What would you have done?

heretolearn_2

I went to a small birthday party last week, 8 of us, and there was a birthday cake. A lady I don't know very well cut and served the cake as we all all sat round a table.

She put her fingers literally all over the cake to serve it. Literally grabbed each slice right in her hand and dumped it on a plate, and kept pushing the cake round all the time with her fingers. Not in a delicate 'I'm trying not to touch it excuse fingers' way, but really all over it. She clearly saw nothing wrong with handling everyone elses' food like this. OK, not the best way to serve, I found it a bit off-putting, but I'd assume she had clean hands.

Trouble is, she of course got crumbs and icing on her fingers doing this. so she was licking her fingers clean in between cutting and then serving (by touching it all over) each slice.

I watched. I wanted to say no to the cake. I don't know this lady well enough to want to eat her spit. But I wimped out, and ate my slice of cake rather than make a scene (I had no excuse not to eat a bit of cake!) but felt sick at the thought.

What would you have done?

No-one else seemed to notice or mind, unless they were all being polite like me.

Bearing in mind that this lady likes to take charge - it was someone else's birthday recently and she did exactly the same thing. she won't even let people cut their own birthday cakes, just grabs it and starts serving it...

jackieglasgow

Oh that's a difficult one, I would have made a joking comment like "I hope you haven't been picking your nose before you did this" and as soon as she touched the first slice after licking her fingers I would have said "Shirley that's your bit since its got you germs on anyway" that would embarrass most people into stopping.

ailuro2

I'd claim I was on a diet.... even though it's clear by my belly I don't often say no to a bit of cake...:rotfl:

Or you could ask the host if they mind if you were to wrap it up to keep your slice for later.

Or ask other people later what they thought, and were you the only one who noticed she licked her fingers in between handing out slices?

Get her a copy of an etiquette book and mail it to her anonymously with the "how to serve food" chapter highlighted?

Say nothing and make sure you have an individual fairy cake display next time she's at a celebration of yours?

ailuro2

Or at the next party you're at insist YOU serve her... and make a point of scratching your behind before you give her her slice of cake.;)

faithcecilia

I'd just get on and eat it! We need a few germs to keep our immune systems strong.;) Only exception might be if she had just been giving graphic details about the violent tummy bug she had the day before:eek:

bugbabe1970

I would have asked her to stop putting her hands all over the cake!

ailuro2

but what about if she had a cold sore coming up.... herpes is for life, not just for Christmas.;)

mancitychick

I would of had to say something, just like I do to shop assistants that lick their fingers to open your carrier bag, eurgh! I would not of eaten it either.

Sambucus_Nigra

No - I'd not have eaten it. Sorry, I'd have said something if I'd have seen her - like 'haven't we got a proper serving knife, Marjorie is getting her fingers over everything - perhaps we should all cut our own, anyone got any napkins?'.

faithcecilia

ailuro2 wrote: »

but what about if she had a cold sore coming up.... herpes is for life, not just for Christmas.;)

As I was not lucky enough to escape catching it in childhood, wouldn't make a lind bit of difference to me:D Only thing that triggers them for me now is kissing, so I wouldn't do that! Actually, thats a point, how many of us stop and ask someone to brush their teeth, use antiseptic mouthwash, etc before a kiss???

jinky67

I wouldnt have eaten it, and I would have said why

This is one reason I wont eat at a buffet