Has This Ever Happened To You?
I created this cartoon a few years ago based on a real life situation, one I'm sure many of you have experienced. In this case, my oldest daughter pulled out an outdated container of milk from the refrigerator that was obviously spoiled and asked me to taste it,
"Just to make sure".
She wasn't trying to get me to drink spoiled milk as a joke, she innocently wanted me to make sure it was sour and trusted I would know for sure. This is one of the many things I enjoy about being a dad, especially when the kids were younger. Now, it's a little different.
My 15 year old has a wonderful sense of humor and I have to be a bit more on my toes to distinguish between an honest request and a joke. She's a great kid but I wouldn't put it past her to try to get me to "sample" a food item that I normally may not be inclined to eat. You know, like chocolate covered grasshoppers!
Reverse Situation
I remember when I was 12 or 13 my family playing a similar joke on me. I walked away from the table after dinner one night for a couple of minutes and when I came back, everyone was enjoying chocolate pudding that my dad made and put into these glass containers.
When I asked for one of my own, they directed me to a place in the refrigerator where there was just one left in the same glass container. Turns out it was a joke and what was in that identical glass container was brown gravy from the night before.
I took one bite expecting a velvety smooth chocolate delight only to be surprised by the taste of day old gravy. While I was spitting it out, the rest of my family were falling out of their chairs laughing.
What Similar Experiences Have You Had With Your Kids?
I'm sure many of you have had experiences similar to the one described in my cartoon. If you would like to share your story with the rest of us, please do so in the comments section below. Look forward to hearing to your stories.
Tee shirts, aprons & other fun stuff
I have printed some of these cartoons on tee shirts and other fun stuff at Zazzle . If you don't see the cartoon you want, let me know and I will try to get it up there for you. They make great gifts for your favorite "reluctant" gourmet.
Use of cartoons
These cartoons are all copyrighted so please do not use them in any way without permission.
Michael Jobes
I was at a winery once with a friend (who has a culinary degree), and we parked the car in a lot lined with olive trees. As we got out, he asked me if I'd ever had fresh olives. Thinking I was in for a treat... I plucked a "fresh" olive from the tree, and boy did I get a surprise! He still likes to laugh about that one.
Bjorn Flesaker
Eating take-out Mexican food at home with the family. Older daughter (probably about 7 at the time): "Dad, this food is very spicy." Me, pointing to a little plastic container with sliced pickled jalapenos: "Just eat one of these, and the food will not taste as spicy afterwards." Being more trusting of her father than she has ever been since, she tried one and, ultimately (after some tears and harsh words), agreed that it did indeed taste less spicy than before.