[Sca-cooks] OT-OP-help for ideas, please

[Daniel Myers]

On Sep 23, 2007, at 11:38 AM, chawkswrth at aol.com wrote:

> Good Morning!
>
> I come to all of you, seeking some help, please. Both my Mother and  
> I are about at the end of our rope.
> My Grandfather (her Father) is 101. He is in poor health, weak,  
> with very painful Arthritis. We are having a great deal of trouble  
> finding things that he will eat.
> He is awaiting dentures, so he has no teeth. He wants 'mushy food'
> He complains that what we fix has no taste. He can only taste sweet  
> things, which is not unusual. The sweet taste buds are the first to  
> develope and the last to go.
> He may eat about 3-4 bites and then says he is full. No room for  
> anything except pudding or jello.
>
> I need something easily eaten, tasty, and packed as full of  
> nutrition as possible. I have started him on Boost Milk shakes,  
> but, man cannot live by milkshakes alone....


One of the things I've seen repeated in medieval cookbooks may  
actually be applicable here.  Quince is sometimes described in  
recipes as being able to strengthen the stomach and improve the  
appetite.  Fruit preserves in general might be good (quince preserves  
if you can find them - email me off list about this) - on toast or  
waffles or whatnot.  They're sweet, and still have a hint of  
nutritional value in there somewhere.

Similarly, finely chopped apples boiled in almond milk, with sugar  
and a little spice might be good.  It's a nice and inoffensive sweet  
dish.

Lastly, when I was young my grandmother would give me milktoast when  
I was sick - essentially torn up cinnamon toast in a bowl with warm  
milk poured on it.  Surprisingly enough, I've also seen medieval  
texts that suggest giving milktoast to the sick.  Some things never  
change.

- Doc


-=-=-=-
265. Take brede of paynemayn, an caste on a potte, an than choppe  
hem, an caste salt ther-on, an let hem reste a forlongwey or to, and  
serue it forth in a dysshe, as men seruyth furmenty wyth venyson.   
[The Boke of Swyllyng]
-=-=-=-