I am sitting in my office, trying to eat my baked apple (with no sugar) while my nostrils are being assaulted by an overdose of garlic powder. Sounds strange? It is. Down the hall there is an office of interesting folks - they provide services to lawyers and others who need to deal with the State. One of the employees is a frustrated chef. He whips up all manner of breakfasts and lunches for the small staff - most of whom do not make a lot of money, so I am sure they appreciate the free food - and it seems that he has an obsession with garlic powder. Unfortunately for those of us who share the floor and its all-inclusive HVAC system, there is no venting mechanism that would redirect the
stench aroma of concentrated artificial garlic to the outside where it could mingle with exhaust fumes.
There are two camps in this war on our sense of smell. One is outraged and outspoken in its demands that he be stopped toot-sweet, as they say in France. The other is, let the guy live out his dreams - no matter how much we have to suffer. I am in the latter group. Of course, I think it would be a grand idea if they would pony up the money to put in a proper venting system so I don't feel like I am eating my lunch through an old sock.
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| I do NOT smell like an old sock. |
14 comments:
Boy ,I'm with you. Love garlic just hate the smell of it cooking. Nasty overpowering smell. Can't you claim a disability on this😝😝
Boy, do I wish! Some days are really potent. It's not as bad when one is eating, say, a salad. But fruit and garlic powder is caustic.
On the plus side garlic powder is actually made from real garlic so just think of all the germs in the vents it's killing off. :)
I say buy him a bag of real garlic. If he's a wannabe chef, he should know that garlic powder takes on a bitter taste and aroma when cooked at too high heat, but the real thing is much more pleasant.
I'm thrilled to work in a mandatory fume-free workplace!!!
Sometimes it's so hard to let folks be "free to be" when it negatively affects others. I am allergic to most perfumes but always feel badly when I have to ask a person I would like to spend time with to avoid splashing on the scent when we know we will be together. But when you're in a work environment, that's a toughie. Bottom line, the garlic powder may be more tolerable than a person who doesn't bathe (ahem) frequently enough and sits at the desk next to you. :o/
My husband is 100% Italian so even if I didn't like garlic (which I do) I'd have to nixie every saying anything or be dead from the look he'd give me. ;-)
That being said, he should really use fresh garlic; so much better smelling and tasting, easy to grow even. Buy him a big clove and leave it, anonymously, on his desk (perhaps with a pamphlet on how garlic really doesn't stave off vampires, maybe that's why he uses so much?)
Garlic is used around here heavily--but then again, it's just US. I don't know how I would take it smelling it all the time...but agree--let him have his fun.
that's a tough one to call!
He doesn't use fresh garlic? Humn....We enjoy our garlic but it is not in public..when sending Ralph lunch at the bakery I avoided the strong spices...it is just polite!
I think someone should tell him. If he is cooking for his co-workers he has a good heart and might be upset if he found out about the problem accidentally. I can see you all drawing straws before too long.
I think that's sweet. Maybe those complaining the most are the ones who don't get to eat the culinary masterpieces.
Susan,
Maybe the building will produce an outside kitchen?? Just a thought, we used to have one when I worked in D.C. It helped with all the smells.
He needs to consider the other people who have to smell his garlic everyday. Having to smell fake garlic would drive me nuts. Someone just needs to step up and be honest and offer some real garlic instead or ask that he cook less pungent meals.
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