To strangle this friendship before it starts?

[Montegomongoose]

I'm on holiday and was at a nice lunch yesterday given by an acquaintance at which I met a woman.

She'd brought a dish which was pretty nice so I asked her for the recipe. It also transpired she's moving to the UK, fairly near me, in 2015.

All fine. Except that this afternoon she dropped by to give me the typed-out recipe which included her own 'Tasting Notes.'

Which made reference to 'complex flavours' and 'after notes.'

AIBU to leave without calling to arrange to meet up next year? Is she a complete tool or is this remotely redeemable?

We are falling about reading it like Autralian Mastechef.

It's a pasta* dish FFS.

*Please read as 'paaahstar'

There are plenty of non-English accents that say parsta - it's not effected

Could she have just copied it off the Internet?

As someone who finds it hard to make friends and who gets mocked for my accent I feel for her

Nasty inverted snobbery OP. I hope for her sake you don't bother with her

Has she expressed any particular desire to be your friend, op, or did she just give you the recipe because you actually asked for it?

Oh for fuck's sake - has there been a zombie invasion extracting the sense of humour from everyone?

I say Paaasta. With a long a. As opposed to pasta with a short a. It is not "affected". It is just my accent.

feeling a bit offended

Tell the truth OP. It was Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't it?

Hm.. I meant feeling a bit offended

Oh dear the serious Sally's are out in force tonight!!!
OP YADNBU

Op I agree childish but I would be the same I suspect!

This kind of thing tickles me like...

• people talking about wine in great detail and reeling off fruit and wood flavours
• betterware catalogues with oodles of unnecessary advice on how to use eg a pillow

Oh and I would also do the Masterchef or M&S style reading

Probably best not to pursue the friendship though unless she meant it as a joke

I remember when a thread like this would be fun

I would be having a chuckle too OP. But give her another chance, she may have been desperate to impress you. Always a good sign

Bit busy tonight OP, but I'll get back to you tomorrow with my own secret recipe for Marmite on toast. The tasting notes will take me a little while to write out, but I think they'll really help you appreciate it to the full.

Agree the tasting notes sounds a bit ott. Personally if that was me making a friend i wouldn't use it as my benchmark, I prefer to be a bit more laid back and see how things develop in terms of whether I actually click with the person. Many of my friends are v different from me and some of their opinions on things are totally different, I find that adds to the friendship in many cases!

But you sound like you have a certain way of thinking and can't really see much beyond that so yep strangle the friendship. As an expat I can tell you it is initially great to be befriended by people who feel dutiful but if the friendship isn't going anywhere and the other person doesn't like you its all actually a waste of time and better for them not to have bothered

Sounds like you've made your decision on the woman so just don't make any further advances.

I certainly wouldn't pursue this friendship, she's probably going to make friends with people who are less two faced and bitchy about her.

OP you should be ashamed. Please flog yourself mercilessly instantly. Prison is too good for the likes of you my lady!

There was no backtracking, do keep up! My DH and I both laughed, in private. No feelings were publicly 'shat on.'

The Oz pronunciation was not hers, it was all my own spiteful and imaginative handiwork and terribly droll it was at the time.

I did laugh (again! What am I like) at Gwyneth comment. That's uncannily accurate.

She didn't type the recipe herself, she just added her notes, for those gentle souls worried about her painstaking labours. It was from a site that give you the 'print' option.

We've very much enjoyed all these thoughtful replies. Fanjo my DH. Has bribed a local official so I may avoid prison but my bail conditions include making this dish and holding solemn feedback sessions with Jay Rayner and a spanking from Marcus Wareing until I have truly learned my lesson.

You sound foul. And seriously up yourself. Strangle this friendship? What friendship? Do her a favour and stay out of her way.

Trucking and you sound like a lovely delight

Shame on you OP, for judging someone on the way they write.........

You would never see anything like that going on here on MN

Whatever. For my money, you're not funny enough to carry such an otherwise bitchy thread, sorry

I add tasting notes including complex flavours and noting of aroma to every recipe I give to someone. Is that not the done thing?

Mabey tests her accent, how sh pronounces pasta. You sound mean op

Some of my friends would do this but are also self aware enough to realise it makes some people laugh and take it on the chin. I am truly shocked at how many people are calling the op vile and bitchy!

Tasting and aroma notes are most definitely not included on any recipe I've ever been given. The other lady if they make friends may even find it funny too

Keep giggling op, I am, this thread has really tickled me!

Honest question: can someone tell me what tasting notes are please?

I have no idea, and it means I can't opine on whether the OP is a meanie or the responders humourless!

Mabey it's her accent, I meant