Monday, 5 December 2022

Olives for Dinner

A vintage car I spied


 I was away from home last week, gallivanting about the countryside and staying in a rather nice hotel courtesy of the group I was volunteering for.

My team leader hinted at her food preferences when she chose a ham & cheese sandwich for lunch, saying that she didn't like the other options which had "weird" things like pickles but I didn't register very well.

When she asked if I wanted to join her for dinner at the hotel restaurant I was keen and as we drove through the countryside at the end of the day, I looked up the menu and we chatted about what we might choose.

She thought a chicken schnitzel would be good.

When we arrived at the restaurant for dinner I ordered a mocktail and a bowl of olives to keep us busy while I decided what to order.

There was no chicken schnitzel on the menu and it started dawning on me that I might have been reading the room service menu earlier. The waiter confirmed that I had and there was no way we could have schnitzel in the restaurant. My companion didn't want warm olives or any olives at all. She didn't understand the menu and wanted to go to her room to order something from the "tastes of home" menu.

I found myself trying to quickly eat a large bowl of olives so that I could accompany her on the slightly awkward exit, all the time wondering if a bowl of olives (in oil) would cause some regret the following day (IYKWIM)

I had intended to order a salad from room service but realised that I wasn't really hungry enough to be bothered.

And that's the story of how I had a bowl of olives for dinner.

A glorious day for a drive



Not a bad view for the day



Flowering "Silky Oaks" line the road 




  A quick burn around Mount Panorama race track on the way home

23 comments:

  1. I have some friends/family members with food phobias. It greatly limits what they will eat. It is an interesting fear, fear of foods.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Colette, welcome to eclectica.
      It's a shame that people miss out on so many great things but we all have our limits :)

      Delete
  2. I cannot eat many olives. I am thinking of the green, pimiento-stuffed olives. I do like black olives but could not eat a bowl of them. That is strange to go to the room to get a certain food when you are sitting at a table in a restaurant. That certainly was a beautiful day to be driving.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Linda, The bowl had mostly black olives so you might have managed a few!

      Delete
  3. Your poor friend. Her life has been limited. Olives? Yum.
    I love Bathurst. I studied there and have very fond memories of the town, and its surrounds. And some horror stories of trips around Mr Panorama.

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    Replies
    1. I don't think I ever drove round Mount Panorama before. it's challenging and fun :)

      Delete
  4. Olives? Yuk!
    After all the ‘bad weather’ going on around the country you really did pick a good day for a drive.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Cathy,
      These were very good olives but a few more than I expected :) :)
      The driving was fabulous

      Delete
  5. Well, that's a very different view than I have.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes! I guess you are in a monochrome (or close)

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  6. That's how people can get addicted to olives. You finish up waiting around on street corners for your dealer to drive up then furtively you hand over the money.

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  7. I am not keen on Olives, but use a lot of Olive oil! Ack, food intolerances and jaw issues make me miserable - I know I am missing out.
    Sx

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    Replies
    1. I wish there were answers for you, ms scarlet!

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  8. I didn't realise choosing a menu option could get so complicated! A bowl of olives isn't much of a meal!

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    Replies
    1. There were three different menus. It wasn't difficult as such but some attention to detail was required.
      I'd had a hot breakfast and a good lunch so more would have been a bit excessive and I've had an excess of food too many times 😊

      Delete
  9. We've all been stuck with these types, Kylie. Apart from genuine food allergies, I often wonder if they do it for attention or to make life difficult for those they are with. So sorry you only had olives and I hope the repercussions weren't too appalling!
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think she was anxious and unable to leave her comfort zone. If I had known her better I might have encouraged her to try it.
      There were no repercussions 😊😊

      Delete
  10. I'm a very fussy eater, and have to look in advance at a menu to make sure there is something on it I will eat. The fancier the restaurant the less likely there is, but I wouldn't exit a restaurant because of it. I might have 2 side orders or 2 starters instead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a fancy restaurant but when you take away the fancy food descriptions, they made ordinary things like steak, fish, roast veg etc.
      I thought it was important to allow her to retreat to a comfort zone

      Delete
  11. Flowering silky oaks in a blue sky !
    In Scotland the grey skies go dark about 3 p.m.
    Your post & pictures are much appreciated, Kylie.

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad! have a wonderful Christmas, John

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    2. I hope you and your children have a Merry blue-skied Xmas and a Happy and Safe 2023.
      I look forward to reading more of your posts from the sunny Antipodes.

      Delete

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