Cooking for Invalids.

Meal preparation for the sick, infirm or downright mental.

Planning meals for the invalid is the most difficult of all catering chores, for not only are you restricted in the choice of foods, ingredients, and even methods of cooking, but you also have to reckon with the person dribbling their food down their front and into their awaiting lap.

There are two chief points to bear in mind when preparing the invalid's diet:

1. the fact that food is part of the cure and so must be made nourishing and digestible; and
2. the fact that in sickness one has little appetite, or taste

...so, in reality, is it really worth the bother? Just give them some porridge and be done with it.

Feeding tips.

The invalid’s tray might come to be regarded with pleasant anticipation if it is made colourful and varied. Gay cups and dishes from different services can be used in turn, and painted trays or patterened clothes are more cheerful and better conceal any stray vomit than would some white linens.

Perhaps you are experiencing trouble getting all of the food into the mouth of your bedridden. Those made ill by learning difficulties can take amusement in play and fun, it is well documented. Just so, making funny noises can help persuade your invalid to eat the meal you have provided. Take a spoonful of the food in a raised arm and, if you can, make the sound of a "hairy plane" or perhaps a "choo-choo" as you rapidly bring spoon and food into the awaiting face of the afflicted. More often than not the lips will open into a smile and you can wrestle in the tidy morsel.

A typical dinner for an invalided

• An olive, stoned, inside a warbler;
• the warbler in an ortolan;
• the ortolan inside a lark;
• the lark inside a thrush;
• the thrush inside a quail;
• the quail, in vine-leaves, in a golden plover;
• the plover inside a lapwing;
• the lapwing inside a partridge;
• the partridge inside a woodcock;
• the woodcock inside a teal;
• the teal inside a guinea-fowl;
• the guinea-fowl, well-larded, inside a duck;
• the duck inside a pheasant;
• the pheasant inside a goose;
• the goose inside a turkey;
• the turkey inside a swan;
• the swan inside a bustard.

Roast in a large oven till all cooked through.