Mass Exodus
I spend an inordinate amount of time creating bite sized, bone-free fish balls. They contain attractive flecks of delicate chives, a high percentage of caramelized onions and the smoothest consistency that the Magimix could manage. I decide to play fair and tell them that they are indeed made of fish. The victims look at them with an air of despair.
“I think I'm gonna be a vegetarian startin……right now.”
“No….I am bein dah vegetarian in dis family,” he says sputtering cracker crumbs, exempt from this particular experiment.
“But you like fish fingers.”
“Sticks mom, they're called fish sticks out here.”
“Sticks, fingers, balls, they're all the same. You like them. These are just round sticks without the crumbs.”
“Dah crumbs I like. Dah fish is……..?”
“Diabolical,” adds his little brother with glee and not a jot of sympathy.
“Just think of it as brain food. I can't think why you don't love fish. I love fish. All fish, any fish. I think I'd drop down dead if I couldn't eat fish.”
They both look at me awaiting my downfall with pleasant anticipation. They wait silently. “Just give them a try. Be brave. It's good to try new things, new food, you never know you might just like them.” I fizzle out as my script is over-used and tatty at the edges.
“I wan……can I have…….is…..dere any ketchup?”
I stomp off to the fridge in defeat. He empties half a bottle of sauce over one fish ball and sniffs.
“We're going to have fish once a week, at least, from now on.”
“It is being dah new rule?”
“Er…yes…..good point. The new rule is 'fish on Friday.'”
I beam, smug. We shall join the ranks of the majority at last, by hook or by crook.
“Dat's good!” he cooes as he stands, turns on his heel and wanders off with his sister close behind him, “hey, hang on a minute you two. Just where do you think you are going?”
“You said Friday Mom, today's Thursday,” she mutters over her shoulder. I pout at the one remaining child left behind, still munching his way through several tonnes of Goldfish Crackers, “I am love,” he beams.
“Yes…….I know you love Goldfish dear.”
“I am have a huge brain.”
“Indeed.”
“I am have fish on Friday. I am have fish every day. I am love my new food.”
October 16th, 2008 at 12:43 am
You know, I’m never going to get enough of him saying “I am love.”
October 16th, 2008 at 4:21 am
Erggh. Ketchup (we say tomato sauce, we also fish fingers!) on fish balls makes me feel ill, but the kids can’t get enough of it. They’d try and put it on food cooked with soy sauce if I didn’t put my foot down.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:14 am
He is love.
He and Rojo have so much in common, as do our pantries.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:15 am
the tale of the diabolical fish balls. it has a great ring for a potential horror story around halloween. and forgive me but i love to hear such descriptive vocabulary trip off a child’s tongue.
that said, i wish you luck in your pescine endeavors.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:23 am
*snicker* fish balls
October 16th, 2008 at 6:25 am
I too love the “I am love”, because he is.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:32 am
Cute post! I don’t think any kid likes fish. I tried the whole ‘fish once a week’ thing. It lasted two weeks and I gave up. I hate hearing people cry and complain. It makes my day worse.
I make fish and it’s like I’m offering them poop. lol.
October 16th, 2008 at 7:56 am
ROFL…”diabolical” oh my. They got you on a technicality, Mads. Ouch.
But, “I am love” the way he says that, too!. I find that Nik will try bites of —ok, merest flecks of—fish is I dip it in ketchup or salad dressing, too. Ugh.
October 16th, 2008 at 8:00 am
oh i think they got you there maddy! ha ha
smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
October 16th, 2008 at 8:57 am
We use to have fish sticks every so often. I never said a word, let them think they were chicken nuggets. But I never made them myself…. where do you find the time???
October 16th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Hee hee – outsmarted again, eh? I am love the precious stories. And no worries about the ketchup – you’re not alone in that. I think we may one day invest in ketchup stocks the way Gus drowns everything in it.
October 16th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I also am in love with “I am love”. Indeed, if I told the boys we were having fish every friday thay would cheer, and pull out the cracker box.
Of course, same as at your place, the ketchup to *real fish* ratio must be at least 2:1. We’ve had the most luck with plain haddock fillets done in foil packets in the oven. But I will admit that they rarely get the “recommended intake” and so I give them fish oil supplements.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
When I was their age, it was clam patties and Geoduck fritters – my sister and I used a lot of ketchup too :0)
October 16th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I am in the “I am love” fan club too.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
He IS love.
So fish tonight……
October 17th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I wish I could get more fish down Amy but she’s a chicken fan.
CJ xx
October 17th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Ah…goldfish…I should have seen that coming! Clever kid…