Well, the summer is over in the northern hemisphere. Did you have a great summer of vacations away from home and wonderful BBQ parties and everyone was happy? Was the BBQ scenario something like the one below?
We are about to enter the summer and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it's the only type of cooking a 'real' man will do, probably because there is an element of danger involved.
When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking,places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces,and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
Here comes the important part:
(4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine....
(5) The woman goes inside to organise the plates and cutlery.
(6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he deals with the situation.
Important again:
(7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine....
(8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread,utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off."
And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women....
Gotta agree. That's the fact.
ReplyDeleteIn a soccer match, we also pay more attention to the goal-scorers.
Not in our house. Well, we don't BBQ (not much point when you're vegetarian, and it isn't popular in Japan). I normally cook more than half of the time for us - including setting the table. Our agreement is that one person cooks, the other does the dishes after. Since K works longer hours than I do, I often do the dishes even when I cook to give her a break.
ReplyDeleteBut I think the story is probably true for many people - especially in the USA. Hawaii, though technically part of the US, has its own traditions. Local families tend to share the job at BBQ type parties, with men hunting and fishing, preparing the meat or fish and cooking it. Women prepare the vegetables and desert. It's more communal I guess you'd call it.
It is also true that in modern western culture, men tend to make a big deal about doing small things aroudn the house.
KS, the world is made for guys or is perhaps more pro-men.
ReplyDeletePandaB, over here, most of the women do the cooking and cleaning up afterwards. My colleagues often complain that when their menfolk cook, they will leave the cleaning and washing to their wife. For those few who wash up, they will often leave the stove uncleaned and the wife has to clean up after him.
We do very little BBQing here. The Chinese believe BBQ'd meat is heaty and we may fall sick with fever/sore throat if we eat too much of it. And the hot weather here adds to the heatiness. Too much yang, I suppose.