A brief tale
about female logic to create some sympathetic comments – whether for me or my Partner
remains to be seen. Telling you about it
was inspired by this picture.
After my
first marriage was over I lived alone for a year and then started going out
with the person who is now Partner-who-loves-tea. After we had been going out a few weeks I
gave her a key to my flat. The first
time she used it was on a Friday night when I had been working away in
Birmingham for the week and she had gone to the flat to prepare me a slap up
meal for my return. Part of the
intention was to impress me with her cooking skills.
She stocked
up on the very best Marks & Spencers’ ready meals and had them ready to go in
the oven on time. Then I managed to mess everything up. I arrived home early (as I have a habit of
doing). All the M & S containers
which should have been hidden in the boot of her car were sitting there on
display in the kitchen. Oops.
Ironically it’s
not me who had to forgive her – it was I who had to seek forgiveness for being
early… And I’ve never been allowed to forget it ever
since. That’s twenty six years ago. Where’s the logic in that I ask?
(I should
point out that she had no need to cheat in the first place. Her cooking skills are pretty good and always
have been! I should also point out that the only reason I dare share this story now is that she is on Merseyside and I am in The Hebrides! We don't meet up for a few weeks and maybe by then she will have forgotten about it...)
I laughed when I read your story. I tried to impress Rob too, the first time I cooked for him. I did a bang-up job of setting the table -- that part's always been easier for me than cooking the actual meal.
ReplyDeleteAnd with youthful hubris, I chose a recipe I'd found in a magazine for lamb -- what made it even more difficult, it was French! Gigot en crout (I think that's how it's supposed to be spelled.) Boneless leg of lamb, mushrooms, thyme, tarragon, and rosemary, with a pastry crust. It sounded fantastic, and very impressive.
The most amazing part was -- no one in my family ever ate lamb so I hadn't a clue as to how to go about all this -- I come from a long line of cattle ranchers!
Fate was on my side though, and the recipe turned out to be wonderful. I still make it when we have company -- it's one of my few "party pieces" -- recipes that I serve when I have someone I want to impress. Served with peas and roast potatoes and mint sauce, and a nice white wine, the lamb and mushrooms and the crust are terrific.
Now you've made me hungry, Carol. I can just smell the lamb...
DeleteWell, I'm not sure which one of you should receive the more sympathetic comments but lucky for you I'm leaning in your favor. I've never heard of Marks & Spencers ready meals but they sure do sound like a good way to cheat. :)
ReplyDeleteHaha.. it is always like that ;)) Cheers, Ruby
ReplyDeletePeople (in general) should just be a lot more relaxed about the whole ready-made thing. Why not admit it when we sometimes go for what today is called convenience food? If someone always makes everything from scratch, with veg and herbs and fruit from their own garden, all the better. But if not, what's the big deal? Hurt pride?
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this brand and steer clear of ready made as they are loaded with sodium, which we should not have. I sympathize with both of you, her because she wanted so bad to "wow" you and it was ruined, and you because it was not your fault. Perhaps a lesson to learn, be yourself. You appreciate her as she is, so what could be better?
ReplyDeleteI sat on my front lawn last night with two of my neighbors who shared similar stories about their wives, and I had one to match. This may be a universal experience among couples.
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh! I have done this for a dinner party sometimes. Well, my reasoning is that Marks and Spencer probably do a better job than me!
ReplyDeleteBetter not take sides, perhaps ;) I can't recall ever trying to "pretend" cook, though. I'm not a terrific cook, if I experiment it's usually because there are some ingredients in the recipe I don't have. When having guests, I usually keep to simple favourites that I know usually turn out well...
ReplyDelete