Hoist by my own petard.....

One daughter asked us to tea, and made shepherds pie. It was OK, but not memorable, and we both said we hoped it wasn`t shepheds pie next time. Trouble is, every now and again she cooks and brings the food round to save me cooking, but it`s always the dreaded shepherds pie! We can`t ask her not to make it because we told her how nice it was!

Or gin I'd have thought

They wouldn't accept home-made stuff though.

Why not give unwanted food gifts to a food bank,
provided the item hasn't been opened, then all win


.

Our neighbour has an allotment and regularly gives us produce which is very gratefully received apart from the blessed courgettes which dh and I hate and which we have to smuggle out of the house and take to DS1.

Galen - your dd's SIL doesn't like chutney as well does she?

When I was working, our boss used to make horrible granular fudge for us each Christmas, and always put it in the same greasy chocolate box. We had to gradually dispose of it so that he thought it was being eaten. We didn't have the heart to tell him it was awful! It is a difficult situation isn't it?

My aunt has just sent me a bottle of Bombay sapphire gin!
I don't drink gin!
Darling daughter's sister in law has at great personal sacrifice said she will dispose of it for me!
( apparently, she's gin mad!)

Katek I have had, until this year exactly the same problem. Friends and neighbours bought a package every year for me and it was a selection of chutneys. I hate chutney so I, like you tried to give it away but there is a limit when the same stuff kept coming every year. This year I was given outdoor plants- what a pleasure and relief. I think I made the problem worse by saying how much I liked the chutney!

The same as you! White lie.

I'd do the same as you - accept it with thanks and (albeit false!) appreciation. I know it's a waste, but the old lady probably loves thinking her chutney's gone to a good home, and after all it may not be that long before she has to give up making it.

My aunt Nellie who lived in New York sent us a Christmas Cake in a posh tin (not home made) once and we of course wrote back to say we had so enjoyed it. We never had the heart to tell here we gave it to the birds- it must have been very expensive + postage!!!

OH used to get a bottle of Bristol Cream every year from one patient at Christmas and one of the receptionists did tell them once that 'pssst he really does prefer a single malt' - it was useful to give to the village Tombola- but then he did keep the Whisky!

tell her you have sadly developed an allergy to chutney/vinegar/spices ....... whatever you can come up with !