What would you feed your relative from another country?

[alkagift]

When you have relatives from another country come visit, what accommodations do you make to their customary meals? My DH's aunt is coming this weekend from Ecuador. She is the matriarch of the family and a lovely, fun person. She is, however, used to having servants--two ladies have lived with her for almost 35 years. She loves food, but doesn't cook much herself. She has never been to my home and I want to make sure she goes home thinking visiting us was great.

Because cultures are so different, my usual method with DH's father has been to cater to his tastes at the dinner hour. He lived here for 30 years and is used to eating cereal and sandwiches for breakfast and dinner. However, this aunt is not. She eats coffee with some sort of fresh roll in the morning, perhaps some juice, then has some light salad with meat at lunch with bread again, coffee at 5 with a sweet thing (cookies, tea bread) and then dinner late.

I love cooking and have no problem making dinner and having some cookies for coffee time, but this is a bit more planning than I'm accustomed to. What would you do? I was considering making some rolls especially for her and doing a nice dinner, then leaving it at that, but I don't want to scramble at lunch, she's really nice.


Allison
Mommy to Matthew, who is TWO!

[aliceinwonderland]

You know I have the same problem when my father visits, because I'm used to cooking only one meal per day and he likes to sit down for THREE! But luckily, my mom is here usually too when he is, so she cooks.

So I have no advice, just sympathy...I stressed out a lot the very first time they were here, as I was unwilling to relinquish control over my kitchen...I have since learned ;)

e.--who still has food in the freezer from mom's last visit :)

[HannaAddict]

I wouldn't stress about it. You are the mama of a toddler, not the concierge at a five star hotel. :) I would have some rolls available for breakfast with coffee and juice and just make a normal lunch, maybe on the nice side of normal. And it sounds like you will enjoy making a nice dinner. Don't worry about lunch. You could even buy a couple of the prepared salads at Trader Joes (or nicer market if you are near one) for lunch too. Toss it in on a nice plate and voila, lunch.

Hope you have a fun visit.

Kimberly
DS 3/18/04