Special Menus

Akọwa Nkọwa

The menu as shown on the illustration

CATERING CRAFT RESTAURANT, Wednesday 4th March, 2020

• First course: Mushroom soup or Tomato soup
• Main course: Shredded cabbage, Diced buttered potato, Braised silver side of beef
• Sweet course: Slices of pawpaw or Cut of orange
• Fixed price: \( \text{N}3{,}500.00 \)

(a) Three reasons why the menu is suitable for the aged

1. The foods are soft and easy to chew and swallow. The aged usually have weak or missing teeth (poor dentition), so soft items such as soup, shredded cabbage, diced buttered potato, moist braised beef and ripe pawpaw put no strain on the gums.
2. The foods are easily digestible. Digestion slows down in old age, so light, well cooked and moist dishes like soup and braised beef are gentle on the digestive system and are readily absorbed.
3. The portions are small and the meal is light. The aged have a reduced appetite and lower energy needs because they are less active, so the modest three-course serving supplies enough nourishment without overloading them.

(Other acceptable reasons: it is nutritionally balanced and provides a variety of nutrients; it contains fruit that supplies vitamins and fibre to prevent constipation, a common problem of the aged.)

(b) Two methods of cooking used for preparing the menu

1. Braising was used for the silver side of beef (slow, moist cooking in a little liquid that tenderises the tough cut).
2. Boiling was used for the diced potato (which is then buttered) and for making the soup.

(Simmering/stewing of the soup is also acceptable as a second method.)

(c) One micronutrient obtainable from the menu and one of its functions

Micronutrient: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), obtained from the slices of pawpaw or the cut of orange (and from the cabbage).

Function: Vitamin C aids the healing of wounds and the formation of healthy connective tissue and blood vessels; it also helps the body absorb iron and protects against scurvy.

(Alternative acceptable answer: Iron, obtained from the beef, which helps in the formation of haemoglobin in red blood cells.)

(d) Class of menu illustrated in the diagram

The menu shown is a Table d'hote menu. This is because it offers a fixed set of courses at a single fixed price ( \( \text{N}3{,}500.00 \) ) with only a limited choice within each course (soup or soup, pawpaw or orange), which are the defining features of a table d'hote menu.