What’s on the Menu: Update

Recently fish and kale went off the list of a dozen or so comfort foods that Jip will eat, and were not replaced. She says she’s tired of them, which I can understand. But I suspect that taste isn’t the issue.

As in many other areas of Jip’s life, routine and risk-avoidance are her priorities. When I’ve brought her something
that was prepared outside the house, she has wrinkled up her nose at it because it might contain MSG or some other nastiness. (Come to think of it, she may be right about that.)

Jip’s niece Boe, who is majoring in culinary arts at college, cooked a wonderful dish with fresh ingredients, on our very own stove. Jip ate it happily, until she remembered that Boe had worn some perfume on a previous visit. From that point on, the food tasted “stinky.”

Holy basil, Chinese morning glory, and a weird looking veggie known as a winged bean remain favorites. She gets plenty of protein, thought it’s almost exclusively from tofu and pumpkin seeds. And we’re always running out of her favorite fruits. Jip cleans her plate. All the food groups are represented.

So why do I keep urging her to add more variety to her diet, or at least to throw in some Thai specialties now and then? To me, it’s a shame to be surrounded by the world’s best cuisine, and not to broaden one’s food choices. I know, I know … I need more to worry about.