I got smug.

I think I mentioned that, so far, all of our reservations have been guests with normal eating habits...no GF, no LF...just "we-eat-it-all" kind of folks. Well the Powers that Be are having a laugh now. A returning guest, nice enough couple, have produced this list of things she doesn't eat for my use as I prepare their breakfast:
Nuts, Seeds and Sesame
Peanuts
Tree nuts
Nut products including nuts oils, bouillon/broths with nut oils
Sesame
Sesame products (like tahini, sesame oil)
All types of seeds
Garbanzo beans (chick peas)
Tofu, edamame. tempeh
All Shellfish
Do not eat red meat (includes veal and pork)
Do not eat hot/spicy foods
I also don't eat tomatoes, citrus fruit, or mint.
Some Cheeses
Goat’s milk cheese
Feta cheese
Swiss cheese and cheese that is Swiss-like
Parmesan
Romano
Miscellaneous
Oats
Eggplant
Kiwi
Papaya
Mango
Capers
Goat’s milk
Soy milk
Actually, when I sit down and plan a menu for the 3 days she will be with us I see that I can give her eggs, Cheddar, cream cheese, milk flour and berries and melon. So I guess I'll be able to manage without tearing my hair out.

With a list like that it calls for a return email asking what she normally eats for breakfast and go with that. You may think you should go out of your way to fix something special but in reality they are very content with their norm.

I like Copper's idea. Really, you only serve breakfast. She should have simply said, "I can't eat nuts, seeds or cheese. But I do eat dairy."
The detailed list is really overkill. But I guess we knew that. Eggplant? For breakfast?

Sounds like most of those items are a preference and not an allergy. Nuts, soy, probably an allergy. All the rest are just her being spoiled.

I had something unusual for breakfast this morning. He was the MAN who was lactose intolerant! You don't see that very often.

I would just say to her in an email. What do you want for breakfast? And if doable...just do it

I might actually send back that we could not accommodate. There are two items on that list that make breakfast almost impossible. Soy (assuming she is including soy lecithin) and sesame seeds. Almost all bread around here has cross contamination warnings for these two and at that point I'm not sure what I can provide. But I would also not even cook for her, I would instead use frozen commercial products, to limit the risks that I might use something she is allergic.
Incidentally, peanuts are NOT a nut, they are a legume. When people specify tree nuts they need to be more specific. Also, when accepting someone with an allergy it is prudent to ask if they travel with an epi-pen. They should have one! (People will severe allergies are supposed to travel with one.) It's for your security as well as theirs.
I've gotten one or two of these in the past. We apologize for not being able to accommodate and offer to cancel at no charge. It's not worth the hassle, especially when they tell me they don't have an epi-pen. No epi-pen, no service.

Breakfast Diva said:

I had something unusual for breakfast this morning. He was the MAN who was lactose intolerant! You don't see that very often..

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It happens. Usually runs in certain ethnicities.

Jon Sable said:

I might actually send back that we could not accommodate. There are two items on that list that make breakfast almost impossible. Soy (assuming she is including soy lecithin) and sesame seeds. Almost all bread around here has cross contamination warnings for these two and at that point I'm not sure what I can provide. But I would also not even cook for her, I would instead use frozen commercial products, to limit the risks that I might use something she is allergic.
Incidentally, peanuts are NOT a nut, they are a legume. When people specify tree nuts they need to be more specific. Also, when accepting someone with an allergy it is prudent to ask if they travel with an epi-pen. They should have one! (People will severe allergies are supposed to travel with one.) It's for your security as well as theirs.
I've gotten one or two of these in the past. We apologize for not being able to accommodate and offer to cancel at no charge. It's not worth the hassle, especially when they tell me they don't have an epi-pen. No epi-pen, no service..

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She doesn't say they are allergies...she said "list of things she doesn't eat"
So if this is just a picky eater, I would tell her to bring her own food. GRRRRR.
Did she have these same issues on previous visits?

EmptyNest said:

Jon Sable said:

I might actually send back that we could not accommodate. There are two items on that list that make breakfast almost impossible. Soy (assuming she is including soy lecithin) and sesame seeds. Almost all bread around here has cross contamination warnings for these two and at that point I'm not sure what I can provide. But I would also not even cook for her, I would instead use frozen commercial products, to limit the risks that I might use something she is allergic.
Incidentally, peanuts are NOT a nut, they are a legume. When people specify tree nuts they need to be more specific. Also, when accepting someone with an allergy it is prudent to ask if they travel with an epi-pen. They should have one! (People will severe allergies are supposed to travel with one.) It's for your security as well as theirs.
I've gotten one or two of these in the past. We apologize for not being able to accommodate and offer to cancel at no charge. It's not worth the hassle, especially when they tell me they don't have an epi-pen. No epi-pen, no service..

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She doesn't say they are allergies...she said "list of things she doesn't eat"
So if this is just a picky eater, I would tell her to bring her own food. GRRRRR.
Did she have these same issues on previous visits?
.

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The seeds could be colitis. But she presents them like allergies and at that point... I'm not the place for her. I can't give my other guests proper attention when I have to worry about someone who is picky like this. It's not fair to my other guests and I'm not playing into her "control" issues.

That's insane (as is she). I agree with the others - just ask her what she normally eats and give her that. We've done that several times when we were stumped and it all worked out. Recently, a lady brought her own cereal and milk We made her a fruit cup. She was content. Good luck. I say you print that and laminate it. Could become a funny subject to show others. "I have allergies, but I'm too picky". "Oh yeah, are you THIS picky??"

Kay Nein said:

That's insane (as is she). I agree with the others - just ask her what she normally eats and give her that. We've done that several times when we were stumped and it all worked out. Recently, a lady brought her own cereal and milk We made her a fruit cup. She was content. Good luck. I say you print that and laminate it. Could become a funny subject to show others. "I have allergies, but I'm too picky". "Oh yeah, are you THIS picky??".

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Our latest is someone who said no eggs when they made the rez and has now emailed to say no bread, either.
Yup, that leaves fruit.
Can we get a T-shirt that says "Dr oz must die"?

Madeleine said:

Kay Nein said:

That's insane (as is she). I agree with the others - just ask her what she normally eats and give her that. We've done that several times when we were stumped and it all worked out. Recently, a lady brought her own cereal and milk We made her a fruit cup. She was content. Good luck. I say you print that and laminate it. Could become a funny subject to show others. "I have allergies, but I'm too picky". "Oh yeah, are you THIS picky??".

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Our latest is someone who said no eggs when they made the rez and has now emailed to say no bread, either.
Yup, that leaves fruit.
Can we get a T-shirt that says "Dr oz must die"?
.

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LOL
I always ask at check-in, "Do any of you have any food allergies or anything you WON'T eat?" Had a guy tell me no Tree Nuts when he checked in. At breakfast, I put his plate down and he quickly picked it up, "I don't eat pork, but I didn't touch them. You can have it back." Moron...
Same guy who chewed us out a few weeks ago because we only have one room that his 4 y/o grandson was allowed to be in and it was more expensive than the others. The kid's an angel (of course) and he just couldn't understand what the big deal was. Ended up booking anyways. PITA Kid was well behaved, but the little kid voice just travels like fingernails on chalk at 8am when the house is quiet. Oh, and playing our piano at 8:05 was just fabulous! ggrrrrr

Madeleine said:

Kay Nein said:

That's insane (as is she). I agree with the others - just ask her what she normally eats and give her that. We've done that several times when we were stumped and it all worked out. Recently, a lady brought her own cereal and milk We made her a fruit cup. She was content. Good luck. I say you print that and laminate it. Could become a funny subject to show others. "I have allergies, but I'm too picky". "Oh yeah, are you THIS picky??".

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Our latest is someone who said no eggs when they made the rez and has now emailed to say no bread, either.
Yup, that leaves fruit.
Can we get a T-shirt that says "Dr oz must die"?
.

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Oh Maddie that gave both of us a good laugh.

All someone has to do is share what they CAN eat. Is this rocket science? I have to know, are we rocket scientists?

Joey Bloggs said:

All someone has to do is share what they CAN eat. Is this rocket science? I have to know, are we rocket scientists?

.

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Right...well that 's exactly what I asked her..."What can you eat?"
It turns out that most of what I can make, except some of the cheeses, are just fine. I make everything from scratch, even bread for toast, so it's only the nuts, seeds and mango, kiwi that I will have to monitor. It does amaze me, however, that anyone would present a list like that and expect to be welcomed back year after year. I think this year might be the last.

Silverspoon said:

Joey Bloggs said:

All someone has to do is share what they CAN eat. Is this rocket science? I have to know, are we rocket scientists?

.

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Right...well that 's exactly what I asked her..."What can you eat?"
It turns out that most of what I can make, except some of the cheeses, are just fine. I make everything from scratch, even bread for toast, so it's only the nuts, seeds and mango, kiwi that I will have to monitor. It does amaze me, however, that anyone would present a list like that and expect to be welcomed back year after year. I think this year might be the last.
.

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We have friends in a ritzier town and they've gotten lists of things the guest expects to be served like goat's milk and floral garnishes.
One summer it was so bad they decided to stop asking what guests couldn't eat and now they just make whatever they want and put it on the plate.
She emailed one of the lists to me and it was so outrageous I asked if they declined the reservation!

Had a guest (this is not a joke) who declared on arrival that he could only eat fruit, smoked salmon and red wine. I had it on hand, so that is what I served him. It was a raw food thing. Oh and he brought his own coffee. That can't possibly be edible raw.
I find that folk with serious, serious allergies, will carry a lot of their own foods, particularly if not the usual stuff.

Joey Bloggs said:

All someone has to do is share what they CAN eat. Is this rocket science? I have to know, are we rocket scientists?

.

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Joey Bloggs said:

All someone has to do is share what they CAN eat. Is this rocket science? I have to know, are we rocket scientists?

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when I 'retire', I'm going to write a book "Innkeeping IS for Rocket Scientists"