Costly business
Debora Robertson’s guidance on having people to stay sparked discussion [Jul, p39]
From: Ilona Kosmowsky
One issue I’d like advice on: money. If you have people staying, of course you’ll provide food and drink. As it’s not a thing to ask relatives for a contribution, what are the rules when friends or friends of friends stay? Who can afford to cater for all of them? Do I as a guest go shopping with the host and offer to pay? Or buy some items that got used up? Debora also suggests visits to local restaurants. Who pays the bill – the host, everyone or the guests?
Debora replies… I wouldn’t have anyone to stay who I couldn’t have a frank talk with about it. I’d say, “Times are tough at the moment and it will be lovely to see you, but let’s work out a way we can get together without it bankrupting us all... If I make dinner on Friday, could you make lunch on Saturday?” Then I’d suggest all the great free things to do where I lived. I’d rather have soup and sandwiches with people I love than a Michelin-starred dinner anywhere.
From: Lisa Best
The piece put me in mind of my time living abroad in Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar and Ireland. I couldn’t take the day off every time friends and family visited, and I received more than a few tasty meals cooked by guilt-ridden guests after their day on the beach and mine behind my desk. But I enjoyed the chance to take them to a restaurant to try the tapas of southern Spain or wonderful Dublin boxty.
Some recipes you’ve been loving lately
From: Corrina
Baking with my boys can stress me out – I’m a chef and struggle to let them get involved. But the strawberry ice cream shortcake [July, p56] was fab and so easy to do with little ones. The hardest part was surviving six hours of “Is it ready yet?”
From: Ann Good
The July magazine had so many tempting recipes, I didn’t know where to start. I tried the salmon on the barbecue [p42] and wow! It will be added to our favourites list.
From: Carol Waite
For my birthday, my son bought me a delicious.
subscription. I’ve been off work for a year and it has made me feel less alone. As a thank you to Ashley, I made him August’s sosaties [p40] and corn with garlic butter [p37], which he loved.
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