Christine replied to blake:

>> why would you do that? if someone takes the time and trouble to cook for
>> me, i would concentrate on appreciating that. (assuming were not talking
>> about sheldon's spam *cordon bleu*.)
>
> For one thing, my mother brought me up as a good southern girl. And
> in that vein, I was taught it was bad manners to criticize the food..
> And I really think if I would tell some folks about their food, it
> could really, really hurt their feelings. I am not at their table to
> hurt their feelings, so I keep my opinions to myself. I eat a bit of
> the food that is really offensive, then eat whatever else I can.
>
> I just don't feel like being rude, and to me that would be rude. If
> they are foodies, and if they ask for an honest critique, then I will
> tell them how I think it could be improved. Otherwise, it would be
> the height of rudeness for me to offer my opinion, at least in my
> opinion.

If either of you were the cooks in question, wouldn't you want to know? I
know that *I* would.

Of course, if you feel that your relationship with the other person would be
damaged by brutal honesty, maybe you'd need some *tactful* way of letting it
be known, but I think it would be infinitely worse for that person to
continue going through life without knowing, all the while inflicting bad
food on everyone who encounters their hospitality. It leads to talking
behind the back (and after the death) of the person in question as a problem
which COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED if only people had had the courage to be
honest.

Bob