Insomuch that nothing changes.

[Boat Babe]

Because of the work that we're all doing here, I was mulling over just how "difficult" my mother actually was, just this morning.

Phone rings this evening and I'm expecting a call around now and it's cool and I pick up all cheery and MC. I decide to talk about my meal tonight cos it's surely non controversial.

Me: I roasted some lamb that I got cheap from the supermarket with roast potatoes and courgettes provencal.

Mum: Aubergines are much better than courgettes. Courgettes are just water.

Yeah, she's still "difficult".

P.S. It was delish! 😊

[Sneezy]

Mmmmmm, that dinner sounds delicious to me 

[Cat of the Canals]

I'm with Sneezy! Save some for me! 

I'm often impressed at how they can make something out of nothing... that for all our attempts to avoid "sticky" topics, they will somehow find a way to insert drama somewhere, somehow. 

[nanotech]

If courgettes were 'water', they'd come out of a tap!
I personally can't stand aubergines. 
My husband loves them!

So it's nothing special for people to have different preferences.
So it's not a logical basis for criticism.
It's a reason to undermine.

They do however, really struggle with us doing anything differently from them, such as liking food they don't like. They seem to take it personally and get on their high horse.
My elderly UNPD  dad is so similar. Always looking for the fly in the ointment. If he can't find one, he'll just chuck one in and point to it with gusto.

[Hilltop]

Dinner sounds delicious. 

They are critical aren't they.  I guess its one of those things where you say 'Yeah I'll try that next time'.  Then do what you want.

[SunnyMeadow]

Oh boy, they are so critical and certainly know best what to serve with lamb! lol

I'm glad you enjoyed your meal Boat Babe 

[Sneezy]

I have to be completely honest - I had to google both "courgettes" and "aubergines."  If I am correct that we are talking about zucchini and eggplant, then they are BOTH delicious and I hope you enjoyed your dinner   

[Boat Babe]

Yeah it's what we call them in the UK. They're both French words we've adopted. Both go nicely with equal amounts of onion and tomato in a ratatouille. Bon Appetit!

[Seven]

I have to be completely honest - I had to google both "courgettes" and "aubergines."  If I am correct that we are talking about zucchini and eggplant, then they are BOTH delicious and I hope you enjoyed your dinner 

Hahaha.  I can't stand either.  It was the way my mother prepared them.  Now my uNPDm was a great cook.  Well known for pretty much everything, especially her cheesecakes, but I CANNOT stand zucchini or eggplant because of the way she prepared them.  Soggy as all get-out.

[1footouttadefog]

Funny I love Zuccs and Yellow squash but have not mastered Eggplant.

I have had it in various ethnic restaurants but have never enjoyed any I cooked myself.  Ironically I can grow the stuff like an magician.  Bugs and Varmin never even touch it and it thrives no matter how poorly I treat it, lol.

It might just be I need to use a Middle Eastern, or Mediteranian cookbook to get ideas beforehand re the next attempt.

I am sorry you tried to have the safe phone call and still got negativity. 

Glad your dinner came out great. 

[Call Me Cordelia]

Sounds wonderful! I love roasting meats and vegetables this time of year, when it actually is cozy to have the oven on.

Yeah, my mother was personally offended that I decided I liked Brussels sprouts and winter squashes as an adult. They also are delicious roasted!

[moglow]

Yeah, my mother was personally offended that I decided I liked Brussels sprouts and winter squashes as an adult.

Ha, same here!! When I shared some of my cooking adventures, md would always bring up how I disliked vegetables as a child (I didn't!). She was an angry resentful cook and it showed. Veggies were cooked/stewed into oblivion, bland mushy and unappetizing. Her "improvements" to recipes rarely ended well. She used to make something she referred to as stir fry, would cook and cook until nothing was recognizable. Maybe that where my love for toodling around in the kitchen came from - based in sheer desperation!!

Ratatouille.... Hmmmmm 🤔 I may need to add that to my list!

[1footouttadefog]

Wow, totally the opposite of how I percieve the concept of stir frying.  I mistakenly thought it was about quickly cooking the veggies just enough to remove bitter over tones, Farmall SE some of the surface sugars while retaining much if the texture and colors.  Apparently the attended the sale schooly mother in law attended.  MIL, used the create a monomush from brussel sprouts.  You could no longer identify individual items it leaves.   

I latched onto stir frying as a counter to MILs Southern? style cooking where all veggies are mushy, overly salted and interlaced with fatback chunks and ribbons.

My parents were from the mid west and not quite as veggie color and texture altering as the Southern culture I grew up in however, Church dinners and school food was at the muted colors and mono texture end of the spectrum. 

When I dated and later got married I experienced various ethnic cuisines and borrowed many things and created my own style that suited my H and myself guided largely by keeping him happy and at the same time healthy.   He has in recent years reverted to his childhood food preferences to a large degree, I just roll with it for the most part by cooking separately for him.

I refuse to cook that mush producing way so I do as his loving mother did for him and open cans and warm then up with a blob of margarine on top.

Many nights my Ds and I eat one thing and H has things I buy just for him, and he is very happy.

Tomorrow night he gets frozen meatballs simmered in a can of stewed tomatoes and a microwaved potato with some lettuce salad dumped from a bag into a bowl. 

I simply adapt to his new needs and preferences, I don't openly judge him.  Why do pds have to try to mold others to their preferences. 

[Boat Babe]

I have to be completely honest - I had to google both "courgettes" and "aubergines."  If I am correct that we are talking about zucchini and eggplant, then they are BOTH delicious and I hope you enjoyed your dinner 

Here in the UK we use the French words. You guys use the Italien ones.