Kitchen Pet Peeves

[jpmcgrew]

Thank Kades!I prep 2 days thursday and part of friday which is also the first dinner in advance to pull off this job, it's alot of work as I do most of the shopping 3-4 carts at the only decent store 60 miles away.My boss will bring the best meats and seafood and what ever else I need from from Houston where they live during the week. I do that on wednesday,tuesday I write out my grocery list and prep list.Monday I make my menus. Friday dinner,saturday breakfast at 5:00Am not much involved with those,lunch usually a cook out,saturday dinner,sunday another early breakfast as some of the guest like to hunt on this ranch and then brunch at 10:30 am.After that they all go home and I collapse with a bottle of wine.WHEW!

 

[Seven S]

(for other cooks)
don't say you aren't going to share that recipe. You're not that good.

this one is classic!!! some people, not having the heart to actually say this, will actually give you a messed-up recipe or leave out essential ingredients so that you can never replicate it.... i just dont get it, how can people acyually do that?!


the salting the food without even tasting it is a big one in my book, gonna start hiding the shaker and saying "im all out of salt"

 

[corazon]

hmm
After being gone all day, I came home to a sink full of dishes. Not that it bothered me so much, if dh did the dishes I'd just have to redo them. Washing away, I find at the bottom of the sink a plate with a half eaten soggy pancake and a very gross soggy papertowel. blegh!

 

[licia]

If I was ever tempted to leave an ingredient out of a recipe, it would be to my sil. Everything I made, she would ask for the recipe, then tell me how much better hers was, and she usually picked an audience to do that. I started just telling her where I got the recipe and if she wanted to find it, ok, if not, ok too. I must be a different sort of person, I would never do anything like that to anyone. If my dish turns out better than theirs, it is my secret.

 

[Chopstix]

Everything I made, she would ask for the recipe, then tell me how much better hers was, and she usually picked an audience to do that.

I can't stand people like that!

 

[lulu]

My mother has a secret cheescake recipe. It is wonderful, so good, but she says I can't have the recipe until she can't cook it any more! But my moral dilema is what to do when someone else has shared a secret recip...I would be willing to share but seems tough on the first guy! (I already have people asking for that cheesecake recipe, I just laugh and say I can share it after she has died!). Its the only one she won't share, so I dread to think what is in it that makes it so good!

 

[licia]

If you want to spend the money, you could have it analyzed by a chemist. I don't know how much that would help, but it would tell what the ingredients are. I don't know why people like to keep their recipes secret, but I've seen a few who do so.

 

[kitchenelf]

I welcome any and all help in the kitchen - just don't tell me how to do it Don't tell me I don't have to heat the pan then put in the oil to heat then add the chicken pieces, I can do that all at one time (no you can't - well you can but....) - and don't tell me I need to add butter to my pasta while it cooks . And don't tell me this dish would be really good wtih blah blah blah in it - yes it would be but then it wouldn't be what I was making! lol

And the last person to show up is always the first person to leave (like RIGHT after we eat) and that ticks me off because I know why this person does this. It's a tacky way not to help - she just doesn't know yet that I wouldn't ask her to help anyway! OK, I better quit - I thought I was pretty easy-going but..........

 

[Claire]

For those commenting on people who ask for your recipe, then abuse the priveledge, you can just do as I do ... I don't have an exact recipe for much of anything, and that's what I tell people. Hubby calls me the "never the same twice" cook. Anyway, the point is, tell them you don't have a recipe for it. If it is someone you truly like and WANT to share, invite them for a cooking session together. Everyone else gets, "I'm not sure, I just eye-ball it."

 

[Claire]

Boy, I guess I'm lucky. I love having friends and family in the kitchen and haven't had all these problems. The one we do have, and it is so minor as to be negligeable, is that we do not have a dishwasher (we've owned several and they were more trouble than they were worth), so often our guests take over and do the dishes. Then we have to wash them all over again once the guests are out of sight. I am NOT a meticulous housekeeper, and neither is hubby. But people who are used to dishwashers I guess just look the other way and don't seem to realize that certain things actually requite HOT water and DETERGENT. Until we figured out to just make sure we wash it ourselves, we were finding lipstick on the glasses in the cabinet (I don't wear lipstick!), etc. But you know, I can't even really call it a pet peeve, because they're trying to help and aren't being critical, and who cares if they do what I call the pre-rinse cycle?

 

[expatgirl]

Boils down to 2 things--some people want help and some don't---if you happen to live with one of these people find out what they want and do it their way to keep peace. Keeping peace is the key to a long life, marriage, partnership, family dynamics. It's not worth the drama. Of course, they have to reciprocate in areas outside the kitchen. As for guests--if you don't want them interfering in your kitchen give them a space to retreat to and something to eat or do and make them sit down and not move. Smile!!!!!!!

 

[LadyCook61]

Ever since hubby retired he has been underfoot in the kitchen . When I am cooking or baking , he is either at the sink or at the coffee maker, just plain getting in my way. It irks me to no end !

 

[kadesma]

Ever since hubby retired he has been underfoot in the kitchen . When I am cooking or baking , he is either at the sink or at the coffee maker, just plain getting in my way. It irks me to no end !

Hi Ladycook,
been there and still doing that! Just wait til he decides to ask questions like,are you sure that's the way to roll that? or the constant why's, Why are you using that knife, spoon, temp on the oven? It just gets better with time..Unless, you find a way to get them out and busy..Sending them to the store works pretty well, but some outside job that involves paint or hammer and nails is the best..Or, you hand them the apron and say go to it, leave the room and take a nice long bubble bath behind LOCKED doors with ear plugs.Or even better, hit the Mall
kadesma

 

[middie]

I hate hate hate when I get all the dishes done. Leave for a few hours and idiot has EVERY dish in the kitchen dirtied up again !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[miniman]

hmm
After being gone all day, I came home to a sink full of dishes. Not that it bothered me so much, if dh did the dishes I'd just have to redo them. Washing away, I find at the bottom of the sink a plate with a half eaten soggy pancake and a very gross soggy papertowel. blegh!

I go along with that, finding soggy bits of food in the washing up is horrid. I also hate the dishwahing brush and wire wool being left in the water when someone else has finished.

Top of the trees is when I'm cooking and DW just has to come in and start stirring things without checking what I am doing or if I have just stirred it. It's my cooking - if I want help I will ask!!!

 

[suziquzie]

I hate cleaning my kitchen after dinner on Friday night and coming home Saturday after work to looking like I never touched it...... only to be notified we are having visitors in a few minutes!!!!!
I can't start with a messy kitchen, full dishwasher or sink.
I hate having to stop working on stuff to settle my kids down. But that wont go away until they do!!

 

[licia]

I hate to admit it, but I have quite a list of kitchen pet peeves. Probably the one that really bothers me most is when ANYONE who is not helping in the kitchen comes to the kitchen sink to wash their hands. If I ever get artistic, I will paint a sign to that effect and post it nearby. I've started saying when they come in, "if you wash your hands in that sink, you MUST take a job in the kitchen. The kids like it - the adults don't. Dh has really been underfoot more lately than usual. Our family room backs right up to the kitchen and he has had a cold and sinus problems so not feeling well, he isn't up to doing a lot (especially in the house). He did clean the pool today. Air temp 82, water temp about 1/2 that. So he is snoozing again for about the 20th time today.

 

[browneyedgirl]

Worst for me is people who prep food without washing their hands! I don't mind offers of help from a guest but can never think of a diplomatic way to ask them to wash their hands, what do you say to a visiting adult who wants to tear up lettuce for the salad but has just been petting the cat? "Would you like to wash first?" can seem rude, and I've actually had the reply, "No, my hands are clean enough." I'm surprised at how many people don't seem to find it necessary! I've been in the same situation in other people's homes with a host or hostess who takes time out from preparing a meal to change a baby or fuss with a dog before carrying on with the food, or worse makes a quick trip to the bathroom, flushing but obviously not taking the time to wash. Ewwwwww!

 

[LadyCook61]

Hi Ladycook,
been there and still doing that! Just wait til he decides to ask questions like,are you sure that's the way to roll that? or the constant why's, Why are you using that knife, spoon, temp on the oven? It just gets better with time..Unless, you find a way to get them out and busy..Sending them to the store works pretty well, but some outside job that involves paint or hammer and nails is the best..Or, you hand them the apron and say go to it, leave the room and take a nice long bubble bath behind LOCKED doors with ear plugs.Or even better, hit the Mall
kadesma

I have sent him to the store , when I supposely need a few ingredients.
Oh yes I have gotten the *whys* ugh!!!

 

[LadyCook61]

Worst for me is people who prep food without washing their hands! I don't mind offers of help from a guest but can never think of a diplomatic way to ask them to wash their hands, what do you say to a visiting adult who wants to tear up lettuce for the salad but has just been petting the cat? "Would you like to wash first?" can seem rude, and I've actually had the reply, "No, my hands are clean enough." I'm surprised at how many people don't seem to find it necessary! I've been in the same situation in other people's homes with a host or hostess who takes time out from preparing a meal to change a baby or fuss with a dog before carrying on with the food, or worse makes a quick trip to the bathroom, flushing but obviously not taking the time to wash. Ewwwwww!

I can relate to that , I am constantly telling hubby to wash his hands before handling any food period !! I know his disgusting habits. Once he reached for ice cubes directly from the ice maker inside the freezer instead of just using the the ice maker in the door. I got so mad and emptied the whole ice bucket. He was offended but too bad.