On Food
I have noticed that a common theme of my Facebook status updates is food/drink. So it seemed like a good idea to complete this food-themed meme that I came across while distracting myself from putting nose to grindstone (as I too often do).
Day 1. Any dietary restrictions?
No, not really. I tried vegetarianism for two years...ten years ago. Most recently I tried cutting out all trans fats. I try to stick to as natural a diet as possible (meaning avoiding food from boxes and with ingredients I can't pronounce), but really when it comes down to it, if it's inconvenient nothing sticks forever.
My mom's digestive system has been gradually throwing in the towel for past several years. Her list of dietary restrictions seems to have snowballed over the years: no dairy, no gluten, no HFC... Turns out, that stuff is in EVERYTHING. Perhaps in a way, it's been a blessing, forcing her to make the healthier choice or face painful stomachaches. I sometimes wish my dad (the one with the family history of heart disease and high cholesterol), would have something less abstract and more immediate nudging him toward the healthier choices. It's much easier to put down the cheeseburger because otherwise you'll be sick by the end of the meal than it is because your dad died young decades ago and your doctor tells you you could too. No one really ever believes they will.
But I've said it before and I'll say it again. Your tastes EVOLVE and you do have some control over what you like and don't. In Japan, I ate a crapton of onigiri. Not because I didn't like pasta, but because I couldn't find pasta. In France, I ate a crapton of quiche. Not because I didn't like sushi, but because I couldn't find sushi. In Vietnam it was pho. Colombia, arepas. Now here on Maui, I'm finding plenty of healthy options and the more I try, the more I like. I look forward to the tofu and alfalfa salads at Down to Earth. Crave it, even. I wasn't born liking it, but I forced myself to make the healthier choices, and little by little I grew to genuinely prefer it.
Just now, I went through my fridge. D.'s returning from Okinawa tomorrow, and I thought I should do a quick superficial cleaning. I found a half-drunk 2 liter bottle of Coke, leftover from friends visiting (we bought it as a mixer to go with some booze). Not wanting to throw it out, I decided to pour myself a glass while typing this. It tastes like I'm drinking straight up sugar. Don't get me wrong, it tastes sweet and good. I can see why it's a staple on so many peoples' grocery lists. But my tastebuds are out of practice with it, so it's actually too intense for me. Give me a few days of a Coke a day and I'd probably be singing a different tune. But our conscious habits can affect our genuine preferences. And we really are what we eat, so we might as well eat good.
Okay, I definitely strayed a bit from the topic on that one. Maybe I can stick to the point on the others.
Day 2. Your favorite sweet dish.
Day 3. Your favorite savory dish.
Day 4. Your preferred degree of spiciness.
Day 5. Your signature dish.
Day 6. Are/were you a picky eater?
Day 7. Your favorite fruit.
Day 8. Your preferred cooking technique.
Day 9. The kitchen of your dreams.
Day 10. Your favorite local fast food place.
Day 11. Your favorite snack.
Day 12. Your favorite fast food dish.
Day 13. The first dish you've ever prepared.
Day 14. Your favorite vegetable.
Day 15. Your most spectacular cooking failure.
Day 16. Your favorite food preparation utensil.
Day 17. Meals planned in advance or spur-of-the-moment ideas?
Day 18. The favorite dish of your childhood.
Day 19. Least favorite dish.
Day 20. A food preparation secret you'd like to learn.
Day 21. Your favorite dairy product.
Day 22. Variety or routine?
Day 23. Your favorite herb[s] and spice[s].
Day 24. Your favorite local restaurant.
Day 25. Haute cuisine or home cooking?
Day 26. If money was of no concern, would your eating habits change?
Day 27. Your usual way of dealing with leftovers.
Day 28. Your favorite beverage on a hot summer day.
Day 29. Lots of small snacks or three square meals a day?
Day 30. Are you comfortable with your relationship with food?
Day 1. Any dietary restrictions?
No, not really. I tried vegetarianism for two years...ten years ago. Most recently I tried cutting out all trans fats. I try to stick to as natural a diet as possible (meaning avoiding food from boxes and with ingredients I can't pronounce), but really when it comes down to it, if it's inconvenient nothing sticks forever.
My mom's digestive system has been gradually throwing in the towel for past several years. Her list of dietary restrictions seems to have snowballed over the years: no dairy, no gluten, no HFC... Turns out, that stuff is in EVERYTHING. Perhaps in a way, it's been a blessing, forcing her to make the healthier choice or face painful stomachaches. I sometimes wish my dad (the one with the family history of heart disease and high cholesterol), would have something less abstract and more immediate nudging him toward the healthier choices. It's much easier to put down the cheeseburger because otherwise you'll be sick by the end of the meal than it is because your dad died young decades ago and your doctor tells you you could too. No one really ever believes they will.
But I've said it before and I'll say it again. Your tastes EVOLVE and you do have some control over what you like and don't. In Japan, I ate a crapton of onigiri. Not because I didn't like pasta, but because I couldn't find pasta. In France, I ate a crapton of quiche. Not because I didn't like sushi, but because I couldn't find sushi. In Vietnam it was pho. Colombia, arepas. Now here on Maui, I'm finding plenty of healthy options and the more I try, the more I like. I look forward to the tofu and alfalfa salads at Down to Earth. Crave it, even. I wasn't born liking it, but I forced myself to make the healthier choices, and little by little I grew to genuinely prefer it.
Just now, I went through my fridge. D.'s returning from Okinawa tomorrow, and I thought I should do a quick superficial cleaning. I found a half-drunk 2 liter bottle of Coke, leftover from friends visiting (we bought it as a mixer to go with some booze). Not wanting to throw it out, I decided to pour myself a glass while typing this. It tastes like I'm drinking straight up sugar. Don't get me wrong, it tastes sweet and good. I can see why it's a staple on so many peoples' grocery lists. But my tastebuds are out of practice with it, so it's actually too intense for me. Give me a few days of a Coke a day and I'd probably be singing a different tune. But our conscious habits can affect our genuine preferences. And we really are what we eat, so we might as well eat good.
Okay, I definitely strayed a bit from the topic on that one. Maybe I can stick to the point on the others.
Day 2. Your favorite sweet dish.
Day 3. Your favorite savory dish.
Day 4. Your preferred degree of spiciness.
Day 5. Your signature dish.
Day 6. Are/were you a picky eater?
Day 7. Your favorite fruit.
Day 8. Your preferred cooking technique.
Day 9. The kitchen of your dreams.
Day 10. Your favorite local fast food place.
Day 11. Your favorite snack.
Day 12. Your favorite fast food dish.
Day 13. The first dish you've ever prepared.
Day 14. Your favorite vegetable.
Day 15. Your most spectacular cooking failure.
Day 16. Your favorite food preparation utensil.
Day 17. Meals planned in advance or spur-of-the-moment ideas?
Day 18. The favorite dish of your childhood.
Day 19. Least favorite dish.
Day 20. A food preparation secret you'd like to learn.
Day 21. Your favorite dairy product.
Day 22. Variety or routine?
Day 23. Your favorite herb[s] and spice[s].
Day 24. Your favorite local restaurant.
Day 25. Haute cuisine or home cooking?
Day 26. If money was of no concern, would your eating habits change?
Day 27. Your usual way of dealing with leftovers.
Day 28. Your favorite beverage on a hot summer day.
Day 29. Lots of small snacks or three square meals a day?
Day 30. Are you comfortable with your relationship with food?