Actually, it's not very good

[twinkletoes]

It's not unusual for coworkers to bring in treats to share with everyone (it's mostly women who bring in the sharing for a department that is about 90% male, and my company is in the financial industry - but that's another topic).  Treats are left in the kitchenette, and it's understood that it's fair game for everyone to eat.  For what it's worth, there are about 25 of us in the office at any given time.  If someone brings treats, they're usually gone by lunchtime.

This morning, a coworker put out a plate of fudge...and it's not very good.  It tastes like it has been sitting in a plastic container in the trunk of someone's car since Christmas.  In fact, I had a bite, grabbed a paper towel, and spat out the rest in private at my cube.  No one saw me, and I didn't make a production of it.

Well, right now, it's after lunch, and the fudge is still sitting in the kitchenette.  The woman who brought in the fudge is making comments about "why won't anyone eat this?" and it's getting awkward.  Of course, I wouldn't say anything, but it's very interesting to see what will happen.  For what it's worth, this coworker isn't a good baker - the fudge is the latest in a string of foods that just don't taste right.

Has anyone encountered anything like this?  I feel bad that she's going to all this time and money to make treats that don't taste right, but I really don't know if anything should be done.

[fklwmn]

yikes, I feel bad for her. I'd probably sneak a couple of pieces back to my trash can so they'd appear 'eaten'

[Chocolate Cake]

Don't worry about doing anything.  If you help her out by making her think that some have been eaten, it'll just encourage her to continue to bring in her badly made "treats". 

I'd probably just say, "You know how it is in January....lots of people have made resolutions to lose weight."

[fklwmn]

Don't worry about doing anything.  If you help her out by making her think that some have been eaten, it'll just encourage her to continue to bring in her badly made "treats". 

I'd probably just say, "You know how it is in January....lots of people have made resolutions to lose weight."

your solution is so much better than mine. I'm just a sucker for people feeling bad, lol.

[twinkletoes]

Chocolate cake - I think I'll do that.  I think it would be far worse to mislead her into thinking her fudge is the best thing since sliced bread.

[twinkletoes]

UPDATE

I overheard the coworker in question talking to another coworker about her fudge, and why won't anyone eat it?  I'm tempted to just tell her to give it a rest, but we'll see.  The evil part of me also wants to slip her a copy of a really good (and fool-proof!) fudge recipe I have on her desk, but we'll see...

[kingsrings]

yikes, I feel bad for her. I'd probably sneak a couple of pieces back to my trash can so they'd appear 'eaten'

That is what I would do, too. Just cheerfully say, "I will take a couple of pieces for later!!", wrap them up in a napkin, walk away to your cubicle, and then throw them away in your trash can. Of course make sure it is covered up under other trash so she won't see it sitting there.

[RandomAngel]

I overheard the coworker in question talking to another coworker about her fudge, and why won't anyone eat it? 

Why why why?  I have a friend who can be like this: I love her to death, but she makes it completely impossible for someone to let her down gently.  Some hints aren't all that hard to take, you know?

[Slartibartfast]

Hmmm . . . maybe this is special "diet fudge" with applesauce instead of butter, and Nutrasweet instead of sugar, and carob instead of chocolate?  People who are used to eating recipes with these kinds of substitutions don't understand why the rest of us don't always like their cooking . . .

[rolld20]

A couple years ago, I was trying out a new cook book, and my co-workers got to help clean up the worst of the results.  Amazingly enough, nothing was ever rejected.  In fact, my most embarrassing experience was when someone complimented me on some brownies and asked for the recipe- and I thought they were the worst of their type I'd ever made.  I was torn between giving her the recipe I actually used, or giving her one I knew was better!

[alli_wan]

Could this be some passive aggressive ploy where she gets her jollies out of guilting people into eating her questionable food?  Or a ploy for reassurance?  If she continues to bring in food that never gets eaten, she has to be getting something out of it.

[Sirius]

Back when I worked at the hospital we found out that interns will eat anything, even if it's not very good.  People I worked with would bring in leftover candy from holidays, and it always disappeared. 

[Bijou]

It's not unusual for coworkers to bring in treats to share with everyone (it's mostly women who bring in the sharing for a department that is about 90% male, and my company is in the financial industry - but that's another topic).  Treats are left in the kitchenette, and it's understood that it's fair game for everyone to eat.  For what it's worth, there are about 25 of us in the office at any given time.  If someone brings treats, they're usually gone by lunchtime.

This morning, a coworker put out a plate of fudge...and it's not very good.  It tastes like it has been sitting in a plastic container in the trunk of someone's car since Christmas.  In fact, I had a bite, grabbed a paper towel, and spat out the rest in private at my cube.  No one saw me, and I didn't make a production of it.

Well, right now, it's after lunch, and the fudge is still sitting in the kitchenette.  The woman who brought in the fudge is making comments about "why won't anyone eat this?" and it's getting awkward.  Of course, I wouldn't say anything, but it's very interesting to see what will happen.  For what it's worth, this coworker isn't a good baker - the fudge is the latest in a string of foods that just don't taste right.

Has anyone encountered anything like this?  I feel bad that she's going to all this time and money to make treats that don't taste right, but I really don't know if anything should be done.

Yep, had that experience.  A woman brought in a bunch of very pretty, very fancy homemade candy.  It was stale and inedible.  Of course everyone oou'd and ah'd about how lovely it looked, but taste-wise, it was over the hill.  I wonder if she even realized it.  No one ever said anything to her that I know of.