Nursery World - Tempting tastes

It was heartening to read about Mrs J Johns' success (Letters, 16 September). I was not surprised to read that the caramelised carrots had gone down so well: there is plenty of natural sugar in carrots and if cooked in certain ways, they can taste amazingly sweet and delicious. The enjoyment of broccoli 'mash' is also unsurprising. When food is pureed, air is incorporated, and this affects the chemical make-up of the food, changing its taste. I have known adults to completely fail to identify both carrots and Brussels sprouts that had been pureed! And if beaten into a little buttery mashed potato and given an enticing name, the transformation is complete. Many parents have told me that they find this an easy way to get their children to eat vegetables.

The enjoyment of broccoli 'mash' is also unsurprising. When food is pureed, air is incorporated, and this affects the chemical make-up of the food, changing its taste. I have known adults to completely fail to identify both carrots and Brussels sprouts that had been pureed! And if beaten into a little buttery mashed potato and given an enticing name, the transformation is complete. Many parents have told me that they find this an easy way to get their children to eat vegetables.

Mary Whiting London NW11

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included