Sunday 28 November 2010

We have a fussy eater

coming for lunch today. There are four people coming for lunch, two cousins of my father and their wives.
One couple, of whom we are very fond, live in another state so we rarely see them. To the best of my knowledge they eat most things.
We eat most things. I have genuine allergies to vinegar, alcohol and shell fish. Those things really do not matter. I merely avoid them when I am out. I let my hosts know as a matter of courtesy - and nobody has ever tried to get me to eat something which will make me feel ill. I try to eat other things even if I do not like them. I do not, like someone I know, turn up and then tell them "hey, I am vegetarian". Ouch.
The other cousin however is different. He is one of the nicest possible "do anything for anyone" people you could hope to meet. At the same time he has not grown up with respect to food. He is stuck in childhood. He does not like new and different foods. There is a long list of things he will not eat. He would happily eat lamb chops and three vegetables or fish and chips at any meal.
I like to be accommodating however so I have discussed the proposed menu with his wife.
Chicken legs - plain roasted. Sausages - but not the gourmet sort for him. Then plain boiled potato. A tossed salad his wife will bring - no dressing for him and no vinegar in the dressing for her or me. Then I will put on the table for the rest of us some rather nice gourmet sausages from a local butcher who makes his own and add a choice of "mushroom sauce" or "tomato and onion sauce" for the rest of us.
I plan fruit salad and icecream for dessert. Now, how can I go wrong with that? I wonder if he will eat anything other than vanilla flavoured icecream? Will he eat mango? I might just offer him a banana. There will be more mango for the rest of us.
My father is still interested in trying out new things. It is so much easier to provide food for people who like to try new things.

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