Asking Eric: New friend's cooking turns the stomach

Washington Post

17 hours ago

Dear Eric: A relatively new friend has invited me to a third dinner at her home, and I do not want to attend. Her first two meals were simply not well-prepared and not good.
One meal included fish that had an unappetizing odor as she fried it and also had an unpleasant 'off' taste when I tried to eat it. She also served barely warm, bland mashed potatoes and overcooked, unseasoned vegetables. No butter or sauces for anything. When I helped her clean up after the meal, I placed the leftover fish into the refrigerator. I could tell the interior was not very cold. Perhaps the fish had been sitting in the refrigerator uncooked for too long a time and was beginning to spoil.