, insist they aren't fussy and then gasp when they are presented with anything other than meat and two veg, suddenly they don't eat chilli, garlic etc - drives me mad!

I've actually had someone say "oh, sorry in my head I'm not fussy but I then I remember I dislike loads of things" as I served the food.

YY to commencing the quaffing at 6

Oh yes, Slack and Adora, the 'oh I eat everything' types who then launch a stealth attack of fussiness just as you serve food. Fuckers. DP's folks (a pattern seems to be emerging here ) did that to me on Easter Sunday a couple of years back. Had made a lovely dinner for them and my parents, they barely touched it, despite their insistence that they'd happily eat anything. Or my sister's ex, who merrily tucked into a dish containing lobster, and proclaimed it delicious. Then, about an hour later, when he discovered that there was lobster in it, developed a sudden shellfish allergy and had to leave as his throat was closing up. I can assure you that he had no such allergy, he was just a fussy fucker who couldn't admit to having eaten shellfish, having always insisted that he hated it. Thank God sister is now married to a lovely bloke with no fussy food foibles .

Is it any wonder I've had a tendency to get pissed when cooking dinner for people!