Discussion Board

I hadn't had my family out to my place in ages--mostly b/c I have 2 jobs plus my farm to keep up, and it's hard for me to take a whole day off (which is what it comes down to b/c I have to do an extra good job cleaning the house, cook, etc.). Anyway, it had been a while and my stepmother had made several guilt-inducing comments regarding that fact so I figured it was time, LOL.

My family is very veg-friendly. My brother and SIL's family rarely eats meat and my father and stepmother don't eat much. My niece is vegetarian (ovo-lacto). So I would think that my food would be something they would like.

I made the YUMMIEST Dal soup (found the recipe online but can't find it now), which had cardamom, cumin, tons of ginger, a little chili powder, garlic, taters, kale, and red bell peppers in addition to red lentils and garbanzos. It was REALLY good--one of the best things I've ever made, I thought.

I also made a potato salad (red taters, green beans, and a dressing made from some of the taters, lemon juice, and fresh basil). Again, YUMMY!

Also a plain old green salad.

I was afraid I hadn't made enough tater salad, with 7 people, but less than half was eaten (and both myself and my veg niece had 2 servings).

My niece and I were the only ones who had seconds on soup. And a number of the soup bowls still had soup in them when I returned them to the kitchen.

NO ONE complimented the meal at all. I know my niece enjoyed it--she's 13 so doesn't think to compliment you, LOL--but it didn't seem that most others did. Everyone ate a lot of the bread my SIL brought.

Nothing was too hot (made sure of that, as the kids and my dad don't like heat) but there was plenty of taste. I put a salt shaker on the table and told everyone that it had no salt added for me, but to please use the salt, and many did, but I'm betting that the food was still not salty enough for folks.

All I can conclude is that people are just so used to tasting SALT that they aren't used to tasting FOOD anymore. I had a 3rd helping of tater salad after everyone left and rolled it around in my mouth. I tasted red potatoes and crisp green bean. I tasted tangy lemon and the green taste of basil. It tasted GOOD.

It's just sad that this is what it's come to--that people are no longer able to enjoy food unless it's full of salt. And I guess I won't be inviting them out to my place again anytime soon!

And I still have plenty of soup and salad for dinner tonight, so I guess I'll look on the bright side!

I have had the same experience, ETeSelle- I've had people over, made them tasty food with lots of flavor, (roasted garlic? fresh sage?That is flavor!) and you can tell everyone is disappointed.


Once, before my husband was eating this way, I made one dish as part of a meal for guests - I was the only one who liked it, including my husband who thought it was "really bland." Now he always comments on how much his tastes have changed, and loves the plain flavor of regular food.

The whole country is addicted to salt and sugar (and caffeine!) What else can I say?

Glad you have yummy leftovers!

Yeah. It's bizarre--and really sad.

I did think it was interesting that my one niece (the vegetarian) clearly liked the food. She's never one to eat just for the sake of it, so I know she only took seconds b/c she liked it. She's just as accustomed to fat and salt as the others (and eats her fair share of cheese, etc) but perhaps she just has a greater appreciation for veggies??

Isn't it maddening when people don't appreciate delicious food? Personally I would have stayed away from the 'ethnic' recipes, and gone for something more omnivore friendly like this a shepherd's pie http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/11/na ... m-shepherd’s-pie.html served up with some mushroom gravy. I think it makes much better advertising for our WOE to have them discussing that gee, it tastes like there's meat in it!

ET, you can invite me over for dinner anytime! Your meal sounded delicious.

I think it was very gracious of you to cook for your family considering how busy you are. Two jobs AND running a farm? How do you do it?

I agree. Folks are too used to the SAD. I'm sure your meal was just fine.

No no--my family LOVES Indian food and as I said in the first post, eats but little meat. I doubt that any of them has ever HAD Shepherd's Pie in the SAD way, LOL.

The problem is that they are used to greasy, salty restaurant Indian food. <sigh>

It's true!! Once your taste buds are adapted to salt then anything without it is bland and boring. Same goes for sugar and oil.

I am willing to bet that people who constantly struggle with this way of eating would find it much easier if they'd just do without salt for a while and let their taste buds adapt. Unfortunately an excess of salt is in virtually EVERYTHING people eat. I was browsing canned organic beans the other day and noticed that even the supposedly GOOD for you food is loaded with excess salt. It takes effort to avoid it.

-Norm

You're meal sounded delicious!!!

But on the bright side no one will be guilting you to take a day off from your two jobs to cook and clean for quite awhile.

Consider yourself free!!!

I'm with you - I much prefer the taste of the herbs and spices than salt and fat. It's so much more interesting.

Casting pearls before swine springs to mind, not to insult your family but still...

Ohmygosh. That is so disappointing to do all that cooking and no one wants to eat such good food. I was going to bring vegetable paella, a salad and a fruit salad to my daughter's for Easter but decided against it. Last time only a couple of people tasted it and I had lots leftover but I currently am without a refrigerator so would have no way to store it. So I brought just some canned pumpkin and cooked cabbage and for dessert ate oranges. I would have loved to be at your house eating your meal!

My daughter recently made delicious Moroccan stew and no one would eat it. I got all the leftovers. It is very discouraging when you try to cook something healthful and it is rejected. The Moroccan stew took a lot more work to make than sticking a piece of meat in the oven. And to tell you the truth, cooking delicious healthful meals is an expression of creativity and it is diminishing to be unable to express yourself in the kitchen if you are the one responsible for feeding everyone else.

Didi

Honestly, my usual experience when I take potluck is that mine goes first! And these people aren't really SAD eaters (well, they are in that they still eat some meat and lots of dairy but they are on the less-SAD end of the spectrum). Maybe I'm delusional and my cooking sucked yesterday. But I don't think so. How does anything w/ all those flavorful spices taste anything but awesome!?

maybe try palate cleansers next time to prepare them. You can google a read about a bunch of them. Basically what ever they ate before coming over to your house probably nuked their taste buds for the evening.

Well, you made my mouth water, and made me hungry, when you described the food you made. Plus you have all that food for you!!!! I'd be over in a heart beat!!!

ETeSelle your dinner sounds terrific, I love Indian food! I'm the only one on this WOE and I spent a lot of time making some special McDougall dishes yesterday in addition to the SAD foods my family eats. They wouldn't even try my food, I understand your disappointment. Oh well, I know I'm a good cook and my food was excellent. I can relax today, there were plenty of leftovers for me.

I was amused by the fact that after the meal, I was the only one with any energy, and I was the one who had been cooking and doing dishes all day. My family all fell asleep soon after dinner! They slept for an hour before I woke them up and they were still so tired and grumpy. My husband did have a small piece of my blueberry cobbler, then he attacked his chocolate.

Yeah, I don't cook "my food" for anyone but my husband anymore. After a couple of dinner parties with *way* too many leftovers, I figured from now on I do potlucks or fix one of my things modified for conventional taste, ie, with oil and salt.

*Still mad about that delicious fat free pasta dish left uneaten at the end of the night!*