The art of pleasing (and not slaying) everyone- respecting specialized diets and allergies

It would have been a very strange turn in events if Snow White and shook her head polietly and told the witch "Sorry, I have an allergy to apples, do you have any pears instead?"

I suppose in the times of great stories rarely did a tavern keep have to worry about vegetarians and severe allergies, but the truth of cooking for heroes int his day in age is that many people have restrictions on what they can eat.

Within my company alone, we have vegetarians, lactose intolerance, and kosher eaters. At any given time, we may have visitors at our table that have life threatening allergies to everything from tomatoes to certain spices.

When cooking for the hoard or a small group of friends, it's important to to be aware of dietary restrictions of those you intend to feed. I try and offer a vegetarian dish when I cook at camp as a courtesy. It's nice too for people who, unlike myself, are not big meat eaters or trying to eat a bit healthier.*

*Note: A lot of the recipes here are designed to recoup lost energy when running about slaying monsters and engaging in fierce political maneuvering. Plenty of it will be healthy, but don't expect TOO much to shrink waistlines.

Allergies on the other hand are more serious than a life style based diet.
A friend of mine with some pretty sever allergies gave the following advice when cooking for a group:

• Find out if anyone in you're feeding has allergies. Knowing what they're allergic to lets you give them the heads up as to what to avoid and what's okay. It can also help to know if they have an allergy, or an intolerance. The first can kill you, the second can leave you sick. It's an important difference so you know how diligent you both need to be.
• Save containers of ANYTHING you use that comes prepared. Honestly, I have learned this from personal experience. You never know for instance, where they stick tomatoes. I've found it in chicken broth and refried beans. Saving the ingredient lists helps you both be sure of what is in your cooking.
• A really nice thing to do is make a list of ingredients for the dishes you cook. Especially with a large gathering or adventuring in the woods where you might not get the chance to ask around or be quizzed.

These are important tips, these are not picky eaters (like my husband!) but people who have serious health concerns when it comes to food.

and now, ON TO THE FOOD!

This recipe was one I loved, but altered for a friend with a potato allergy and discovered I liked it much better in it's new incarnation. This soup is great right out of the pot, but also freezes beautifully.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 1 sweet potato, quartered
• 1 sweet onion, quartered
• 1 quart chicken (or vegetable) broth
• olive oil, salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large baking pan (I love my glass pan for this) place chopped squash, potato and the onion. Drizzles with olive oil just until the veggies gets a nice sheen, you don't have to coat them. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender.
3. Add veggies, olive oil and all into a large pot. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Remove from heat and blend using an immersion blender until smooth. (For a long time I didn't have an immersion blender, and just used a typical blender in small batches) Season with salt and pepper as desired!

If you like a little extra sweetness, add a bit of brown sugar when simmering. You can also add other herbs or spices to suit your tastes. This is such a great recipe because of it's ease and simple ingredients.

A note about broths: It was in my search for dreaded allergens that had me checking out the ingredients in different brands of broth and stocks. Turns out, my usual brand was full of ingredients that really didn't look like food to me. So check your broth before you buy, look for fewer ingredients, and make sure you recognize them all! I often find they tend to be less expensive, and the difference in taste is AMAZING!

Enjoy, and joyous Journey!