Urgent Ugh..how to Make This Show Work, Please Help!

[kcjodih]

So my host for this Thursday who's also a past host for me and a past PC consultant emailed me this morning to tell me that her show is going to be a PC show/Christmas potluck party and she has everyone bringing a PC recipe plus a gift for 'steal a gift'. She was reminding and inviting me (although she had never told me in the first place!)

She had asked me for two recipes which I normally never do unless the second is a beverage but since her last show for me was a 1K show I agreed.
She chose the Chili Lime Meatballs and Choc PB Torte from Joy's newsletter I send out.

My question..how do I make these two recipes flow allowing for my spiel and then orders (hopefully) before they start their steal a gift? Should I make the base of the torte ahead of time? Or the meatballs except for the glaze? Or maybe get there, mix up the torte, throw it in at the start of my demo while I make the meatballs and the torte filling?

UGH, please, please help!

 

[Nanisu]

Do one ahead of time or do it when you get there so it's prepared. Do the recipe exchange, absolutely--have everyone go around the room and tell why they brought that recipe. Piggyback off that with thoughts about our cookbooks. Do the other demo, then let them do the steal--that will take the longest, but so what, it's fun. Do your demo, break for food, take orders. I would have everyone just drop their order off and you tally them while the steal is going on. Then you call them up one at a time to pay after they have stolen. If they are stealing still and you have all the orders tallied, do your cleanup. You should be able to do this. It will be a little bit longer show but sounds like fun! Is everyone bringing a copy of their recipe? Why don't you make cover sheets on your computer and bring a stapler, and while the game is going on staple everyone's recipes together into a booklet and give it to them when they check out? That way YOUR contact info is in front of them all the time and it's like they are walking away with a free cookbook.

Nancy

 

[kcjodih]

Thank you Nancy on the positive spin on this, just what I needed! I also LOVE the idea of having everyone bring copies of their recipes and me making booklets out of them

Have you made either of these recipes and if so, which would you choose to do when I get there and which to demo?

Thanks SO much for your help!

 

[LeslieSGI]

IMHO, the Choc PB Torte is not as good once it gets cold - i.e., it is best served right when you finish it. Leftovers can be microwaved a few seconds to get the 'it' back. Otherwise it is gummy and sticky and not in a good way if you know what I mean.​

 

[Nanisu]

So, that's good--because I was going to say do the meatballs ahead of time. So do those, have them waiting, maybe even feed them the meatballs as they are getting there....then do the dessert demo and serve that--then do the orders, and the steal game....this could actually flow fairly easily. Have fun and let us know how it goes.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

Make sure they know which recipes you brought. If everyone is eating before you start your demo, keep your pre-made recipe separate or bring a sign/table tent for it (recipe name, cookbook it came from) so they realize both the recipe and the serving pieces are yours/PC. I haven't made either recipe. I would have said demo the meatballs and premake or bring the pieces to the torte and put it together there as I imagine it would not travel well. But, making lots of meatballs can be tedious, too. Keep your demo on the short side as they have all of those other activities going on. Personally, I would not participate in the gift stealing unless it was a group of my friends. Take that time to gracefully step aside and clean up, tally orders, etc.

I think you need a phone conversation with your host to see what she has in mind for the agenda and how it all is going to flow. You don't want to have to wait until 10 or 11 pm after they have done the gift exchange to be able to get their orders and leave. Try and do the demo first. Don't be afraid to offer suggestions for a better flow. Get the PC part done so they can continue to socialize for as long as they want. And if there is wine involved, you could get great sales!

When they go around telling which recipe they brought, have them tie in a PC tool that is essential in making the recipe. And heaven forbid, if they don't use a PC tool, keep your fingers crossed that you're able to come up with a suggestion.