Scarlett

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/st...e/finicky.html

<b><font color="blue"> I just found this in the New York Times Magazine section and it reminded me of Picky eater threads found on Fodors once in a while.
I thought it might be a lighthearted addition to the Sunday threads.

*disclaimer*
Not meant towards any one person at all!</font></b>

elaine

Scarlett:

It's especially applicable to those of us who travel AND cook

Scarlett

Yes It struck particularly close to home when I realized that I have gotten to where I only drink one brand of bottle water LOL
Picky drinkers edition coming next~

sheila

Any chance of posting the whole text, sweetie?

I can't stand registering for more sites

Scarlett

Be happy too, darlin!

mnss

Thanks Scarlett! you're always sweet and helpful! ( it's me )

jsmith

You beat me to it, checker. Which is why this post will be deleted or, at least, Scarlett's prior posting.

Borealis

Fascinating article, however, for those of us who have food intolerances, this is really discouraging. I'd gladly trade places with those of you who can eat all the cheese, yogurt, ice cream etc. that you like. If I do, even to please the somewhat selfish positions of those who won't tolerate intolerances or allergies, I will be sick for days. I'd rather not attend dinner parties where the host/hostess - presumably a friend, can't even make allowances for my condition (and yes - it was diagnosed by a physician after years of misery when I missed days of work if I ate the &quot;wrong&quot; thing for breakfast).
Recently I have been called upon to cook family festive dinners that included my Dad who was dying of esophageal cancer and had trouble with many foods, my MIL who has high blood pressure and has to watch her cholestrol levels, a 2 1/2 year old grandson who naturally is not familier with many food but will always be included in our dinners (how else will he learn?). I consider myself blessed for having these people in my life, and find it a delightful challenge to my culinary skills to try to please their palates. The pleasure of their company makes it all worthwhile.

elaine

&quot;
Dear picky eaters: If an ingredient is going to send you to the hospital, well, that's one thing. If it just makes you a bit queasy, then keep your mouth shut and employ one or more of your lunatic league's time-honored stratagems. &quot;

a distinction is made in the article between serious health issues, vs preferences, whims, or minor inconveniences.

elaine

I wanted to add, when I invite guests for dinner, I don't knowingly prepare foods that I know one or more cannot or will not eat. I take their preferences into account, to the extent that I can, or at least offer side dishes or other alternatives. On the other hand, I don't expect my guests to call me beforehand and vet my menu, unless it is indeed a health issue.

No one on this thread or in the article has said anything about not accommodating 'intolerances or allergies.'

The article is clearly tongue-in-cheek, lighten up please!

Borealis

Yes Elaine, I understand the difference. However, the number of times I've had to defend not eating a particular dish has made me very sensitive to the whole issue. We stayed at a lovely luxurious B&amp;B once where the hostess proceeded to berate me for being on a &quot;fad diet&quot; (this even after having made my food requirements known at the time we had made reservations; I mean - how difficult is it to make toast and jam and tea? - which is all I had requested by the way.)
How do YOU tell the difference between a person who is just plain &quot;picky&quot; (your term), and one who has health consequences from eating certain foods?

Scarlett

I am allergic to shrimp and I don't eat red meat so I can still manage to have a sense of humor about this, perhaps someone else can too?

checker, thank you for the notice. I was under the (mistaken?) impression that since I had also posted the link, it was ok. If not, I am sure Fodors will take care of it.

easytraveler

Scarlett: thanks so much for posting the article. Fun read!

As for copying the article, it's a gray area. Are you making any money out of the reposting? Or was it just sharing among friends? b-(

No one REALLY knows how the archaic copyright laws work in the modern internet world. The technical world is racing ahead, while the legal world slugs along behind, way behind. Just my HO.

Thanks again!

LoveItaly

Hi Scarlett, if that is the worse thing anyone puts on Fodor's it will be nice (the article is what I am referring to of course).

It was a funny and fun article. Enjoyed reading it.

I guess I am lucky. I cannot eat dairy or corn products but everyone in my life is so understanding and I never have to worry about it. Sometimes they pay more attention to what I am going to eat then I do. Including dear OWJ and her husband when I visited them in Atlanta and then in Charleston with OWJ.

Picky eater I am not. Unable to eat some foods I cannot. But I know so many people that have dietary restrictions.

Thanks for sharing this amusing article Scarlett. If it gets pulled it won't be the first one pulled this week will it?

starrsville

I like the tag line. Reminds me of road trips with the kids when they were little.

When we were camping, we alternated planning the menu. Did the same in choosing restaurants on non-camping trips. Everyone had the option of eating said meal - or not. If anyone experienced hunger pangs the solution was always the same - foldover peanut butter sandwiches.

The system worked well from the days they were wee ones and chose Happy Meals for the toys, when they weren't interested in the food. The dog got to eat the burger...and the kid got to eat a PB sandwich when hunger pangs hit later.

Hmmm...wonder if it would work for dinner guests?

elle

Well, I'll probably send Scarlett a seven-dollar check to thank her for posting it, so she may make some money from it after all. Just don't forget to report it to the IRS next year.

As a finicky eater married to an omnivore, I chuckled quite a bit over it. Although I will add that I have never called a hostess to dictate my preferences, but I'm always happy when I can slip something to a grateful dog snuffling around under the table.

LoveItaly

Starrsville, LOL! I had forgotten but you reminded me of when my dear little daughter was about 5 years old and we took her to S CA (by car from N CA) for about 10 days. She would only eat peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate milk. She wanted that breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course what she wanted and what she got was two different things. Fun thread!

Scarlett

Thanks guys, keep the checks, I get into enough trouble without your help
My brother refused to eat anything with tomatoes. We were in California, I was dating a &quot;guy in the Business&quot; and he took the whole family out to a nice Italian restaurant.
My brother, would not eat anything with tomato sauce, salads with tomatoes, if there had been a dog under the table? I would have fed my brother to it ..

elaine

The phrase 'picky eaters' came from the article, it wasn't mine to begin with.
How do I tell the difference between a dietary health issue and a dietary whim? I believe people when they tell me which it is. I accommodate either for my guests, when I can.
What I don't do is get offended over this, and hope they don't either.

elaine

LoveItaly, that corn product thing must be very difficult, there's hidden corn syrup in so many processed products.


I give up, what's an OWJ?