Cancer Mise En Place

In the June bug dusk between the close of my penultimate semester of culinary school and the naissance of the rainiest summer in Maine’s recent history, my 5-year old daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Suddenly, life became alarmingly different – I quit my summer chef job, we were hospitalized to begin Amelia’s intense chemotherapy regimen, the counter-surfing puppy’s obedience classes were cancelled (and yet to be rescheduled-more to come on that story), and my family’s diet of Farmer’s Market victuals and Slow Food fare transformed to bland hospital chow and expensive organic convenience foods.

In traditional (and not so traditional) professional kitchens around the world, chefs use the French term mise en place to describe the preparations needed for that night’s courses. An adequately prepared mise means that nothing will be forgotten, the service will run smoothly, and every member of the kitchen brigade will have what they require to perform their best and serve their guests the best meal possible. This is the inspiration for my blog.

There are numerous resources out there for kids with cancer – child life specialists, the Make a Wish Foundation, and specially trained nurses are only a few of these wonderful folks – but few roadmaps to guide the entire family toward wellness as their child endures the treatments necessary to realize a cure. It is my hope that with this blog, I can arm moms and dads, grandparents and siblings with information, recipes, and the inspiration to carry on, care for their child, and serve their families to the best of their ability – and maybe serve a nurturing meal in the process.

Kids in treatment for cancer are notoriously difficult to feed. Tastes and smells are altered, appetites stimulated to mania on one drug then depleted on the next, and periods of fasting prior to procedures are all stumbling blocks on the road to cure. The recipes you will find here are designed to be palatable to finicky diners and their families, simple to prepare, nutritious, and low-cost. Amelia and I have always loved to cook together, and I have found that her involvement in the preparation of meals has led her to an open culinary mind. She may not always like our creations, but she will attempt them!

Fall is near, and apples hang heavy on their russet-speckled boughs here in Maine. My family is only a few months into a long journey which is bound to hold more detours, frost-heaved roads, and fast food hidden around every curve, but we’ve learned much from the few miles we’ve travelled already. Follow along, learn, laugh, and shake your fist in frustration with us. Bon Appétit.