Did the Host Forget the Ingredients for the Lime Berry Mousse Trifle?

[Gina M]

Hi everyone,

Last night I had a show with a repeat host. She really wants the trifle bowl and had decided a month ago she wanted to do the lime berry mousse trifle. I thought cool - I like the dessert - easy to do. So I emailed her the ingredients she needed to get earlier in the week. I talked to her on Thursday and reiterated about making sure the cool whip and pound cake were thawed in fridge. So I get to her house last night - show is at 7 - she's only expecting 4 people. I decide to start getting the fruit ready around 6:45 - I go to her fridge and ask her where the strawberries are - she says "I don't know, I didn't see you bring them in" - I asked her if she got the ingredients for the recipe and she says no!

She felt so embarrassed - her husband had printed off my email and she hadn't actually read it herself so she completely forgot. We did a last minute switch to the chocolate pecan lattice tart since we only needed a few ingredients for that - sent her mother-in-law out to the store and everything was fine. We did tell her guests about it - everyone had a good laugh and she's rebooking in the summer to do another show and have the trifle then. She said she'll actually buy the ingredients for that one!

So now I've learned I should make sure that they got the ingredients for their show. Always double check - you never know! She has been having some personal issues lately and not been herself - I told her not to worry - it would have been too much food for 4 people anyhow. The good thing is she had a great show with outside orders and will be getting a lot of goodies!

 

[luvs2cook]

Gina,
Thanks for sharing that. I know that I try to call the host as I'm driving to her/his home just to see if they need anything. However, I didn't call last night (she had all the ingredients, though).

But, it sounds that your show will be a success plus she's booking again!!!

Awesome.

 

[abrahamlaur]

Gina, way to go on having a back-up! I would have been like .. "ugh ugh ugh" LOL ... way to save the day!

 

[amy07]

atleast you saved the day!! AND you have another booking - that's always a big plus!!

 

[jasonmva]

That is the very reason why I buy the ingredients for the show. Plus it is just another business write-off

 

[pcchris]

Jason, I agree with you. I have been bringing everything myself too. It's easier on me, because then I know I have everything I need!

 

[chefkristin]

FOr those of you that bring the ingredients, does the host reimburse you?

 

[DebbieJ]

I use the cost of the ingredients as an incentive--have a show of $700 or more and the ingredients are on me. If their show is under $700, I ask for the exact cost back.

I try to make the same recipe every month and I do 6-8 shows a month, so I can cut down the cost by buying in bulk. I just did Cool Veggie Pizza at both my shows this weekend and the cost for ingredients for BOTH SHOWS was UNDER $15! And both shows are over $1k, so it was $15 well spent to me!

I know you're going to ask, so I'll tell you. I don't think that buying the ingredients=higher show sales, but I do think it leads to more bookings because then hosting is so easy. I attribute my high sales to good host coaching and focusing on attendance. Both my shows this weekend had 13-15 people there.

 

[floccies]

I buy the ingredients and the host reimburses me $15.

When doing the "booking speech" "All you have to do is invite your friend and buy the drinks -- I do all the grocery shopping for you."

 

[pcchris]

I do not require my hosts to reimburse me. If they offer, that's a different story. I want to make it as easy as possible for hosts, so I bring the ingredients, and I make sure that I tell people that in my booking part of my show. All they need to do is provide the drinks and people...they like that. I don't know how much easier I can make it for them. Then the ingredients are entered as an expense. I know I should ask for reimbursement, but I don't. Just how I do it...I'm sure others are different.

 

[etteluap70PC]

I recently started bringing the ingredients as well. I have the host reimburse me $10. If the show is over $500 when I am leaving their house the ing will be on me!

 

[AJPratt]

If I bring the ingredients, I don't ask the host for anything. I figure I write it off as a business expense, plus I usually bring stuff from homne in the prep bowls.

One time the host forgot the spinach for the spinach artichoke ring.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I don't bring everything with me, just the important stuff......I usually give the host a list of ingredients to have on hand - things I figure he/she probably already has, or it wouldn't be a big deal to get, and things that if it isn't exactly right, it isn't going to mess up the demo.

For example - If I am doing Tomato Basil Squares - I have them get the pizza crust & mozzarella cheese. I ALWAYS bring the tomatoes, the basil, the mayo (CANNOT use miracle whip for this recipe!), garlic, and the parmesan. The crust - if they get crescent rolls, french bread, or present me w/ a boxed mix - I can still work with those....and I am going to be demoing the UM & the microplane grater already, so I don't care if the Mozz. is shredded.......My main goals in bringing ingredients with me are first, to have anything prepped beforehand that I can, and second, to make sure that the ingredients are right! It's an added bonus for the host that I provide part of the ingredients and take some of the stress away from hosting!

 

[Pampered_Dawn]

I do the same recipe for a month so it is more cost effective for me to buy and bring everything (I'll buy in bulk). Then use the cost as an incentive. 10 or more purchasing guests and they are on me. But it is great to know that I will the correct iteams and I can do some of the busy work at home, like wash the veggies.

 

[baychef]

LOL...I just did a party with a former consultant of mine and we both missed the boat on who was getting the ingredients. I called that morning to clarify that she was going to make the Lime Berry Trifle and that I was making the Island Breeze Rum Cake. We confirmed that but never mentioned the ingredients to the cake.
I happened to have purchased a cake mix and crushed p/a since I considered making the cake ahead of time. I decided to make it there but brought it along just in case.
We adjusted and it turned out fine. She did have coconut and I did the sauce and just left out the rum. She had vanilla pudding...I made that and spread it under the fruit. She had frozen fruit such as berries, peaches and canned apricots. She had used her whipped cream for the trifle.
Those things happen on rare occassions and I think the the fact that you were quick on your feet to make another recipe was impressive!
When I first started I purchased the ingredients and did some of the preprep before the party. Over time, I found the way I do it now is more efficient for me. That's what I love about PC! You can always change it to suit what is going on in your life! And...I got 3 bookings!

 

[pckelly]

I really think I am going to start buying the ingredients! I had a show yesterday and did the Tuxedo Brownie Cups and Club House Chicken Squares. Well I have been doing those for several shows now and the other hosts let me prepare at home and bring most of it with me, which is easier! Well my host yesterday didn't want me to do anything, she wanted to purchase all the ingredients, so I get there about 1 hour and 15 min. early and she had the stuff, but not all sitting out so I had to keep saying..ok I need this next and so on, plus her husband had something to go to last night and had to prepare stuff for that so there wasn't any room. So I was still preparing 15 minutes after the show was supposed to start and it got me all flustered. SO much easier to bring it prepared and so much nicer! I think I will start doing that and saying if they have a show over $500 I will pick up the tab, if not they can reimburse me the $15!!

 

[pampered1224]

I am with PCCHRISI started doing this about 4 years ago. It has saved me some major headaches. And no, I usually do not ask for reimbursement. I had a string of bad luck with hosts not getting the right ingrediants. You can't chop olives with pits, you can't make a thick sauce when the host buys baking soda because she could not find and never heard of corn starch. So... I figure for the few bucks and the savings in time and headaches and the write off, I am so much better off. It makes for happy hosts, happy guests and a happier me!

 

[MomToEli]

Oh, funny! Great recovery, too!

But ... you don't REALLY think 4 people couldn't polish off that trifle, do you? I think my husband and 8 year old son could do it alone!

 

[katie0128]

I love the idea of puchasing ingredients and using the cost as incentive to increase show sales!

 

[genburk]

I bought the ingredients for my first few months. I just started having them buy the ingredients two shows ago. The very first show that they bought them, I had the host buy biscuits for pull-apart garlic bread and asked her to buy at least two packs of biscuits. Told her that she could even buy the 4 packs that Pillsbury sells and that would be fine, could make more.

She pulls out a 6 pack of biscuits at the show - not really a 6 pack, but 6 COUNT of biscuits to feed 7 people.

Luckily, I was able to use one roll of pizza dough for the pizza, and cut up the other pizza dough to make enough biscuits for everyone.

She says "you told me to get a 4 pack of biscuits and I could only find this 6 pack"

Worked out fine, but I would rather buy the ingredients and consider it a gift. I might start telling them for 500 or 700 they can get them for free though. At least if I forget the stuff, I can blame me, not anyone else.

 

[katie0128]

hey!!! i know where bethel, oh is! i used to LIVE at a summer camp in amelia during high school and had a number of friends from bethel.

 

[genburk]

When people don't know where it is, we have to tell them about 40-50 miles outside Cincinnati, then they know. It is amazing how many people just around the 275 loop don't know where it is.

What summer camp did you go to?