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Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 5, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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I'd normally ask this in the wellness thread, but it doesn't quite fit.

My father is going through chemotherapy, which has absolutely trashed his appetite, and he has some issues with swallowing due to previous radiation treatment. He's managing to keep his weight stable now by pounding shakes made from ensure, ice cream, protein powder, and peanut butter, but he doesn't exactly enjoy it.

I recently made him bread pudding from scratch (with homemade bread) and he nearly made himself sick eating it. I think part of it is that his usual staples aren't quite appetizing enough to cut through the side effects of the treatment, and he might have better luck with something new.

Cooks of themotte, can you recommend any recipes that are tasty, easy to swallow, and have absolutely degenerate amounts of calories in each serving? The doctor has said that all the usual rules about healthy eating are out the window here, if it tastes and smells good enough to give him an appetite, and it fattens him up, it's a win.

Tzadziki, ajvar, lutenitsa, katuk, Kyopolou - almost any balkan and middle eastern spread/dip is easy to swallow, digest and ungodly tasty Fresh mozarella with good olive oil Humus. Take good white cheese (turkish, bulgarian style, feta is tad too rich and creamy) crumble it finely and mix with honey. Any kind of caviar paste. Dulce de leche Different types of pates or foie gras Crepes are amazing and you could stuff them with melted cheese or nutella. Home made brioche - modernist cuisine recipe is rock solid. remove the crusts and the rest melts. Mushrooms in lots of butter. Sous vide potatoes in butter. Japanese milk bread Salmon mi cuit. (triple check safety here)

Those are the tenderest foods I can come up with.