I was tired of being in a straight-jacket, but despite what the holovid illusionists would have us believe, they were near impossible to escape from when secured correctly. Combine that with the fact that three sets of thick leather straps covered my body, wrapped tightly around the bed, and I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

As a desperate act of rebellion, I had clamped down on the last attending nurse’s finger with my teeth as she fed me. I wouldn’t let go, digging as deep as I could, ignoring the blood splattering on both of us, and her screams, until I could feel my jaw lock around bone.

I had been designated a “trouble patient” as a result.

One consequence of that action was that I was forced to wear a lower face mask that prevented me from opening my jaw, and was fed my fresh, new liquid meals through a straw, for the safety of the facility staff.

As stupid and out of place as it sounds, one of those meals in particular stood out in my mind, and as I savoured each different flavour, concentrating on the blend and balance of each within the whole of the recipe, I mentally created this, and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Banana Blueberry Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 bananas
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 cups apple juice
• 1/4 cup sugar or sugar-free substitute
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinammon
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream or whipping cream
• 2 cups blueberries

METHOD:

1. In a food processor, puree bananas with lemon juice.
2. Place in a pot and bring to a boil with 3 1/2 cups apple juice.
3. Add sugar. Set aside.
4. Blend the cornstarch into the remaining apple juice.
5. Add to the soup; simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Remove and chill.
7. Add the cinammon to the cream.
8. Whip into the soup.
9. Chill.
10. As the soup chills, drop blueberries into the soup for decoration.