Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Accounting For Taste

One good thing about our recent camping exhibition to Mid Wales is that Tom returned with two teeth and the ability to crawl. He now roams the house like a cute, podgy little bulldozer demolishing all in his way and getting his fists into as much trouble as possible. The VCR and PlayStation are all viable targets. As are the house plants – I caught him this morning with a goatee beard made of soil.

The only problem Tom had with camping was the food. As it was impractical to bring and hygienically maintain his normal fare of homemade food we had to resort to the bought kind that comes pre-prepared and processed in jars.

Tom didn’t like it. He absolutely hated the stuff.

Once we were back home though he tucked back into Karen’s homemade food once more with unalloyed gusto.

Karen was really chuffed. Vindication at last for all her sterling efforts to nourish Tom on only the best, organic produce that the UK has to offer. And Tom was clearly a boy who knew the good stuff from the mediocre.

Except a few days later we caught him munching on a dirty bib and my socks with as much abandon as he employs to attack his food.

I’m hoping this odd culinary experiment was purely down to teething...

10 comments:

The Sagittarian said...

Ah, the things kids eat. I recall being rather miffed that the Scowly Teen would happily munch on whatever she found on the floor or under the couch but would refuse the homemade vege etc that I spent hours cooking up for her!!

Steve said...

Yeah, I've noticed that too. Nothing seems to please the palate of a young toddler more than a mystery piece of gristle found under the sofa... do hope he grows out of it. The resting place of my toenails needs to be sacrosanct.

TimeWarden said...

You didn't say whether or not the socks were clean? The scent of a dirty pair might well account for their added attraction to a young nose! I remember chef Ronnie Barker seasoning the broth with said cheesy footwear... in the kitchen of his exclusive restaurant!!

Anonymous said...

Well, Karen must be better with baby food than I ever was. All mine used to spit it out. They were always fine when they got to eating what everyone else was eating (you know, when it looks the same - not a squashed or chopped up version). My son preferred the cat's dinner when he learnt to crawl - it took me weeks to realise he was eating it!!! Poor cat eh.

Steve said...

TimeWarden, I wouldn't go as far as to say dirty but certainly besmirched... as I was actually wearing them at the time. Their fomrally clean condition had been compromised...!

Gina, but I bet he had a lovely shiny coat! ;-)

MOTHER OF MANY said...

Beauty's fave food is anything that we adults consider as unhealthy.
Fish fingers,pizza,ketchup,cup cakes,Wotsits,crisps and fish in batter and preferably all at once on the same plate!

Inchy said...

Apparently I used to eat boiled eggs, mushrooms, and tripe when I was a nipper. Of course this is a lie, I was too young to remember, but it must have been a lie! Has to be a lie!! Wasn't it?!

Steve said...

Inchy: boiled eggs - fine. Mushrooms - fine. But tripe?! I can't imagine feeding my kids tripe except as a punishment. Apparently I was a very fussy eater as a child but as soon as I hit my twenties my palate suddenly got more adventurous. Now I eat practically anything. Except tripe.

The Poet Laura-eate said...

I shall look forward to Tom's Food Critic column on his mums' dinners appearing on this blog shortly!

Harry Hill jokes he still gives his mother marks out of ten for her dinners!

Old Cheeser said...

Excellent response Steve, well done!

Soz am a bit pushed for time at the mo, but will respond soon with some decent comments on your choices...laters!

Hugs from the OC