Well, we overruled her. I mean, it's just family! I remember as a kid, having to put the milk in a pitcher to put on the table, or having to scoop the jam and other condiments into dishes before it went out. I know my mom was raised this way, and that she tried to raise us the same way, but I guess it didn't take. I do it for guests, though, so take heart, Mom!
Anyway, as we were getting the final items out on the buffet (and after our discussion on how the fish sauce should be served), my folks had this funny interaction:
(This is as my mom was putting the final touches on the cream peas and potatoes, which were in pot on the stove)
Dad: Are you going to serve them in that? (gestures toward the pot)
Mom: How would I serve them in this?!
Dad: You put a spoon in it.
Mom: Well! (she harumps) As long as we're going primitive!
Yes! One less dish to wash at the end (well, two, if you count the dish we didn't put the fish sauce in)! No one died, no one was offended. It tasted great! Thanks for the dinner, Mom!
4 comments:
That's it--it's all about efficiency! You just have to explain to Mom that water is one of the world's scarcest resources, and we should all endeavor to use as few dishes as possible to conserve. ;)
Hope Pen likes her book! I'm still working on the other part of her present.
We have the same problem at our house when my mom comes (only she doesn't say anything) but I just KNOW that it's next to impossible for her to enjoy that food when it comes out of a pan on the stove. But it sounds like you suffered the same trauma I did as a child when I was the one who had to put the food away and I was SO overwhelmed with all those condiments and little pickles and who knows what all that I had to find the containers for to put it all away again. I don't even do it for guests! (and we never use real dishes either, only paper plates).
As a dishwashing huband, I fully support the avoidance of dishes for aesthetic purposes. My wife even resorts to using paper dishes some days to spare me the work afterwards (although tree hugger janeannechovy, I'm sure, would not approve). Perhaps when your mom dines with you, you can give her a blindfold, so she can only smell and taste the food...
Ah, Tomoo, you know me well. Or am I just that predictable? You're right, disposable tableware doesn't hold much truck with me, even for barbecues (I have dishwasherable plastic tableware for that). I'm choosing the non-disposable route for enrichment dinners, too, since our big old building has a couple hundred plates already. I know, I'm the Garbage Nazi, but all that throwing away makes me feel a little sick to my stomach.
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