Sunday Lunch

[theonlyone]

A few weeks ago we had some friends over for lunch , which was the full monty , we have an invite back and get jacket spuds and bangers , ok no problem , so they come to us again and I cook what ever (not out of a packet ) we go to them and have a Tesco Value Lasange , a taste all of it's own !! These people are not hard up as they are always on holidays as in long haul , Oz ,Nz etc . Shall I invite them over again for a meal and have to suffer what is on offer !!! All answers welcome .

[China Doll]

Well perhaps they just can't cook but still want your company?

[theonlyone]

Yes they can cook as have had some nice meals at there place

[nutgoneflake]

It's the quality of the company, not the quality or price of what's on the menu...!!

[Dassie]

Ever thought that the people who are "not hard up" actually are? All holidays etc are put on credit cards and they are well into debt?

[whiffey]

Here's what I would do, seriously. Cook a gammon joint in the slow cooker with all the usual, carrots, swede, turnip, cabbage, but the master stroke is to add 4-5 chopped habaneros. They'll be largely invisible in the mush of vegetables, but it means that when you smile sweetly at them in the doorstep - 'I do hope you have a good journey' - you will know that the service stations on the M5 will be kept well busy. More habaneros and it will be multiple hedgerow jobs.

[China Doll]

What's the wine like?

[caz247]

if you are friendly enough with them does it
really matter what is on the menu.
if you enjoy their company then the food
is surely a bonus whatever it is

[society]

lol @ Whiffey. Och aye ya wee toaley-headed bampot ye, ..... och

[theonlyone]

Caz suppose you are right but if I gave them a meal like that they would think there was something wrong , i'm a person who likes to cook with real food !!!

[wiggal]

Whenever I go to my mums, she experiments on us, my bf experiments on people who come round and see us, first time he cooked rissoto was when we had guests and yea, it wasnt great, but at the end of the day, no one complains as they come to see us and spend time with us, not to inspect what is being served for dinner.
And also i like Alan to do more simple dishes when people come round as i hate him spending all the time in the kitchen and not getting a chance to socialise!

[leelapops]

theonlyone, I understand what you mean. I think maybe it isn't the cost that you're complaining about is it? It seems more the fact that they aren't putting much effort. They could make something lovely from cheap ingredients, but it must feel like their food is like an afterthought.

Next time they come, why don't you make it a few people, and everyone brings a dish (specified by you or otherwise). See if this changes anything.

x

[WendyS]

Perhaps they just don't go in for elaborate meals at week-ends. Next time they visit why not make a big saucepan of delicious home made soup and serve it with crusty bread and hunks of cheese. And smile, and say "I know you prefer to eat informally at lunchtime, so hope this is OK?"

[theonlyone]

Lpops is right to lazy to put any effort in to cooking a meal , I only cook a normal roast with all the veg , but it is fresh so next time we will eat out , frozen peas ....frozen carrots ..........yuk ...

[hammerman]

They'd get a bloody ham sandwhich next time they came to me....and nothing else.

However

We have some friends who we always invite over for a barbeque etc. Even if they just turn up to "say hello", they get well fed and watered to the point where it seems like they just drop in if their kids are hungry etc. We never get an invite to theirs and the one time i did drop in, it took an hour before they offered us a cup of tea !!!

But they are friends, i enjoy their company and i love cooking so we keep inviting them over.

As everyone has said, it's the company that you enjoy although it's always nice if you make an effort to cook something nice.