Red Cabbage Gate (as the incidnet has now become known)
2 Christmasses ago my inlaws came for Xmas day. I served turkey and pigs in blankets on plates and all veg and trimmings were in serving dishes on the table for everyone to help themselves as they pleased.
We had red cabbage gate. Oh silly old me had decided in addition to an already wide choice of veg (we have a huge bubble n squeak fest on boxing day) such as sprouts, cauli, brocolli, carrots, parsnips,peas, swede roast and boiled spuds had made red cabbage and apple.
I may as well have served up dog poo on toast. To this very day Red Cabbage Gate is mentioned in utter disgust. MIL sat there stirring it with the serving spoon saying "What is this? What is it?" I replied Red Cabbage and apple. MIL snorts and says"But we dont have red cabbage with christmas dinner" . I explained that I like red cabbage and apple and had decided to do it and that as it was in serving dishes and still plenty of other choice of veg if she didnt want any that was fine. The moaning went on through out the whole dinner "Fancy doing red cabbage with christmas dinner. I have never known anyone in my entire life serve red cabbage with turkey" "Why did you choose to serve this?" "Does red cabbage go with apple".
They then added a grand total of 1 sprout (also disgusted by the fact I had put chestnuts in with the sprouts), 1 roast potato on their plates. They ate next to nothing.
I offered carrots when passing the serving dish down the table and was told by MIL that FIL could not posisbly eat the carrots because I had cut them into batons. Seeminglu FIL can only east carrots cut into circles. So they both refused carrots as well.
Then came my home made cranberry and orange sauce. MIL had not seen it so DH asked if anyone wanted any. MIL said yes (i think she was expecting a jar). Her face dropped when DH passed her a dish. "Well whats this?" We told her. "Hmph. Cranberry and orange, red cabbage and apple. must be a southerner posh thing". I replied "No, its christmas dinner and I enjoy cooking and making an effort for 1 meal a year".
MIL sat there stirring the cranberry sauce and letting it drop off her spoon back into its dish and then out of nowhere came out with a right corker: "I was only 10 yo when I started my periods".
Silence ensued. DH and BIL looked horrified.
So we finished out main meal and although I always cook excess veg so we can have have a bubble and squeak boxing day but the amount of food left was ridiculous because MIL and FIL had refused to eat any veg, because MIL said "the red cabbaga and apple had ruined her appetite". She had not had any. It was just sat in a dish on the table.
So me, DH and BIL go into the kitchen to clear up whilst MIL and FIL stay in the living room with the kids.
When we return 25/30 minutes later, they were sat there eating a bag each of butterkist popcorn because they were still hungry. They had brought some in the car with them "just in case" we were told!!!
I was absolutely fucking seething on the day and yes I still think they were unbelievably rude but now I just chuckle at their ridiculousness and the whole incident in our family is now referred to as red cabbage gate as MIL frequently brings it up in disgust and shock. She has never got over it - it was obviously just too controversial for her.