Saturday, December 09, 2006

W. W. E. P. D?

What Would Emily Post Do?

Yesterday was my mother's birthday. Since I'm broker than a broke thing, my gift to her was the meal of her choice. She chose meatloaf. Um, ok. At least it's easy.

I kind of got caught up in this idea of a retro-ish dinner, so in addition to the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, I did creamed spinach and a starter of cream of mushroom soup. This is no ordinary cream of mushroom soup, though. It'd divine, rich, buttery, nutty, yummy soup. I would have licked the bowl, except that's frowned upon.

Here's the thing, though. My friend C was at this little shindig, too. Before even tasting the soup, she poured about a teaspoon full of Tabasco sauce in it. I find this incredibly rude. I didn't make spicy cream of mushroom soup (because, ew), I made regular cream of mushroom soup. If I'd wanted it to be spicy, I would have made it so (except, y'know, ew. Again.).

She also slathered the meatloaf in barbecue sauce and Tabasco.

Am I wrong in finding this kind of offensive? I made the food the way I wanted it to taste. I can understand adding salt and pepper, once you've tasted it, but Tabasco? Barbecue sauce? TCBIM says I'm being petty.

What says you, oh great internets?

If anyone wants said soup recipe, let me know. It is to die for.

Dessert, you ask? Black Forest Cake. Made by moi. Also excellent, even if I do say so myself.

23 comments:

Erica said...

Ummm that's really weird... Does she do that to all her food - at home and stuff?

Maybe that's just how she likes her meatloaf. I know it's gross but I put ketchup in my mashed potatoes before tasting them - maybe it's just a weird preference thing?

I don't think you are being petty - that is fine to do at home but pretty bizarre behavior for a dinner party.

LJ said...

ummm... well i say to each thier own. if that's what floats her boat let her eat it. thank the gods she drew the line at not putting the tabasco on the cake! i would have thrown her out!
i'm glad i dont go over to eat, i don't have the best eating habits in social situations. hence why i love to eat alone!

Penny Ratzlaff said...

Julia,
Mu husband puts Tabasco sauce on just about everything before he tastes it. That's just how he likes it.

In Search Of Balance said...

I agree with Erica; it's fine to do that sort of thing at home, but not really fine to do at a dinner party. She probably didn't know she was doing anything that a person would find rude, though. But yes, it would bother me.

If not a mother... said...

Sounds like my husband (though I doubt he'd do that to cream of mushroom soup).

Mmm. black forest cake. that was what we had as our wedding cake.

If not a mother... said...

Sounds like my husband (though I doubt he'd do that to cream of mushroom soup).

Mmm. black forest cake. that was what we had as our wedding cake.

Cat, Galloping said...

maybe she's an alien! The alien's on Roswell dumped tobacco on everything they ate.

If she'd tasted first and then dumped tobasco to drown out the taste, I would have been more insulted. This way, I figure she just has weird tastes. Either way, I wouldn't dwell on it too much.

Zazzy said...

I think cooking is like any other artform. You express your self in it and put it out there for people to appreciate or not. You have no control over the ungrateful wretches who doctor your food without even tasting it.

Jess said...

I'd be floored. Especially since mome of the food had a spanish or spicy flair.

Jess said...

**ahem** none, that is.

Lara said...

wow, look at you, ms. domestic goddess. the tabasco stuff is definitely not something i would ever do at someone's house, even if i did taste it and didn't like it. i'd just eat it, to be polite. i'm not sure if that's actually good or not, though.

SUEB0B said...

Dinner sounds delish.

Some people are addicted to hot spicy food - they get so they can't even eat a meal without it. It sounds strange but I know that this has happened to friends.

Mother Hen said...

my hubby puts tabasco or chilli on just about everything. he is a chilli fiend. he likes it til his eyes bleed. i can't understand it myself, but hey whatever?

OhTheJoys said...

It doesn't mean you're a bad cook, it means your friend has bad taste.

Felix Kasza said...

Your "friend's" behaviour is an open insult.

At a dinner, the host's duties are to provide food, smiles, and a selection of pleasant guests; the guests' duties are to smile, converse, and chow down with every appearance of complaisance.

People who have difficulty grasping these concepts should not be invited.

I hope that person did not manage to ruin your evening!

Felix.

Sharon said...

Yes, it's weird. Yes, it's annoying and a bit rude. And yes, I'd be a bit offended. But as long as the friend praised my cooking mightily (any alterations she may make to it nothwithstanding), I would invite her again. And I would LOVE the soup recipe.

Angewl said...

I think it was rude to not even try it first. Then, I agree with the PP who said that it would hurt my feelings if she doctored it up after trying it.

I am not much of one to talk though. I dont eat veggies, so I am not much fun to invite to parties. lol

Dinner did sound yummy.

Anonymous said...

Julia,
I would crown you my heroine for a day if you would give me that recipe. Sans tabasco sauce, of course ;)

Number 1) Ewww tabasco sauce in Mushroom Soup??? Number 2) Totally bad form and uber offensive, made super-uber offensive for the fact that she didn't even taste it first. Number 3) If you can't lick your bowl, she can't put tabasco on her soup. Period. Number 4) Cream..of Mushroom..Soup..Tabasco.....*Gag*

Chrissie in Belgium said...

Terrible, impolite behavior! FGS, you taste something first before changing it! The world is full of all sorts of people....

Shannon said...

If the hostess (you) set the condiments on the table, then the guests are free to use them as they want....as bizarre as it may be.

If the guest takes it upon themselves to rummage through your cabinet and/or fridge, then I'd say it's rude.

That's my 2 cents. But hey, I ain't no Emily Post, so I could be totally off base.

I see the bizarreness more than the rudeness of it.

I would like to have the soup recipe! It happens to be my favorite soup and my mom's side of the family makes it every year for Christmas Eve dinner, so it would be good to make for then....thanks!

Joke said...

Very appalling, but not--technically--offensive.

-J.

Anonymous said...

I think it's insensitive but not really rude.

Maybe all her tastebuds were burnt off in a war and this is the only way she can appreciate food?

I might be off.

Washington Crunchy Mama said...

Yeah ~ I vote for odd but not rude, unless she did dig thru the fridge for it. When I have dinner guests I want them to walk away happy with their meal, if tabasco sauce is what it takes, then so be it.