A Sophisticated Palate (TM Kaidie)

This was the first time Keith got to "help" in the kitchen. He started eating the white onion I was using for the sauce. Then Patrick came in and started taking bites from the raw onion too.




Keith then proceeded to eat the sauce by the spoonful.



Here they are eating hummus and chips except they both decided to just eat the hummus right out of the bowl.


My sister and I recently had the following text conversation about my nephew Jack:
L: He doesn't eat pizza sauce?
R: What!?!?! Did he say that?
L: Yes, he specifically said he wanted an olive pizza with cheese, no sauce.
R: You didn't actually order it for him did you?
L: Well, yes.
R: I don't know how I got such a picky eater.

Then we had this phone conversation:
R: I made muffins because I thought Patrick and Abby would eat them but Patrick said that he does NOT eat muffins.
L: What!?!? So what did he eat? Bacon?
R: Yes, and dry cereal. Don't be surprised when your son comes home with weird eating habits.
Sure enough Patrick had dry Cheerios on Monday morning.

Jack is picky but so is Patrick. Actually Jack is consistently selective, Patrick is fickle. But, as the title would suggest the child has quite the sophisticated palate. First, the things he won't eat:
1) Cheese
2) Sandwiches (except PB&J, no crust)

It kind of narrows down the options when you can't put cheese on anything!

But check out this weird stuff that he will beg for:

1. Brussel sprouts
2. Sushi (not California Rolls, the real stuff)
3. Onions (Raw but he has a special fondness for carmelized onions)
4. Expensive cuts of beef
5. Hummus (by the spoonful)
6. Anything that you call "PIG"
7. Brie (I know I said he won't eat cheese. He would never eat American cheese or cheese mixed in with something else. Give him the expensive stuff and he is all over it)
8. Any fish or seafood (he especially loves salmon, shrimp and lobster)
9. Balsamic vinegar
   
10. Anything that costs more than $10 per ounce

As I said, he is fickle. I spent $3.50 on yummy brussel sprouts one day, the next time I buy them he won't touch it. It is all about the eating mood he is in on any given day. I would rather know what I am going to get than have him spit out Filet Mignon one night and eat my whole steak the next. Our general strategy when he rejects something is to bring out the dip (ranch, ketchup, balsamic vinegar).

Over the last month I have noticed that Keith will also venture into new crazy foods (as evidenced by the raw onions above), if the mood is right. The good thing about Keith is (unlike his brother) the child will eat processed cheese!

I look forward to traveling with my boys (more, without the diapers) and exploring new foods. Because a vacation is only as good as the food that you eat. We live to eat around here people!