Miss Manners: Hostess does the most-est and wants guests to notice

DEAR MISS MANNERS: There is a wonderful hostess in my neighborhood who really goes all out in terms of food and ambiance for her guests. She is a mentor to me, inspiring me to host gatherings and reciprocate hospitality. There is one habit of hers that makes me pause: She tends to announce, to all her guests, just how time-consuming and involved her efforts were. Simple party snacks are actually not so simple: “I pickled the vegetables, which were sourced from a farm stand. I baked the bread from wheat...