Raising An Omnivorous Child

Braised English Short Ribs

So I wrote the first blog post, and sat down to dinner figuring of course this would be one of those nights when The Child turns into some unrecognizable fuss bucket and dinner becomes a countdown-to-bedtime experience. Because, trust me, it happens.

When confronted with her braised English short ribs and veggies, she dove in and finished her plate.  Whew!  I’m thinking inside, “Thanks for eating…  Mumma’s blog idea confidence could have been shattered by trouble tonight.”

Thankfully the kid ate it all.  And it was so easy!  (Okay, it is really easy when the husband prepares it)  Have the butcher crack the ribs for you, and after a sear, braise them on the stovetop on low for 4 hours.  Potatoes were done in a sauté pan.

Clearly my photography skills are as open to improvement as my writing!  Braised English short ribs in homemade beef/lamb stock, kale, sweet potatoes, banana fingerling potatoes, fresh baby lettuce, and chopped tomato on top.  And oh yes…  there is bacon in there.

 

Ménage à Goat

My husband served goat three ways a few months ago...  ménage à goat.  There was a sliced loin, some spicy ribs, and a little chili served on a bed of cauliflower purée.  It was our first experience cooking goat meat, and it was lovely. 

Friends were visiting that evening, some old and some new.  And there - at the head of the table – was The Child.  She’s six years old.  She was not complaining about eating what was put in front of her, not pitching fits in front of the new stranger joining us, and generally being a delightful addition to the dinner party.  My little omnivore makes me proud.

We’ve eaten a lot of goat this fall.  Friends of friends with a CSA connection shared one with us, and it turns out half a goat is about 15 pounds of butchered and shrink-wrapped scrumptiousness.   But that first evening stuck with me.  It served as counterpoint to all the other picky eaters out there, grownups and kids alike.  I’ve always been aware that most kids eat differently than mine, but since we started eating goat, more people initiate the conversation.  “Wow.  Your kid eats well!!”

One of the most striking things I’ve noticed is that other parents are wistful.  There is desperation out there people!!  There are parents who would give anything to have their kids cheerfully sit down to a plate of something unrecognizable, and take a bite before offering commentary.  Parents whose desperation has pushed them past caring about the eating so much as the drama and effort which now surround food in their home.  So I’ve been thinking about what choices we made that set us up for success on this one, and decided to start writing about it.