Food-related Meta-Issue -- was, Re: [Sca-cooks] Cola with sugar was Semi-OT: So... guten Pesach to them as does it...

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

on accomodating food preferences...

I guess I've always looked at it as a hostess...my guests have strong preferences. I will try to acocmodate those as 
best I can, but a good guest will not be rude and insist that i tailor the entire meal for them.

your king will only eat cheese pizza? I find that hard to believe. his teeth would fall out and he'd die of 
malnutrition. not to mention the gastro problems from all that cheese.... ;)

I have had some success asking "food phobic" rulers "whats the best meal you ever ate? if you were going to go to a 
fancy restaurant, where would you go? what would you order?" 

One baron told me he was a beef and potatos guy. and pizza. my cook brain said "ok, simple protein. plain starch. 
starch with cheese". we served him roast beef with a simple mustard on the side, plain manchet bread, a bunch of yummy 
veggies he didnt eat (more for us!) and Ruzzige cake (the interpretation of the german recipe that is basically 
foccacia with cheese and herbs). we even had an apple tart for dessert that he liked.

in the end, he oculd pick foods he felt comfortable with and walked away happy. I was happy because I didnt lower my 
standards and served a balanced, well rounded and period meal to the populace. They were happy because they got extra 
servings of turnips in mustard sauce since the baron didnt eat his ;).

it can be done. and if everyone is polite aobut it, it can be done with grace :)

--Anne-Marie, who thinks dietary challenges (with enough notice) are a lot of fun :)