Dear Queenie,
Whenever I host a dinner for my husband’s family, one sister and her husband make a big fuss about the fact that they are vegan and the whole menu must be vegan or they cannot attend.
I have offered to make a few vegan dishes that they can eat, but that is not good enough for them, they think everyone should be served the same food and if they are there it must all be vegan.
Queenie, what do you say?—Carnivorous hostess
Dear Hostess,
It is just as rude for your sister-in-law and her husband to demand that you abide totally by their dietary preferences as it would be for you to insist that they eat the meat dishes you serve them.
As the hostess, it is up to you to set the menu and if you are willing to go out of your way to accommodate their preferences, they should be grateful for the courtesy.
Keep a copy of this column and, if this argument comes up again, show it to them and make sure they read my answer.
