Some like it hot

Now I’m not one of those guys who, when he gets together in the pub with the other Dads every few weeks or so, ends up in a pissing-contest over everything under the sun, including the dinner-time stand-off over who can stomach the most and hottest chilli sauce on one’s hipster-grade burger.  But this does happen from time to time, and to be honest I don’t do too badly in this.  But still I wouldn’t say that I am a Capsaicophile by any stretch [although I am quite partial to made-up words].  Spicy food, though, once you don’t have it anymore … well, you really miss it.

I guess that’s the refrain of many parents these days; one way or another, your kids’ eating habits do impact on your own, and although Hambones has a bit of tolerance for the hot stuff, not so Waltzie.  All trace of chilli, paprika and even fresh ginger has more or less vanished from the cook pot these days, and one has learned to make one’s peace with an ever-reliable stock of Samoa’s Own Chilli Sauce in the pantry which is cracked open most days after any given dish is served up.

It’s a shame, and Mrs Donkey and I try to hold tight in the hope that our two darlings might get a taste for spicy food in years to come, but recently we have played host to some other kids from school at dinner time … and oh my!  We are THE-LUCKIEST-PARENTS-EVER!  We’ve had visiting kids scraping the icing off cakes, scraping the hollandaise off eggs, scraping the Nutella off toast and scraping the vegetables off … well just about everything!

‘Oh yeah, Little Darren doesn’t like potatoes that have potato in them’, and ‘Charlene prefers to have her sauce on the left side of the plate or she won’t eat’, and ‘Janine has her carrot sticks placed in individually wrapped compartments, or she won’t eat’. 

Goodness me.  Hambones and Waltzie, I am so proud of how much of the food revolution you have embraced; from pies, to burritos, to lasagne, to curries, to stirfries, to pho, to risotto … and to vegetables, just about any way they come!  You guys are amazing – thanks for joining-in with, and allowing Mrs D and I to maintain our passion for good, fresh and tasty food.

My other two kids; I know we’re not supposed to have favourites, but…