MaryL wrote:
> "Julia Altshuler" > wrote in message
> ...
> > JimLane wrote:
> >
> >> And when one of them dies or ends up in a hospital because they
ingested
> >> something you did not have the courtesy to consider letting them
know
> >> about, let us know about your attitude change.
> >
> >
> > It is possible for people to be allergic to almost anything.
Sometimes it
> > is a well-known allergy like to peanuts, but someone somewhere
might have
> > a deadly reaction to something weird like saffron or Marsala. If
guests
> > ask me about the ingredients in a dish, I'm always glad to tell
them just
> > like I'm glad to talk about recipes and food here. It is one of my

> > favorite subjects. But if a guest expects me to warn her that
there's
> > peanuts in the peanut brittle, dairy in the ice cream and ginger in
the
> > homemade gingerale, all I can say is that I'll be glad Darwinism is
at
> > work with no change in attitude. It's the responsibility of the
guests to
> > ask the questions necessary to safeguard health, not the host to
consider
> > every weird food reaction and provide warnings. Oh, and here's a
polite
> > gesture on my part: Don't take naps in the middle of busy
highways; you
> > might get hit by a car.
> >
> >
> > --Lia
> >
>
> I know you think it was stupid of me to suggest warning guests that
there is
> ginger in homemade ginger ale. I would agree *if* the guests know
before
> drinking some that it is ginger ale. Many times, something like that
will
> simply be handed out or even served from a large punch bowl. I'm not
so
> incredibly stupid as to assume that someone allergic to something
wouldn't
> ask about it if the name gave it away -- just I would assume that
someone
> would know there are peanuts in peanut butter (but might not
recognize it if
> peanut butter were included as part of a recipe). I just think it's
> courteous to ask guests if there is anything they are allergic to.
If so,
> you can point out a "problem" food -- neither you nor the guests have
to
> make a big deal of it, and you don't even need to change your menu.
>
> MaryL

The onus is *100%* on those with the allergy to take responsibility for
themselves.