"Dave Smith" wrote in message
m...
I have a friend who is a wonderful kind woman, not much of a cook, but
really nice, and lives in a lovely home in a nice neighbourhood. One of her
neighbour's is a chef. The chef's wife called and invited her and her
husband to a party for her chef husband. Our friend and the chef family had
been to a party at my brother's where my nephew had cooked a quick roasted
beef tenderloin fir a short time in a very hot oven.

Chef's wife extended this invitation to my friend and asked if she could
bring that dish. She also asked her to bring two bottles of wine, one red
and one white. She specified which wines. Then chef's wife asked her to
bring enough of the meat dish for 20. The date of the party is also our
friend's birthday.


Current prices for a whole beef tenderloin around her are about $80. The
wines turn out to be $20 a piece. My friend was not thrilled. She
discussed it with her husband, who said screw that we'll have our own
party her for that money. She called back the chef's wife, clarified the
date..... ooops sorry. I didn't know that my husband had planned a party
for me here on that night so sorry, but we can't make it.

The next day she got a call from another neighbour asking if she was
attending the party. Our friend said they had been invited but could not
attend because her husband was having a party for her. It seems that
chef's wife had called the other neighbour after our friend canceled and
asked her to bring the two beef tenderloins... and two bottles of wine.
So our friend asked the other neighbour if she was going...... no way !!

I have to hand to to our friend that she was able to find a nice way to
decline the invitation. I am not sure how I would react to an "invitation
to a party" that is going to cost me $200. I have no problem with a pot
luck, but being expected to supply beef tenderloin for 20 people plus $40
worth of wine is a bit much, IMHO.


This has happened to me more than once and yet I went anyay. Thanksgiving
has meant I supply the turkey, home made dinner rolls, 2 bottles of wine and
often a couple of pies as well. The others bring the usual carrot salad or
potatoes or something quick and easy and cheap. I easily shell out 150
bucks and I resent it. So not this year, I am making other plans.

Paul