My mom's new husband roasted my Thanksgiving gravy recipe in front of everyone

He said it looked like 'tan sludge' right after I spent 2 hours making it from scratch with the drippings. Has anyone else had to bite their tongue while a new in-law trashes your cooking at a holiday dinner?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jamie1mo ago

Wait, did he really say that at the table while you were sitting there? I used to be pretty laid back about people criticizing food, figured it was just their opinion. But this story actually changed my mind on that. If someone trashes your cooking right after you made it from scratch, especially at a holiday dinner, that's not just bad manners. It's straight up rude and says more about them than the gravy. Your gravy was probably fine, and he's the one who looked like a jerk.

laura_black311mo ago

Consider the power dynamic here too. He might have been trying to prove he's the "expert" cook in the family by putting someone else's work down. Ngl, insecure people often trash other people's food to make themselves feel superior, so it's probably not even about the gravy at all.

kimreed1mo ago

Did your mom say anything to defend you or did she just let it slide? Because honestly, how your mom handled it says a lot about whether this is gonna be a pattern or just a one-time thing. If she backed him up or stayed quiet, that's a bigger problem than the gravy comment itself.