Healthy fear of starvation

In life, we are usually divided into two camps, those who feed, and those who are fed. I sit firmly in the far reaching side of the feeder camp. Unsurprisingly, when we have friends over for dinner, lunch and whatever else, a three course meal is quotidien, with cheeses, chocolates, fruit, nuts and nibbles thrown in for good measure. My biggest fear thus is that there is not enough food to feed everyone. That, and the possibility of there not being enough variety to keep one and all sated. So our tiny kitchen is usually filled to brimming, all hobs fired up and on the go, every shelf in the oven on conveyor belt duty, fridge rammed full, every plate - and I mean every plate - piled with food.

Determined to turn over a new leaf, I made a promise to myself (and to those I feed) to prepare just the right amount, and minimal dishes with maximum flavour to keep my feeder addiction in check. So why did the scene in my kitchen look exactly on repeat? Why was there enough food left over (an entire chicken, I kid you not) my fridge refuses point blank to house? I only cooked 900gms of pasta with 600gms of tuna, two 2kgs chicken galantine (http://duckandthyme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/my-humble-chicken-tragically-tarted-up.html?m=1), 2kg hasselback potatoes (a la Barefoot), spinach and cheddar soufflé (Barefoot, again), a halloumi salad and Creme a la Coeur (her again, and a dairy free version http://duckandthyme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/dairy-free-homemade-ricotta-cheese-with.html?m=1) for dessert...to feed 9.

I blame our shrinking appetites - have you seen how little people eat now in the quest to be thintastic?!? Unbelievable. Oh, that or, despite the polite "yummies", just poor cooking... 

and the aftermath (courtesy of a dear friend):