Friday, May 11, 2012

A New Convert


                Well it finally happened; I’m a fan of vegetables.  Besides the usual corn, peas, and green beans I mean.  Once again the act of preparing the food I eat has broadened my food horizons.  Daikon, turnips, beats; I love them all (as long as you roast them).  I even enjoyed the aioli (I’ve never been a fan of mayo or anything like it) and the vinaigrette made the salad enjoyable (once again something I have never been willing to eat).  Perhaps it was the more natural ingredients or the social atmosphere that also added to my willingness to give all the food we prepared a fair go.  Either way my taste buds are appreciative of this course.
                The daikon struck me the most.  It was the last thing I grabbed and I honestly only did so because I felt guilty grabbing one of everything else while leaving it.  Figuring that it would be the worst tasting item I cautiously delved into it first.  Man was my mind blown!  The flavor exploded in my mouth and before I knew it the entire piece was gone.  I was quick to try the other veggies, but the flavor of the daikon could not be found in any of them.  Trying to be reserved I waited for everyone else to get a serving even though I wanted to snatch every last piece of the daikon up before anyone else could have any.  Looking back I guess my mistake was shouting out how good it was right after the first bite.
                I think the act of picking one’s own produce or any other food item and playing a role in its preparation is a must for everyone.  Even if you already enjoy the food, rather than being a bit picky like me, it will heighten the degree to which you enjoy it.  I hope our culture continues moving in the direction of blurring gender roles so cooking and other food preparation will be more acceptable in the eyes of all youth and we can get back to the roots of our food.

2 comments:

  1. Wasn't it amazing how veggies tasted so good?! the point is that since we are young society tells us that what is healthy for us does not taste good and vice-versa. We need to change this pattern. how? don't make veggies the same old way every time. there is countless ways to make vegetables, i bet even kids would like them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I scrolled through Pinterest today and I came across a recipe for brownies that used black beans as a base instead of flour. The blogger who posted said even her pickiest child loved them. If we start thinking of healthier substitutes for dishes we love or incorporating new ingredients, we could begin to change and balance our diets while fostering our love for food.

    ReplyDelete