How I Got Back at My Mother-in-Law’s Cooking Critiques
I can’t help but laugh as I write this, but here’s what happened with my mother-in-law. She’s not a bad person, but she definitely took things a bit far. We live near my in-laws, so we see each other a lot, and like most families, we have our routines. My husband and I share household chores— I cook, he cleans. It works well since I enjoy cooking and, frankly, I’m better at it.
Everyone loves my food… except my MIL. She critiques every dish, suggesting more cream, less salt, different cooking times. The worst part? She claims my food is too “spicy” and “flavorful.”
The tipping point was my birthday. I went all out cooking a fantastic meal, but my MIL said nothing. Instead, she gave me a “gift”—a handwritten book with notes on how I could “improve” every dish I make. I smiled and thanked her, but inside I was fuming.
The next time I cooked, I followed her instructions exactly—ingredients, measurements, everything. The result was bland and awful. When my brother-in-law noticed, I proudly explained I was following my MIL’s recipe book. The table burst into laughter, and my MIL turned bright red. After a few more rounds of this, the book mysteriously disappeared.
Since then, my MIL has stopped critiquing my cooking and now praises it instead. My husband thinks it was genius.
Now, I’m wondering if I should apologize or just let it go.
Love,
Carol
