Potluck

A potluck is a communal gathering where each guest or group contributes a different, often homemade dish of food to be shared.

An assortment of different dishes at a church potluck

Other names for a "potluck" include: potluck dinner, spread, faith supper, covered-dish-supper,[1] fuddle, Jacob’s Join,[2] and fellowship meal.

Etymology

While there exists some disagreement as to its origin, two principal theories exist: the combination of the English "pot" and "luck" or the North American indigenous communal meal potlatch.

The word pot-luck appears in the 16th century English work of Thomas Nashe, and used to mean "food provided for an unexpected or uninvited guest, the luck of the pot." [3] The modern execution of a "communal meal, where guests bring their own food," most likely originated in the 1930s during the Depression.[4]

Description

Potluck dinners are events where the attendees bring a dish to a meal. Potluck dinners are often organized by religious or community groups, since they simplify the meal planning and distribute the costs among the participants. Smaller, more informal get-togethers with distributed food preparation may also be called potlucks. The only traditional rule is that each dish be large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarily all) of the anticipated guests. In some cases each participant agrees ahead of time to bring a single course, and the result is a multi-course meal. This agreement rectifies the problem of many participants bringing the same dish. Guests may bring in any form of food, ranging from the main course to desserts.

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See also

References
  1. "Definition of COVERED-DISH SUPPER". www.merriam-webster.com.
  2. "World Wide Words: Jacob's Join". www.worldwidewords.org.
  3. Nash, Thomas (1870). Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters and a Convoy of Verses ...
  4. Flora, Martin. "Potluck Meal Innovation Due to Depression: Guests Chip in With Part of Dinner", Chicago Tribune, Chicago, 27 January 1933. Retrieved on 5 March 2017.
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