Simon is cooking his “famous meatloaf.” Athena is bringing chocolate cake made with her mum’s recipe. McKeighleigh is doing a vegan shish kebab, organic and ethically-sourced. What about you? Don’t worry, we know how to make an impression at a Christmas pot luck without any cooking skills.
In the world of Christmas pot lucks, there’s a perfect chance for many to show off their skills. Perhaps you try something new and let your friends sample fun recipes together. We are not those people. We’re looking at you: the ones whose ancestors turned a blind eye on, the ones who will burn water, and the ones whose instant noodles are already the peak of their abilities.
There’s no need to cook up a storm to make a big impression. Here’s exactly what to bring, and what to say, at your next festive pot luck.
[Hero and featured image credit: Ana Maltez/Unsplash]
What to bring to the Christmas pot luck if you can’t cook
What you say: Wood-fired Quattro Formaggi Pizza
What you’re bringing: Four-Cheese Pizza from Mama Dolores
Cheese is always a great thing to bring to a Christmas pot luck, because no one that we like dislikes cheese. Mama Dolores’ four-cheese pizza is a dream come true, and they’re really wood-fired inside their oven. Sprinkle Italian words into your description and you’re already one-upping everyone in the group chat.
What you say: Thick cut steak fries with homemade cheese
What you’re bringing: Air-fried frozen fries and cheese you melted in a pot
If you’re really cooking to put that “homemade” stamp in there, head down to your nearest Tops and grab a bag of fries from the freezer. Buy a block of cheese and melt it in a pot, put them together, and voila, you’re bringing a homemade contribution that everyone could enjoy.
What you say: Lebanese-style vegan, gluten-free baba ghanoush
What you’re bringing: Baba ghanoush — it’s already vegan, gluten-free, and from Lebanon.
We all love good adjectives to spice up nouns. Eggplant, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and perhaps a bit of paprika — baba ghanoush is great as both a dip and a spread. Bring some pita bread and call it a day. It’s actually not a complicated recipe, but who has the time nor energy for that? Call Grab to a Lebanese spot and have it ready for the party. Every party needs finger food, after all.
What you say: Northeastern Thai beef tartare, with spicy herbal sauce
What you’re bringing: Soi ju
We like to diversify the cuisines at the Christmas pot luck, and Isaan cuisine is overlooked all the time. We have our own style of beef tartare served with a bitter sauce made from toasted rice, herbs, and more, but the word “bitter” can turn off some people, so “herbal” it is. For this potluck idea, please pick from a reputable restaurant when ordering raw food.
What you say: Freshly-baked cookie dough
What you’re bringing: Cookies
Some people love to eat raw cookie dough, but we had the genius idea of baking it. It turns into something we call “cookies” and it doesn’t run the risk of anyone getting salmonella from ingesting raw eggs. You can even customise which flavours to get, and there are so many shops to choose from all over Bangkok.
What you say: Khao Yai fermented grape salad
What you’re bringing: Wine
Hear us out: to our knowledge, salads are basically a collective of veggies and fruits with little added tidbits on top, right? Grapes are fruits, so wines are, like, fermented salads. Alcohol isn’t a terrible choice to bring to a Christmas potluck, as long as you’re bringing enough for everyone. Are we reaching hard to explain our decision? Yes. Is it working? Also yes, we think.
What you say: Charcuterie board
What you’re bringing: Whatever El Mercado does, thrown onto a wooden board
Every Christmas potluck needs a charcuterie board. It’s a great starter to a meal, and something for people to snack on while waiting for every dish to finish. Our advice is to call up El Mercado and tell them to make you one, because it’s a chore to shop for everything on your own. Whatever El Mercado puts onto that wooden board, we like it, and so will the whole table.
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Written by
Vichayuth Chantan
Digital Writer, Drinks and Dining
Writer by day, skinny legend by night, "Kook" Vichayuth works closely with Bangkok's F&B industry. His hobbies include bar-hopping, catching up with friends, and silently judging you from across the room.
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