(I think it was at a Japanese place, the kind that specializes in Japanese bar snacks.)

Alembic, a bar on Haight Street, serves jerk spiced duck hearts. They are super delicious though, like some unimaginably tender BBQ.

Those were good hearts.

All best thoughts to your mom, Callaluna.

And I'm sorry about TNG's hips, Suela.

I will trade all my basil for all your sage.

I make Luna try most things we are eating, even if she has tried it before and didn't like it. But there are some foods she simply does not like, never has liked, and probably never will like. I still make her try those every now and then in case her tastes have changed, but in the meantime, when I make pizza she gets to eat something else (yeah, my kid hates pizza!). 90% of the time she is expected to eat what we do, and if she doesn't like it, too bad. But she seriously goes through phases where she eats so little I worry she'll vanish, so during those times I may serve her the zucchini casserole and pasta we're having, but also add some avocado, some plain cheese, maybe a hard boiled egg to her plate. That way she doesn't get a special meal, but she still takes in a few calories. The other thing I do is keep things separate for her, because she doesn't like stuff mixed and hates sauces. So if we're having stir fry, she is still going to get chicken and vegetables and rice, but hers will be saved out before the sauce is poured in and the vegetables, rice, and chicken will be separate on the plate. Begging my child to eat is another one of those parenting things I said I would never do that is now a staple. Because seriously, whoever said "they will eat when they are hungry" has never encountered the little bundle of stubborn that is my child.

Because seriously, whoever said "they will eat when they are hungry" has never encountered the little bundle of stubborn that is my child.

I begin to think that that person has in fact never met an actual human child.

My one god-daughter is a teenager and really super picky. She only seems to want to eat chips, plain pasta, and chicken wings. I hope she gets over it, because her mom and dad are both really good cooks.

My godson really liked to eat, but now that he is on ADD meds, he doesn't have much of an appetite. He does make fun of his mom and I because, according to him, everything we like (pasta, curries, soups) looks like cat food! WHich I guess curry sort of does, but it is yummy.

My problem (if you can call it a "problem," which -- SPOILER -- it isn't)

My problem is that although I like everything, the Pad Thai at the one restaurant here is possibly the single best thing I have ever eaten. Since I only get to go about once per year, because there is only the one Thai restaurant, it is totally on the other side of the city from me, and I do not drive, I never get the urge to try anything else, even though I KNOW I like it.

Because seriously, whoever said "they will eat when they are hungry" has never encountered the little bundle of stubborn that is my child.

I try to tell this to my mother about her cats (she has been known to cook and shred chicken for cats), but she says the same thing.

Well, you all have convinced me to have Thai food for lunch.

There's a similar approach, but, before you start, you set a limit of how much weight you're willing to let the child lose, and you persist until the child starts eating more stuff, or until that weight is reached, then you back off and let the child re-gain with foods they find acceptable. This should, of course, be done with medical supervision.

I begin to think that that person has in fact never met an actual human child.

Indeed. I am not above scare tactics - I tell her what happens if people don't eat (the words hospital and needle appear frequently in my cautionary tale). Its not even particular foods she refuses, she just goes through phases where all food is the enemy. I can serve her a plate of her favorite things and she just picks at it. So frustrating.