Karla.

We think differently about food; it’s not just something you taste, it’s something you experience - at Scanway we base our business operations on that philosophy.

The above statement comes from the web page of our caterer. After another day's pitiful lunch I thought it was time to look at the food as because, like being at sea, meal times are something to look forward to!

Well, after 14 days holed up in a hotel, I really wanted to say that the food, the three squares a day that we had, made this trying time just a little bearable. After all, we were not allowed to leave the property, or have any food (or anything else for that matter) dropped off.

I even began to pine, yes pine for a timbit, or french frie as I stared down each day at the busy drive thrus of mickie dees and timmies. My hands by the end of the first week, plastered against the 5^th story glass just wishing. I pondered what snack jiffy lube (directly across from my window, may have behind the counter! Alas, this was not the case. Our food was sub par to say the least and hence my short appraisal and note to the caterer that you now read.

So, I guess many here having the `experience` wonder if we could simply go back to taste!

I am one of the many quarantined in the Dartmouth Crossing Marriott. I have had to eat your food three times a day now for 14 days. I would suggest that you if you have a philosophy then maybe stick to it. Here are a few points.

If you have `chefs` then they should know how to prepare,and label food. For example, today's chicken strips pasta, and pesto---the idea of taking a frozen breaded chicken patty, cutting it up, and tossing it into a container with no pesto is terrible. This was not a pesto sauce of any sort. It is some amalgam of cheeses!

Many of the entrees seem to be an attempt at using (and hiding) leftover vegetables (probably from other catering gigs). After eight days, enough already with the large chucks of broccoli and cauliflower, and the four different types of carrot `cuts`.

Here are a few short notes.

If you call something beef stew, well then make beef stew, not a small side portion of some kind of beef (leftover?) with a few wedge potato pieces and the usual broccoli, carrot and cauliflower.

Cheddar cheese on pasta? Enough said. The oil in the bottom of the serving tray is not considered sauce. I would also like to know when are green peas a key component of lasagne?

Learn to cook the home fried potatoes.

Leftover rice for three meals in four days.

Breaded fish piece with leftover rice and soya sauce....traditional combo. But, hey thanks for the, wait for it, broccoli and cauliflower, again.

If sending a sandwich and/or wrap please feel free to not stick it on top of hot steaming food. People like to be able to pick these up.

Is side salad a bad thing? Did muffins, toast, bagels offend you?

Old apples make great pies, and mushy bananas make great bread. We can do without the unripened melon.

Enough with the frozen slab cakes. Are they on sale or just backed up in the freezer?

Bits and Bites are not a food group.

So just a few pointers as we await our supper surprise on this Thursday. I know, I know, it won't be a complete surprise, we know a few of the usual suspects will turn up.

Sidenote—after 14 days we saw on our last day yoghurt , milk, bagels and salad, so I would say thank you for that but a little too late. On closing If I were to feed many of these meals at my work I would shudder to think what a captive crew would do to me and my galley mates!

Shiver me timbers!