Qυеѕtіοח bу Dani B:
Iѕ tһеrе аחу way tο tеƖƖ someone tһаt tһеу аrе a HORRIBLE cook?
I һаνе a friend wһο іѕ THE WORST cook іח THE WORLD.
Sһе іѕ constantly inviting υѕ & ουr friends over fοr dinner & everything ѕһе mаkеѕ іѕ absolutely 100% horrible!!!!! Everyone ѕауѕ ѕο!
Aחԁ everytime ѕһе tries a חеw “recipe” ѕһе wіƖƖ mаkе іt over & over again & keep bringing іt tο еνеrу ɡеt together. Tһеח asking everyone wһу tһеу don’t Ɩіkе іt & wһу tһеу didn’t eat іt & ѕһе wіƖƖ keep οח fοr tһе whole evening – annoying everyone!
Tһе mοѕt recent thing ѕһе mаԁе wаѕ a “salad.” Tһе main ingredient wаѕ uncooked ramen noodles. Tһіѕ wаѕ mixed wіtһ tһе seasoning packet frοm tһе ramen noodles, celery, onions, cheese, mustard, аחԁ chopped up bologna!!! Sһе mаԁе іt & brought іt tο four different ɡеt togethers. SO nasty.
Now – I һаνе a holiday party аt Christmas time еνеrу year & I prepare аƖƖ οf tһе food. I wουƖԁ חοt ѕау I’m a ɡrеаt cook bу аחу stretch οf tһе imagination – bυt I ԁο try recipes tһаt appeal tο a lot οf people & I never һаνе аחу leftovers аחу time I cook fοr people.
Tһіѕ friend insists οח bringing ѕοmе horrible dish tһаt ѕһе mаkеѕ tο mу party еνеrу year. Everyone always аѕkѕ mе – Oh mу GOD – wһο mаԁе tһаt horrible (fill іח tһе blank.)???
Wһаt іѕ a polite way tο tеƖƖ һеr – PLEASE – DON’T bring аחу food tο mу party – уου аrе аח аwfυƖ cook.
Aחԁ please quit cooking fοr ουr ɡеt togethers & please don’t try tο invite υѕ tο dinner аחу more cuz уου cook Ɩіkе crap!
I mаԁе chicken enchiladas a few weeks ago – аחԁ ѕһе tried tο give mе һеr “recipe” fοr tһеm. Tһе recipe consisted οf corn tortillas, KETCHUP, velveta, аחԁ butter. Dο уου ɡеt tһе іԁеа?
Wһаt ԁο I ԁο?
LOL I’m sorry, but that is too funny. I feel your pain. I guess it would be hard to tell her that her food is horrible, so maybe when you have get together ask her to bring something specific (that you can’t mess up on) like maybe a loaf of bread or a veggie plate. Or a bottle of wine. Tell her that you are planning out the whole dinner and have specific things u want people to bring.
Maybe get her a good, basic cookbook that explains how to do things (such as one by food network chef Alton Brown). Since she apparently likes to cook, she’ll appreciate it, and you can always point to one or two of the recipes and say “I really like that one when it’s done just how the recipe says.”
If you don’t want to do that, maybe delegate a job to her that doesn’t involve cooking, like setting the table or doing napkin folding or something.
heres what i suggest, invite her over to your place to cook with you. and have her prepare a dish under your supervision, or have her watch as you cook a good dish. be discrete when hinting that her ingredients are not the best choice for her meal.
if she’s always bringing dishes to communal parties, can’t you tell most people to not eat her food? That way, her dish will be left with most of the mess in it, and she may figure it out.
Also, if sh’es making food for a get together, just don’t eat it.
It would be hurtful to her to say’your food is awful”, but this is a really common thing. I have a friend who cannot cook to save her life, yet she always makes food.
You don’t have to go to her dinners. If there is a common ingredient she always uses just say you’re not eating processed food anymore.
Leave her with a list of foods that you DO eat, that she can’t go wrong with- like fruit salad, or simpel green salad, but say you can’t eat any processed cheese stuff, or that you’re going raw, or that you are on a macrobiotic diet.
When she gets to your party and sees there are non macrobiotic foods, there, tell her it is unprocessed raw cheese, or that the noodle salad someone else made is certified organic made with buckwheat.
That way, if she tries to make stuff like that and you can’t refuse it, at least you’ll know it’s organic and good for you.
Just flat out say you are on a sikh,veganraw, wholefood whatever diet.
Personally I would get annoyed if someone made me crap and then asked why I didn’t eat it.
It’s up to them to make crap but not to question me.
My point also is: do you like her??
It sounds like you hate her.
If she’s aware that people dont’ eat her food, and you still want to be friends , then tell her your group is more into a simple diet lifestyle these days, and you can guarantee they’ll eat her food if it’s just a lovely fruit salad.
ask her to join you in an extention course at a cooking class one night a week as a relaxation night out then you can practice the recipes together.
The other is to do a cooking party where you can have her do prep work as you follow a recipe as a group
define what she can bring like a fresh fruit salad or wine or something specific like deviled eggs
If you do not want her to bring food to your gathering tell her right out you have already planned the menu and have everything you need for it. But, thank her for her generous offer.
Who ever commented to you about her dish was very rude. If that guest didn’t like it she should have kept it to herself. The polite thing to say was “my friend made it” and leave it at that.
Good friends are few and far apart, it isn’t worth losing one by hurting their feelings over food. If you really care about her you will teacher her how to make some of your recipes. If you want to express your dislike of her recipes there are ways that will not directly insult her cooking. A couple little white lies are ok if it is to save from hurting someone you care about. One way would be to say you have never liked velveeta cheese, or you had to many ramon noodles in college.
Have you given her any of your recipes? You should.
Bologna and msg salad. Tell them that is garbage – not fit for human (or animal or anything that likes to live a long and healthy life) consumption. Seriously – people who know nothing about food should be told bluntly “Bologna is poison and tastes like garbage”. “Ramen noodle seasoning is poison and tastes like garbage”.
I think you will like this video about this issue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31JNEVHZxO8
Oh gosh, this is so funny! Sorry. I guess the best, most tactful thing to do is take her aside and say something to the effect of ” ….(insert name).. I love you. I really do. Your a great person, and I love hanging out with you. But sweetie, you have unusual taste in foods, that don’t really appeal to the majority of people. I don’t really like the same kind of cooking you do.” That would be my response to come to her place for dinner. If you are having a party, tell her you have the food covered, but you would REALLY appreciate some (insert specific item that can be purchased such as paper plates, napkins, bottles of soda or beer, or specific brand of chips.) IF she insists on cooking, then you will have to break it to her that her cooking style is eclectic and a little strange, and that’s why nobody eats her food. Be as gentle as you can. Rule of thumb when telling someone bad news, is to sandwich it in between TWO compliments, so think long and hard before you speak.
Honesty is usually the best route. But try not to ruin her passion and hobby for cooking.