Our Little Secret

My husband doesn't eat meat. He was brought up from birth that way, in a family of strict Hindu vegetarians. I do eat meat. Not a lot, though I grew up eating meat every day in a family that was as strict about eating meat as my husband's family was strict about not. I eat meat probably once a month now.  We're fairly open about what our kids can eat, and let them try whatever is being served wherever we happen to be. That's how my kids happened upon salami. They had their first taste at a wedding reception and fell in love. And the reason they wanted to taste it in the first place? Well, they remembered The Very Hungry Caterpillar ate through a salami (among other things) on one very gluttonous Saturday, so they were curious and familiarized just enough with the concept. Otherwise, they never would have come near it, because to small children anything unfamiliar could quite possibly be poison.

Anyway,  fast forward to a couple months later. The salami was long forgotten, or so I thought. I certainly had forgotten about it. We stepped into the local deli/bakery/butcher shop/grocery. I was looking for some cheese, and my older daughter was staring intently into the meat case. "Mom. They have SALAMI." My younger daughter's ears instantly pricked up as she whipped her head around, gazed for a moment at the long, phallic shape, and started to shout, "SALAMI! I want SALAMI! I. WANT. SALAMI. NOW!!"

I got the salami. The woman who owns the place sliced it thin and wrapped it in a neatly folded white paper package sealed with a piece of masking tape. My daughters wouldn't even let me leave the store. I had to tear open the package right then and there and give them each about three slices before we could exit.

Now, whenever we go there, my older daughter prefers to get a shortbread cookie with raspberry jam. But my younger daughter says, "Just salami." So I have to get it, because I can't turn down a kid who'd rather eat salami than a chocolate chip cookie, or a brownie or a cupcake. It just doesn't seem right.  My husband's cool with it—it's just our deal, me and my carnivorous, charcuterie-lovin' girls.

Dinner for a Three-Year-Old Recovering from Chest Cold and Double Ear Infection
My younger daughter hasn't wanted to eat anything the past few days. Today she finally came back to herself, and this is what she insisted on having for dinner. (Who am I to argue? The body knows what it needs.)

Take two strawberries. Leaves must be cut off. Arrange nicely on a small plate. Add two slices of salami, peppercorns not removed (unless directed otherwise). Cut one slice of bread off a baguette. Cut three sides of the crust off, and place next to strawberries. Smear a small piece of butter off to the side. Serve.