Travelled to friend's house for dinner, just strawberries for desert - AIBU to think it's low effort?

[Carefreebie]

On the weekend my partner and I travelled to a friend's house for dinner. The journey was over an hour by train.

The main course was sausages with nice sides (potato salad, tomato salad, another salad). That was nice.

But desert was just strawberries with some pouring cream.

We had a nice time, but AIBU to feel that the desert was very low effort and unexciting, and should have been more exciting than strawberries given the journey?

When my friend came to mine, I did a 3-course meal, feeling I should make a big effort because of her long journey.

Sounds lovely to me. But I would have skipped the cream. I hate heavy desserts.

Meals have to differ in complexity depending on how far you've travelled? Who knew?

Simple food is often the best. I love strawberries and cream!

I'm glad I'm not your friend, though. I go to my friend's houses because I want to see them and I couldn't care less how much effort they put into the food!

You can't beat British (or better yet Scottish) strawberries in season. Sausage and salad sounds odd as a combination - if I was to be a bit taken again by anything it would be that, but I certainly wouldn't be ungrateful enough to post about it online or tbh even give it a second thought.

It sounds like she's eating reasonably healthily, and has no interest in compromising that for a guest. You on the other hand sound like you are high maintenance.

Sounds really nice!

Pudding is always a bit of an after thought at a dinner party really - I’d want to do nice mains and make sure everyone had drinks they like, but who goes to dinner wondering what the pudding will be?

Guests often bring a pudding too.

You mainly go for the company of course but I would think pudding is the least important bit of the food

I think the OP won't be returning because her poor friend was so obviously on here unless that post was a joke.

The strawberries are delicious at the moment aren't they, we got a couple of punnets at our local fruit stall on Monday, even the supermarket ones are good. I've had them everyday for breakfast. Scottish straws mwah we love you 😍

I am craving strawberries and cream now.

Wow how ungrateful.

That's where my brain went, strawberries and cream is one of the few desserts I can have on low carb 😂

What on earth's wrong with poached pears?!
Sounds lovely.
What dessert is acceptable for a 78 minute trip that involved a pesky lorry?
Also what dessert for a 40 minute trip? 30?
We need some kind of spreadsheet for travel timings and acceptable sweet treats.
This thread's mad 😂

Me neither - they cost a fortune!

Aw no, the friend didn't turn up on the thread did they? 😥
If so - friend, you sound lovely and the OP was being.a dick. You're best off without them!

And I thought Princess Margaret was no longer with us...

I've not had a M&S or Waitrose dessert that I'd describe as absolutely delicious more a - that'll do cause I can't be arsed. I wouldn't serve them but I wouldn't complain if someone else did.

It's the best time of year to serve British strawberries, which are at their peak just now. A clever and perfect pudding, making best use of home-grown produce in season.

(I once ponced some up a bit for a dinner party with a splash of balsamic vinegar and ground black pepper, having seen some chef do it on TV. and it went quite well, but wasn't really a massive improvement on perfect, ripe summer strawberries served alone or with cream.)

Why do you think they serve them at Wimbledon, to all those people not short of a bob or two - because they are delicious!

I'd actually love some decent strawberries as a dessert. I'd also consider serving them as a dessert myself, partly because I'm not much of a cook and partly because not everyone wants sugary puddings.

Cranachan or Eton mess, would these have been acceptable instead ?

Birds trifle with strawberries ?

Haha. Exactly.

OP you're my worst nightmare and the reason I don't like inviting people over for meals.

I'm not a great cook, and things have gone wrong when I've tried more complicated recipes.

If someone invites me over for tea and cake I'm over the moon. I wouldn't bother going to someone's house five minutes down the road if I was just going for the food rather than because I liked them.

YABVVU.

@MellersSmellers
... likes strawberries & thinks they're perfect for afters (just to piss the 'pudding' brigade of twats off) in July.

Long journey? It takes many people longer than that to get to work! YABU.

Exactly and a few punnets of strawberries are more expensive.
I'd far rather lovely British strawberries to a shop bought tiramisu any day.

Personally I visit friends to spend time with them, not stuff myself. YABU.

Can you pull up your judgey pants any higher OP??!! It doesn’t matter and sounds like a yummy dessert. We were at our friends house the other night and we normally have snacks after dinner, we didn’t this time but I happen to know they’re skint. I hadn’t actually thought of it until now but maybe there’s a reason behind it 🤷‍♀️

Why is shop bought such a dirty word? You can get plenty of high quality desserts from shops or bakeries. In Italy or France, I'm pretty sure people have no qualms with buying pastries, tarts or other desserts from a patisserie. It's only here in the UK that the middle classes are so desperate to prove their credentials that they turn their noses up.

I often make low effort / little hands on time meals when I have guests, because I want to spend my time with them, not being in the kitchen.