The Last Mouthful

[MypinchofItaly]

A photo of TastyReuben entitled 'the last bite' made me think of something that has often happened to me: those ones who ask you to eat 'the last mouthful' of your dish, whatever it is.
Now, and I admit that I am very generous in sharing food or even giving everything of it if necessary, but the request for the last mouthful overwhelms me, it touches my nerves, the feeling is a bit like that of the nails on the blackboard.
'Will you leave me the last mouthful?'
Oh no, why? Ask me to split the last slice of pizza or cake, no problem; do you want it all? Ok.
But not while I'm about to enjoy the last mouthful. Not that one. Never. Never. Never. Never. (Did I say never?)

What about you? Are you one of those who keep the last mouthful to yourself or do you offer it to the person who asked you?
Not even to say that I am referring to requests that come from family or close friends.

 

[LissaC]

I'm openly selfish with food that I enjoy. I don't like to share it and I make it known. If I'm having something I really, REALLY like and someone asks for a bit I will say "ok but just a little bit". I am openly generous with food I like but don't love and happily share it. If it's the last bit of a food I absolutely love, I whine a bit and the person usually gets the message. Otherwise I'm perfectly ok sharing it.

By the way I usually enjoy food more when I'm starting to eat, and I have the issue that I eat too fast.

Chocolate is something completely different by the way. I don't share the last piece of chocolate not even under death threat. My mother used to tell me off for not sharing chocolate with my siblings. Sorry, family is one thing, chocolate is another.

 

[TastyReuben]

This is a great question!

First, I think I'm on record in an older topic about food-sharing. I'm completely against it. That topic was more about ordering a slew of appetizers in a group setting and sharing. If I don't even like that, you can guess how I feel about giving away "the last mouthful."

See, with me, I'm a little quirky about some things, and one of my habits is, with food that can be sorted, I sort it before I eat. A plate full of crisps/potato chips, I sort broken from whole, and whole from smallest to largest, and that's how I eat them. I save the best for last. If someone were to ask for the last chip, they'd be getting, in my mind at least, the absolute very best one, the one I'd been saving 'til the end.

Similarly, when I have a plate of food, say...a pork chop, some mashed potatoes, and carrots, I eat all of each thing in the order of how it appeals to me, so again, asking for the last bit...you're asking for the bit I want the most.

Now, sort of the contrary side of things. We had pizza last night. Back when I used to eat entire pizzas on my own, I used to get royally ticked off at my wife because we'd get a large pizza, I'd eat my half in about 15 minutes, and she'd just be finishing her first piece.

I'd wait patiently, she'd finish, get another piece, really dawdle on that one, and I'd finally say, "Are you going to have any more? If not, I would."

I have a thing where, as much as I love pizza, I will eat it only when it's hot and fresh, not reheated or cold.

She'd usually answer, "No, I'm not done, I'm still picking at it."

Another 20 minutes, and she'd barely eaten another bite, then she'd say, "Ok, I'm done, you can have a piece of mine, but leave the other piece up for me for tomorrow."

1. Now that pizza is too cold for me to eat. If you weren't going to have it, tell me up front, please.

2. Guaranteed, that pizza saved for tomorrow would still be in the fridge a week later.

That always left me slightly angry for the next few days, because I'd have it in my head that that was pizza I could have had and enjoyed, and instead, it went in the garbage.

 

[Morning Glory]

Chocolate is something completely different by the way. I don't share the last piece of chocolate not even under death threat. My mother used to tell me off for not sharing chocolate with my siblings. Sorry, family is one thing, chocolate is another.

Ha ha..

You and I are polar opposite. I don't even like chocolate and if anyone gives me any I give it all away.

The last mouthful of a dish I'm really enjoying? I don't think I'd mind at all. I sometimes think I enjoy cooking and tasting more than eating a meal.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I enjoy cooking it, anyone can eat it, even the last mouthful, just tell me if you enjoyed it.

I don't care to much for Chocolate either.

 

[LissaC]

I guess I don't really buy the concept of eating as a social thing. I like the idea of it, but I don't practice. If I'm eating I'm not talking, I usually finish eating before everybody else and then I talk. I'm pretty boring company during meals. And romantic dates need to involve activities other than dining otherwise the guy will think I'm really dull.

And yes I will go to the end of the world and back for the people I love. But share the food I love? No way. I like to nurture others by cooking for them but not by sharing my beloved food.

I sometimes think I enjoy cooking and tasting more than eating a meal.

Sometimes I feel like that too. Especially because I'm picky with food, and cooking for others gives me the opportunity to cook with ingredients I don't like to eat.

 

[TastyReuben]

I guess I don't really buy the concept of eating as a social thing.

Same here. I watch all these cooking shows, and it seems like all the chefs are always saying things like, "I love to make this and have the people I love over to enjoy it," and, "To me, cooking means sharing my food and my love with those around me," and it just puts me off, because I'm not like that at all. I hate cooking for others, and if I cook for someone else, and they make even the slightest hint at a negative comment or suggest some other way they'd have done it, that's the last time they're ever being invited over.

If I want to be social while eating...that's what restaurants are for.