Food on his mind

My Ranjan is a gourmet and loves good food. He is not fussy but I can understand that he must be fed up of the 'diet' he is on for the past months now. He not only likes good food, but likes it served in style accompanied by the right bottle of wine served in crystal glasses and eaten at a leisurely pace. He has eaten at the best tables the world over and been to many multi starred restaurants. Since the arrival of Mr Hodgkin in his life, all this has changed. As you know cancer can be beaten by eating the right kind of food. I give him an organic vegetarian diet - occasional fish and eggs - which includes certain products and excluded many. Milk is a big no no and hence there is no cheese! A big sacrifice for one who loves good French cheese. Not to forget butter, how can one cook without butter. Eating organic also means eating seasonal vegetables and fruit and hence limits variety and thus become boring. Then there are the juices some quite foul: cabbage and broccoli, beetroot and carrot etc. Day after day after day. Ranjan does not complain but I have just realised that food is on his mind.

Would you believe me if I told you that I have caught him watching cook shows on TV, shows I usually watch and that is not all, he even asked for some crumbed aubergines he had seen in a show to be made for him. Snails have been on his mind as he loves garlic buttered snails. He has been urging Shamika and Cat to go have snails at the French restaurant. Does eating by proxy work?

Hie best friend, also a gourmet, is presently holidaying abroad and when they talk every day the main subject of conversation is food. His friend tells him which restaurant he has been to or is going to and Ranjan promptly Googles for the menu and makes suggestion. I am amused but also a little concerned as to beat cancer all the way he will have to continue eating sensibly. Looks like cancer cells are also 'gourmets' and love all the things that taste yum. Will have to figure out some compromise when all is well.

For the moment I let him dream on as he quietly eats all that is given to him. God bless him!