MiL a-salted a birthday cake

[CurtainWitcher]

DD's birthday get-together for a few family members in the garden.

I made a lovely (if I do say so myself) big, decorated Victoria sponge, which is DD's favourite.

DH handed a slice to MiL, who immediately asked for salt. She then shook salt ALL over it, before eating it.

It's not the first time she's salted sweet food. She says it's the only way she can "bear it".

Aibu to suggest she doesn't ask for cake, if she's going to cover it in salt?

Just to be clear, this wasnt a sprinkling of salt on the cake, she practically added another layer!

So it appears that IABU, but I can't shake the feeling that changing someone's cooking to such an extent, to make it bearable is insulting.

Shake the insalted feeling. Oh, what a wit I am.

I’ve never heard of anything so crazy!

Also, what is wrong with adding butter to tomato sauce?

Nothing. But she wasn't adding butter, she was adding margerine. There is a difference, and this was in a restaurant. I'm sure the chef's cooking wasn't that bad.

We once went to a highly thought of gastro pub together and she frowned everything in salt, pepper and brown sauce before trying any of it, with a sorry of "That's better" approach.

Wow, with each drip you make it more and more clear she is a disgusting, repellent pig who should never be allowed to set foot anywhere but her own home, and everybody in her life thinks so.

I guess you don’t enjoy being told you need to butt out and she can have salt on her cake if she wants to, which begs the question, why would you post asking AIBU?

But she is not ruining it, according to her palate, she is having it how SHE likes it. Ffs whats your problem

What would you like the outcome to be?

@CurtainWitcher

I have no interest I her taste preferences.

I do think the way in which she frantically applies salt to food is rude. It's very impolite to season food before you've tasted it, imo.

This is very silly of you. She evidently likes cake with salt on it and knows that you don't make yours that way because why the fuck would you. Why subject herself to a mouthful of food she knows she won't like, instead of adding the seasoning she knows she wants beforehand, for the sake of pretending she thinks this might be the time you've finally salted a birthday cake? Evidently she has very unusual tastes and knows it.

Well I think its weird that she accepts food that she can’t bear. And then tries to change it to the taste she likes. It makes much more sense to just not eat it and eat food that is savoury or salty. 🤷🏻‍♀️

She evidently likes cake with salt on it

No, it’s just bearable with salt on it. 🤣

I'm sure the chef's cooking wasn't that bad.

Regardless whether it was or not, it is still her food and she can eat it how she wants. If she wants to put some extras to suit her palate, why shouldn’t she be able to?

Most restaurants have condiments of some sort on the table or ask customers if they would want any knowing some people use such things to make their food taste a way they find pleasing. Someone’s bland can be another’s flavourful. She still ate it and the restaurant still received their money so don’t see a reason to nitpick someone who has a different palate..

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

Well I think its weird that she accepts food that she can’t bear. And then tries to change it to the taste she likes. It makes much more sense to just not eat it and eat food that is savoury or salty. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's definitely weird. The issues seem to be whether it's rude (no) or whether anyone ought to raise it with her (also no).

If she wants to put some extras to suit her palate, why shouldn’t she be able to?

There’s a difference between adding it to suit your tastes and changing the taste of it completely.

There’s a difference between adding it to suit your tastes and changing the taste of it completely.

Again, why does it matter? No one else is eating it but her..

You sound both unpleasant and controlling.
It’d be different if she was inflicting her tastes in everyone’s food, but she isn’t. What harm is she doing to you? Other than giving you extra snobbery points.

We have a Vegan acquaintance who comments loudly and critically about other people’s food choices, including in social gatherings when she doesn’t know the people. That’s unacceptable.
But salt? Extra Marge? Drinking vinegar? Why not?

Meh I (and all other women in my immediate family) have v low blood pressure and we all love salty food.

This is a ridiculous thing to get wound up about. It makes literally no difference to you.

It's definitely weird. The issues seem to be whether it's rude (no) or whether anyone ought to raise it with her (also no).

But it is rude if it’s done in an attention seeking way, which it seems to be. Her announcing she can’t bear it is 🙄. Personally next time I’d say ‘oh you don’t like it as you don’t like sweet things’. It’s a waste when there’s plenty of other things she can eat. I’d offer her some vinegar sachets instead. 🤣🤣🤣

But like I said, I’d find her very entertaining.

I think I've heard this before from some Latin countries, maybe not as odd as we think. When OH asked for a slice of cheese with Chirstmas cake I gagged, now I quite like it though I doubt I'll become a fan of salt on cake.

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

It's definitely weird. The issues seem to be whether it's rude (no) or whether anyone ought to raise it with her (also no).

But it is rude if it’s done in an attention seeking way, which it seems to be. Her announcing she can’t bear it is 🙄. Personally next time I’d say ‘oh you don’t like it as you don’t like sweet things’. It’s a waste when there’s plenty of other things she can eat. I’d offer her some vinegar sachets instead. 🤣🤣🤣

But like I said, I’d find her very entertaining.

I wouldn't be assuming it's done in an attention seeking way just because OP claims it is. Nothing OP has said on this thread suggests she'd be looking at this with anything other than a chip on her shoulder about it, no pun intended. The thing about can't bear it could've been something that was said once years ago. Someone who thinks seasoning food before tasting it is rude per se has a weird attitude to the subject themselves.

I think some people are "super tasters". Everything tastes the blandest of the bland. I knew a little girl who liked to drink vinegar from sachets. She never used to pull a cats bum face while doing it so I assume she was also a super taster.

It's bizarre, I don't understand it, but I am open to the fact that it might be a thing.

I was once told in a restaurant I couldn't have salt because "the chef has seasoned it correctly". Fuck that shit.
Let her crack on OP, you clearly dont like her and the feeling might well be mutual. But arguing with her about putting salt on cake wouldn't help that

But it’s her cake? Surely as an adult she can make her own choices on how to eat what she wants.

I’m with you OP, I think it’s bizarre behaviour and also seriously rude to coat something someone else has made in salt and tell them that’s the only way you can bear it.

It doesn't matter how she chooses to eat her food. Leave the woman alone.

I wouldn't be assuming it's done in an attention seeking way just because OP claims it is. Nothing OP has said on this thread suggests she'd be looking at this with anything other than a chip on her shoulder about it, no pun intended. The thing about can't bear it could've been something that was said once years ago. Someone who thinks seasoning food before tasting it is rude per se has a weird attitude to the subject themselves.

We can only go on what OP says, as on any thread here. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don’t think seasoning is adding loads of salt to food that is meant to be sweet.