100 new foods

Acorn squash

 acorn_squash_FeedMeDearly

A couple of things went wrong with this experiment. Clearly I haven’t learned my lesson about trying new foods when the kids are cranky and hungry. A worse mistake was to serve the squash alongside their favorite chicken dish. But then we started talking about “flesh”…human flesh (?)…and the jig was up. Better luck next time…

ME: Who knows what this is?

LAUREN: Squash.

ME: Yeah, it’s squash. What kind?

LAUREN: I don’t know what kind but… is it yellow?

ME: No it’s not Yellow Squash.

EMMA: GREEN SQUASH!

ME: No, it’s got a name… It’s got a special name like the fruit of a tree you know. What do Oak trees drop in our backyard at the lake?

ALL: (silence)

ME: What do the bears eat?

SAM: Acorns?

ME: Yep! This is Acorn Squash.

SAM: EWW. It’s made with acorns!

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100 new foods

Baby peppers

baby peppers_FeedMeDearly

Once in a while I choose a horrible time to try new foods. This seemed like a perfect chance – the kids were all sitting in the living room quietly, waiting for me to bombard them with a plate of who-knows-what. Lauren was actually doing her homework, Emma was tired and practically falling asleep. The only eager and willing participant was Sam, who unsurprisingly was the only person to like these adorable little munchkin peppers. Just baby versions of the fully-grown orange, yellow and red peppers that you see in the store. If it weren’t for the seeds, which are a little harder to remove, I’d get these more often.

ME: Guys!

EMMA: [groans] This is peppers. 

ME: Well, they’re not just regular peppers. Look at them, they’re called… they’re Baby Peppers.

SAM: Are they spicy?

ME: They’re babies. They’re not spicy.

ME: Who wants to try one?

LAUREN: OK…

SAM: I’ll try!

ME: You want to try a red one?

LAUREN: Which one are you going to try?

ME: Which one am I going to try? Maybe an orange one.

SAM: I’ll try a yellow one.

ME: Do you think that they’re going to taste like the regular?

SAM: No.

LAUREN: Yeah.

ME: Let’s see…

EMMA: I’m not tasting one.

ME: Yeah, those are all of the seeds inside.  It’s in a little pod. How cute!

LAUREN: I didn’t eat the bottom. [laughing]

ME: …eat around the seeds. What do you think?

SAM: EWW. 

ME: Did you get a bite of seeds?

SAM: The seeds look scary.  (To his credit, the seeds in a baby bell pepper do look a little insect-like)

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100 new foods

Pattypan squash

pattypan_FeedMeDearly

There were lots of colorful descriptions (thankfully PG) of pattypan squash this week. There was some debate, some tasting, and for the first time in weeks….a hit, a hit everyone! We’ve got ourselves a winner. Despite not enjoying zucchini and yellow squash (except in noodle form), pattypan was a success. Which goes to show that with kids, introducing a vegetable with a funny shape and an even funnier name is half the battle. I don’t often include the audio but when it’s a good discussion, I can’t help but share it, so be sure to click the audio link below if you want to hear the conversation live.

SAM: What’s that?

ME: What do you think it is?

LAUREN: I know what it is. I think it’s a tomato.

ME: Do you guys all want to hold it?

EMMA: I wanna hold it!

ME: OK, don’t fight over it. Lauren’s first. Lauren?

EMMA: [crying]

ME: She’s going to pass it to you next.

ME: What is it?

SAM: No, I’m next!

LAUREN: Smells like some green.

ME: Smells like a green?

LAUREN: Yeah.

ME: OK. Who’s holding it next?

SAM: ME ME ME!

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100 new foods

Parsnips

parsnips_FeedMeDearlyI admit that it’s only been of late that I’ve fallen completely and madly in love with parsnips. I used to lump them in with other categories of root vegetables, namely turnips, celeriac, and other knobby specimens. Which take some getting used to if you’re unfamiliar with their earthy taste. But the second I sautéed some peeled and trimmed parsnips in a little bit of butter on the stove, I realized that they live in a category all their own. There’s a honeyed sweetness to parsnips that makes them a joy to cook – not only because they’re delicious, but also because they fill the kitchen with a scent so comforting and familiar, you’ll wonder why they’ve never been in the regular rotation. The kids’ response? More of what seems to be the usual these days. 

ME: OK, What are these called? Does anyone know?

SAM: French fries?

ME: No, they’re not French fries

SAM: I’m gonna try.

ME: Want to smell it first?

SAM: Yes.

LAUREN: Don’t you dare spit it out. Handsome dudes don’t spit stuff out.

[chewing noises]

ME: Do you know what it’s called?

EMMA: No.

ME: It’s called parsnips.

EMMA: Eww.

ME: Did you smell it?

ME: It think they smell like honey. And so, to make it even taste a little bit more like honey, I cooked them with a tiny bit of honey and butter. Which I usually don’t do with mystery foods, but I thought I’d change things up a little. Want to try another, Sam?

SAM: BLAH!

ME: You don’t like it?

LAUREN: Drink your water cocktail. (aka sparkling water and apple juice)

ME: Yeah, drink your water cocktail.

LAUREN: What are you doing SAM?!

ME: He’s just going to get rid of it. He doesn’t want it. That’s fine.

SAM: BLAH!

ME: So nobody likes it?

EMMA: I like it.

ME: Did you try it too, Lauren?

LAUREN: I did.

ME: What do you think it tastes like?

LAUREN: It tastes Swedish.
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100 new foods

Dates

dates 078

I was recently at the grocery store and spotted some fresh dates. I eat dried dates all of the time, my favorite being the dark Medjool dates that have a lovely caramel flavor. The first time I tried the fresh dates, they were bitter but still good – what I didn’t realize is that they benefit from a few days on the counter so that they become soft and chewy. I thought that my kids would love these. Sam’s reaction was both surprising and totally predictable – which makes no sense except that it does. So here we go, dates…

ME: Guys! I have something pretty special to share. What is this?

SAM: Is this the last mystery food ever?

ME: No, it’s not the last mystery food ever. What do you think that is?

EMMA: Juice and a vegetable?

ME: I’ll get you water.

ME: It’s not a vegetable.

EMMA: Fruit!

ME: Yes it’s a fruit. What kind of fruit is it?

SAM: I don’t know, but it’s squishy in some places.

ME: What do you guys think? What kind of fruit is that? Have you ever seen anything like it?

LAUREN: No.

ME: Should I open it up?

SAM: Wait, NO!

ME: What?

SAM: I want to guess what’s in it.

ME: Guess what color it is? OK. What color is it going to be inside?

EMMA: Blue.

ME: Blue? What do you think Sam?

SAM: The same color.

ME: You think it’s going to be the same color? Let’s see…

LAUREN: Wait, no!

ME: OK Lauren needs to guess. What is it?

LAUREN: A little lighter of a brown…

ME: OK. Here we go…

ALL: [GASP] WHOA!
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