When men cook it still feels odd

This week I braved the snow and ice to go to a Nollaig na mBan hosted by a very good friend of mine. Six of us relaxed and ate and drank and chattered and gossiped while her husband and son cooked, served and cleared away. It has to be one of my favourite social occasions of the year, with good food and great company without the stress of being in a restaurant and wondering when the food will arrive and will the chef spit in the soup if you ask.

Nollaig na mBan 2010

Menu

Melon and parma ham
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Pork in cream sauce
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Pear and chocolate flan
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Coffee, Tea and sweets

Hungry now?

For any Mum who struggles every day to provide 3 meals that all the children will eat, Nollaig na mBan is such a luxury. I'd choose it over a spa visit, any day. But the strange thing is that it still feels odd to see the men of the house cooking and serving. Does it show how little has changed? Or is it because I'm a child of the 60s with a stay-at-home Mum who grew veggies and cooked everything from scratch? Maybe the new generation is different - I'd love to know how many single men say host meals for their female friends - it certainly never happened to me!