to think there's no other way to look at this than unbearably rude?

[Council]

I'm part of a social group, through a shared interest, that includes men and women from age mid 20s to 80+

I had something to celebrate at one of our events last week and as is traditional took some cakes. I don't bake and was going to buy them but I have a lovely friend who loves to bake but is always watching her weight so on the look out for people to bake for. She offered. Her cakes are simple "family" traybakes etc ideal for serving large numbers and usually very good.

Anyway, the event went well and we were socialising with coffee and the cake afterwards when one member of the group took a small nibble of a cake, already screwing her face up before tasting it, then pulled an even more ridiculous face and spat it out.

It was a coconut cake, not awful but maybe not up to friend's normal standard, a little dry.

The woman in question, I suspect, does have some food issues, mid 50s, stick thin, exercise obsessed and if we're arranging a group meal will only come if Sea Bass is on the menu. But, she knows she has some issues around food, why have the cake at all if that's what you're going to do with it?

Apart from the fact that she was rude to me, I felt so bad for my friend, who was also there.

So, incredibly rude, or justified by her food issues?

A discrete pretend coughing fit and spitting it into a napkin when no one is looking is tolerable.

Dramatic face pulling and pretend near death experiences is just attention seeking arseholery.

I'll never forget my MIL at a big birthday my best friend had catered for, she opened the sandwich she'd picked up, sniffed it, screwed up her nose and put it back. It was a normal, run of the mill ham sandwich.

BF, never backward at coming forward shouts "SHE'S SNIFFING MY FUCKING SANDWICHES!!!" It's now one of those go to phrases between us.

Dispose of discretely. You don't make a scene. Unless you want it all about you of course...

She was being unreasonable to actually try it, if she knows she doesn't like coconut cake. There's no reason why anyone should have to eat something if they don't want to, even if they're being pressured Mrs Doyle-style.

I once ate a bit of quiche that turned out to be salmon and broccoli. I didn't realise it was beforehand. I don't like fish of any sort so I wouldn't have chosen it if I'd known. I swallowed the piece in my mouth but if I couldn't have - if I was allergic for example - I would have put napkin to my mouth and ejected it discreetly.

I probably did look disgusted though, my face is both impulsive and transparent - not a good combination for subtlety...

Discreet!!!

I even checked which spelling was the right one and then autocorrect thought it knew better

The polite thing to do if you really can't swallow is to store it in your cheeks like a hamster and dispose of it afterwards.

I 😍 it!

Saucyjack you have MY MIL and I didn’t even know DH was married before me
cake = love
spitting it out = rejecting the love!!!
I once baked an apple and almond cake for MIL, when she arrived the house was full of lovely cakey smell. Me “I’ve baked you a cake” MIL “I don’t like it” not even out of the oven Janet!

Some people just cannot help being the centre of attention through rude/nasty behaviour.

I agree with this.
The woman was just wanting attention, so I would have just ignored her.
Concentrate instead on all the people who enjoyed your friends cakes and how nice it was of her to offer to bake them.

She will only go out for dinner if SEA BASS is on the menu?

I hope your group doesn’t go out of its way to accommodate her drama queenieness! She won’t be eating sea bass all day, every day, will she? (Or is she??)

Sounds like she puts getting attention above other's feelings.

Says little about the cake though, and lots about her.

My children behave better than that. Unless you're allergic, it won't kill you to swallow it down or spit it out very discreetly later!

Grow the hell up Janet, it was coconut cake, not vomit!

Or to semi quote another funny poster "it's cake, not wheely bin juice"

Although that one was made in a completely different context

I did something very similar to this the other day

I KNOW I don't like coconut, I've tried it many many different ways. I hate it, I can't stand the smell or taste. But there was a coconut cake at my friends birthday party and it just looked so nice I had to try it

It was horrible and I spat it out.

Just chew and swallow quickly if you don't like it. I don't understand why any adult would spit out food. It's not a Bushtucker challenge, there's no need for gagging as an adult.

It's not a Bushtucker challenge, there's no need for gagging as an adult.

Priceless!