Eating with Friends

Lyaiera

There's an idea in sociology/anthropology and all that there are more types of family than those of blood ties and marriage/obligation ties. One of the theories that's always seemed pretty sweet to me is that a family is a group of people who eat together and cook for each other. It goes back to the idea that people who provide for each other do so because they're close. So if you cook for someone, and they for you then you're providing for one of the most basic needs of life, and that makes you something of a family. (I also think it's interesting to look at it with the rounds system in pubs. The idea of you providing everyone with a drink, and them providing you in turn.)


I have on friend with a nice place and he's often cooked for us. I've cooked for people quite a few times. And there are more times myself and my flatmates would put out a spread while we're up to something else.

Do you feed your friends often? Not going to a restaurant but actually cooking something, or even just making a plate of sammiches for people when they're over.

lahalane

I always cook for my flatmates because I'm on the dole and they have work. By cook I mean I put food in the oven for the specified time and then I take it out and put it on a plate.

cantdecide

Before the inevitable AH drubbing, let me say that I agree 100% with the above. Cooking, meeting and sharing your time with people over food is high on the list of things that make life worth living, IMO. It's something that absolutely everyone does to maintain life.

pharmaton

lahalane wrote: »

I always cook for my flatmates because I'm on the dole and they have work. By cook I mean I put food in the oven for the specified time and then I take it out and put it on a plate.

I used to, particularly if someone was there at that time of day (eating time) but not so much anymore, I'll put dinner off til later if I've company. There's always coffee on the go though and usually something to go with.

Mickey H

I find that trying to talk while eating is a pain in the arse and so generally try to avoid it.

Ihatecuddles-old

Id love to cook for someone, but Im afraid he'll hate it :oI love to cook and think its so lovely to cook with/for someone, but I just feel like they wouldnt like it and Id be embarrassed!

Ihatecuddles-old

Mickey H wrote: »

I find that trying to talk while eating is a pain in the arse and so generally try to avoid it.

I think thats when you know how comfortable you are with someone. If you can either talk while eating, or eat in comfortable silence, giving the odd 'mmm' or smile at each other......ah, bliss.

anncoates

I insist on buying crisps with my round

Fox_In_Socks

No, I've maybe cooked once for some people and that involved setting off the fire alarm.

I eat at work with workmates in the canteen or else I eat alone in my house. I would hate to be tied into responsibility with housemates as regards cooking/taking turns cooking and shopping/having to make sure everyone is happy wiith what they are eating.

MadsL

Amen.

Anyone who visits me socially. I cook - them's the rules.

I don't do it as much as I used to as I tend to be really busy all the time. I have two friends that come to me regularly for dinner - seperately. One of them does my hair and when she comes over I cook for her and love it, really enjoy sitting at the table with her and yapping. And I usually have pretty hair when she leaves too which is awesome. She's coming tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it a lot

Must get back into having mini dinner parties though, your post reminded me how much I love them.

I do feed people who come to my house though. Feed them a lot. But it mightn't be a meal necessarily. Baking. I love baking, and eating all the baked stuff

Caonima

I like to cook these days; it's something I've really gotten into since I've traveled abroad. From going out buying the ingredients to actually preparing the dish and choosing a nice wine/beer to go with it, it's a buzz. I can cook a mean bolognese, Thai curry, sweet and sour pork, and honey roast duck from scratch.

Ruu

Yes, you won't leave hungry if you visit my house. Same growing up, if we had friends around, even if my parents didn't know them that well, my Mam would make them a big feed!

Lyaiera

Lyaiera wrote: »

I have on friend with a nice place and he's often cooked for us. I've cooked for people quite a few times. And there are more times myself and my flatmates would put out a spread while we're up to something else.

Do you feed your friends often? Not going to a restaurant but actually cooking something, or even just making a plate of sammiches for people when they're over.

I have often suspected some of my mates post on boards but I have never asked them. It would be funny if the person you describe above turned out to be me Unlikely but was thinking it would be funny all the same.

Since I gave up drinking on nights out - or even going out in Dublin City that much - I have started up a tradition of throwing a "house party" on the second weekend every month. Next one is Saturday.

Usually involves anything from 5 to 30 mates calling over and me starting the party by putting on a big dinner for them all. Wines - beers - good foods - several courses.

I grow and -where possible - catch all my own food, meat, eggs and herbs when I can and buy in the rest and put on a huge spread.

Cooking has more and more in recent years become a hobby for me and one I seem rather good at. I wouldnt be getting any jobs in restaurants or anything but I am quite good all the same. So I enjoy doing it as much as everyone enjoys eating it.

April O Neill

Deleted User wrote: »

I love baking, and eating all the baked stuff

This is why I refuse to learn how to bake. (apart from the idiot-proof stuff - crumbles, soda bread etc.)

martinedwards

Love cooking and go out of my way to cater.

Most I've fed was a BBQ for 50 in my back garden, but I have a big family and 20 or so is normal.

I've even done a few fundraisers.

The hosts charge the "guests" £20 a head and I cook a 3 course dinner with profits going to the charity of their choice.

LOTS of fun!

tmc86

I really enjoy cooking and would cook pretty much all the meals during the week for my housemate and I.

I'd also cook for mini dinner parties in which there would be 6 of us. Not so much in the summer months but definitely during the winter and the darker evenings.

Also I'd rather cook for people than have someone else cook for me!

good food, friends & music is all it takes!

SEPT 23 1989

can't cuke won't cuke

Dravokivich

Dont tend to have people around for social ocassions. But whenever someone was planned to be down to hang out for a bit, id usually cook up a bit of grub, to help settle the stomach a bit, while drinking.

Sleepy

Absolutely love it. One of the few positive things about the recession for me has been how often we have friends over now instead of meeting them in the pub. Good company, a home-cooked Paella and a few bottles of Rioja are a perfect night for me.

ScumLord

Sharing food has always been a way of bonding, look at any culture even to this day and putting on a feast for people you want to be friends with is common practice. Then all you have to do is look at chimp behaviour after they kill a monkey to see this probably goes right back to before we were even human. Food is life and sharing is caring.

Carrie Madshaw

I eat my friends out all the time

Celly Smunt

Carrie Madshaw wrote: »

I eat my friends out all the time

Can we be friends?

I love baking and feeding people tasty baked things

DoozerT6

*stands up*

My name is DoozerT6 and I have never roasted a chicken.

*sits down and takes a sip of water*

April O Neill

I really enjoy cooking, reading recipes, and getting adept at (some of) them. My fella isn't into cooking. We've just moved in together, and I'm finding cooking nourishing meals from scratch for him massively rewarding. It's not a gender thing either, I know a fair few couples where this is reversed.

Meangadh

I'd love to cook for my friends more but too many are painfully picky about what they eat and they pretty much won't eat anything "bad" for them, even as a treat or in a restaurant for a special occasion. So it just isn't enjoyable- I like to cook as healthily as possible for myself day to day but if I was having a dinner party I would prefer not to be so concerned about calories- within reason of course. It's supposed to be a treat.

I just get depressed eating around my friends to be honest and trying to cater for their pickiness just isn't worth it.

returnNull

eating and cooking food for me is just purely functinal,same as shaving or getting my hair cut.It just has to be done.

While I admit some food is better than others when cooked it just doesnt float my boat.Yes I've had fun at dinners or going to restaurants but it wasnt due to the food.