Food Tasters

So I was planning a dinner party. Going to invite some VIPs from all across my fair city. And I knew what I wanted to cook but wanted to make sure that my guests would enjoy it as much as I did. So I decided to do a little research.

I would prepare a sample of each planned dish and send it to them for their approval. That way I was sure to find out what was great and what was not so great. And I would be assured of having a successful gathering. But I ran into a few snags.

First, they really couldn't get a good taste of the food. Because of the size of the shipping package and the time element involved, I could only provide them with a SMALL sample of the full product. Just enough to let them know something was there but not enough to really give them a true chance to savor the flavor. I was, in effect, forcing them into a guessing game.

Second, if they had never eaten this type of food before, they were totally unfamiliar with what they should expect. Maybe it was SUPPOSED to be hot or spicy or cold or bland. They wouldn't know what they were actually comparing it with because they had no "base line" from which to start.

Third, sometimes I caught them in the wrong mood to actually taste the food. They simply weren't hungry at that time, so nothing really tasted exceptional to them. It was all just "OK."

Fourth, I actually caught a few of them who hadn't eaten anything all day. They were FAMISHED, and as a result anything they sampled that day was going to be the best thing they'd eaten ever, in their life! Dirt would have tasted exceptionally well to these folks. That is, until the hunger pangs subsided. Then it would have been just that. Dirt.

Fifth, some had just eaten a specific type of food and the taste was dominating their taste buds. It colored their opinion of the NEW taste they were experiencing and made the answers that I received pretty much worthless.

There were some more various and sundry discoveries but they could all be lumped into the following category: unreliable, unremarkable, irrelevant data.

So I decided to do something that may sound completely insane. Without any further research, without consulting Rachel Ray or Emeril, I began to cook what I believed to be a highly desirable meal. I know a good meatloaf when I eat one. I'm familiar with what a delectable pan of au gratin potatoes should taste like. And I'm equally adept when it comes to green peas, shoe peg corn, dinner rolls, garden salad and peach cobbler.

So, I trusted my gut. And my taste buds. All the while concentrating on what I truly believed my guests would enjoy.

And guess what?!? The vast majority loved it! There was one vegetarian who chose not to partake of the meatloaf. And one meat lover who decided she could do without the salad. But they both loved the rest of the meal and almost everyone asked for seconds. And quite a few asked for details on the recipe!

After the last guest said goodbye and I was cleaning up from the evening, I began to reflect on what I had just experienced. And began to chuckle as I remembered stuffing little pieces of meatloaf and potatoes into all those small envelopes, hoping to get folks to give me feedback on what to cook. It's pretty silly as I look back on it now. Not necessarily because I wanted some other folks opinions, but rather that I was initially planning to base my actions TOTALLY on their responses.

As I laughed at myself and shook my head in wonderment, I determined that I would not make the same mistake again. Oh yes, I will still be interested in finding out what other folks like and dislike. And I will use that info to HELP guide what I prepare in the future. But they won't be the chief cooks in the kitchen. That's my job. And I'd like to keep it for a while longer.

Billy