Izzy (and Mama) Eat: The Gourmand Goes To College...

Tales of Empty Nest and College Boy Eats.. The Next Chapter

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Dreaming of Smoked Whitefish...

My grandpa, drawing ever closer to 100 years old, is only able to eat pureed foods, those with a pudding-like consistency. He yearns for whitefish, white flakes, straight from the fish, the kind you get from Zabar's.

While visiting today, his caregiver told me that he keeps asking for whitefish. I had left some in his refrigerator and he had spied it. She said, "Let's wait for your granddaughter to come and she will prepare it." He replied, "There is nothing to prepare. Just peel off the skin and give me a fork." When we tell him that he can only eat pureed foods he says that we are all full of baloney.

I took some of the fish and blended it, along with sour cream and a bit of milk. It retained its whitefishy aroma and when he was fed, she couldn't get it in his mouth fast enough. He even pushed her to give him more.

Even then, he kept requesting "real" whitefish and it was sad not to be able to give it to him but better to deny him chunks of whitefish than to watch him have a coughing attack. Just have to keep coming up with creative ways to give him the foods he loves.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I am a mom who too tries to raise a gourmand one bite at a time :) I love reading your blog and wanted to let you know that you are a wonderful woman for taking care of your grandfather the way you do. If only all of our ederly was cared for by family the way you do. Have a wondeful week!

Izzy's Mama said...

a.koubek: Thanks for your kind words. I am glad you find my blog of interest. We love our grandfather dearly and try to care for him as best we can. It is sad what people do with the elderly in our country. Ideally he would be in my home but it didn't work out that way.

Whoopla said...

Did you know Zabar's delivers from the web? They can ship all the whitefish you want to your house. But good luck getting to the box before Izzy does!

Izzy's Mama said...

Whoopla: Oh I know that well. My brother has been ordering for my grandpa's bday brunches for the past two years. Ordinarily I just go there myself but lately too lazy to make the trek uptown. Union Square is where we are most often.