Feeding Friends-y

Today’s post is not necessarily focused on food, but it is food-related; more like a food etiquette issue. It revolves around kids’ birthday parties, and here at the MHK we have attended close to 173 parties this year (at least that’s what it feels like). Aside from the traditional cake or cupcakes, if the party’s timeframe is during the usual lunch or dinner hour, additional food is also available (usually pizza).

Are you riveted yet? Ok, I’ll get to the point. When kids are too young to just be dropped off at a party, meaning at least one adult has to attend as well, we at the MHK feel that enough food should be provided for both the kids and the adults. If a party goes from 12pm-2pm, isn’t it appropriate to feed all people in attendance? Otherwise the adults either have to eat lunch at 11am or sometime after 2pm, and that just seems quite inconvenient.

The reason for this post is that the last two parties to which we have been invited did not accommodate the provisional needs of the older guests (though one did state on the invitation that food would be provided for the kids only). We’re not saying that a full buffet is necessary or even expected, and we know just as well as anyone how expensive birthday parties can be these days, but to not shell out a few extra bucks for one more pizza seems a bit impolite. Seriously – even just having a slice or two to at least mitigate the hunger would be fine. But to be reduced to drooling over your own child’s plate, hoping he doesn’t finish his pizza so you can have a little morsel, is both pathetic and sad.

I think we speak for the majority on this issue. Disagreements are welcomed and will be given our full attention to further our own edification on the issue, so please let us know what you think. Enjoy.

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Birthday Cake…or Brownies, or Tiramisu, etc…

The proud owner and founder of the Mouse House Kitchen turns [edited by owner] years old today, and we at the MHK have been granted most of the day off in honor of the event.  But we did want to say a quick word about birthday cakes and such.

According to Wikipedia, the origin of birthday cakes can be traced back to ancient Rome: “In classical Roman culture, ‘cakes’ of flat rounds made with flour containing nuts, leavened with yeast, and sweetened with honey were served at special birthdays.”  They must have eaten those in between orgies and gladiator fights.  As for the lighting of candles on birthday cakes, Wikipedia says it goes back a few hundred years:  “This tradition can be traced to Kinderfest (Kinder is the German word for ‘children’), an 18th century German birthday celebration for children.”

Fascinating…ish.  The most important thing, really, is what kind of cake/dessert do you prefer on your birthday?  I grew up a big fan of ice cream cakes, but the traditional frosted cake always hit the spot.  Throughout the years, I have grown more fond of birthday brownies rather than cake.  And now after a few years of attending kids’ b-day parties, I am growing weary of the same traditional frosted cake over and over. 

Our beloved leader, the head Mouse himself, is off to a birthday lunch where he will be consuming a non-traditional birthday tiramisu.  What’s the most unconventional birthday dessert you’ve had?  Mousey minds want to know!