When you've gotta pretend you're enjoying a meal and other stories

[merryone]

If she suggests you go for another meal, I’d buy fish and chips or similar to take round with you. It might be kinder on your digestive system. :wink:

They don't "do takeaways" and very rarely eat out. They have a carvery a stone's throw away from their house, when asked whether it's any good, I was told that they don't know as there's no point wasting good money on food that she can cook herself at home better! It's difficult as we've invited them to ours to eat on quite a few occassions, but she's always made an excuse so we've never been able to set a date...I don't think having to give compliments, or thanks to others is on her agenda. She'll accept invitations to drinks out, shows or something but when there's food involved she's needs to be the one in charge! I was thinking of suggesting fish and chips if she invites us again...but I thought...God knows what she'll make the batter out of, and I doubt that chips made out of potato. But hopefully that'll be the last one for a while..my stomach can't take it lol!

We had a chicken pie for dinner today, with new potatoes, white cabbage and gravy.....It was delicious......and my stomach is grateful for it...very grateful!

 

[mediastar]

Oh my days, I'm flabbergasted. Brave you (poor you)!!! Well done for succeeding in not letting your feelings show. I can't eat blue cheese, nor quorn for similar reasons to you and veggie mince... You are too kind to your friend at such expense to yourselves!!

 

[merryone]

Oh my days, I'm flabbergasted. Brave you (poor you)!!! Well done for succeeding in not letting your feelings show. I can't eat blue cheese, nor quorn for similar reasons to you and veggie mince... You are too kind to your friend at such expense to yourselves!!

I know...but what can you say? I've hinted at takeways, and we've offered to pay for them, treat them to the carvery etc etc. The honest truth would hurt her feelings. Ideally she should have run her ideas past us first if she was going to muck about with a traditional recipe so much....especially when it comes to goat's cheese as it really is and acquired taste, even tell us she intended to change traditional minced beef for venison/veggie mince just in case there were any issues/dislikes...not just presume that every change she makes to a recipe is going to improve it and it's gonna be delicious. I'd have most certainly told her that I can't eat veggie mince! Hey ho...all over now lol!

I tell you what had we stayed any longer than we did, she'd have definitely known something wasn't quite right lol!

 

[maymorganlondon]

I have to say, I would have told her I couldn't eat it with the veggie mince. I can't believe you just suffered in silence and let it take it's toll on you at home. I am also horrified that this friend never had the consideration or sense to check for dietary intolerance or allergies before doing what she does.

She clearly considers herself the new Heston Blumenthal, judging by her innovations on traditional recipes.

I love my food, but I cannot pretend to like food I don't. That probably makes me a lousy guest : but I learned the hard way from the time my ex-sister-in-law served me bread and butter pudding, which makes me gag, and when I chased it round the plate she was very indignant... "You are it before and said you liked it!" My reply was "I was being polite". Cue a very tense rest of my visit. I could have saved so much bother by not being polite and choking it down the first time!

 

[mediastar]

What if your intolerance were allergies? Would-she blithely ignore it in pursuit of her tweaks? I think I would be unable to hold my peace you are just too.lovely!

 

[merryone]

I have to say, I would have told her I couldn't eat it with the veggie mince. I can't believe you just suffered in silence and let it take it's toll on you at home. I am also horrified that this friend never had the consideration or sense to check for dietary intolerance or allergies before doing what she does.

She clearly considers herself the new Heston Blumenthal, judging by her innovations on traditional recipes.

I love my food, but I cannot pretend to like food I don't. That probably makes me a lousy guest : but I learned the hard way from the time my ex-sister-in-law served me bread and butter pudding, which makes me gag, and when I chased it round the plate she was very indignant... "You are it before and said you liked it!" My reply was "I was being polite". Cue a very tense rest of my visit. I could have saved so much bother by not being polite and choking it down the first time!

Too bliddy late mate! That revelation didn't come until we had nearly finished eating! Had she mentioned it before I'd have said....Ooh sorry but I can't eat veggie mince. Though in hindsight, I really should've said...oh dear, I've actually got and intolerance to veggie mince, maybe just maybe that might make her a bit more careful in future..but hindsight's a wonderful thing! Even in my ignorance I didn't enjoy it...it wasn't bad enough to make you gag, therefore wasn't inedible...Just not very nice! I give compliments when compliments are due, if I'm not enjoying something I just quietly try and do the best I can, but it depends upon the situation...like if hubby cooked something I wasn't keen on..very easy to say sorry love, but not so keen on that one....but at someone else's house, it's a different story! Remember some years ago she plonked down a plate of snails for a starter and I said "Sorry but I'm gonna have to give that a miss". She asked whether I'd tried them, I said no, but I'm sorry I know they'll make me gag! She tried to make me eat one but I stuck to my guns!

As for the last bit....you've hit the nail on the head. Don't know why she bothered even asking me what I wanted for my birthday meal....Good old fashioned lasagne I said in the hope that she'd follow a traditional recipe...my bad!