Dinner Conversation

[Bicycle Lee]

I post this as a tangent of the Food in Hell thread and also some flagrant e%^&ing that has taken place.

What do you like to talk about over dinner with friends, SO's, family, etc...?

Are there things you absolutely will not tolerate being uttered at the table?

I personally grew up in a house of outspoken folk who loved food almost as much as they love their own opinions. Dinner conversations, IMO should not have boundaries. Of course, if you were at a dinner meeting your girl's parents for the first time you wouldn't breach certain topics, but I'm not talking about lack of tact or common sense. My mother and I argue, rant, rave about things from politics (a current hot topic), drugs, sex, the past...you know, EVERYthing.

What do you guys think? Isn't the table a place where we can all meet up and voice our problems, frustrations, elations, and opinions on anything...especially things OTHER than food?

IMO a dinner with no stimulating conversation is as close to hell as I dare tread. We ALL have opinions and they are certainly not aligned...does that mean we shouldn't express them over a nosh?

Edited April 16, 2004 by Bicycle Lee (log)

[tryska]

it's not a good place to discuss vomiting and diarrhea imo.

[Mayhaw Man]

We hardly ever discuss nuclear physics or the political situation in Finland, but that is because I don't think any of us are well versed in these subjects.

Anything else is fair game as long as the discussion is held in a civil manner.

[clothier]

We talk about anything at the dinner table. We limit discussion on video/computer games to under 5 minutes, but other than that, anything goes.

When i was a kid, anything went as well. Which lead to some interesting conversation when my brother worked in the morgue, or when my dad the proctologist had an interesting case that day.

And no, gerbils were never brought up.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I guess talking about one's recent surgery, open festering wounds, and other carnage would be about it for me...

Coincidentally, I was having dinner one evening with a Los Angeles food critic in a rather swanky restaurant. I asked him (as an adventurous eater) that if he were served a very well-prepared, sauced "leg of man," would he try it?

The neighboring diners were horrified by the subsequent cannibalistic conversation that ensued...

[slbunge]

We hardly ever discuss nuclear physics or the political situation in Finland, but that is because I don't think any of us are well versed in these subjects.

The most lively dinner-table discussions I have ever been involved in (friends, family or otherwise) were quite clearly subjects where no one was well versed. Lots of passion, plenty of wine and very few facts.

Next time I see it happening, perhaps I will try to steer the conversation to the political situation in Finland and see what happens.

[clothier]

I guess it's a good thing I don't mind asking the dopey questions, but what IS the political situation in Finland?

[Pickles]

For me...I shun religious discussion. Causes me much indigestion when people start preaching all through a meal. We (my gal-pals and I) ALWAYS end up talking about sex. If my niece and nephew or my friends' kids are at my table, I ask they not talk about boogers, poop, or spittle while we're eating. They usually comply.

Edited April 16, 2004 by Pickles (log)

[jackal10]

The old college sconce rules of etiquette (now only practiced in Oxford) were to avoid discussing

- The food (usually institutional)

- One's work (boring)

- Politics

- The mention of a name when discussing personal relationships

- Religion

- the portraits hanging in the Hall

[JPW]

I guess it's a good thing I don't mind asking the dopey questions, but what IS the political situation in Finland?

Not much of great interest.

They have a centrist president who is not up for election until 2006. The Finnish president is not as strong as the French President, but is much stronger than most Presidents in other parliamentary systems (eg Israel, Germany). The parliamentary elections were last year (4 year term) and, as has been the case for most of the last hundred years, there is a coalition government of the "Center Party" (agrarian, center-right) and the Social Democrats, with minority participation from the Swedish People's Party (leftish-liberal ethnic party) that represents the interests of the Swedish minority living within Finnish borders.

While Finland, like all the Nordic countries has been hurt by weak timber prices, they have had the economic blow cushioned by being at the forefront of the telecomm rev (see Nokia).

To get back to food, as it is just my wife and I currently, we mainly talk about pregnancy induced gastrointestinal problems, so I would say, no, there is no topic unfit for discussion at our table.

[Gifted Gourmet]

For me...I shun religious discussion. Causes me much indigestion when people start preaching all through a meal. We (my gal-pals and I) ALWAYS end up talking about sex.

When is dinner served? I'll certainly join you for that!!

sex and no religion, huh? Doesn't much matter what you plan to serve really ...

[balmagowry]

Coincidentally, I was having dinner one evening with a Los Angeles food critic in a rather swanky restaurant. I asked him (as an adventurous eater) that if he were served a very well-prepared, sauced "leg of man," would he try it?

The neighboring diners were horrified by the subsequent cannibalistic conversation that ensued...

Mmmmmmm.... Long Pig....

"'Nice. Nubbly, but nice,' said the little 'Stute Fish."

EDIT because I just can't resist piling quotation upon Ossa:

"Choo-a Choo-a Choo-Tooth, Muntch, Muntch, Nicey!"

and of course:

"Roast leg of insurance salesman! A chorus of yums ran round the table."

followed closely by:

"If the Juju had meant us NOT to eat people,

He wouldn't have made us of meat!"

OK, I'll be good now... maybe... and try to stay on topic from now on. I'd offer a prize to the first person who can name the sources of all four (no Googling!), only I haven't thought of a prize to offer. But it's negotiable, if anyone would care to try....

Edited April 16, 2004 by balmagowry (log)

[TrishCT]

When I have to chance to dine with mom...we don't usually discuss sex.

[Gifted Gourmet]

When I have to chance to dine with mom...we don't usually discuss sex.

Probably just as well .. why do we all automatically assume that our parents have nothing to add to our personal wealth of knowledge on this subject?

and it is almost universal, I'll wager ... to a person!!

[balmagowry]

I guess it's a good thing I don't mind asking the dopey questions, but what IS the political situation in Finland?

Oy, so dun't esk! it shouldn't heppen to mine woist enemy, pfui pfui pfui.

And Pickles - in some company - the safely non-proselytizing kind, I mean - it can be kind of fun talking about religion....

[Carolyn Tillie]

Coincidentally, I was having dinner one evening with a Los Angeles food critic in a rather swanky restaurant. I asked him (as an adventurous eater) that if he were served a very well-prepared, sauced "leg of man," would he try it?

The neighboring diners were horrified by the subsequent cannibalistic conversation that ensued...

Mmmmmmm.... Long Pig....

"'Nice. Nubbly, but nice,' said the little 'Stute Fish."

EDIT because I just can't resist piling quotation upon Ossa:

"Choo-a Choo-a Choo-Tooth, Muntch, Muntch, Nicey!"

and of course:

"Roast leg of insurance salesman! A chorus of yums ran round the table."

followed closely by:

"If the Juju had meant us NOT to eat people,

He wouldn't have made us of meat!"

OK, I'll be good now... maybe... and try to stay on topic from now on. I'd offer a prize to the first person who can name the sources of all four (no Googling!), only I haven't thought of a prize to offer. But it's negotiable, if anyone would care to try....

I only know the Rudyard Kipling and the Florence & Sanders...

But remember, I'm the sick puppy that HAS cannibalistic cookbooks as well as several bumpersticks (although not on my car):

If I wanted your opinion, I'd read your entrails

and

Everything I know I learned by killing smart people and eating their brains

or the classic:

Support Cannibalism - Eat Me!

and for the not-religiously offended:

Braise the Lord! 450° for 60 minutes - serve with vegetables.

[tryska]

my mom and i talked about sex once. it was a wholly inappropriate discussion and it's tarnished my views in ways i can't begin to imagine.

but that's a perosnal thing. i've had no problem discussing sex with other people's moms tho. with their kids present of course.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Carolyn, my favorite cannibal humor went like this:

Two cannibals were eating dinner. One said:"I really hate my sister."

The other said:"Well, just eat the noodles."

Thanks for your additions to my meagre supply of such material!!

[Pan]

Politics is a major concern of mine, so I've discussed it over lunch or dinner many times. I also agree with balmagowry that religion can also be an interesting topic. Basically, there are just certain things that are disgusting enough to be distasteful to think about while eating, and they've already been covered here, so I won't mention them.

[Pickles]

One more cannibal joke:

What did the cannibal give his mother for Mother's Day?

A box of Farmer Fannies!

:: Buh-DUMP-BUM :::

[Carolyn Tillie]

Carolyn, my favorite cannibal humor went like this:

Two cannibals were eating dinner. One said:"I really hate my sister."

The other said:"Well, just eat the noodles."

Thanks for your additions to my meagre supply of such material!!

[Bicycle Lee]

Politics is a major concern of mine, so I've discussed it over lunch or dinner many times. I also agree with balmagowry that religion can also be an interesting topic. Basically, there are just certain things that are disgusting enough to be distasteful to think about while eating, and they've already been covered here, so I won't mention them.

I wholeheartedly agree with you...

and all the people who brought up surgeries, bodily functions and the like: remember, I said tactless and senseless convo aside...

[srhcb]

When i was a kid, anything went as well. Which lead to some interesting conversation when my brother worked in the morgue, or when my dad the proctologist had an interesting case that day.

And no, gerbils were never brought up.

I once knew a nurse in a proctologists office. She said you'd never believe how many nude gardening accidents there are!

[srhcb]

One more cannibal joke:

What did the cannibal give his mother for Mother's Day?

A box of Farmer Fannies! 

An un-PC cartoon

Rabbi in pot to cannibal, "I hope that's Kosher salt".

[Gifted Gourmet]

I once knew a nurse in a proctologists office. She said you'd never believe how many nude gardening accidents there are!

All the more reason to be even more highly selective in one's choice of guests and/or topics ... why is there no smiley emoticon for nauseous??