How to Properly Criticize Your Wife's Cooking

               (Will post this recipe one day, it had rave reviews)

We have interesting conversations at the supper table.
The other night something got brought up about the word curdled and the fact that one of us remembered well that another one of us scorned a dish one night and said that it looked curdled. The Offended remembered it well and remembered the dish and what was served with it. The Offender however, did not remember and did not even think he knew what the word "curdled" meant.

I thought this might be a teaching moment and pointed out that sharp criticism hurts and the effects stick around awhile.

Then the question--"So how are you supposed to ever criticize  someone's cooking?"

Since the question was asked by one of the males of the household we offered advice for the far off day when he has a wife.

"Don't EVER say this doesn't taste like my mom's."

"You might say --before she ever attempts a similar dish-- 'you should ask my mom sometime how she makes _______'."

"When she does make a dish you like be sure to praise it."

"Your duty according to Luke 10:8 is to eat what is set before you---with thankfulness, I think."

" Your wife will feel that it is her duty to provide good food for you, and if you tell her that she isn't doing it right she will feel she failed in her duty. How would you feel if she told you  you aren't a good breadwinner?"

" You could learn how to cook and offer to do the one half of the meal, while she does the other half. You know, working together in the kitchen is good for a relationship."


Then of course, we needed to tell the young women of the house how to tell if your husband likes the food. I mean, if he praises it no matter what, how do you know if you should make it again?

Well, that is a dilemma.

" For that you watch his face, surreptitiously of course, and if he curls his lip a certain way when he takes a bite, or doesn't fill his plate....you probably shouldn't make it again."

"Now it is tricky, maybe he just doesn't like the technique you used to make the meat, so you need to slide sideways into the question. 'Did you like the way I did the turkey? Not sure it got right this time.'  "

By this time the young men of the house had fled the table before they were informed how to do the dishes properly too.


Update on "no-candy" diet: It lasted one day, then daddy was given some chocolate-dipped pretzels  and he brought home the bag with tempting treats. Maybe she will try again another time.