Mar 17, 2009

In defense of my vice: eating

How did I start? Survival. 

It all started with me sucking formula from a graded bottle. I then matured to stuffing handfuls of seafood risotto in my 2 year-old mouth, and now that I have grown into a skilled eater, I have reaped numerous satisfactions in the kitchen and generated a bad relationship with my scale. It reads oddly high numbers, especially after gastronomic epiphanies and wine tasting classes. I am a slave to my palate.

As an enthusiast gourmand and proud glutton, I will never quit the exaggerated abuse of food, whatever the midriff consequences. 

My addiction to the delectable governs me. 

I pledge my loyalty to the oyster and the tagliatella. 
I worship the simple tuber and the sophisticated truffle. 
I pay obeisance to the heirloom tomato, the noble garlic and complex extra virgin olive oil. 
I am one with the calamari and the bufala. 
My deep-burrowing Italian roots intertwine with the origins of my past-life Aztec adoration for chocolate. 

Unhindered, I stand by my vice, feeding its craving and honoring it exuberantly three times a day.
Happy St. Paddy's Day!

10 comments:

  1. I wish I could do as you and follow my palate - but alas, my trousers tell me I must either leave the button open or buy new ones if I do.
    Oh, German language is the most poetic one you can think of. We invented romance! After you went through my lessons, you can read Goethe, Rilke, Hesse, Eichendorff, there is no end! Those who say German is a harsh or whatever language were just too lazy to learn it! (Though of course Italian rolls off your tongue more melodious, I admit that!).

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  2. Lola,
    We were supposed to meet in this lifetime. Your love of food and cooking matches mine. I don't think of myself as a great cook.
    But, compared to many people I'm quite good; mostly authentic. I don't go for the smarty-pants delight all the senses kind of cooking. Why not? Because it is way too much work; for most home cooks. Give me a couple of ingredients, good cheese, good wine, and la vita `e bella.

    So, tell me more about yourself. Did you live in Hollywood, hang out at Gladstone's and
    Roscoe's House of
    chicken and waffles? I see your list is getting long. Angela, I recognize, a good friend I made in blogland.

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  3. Angela - Please don't worry about constraining clothes, a good meal is so much more gratifying than a one-digit garment size! Thank you for becoming a regular here in my informal little kitchen! Can't wait for my next Romantics lesson...

    Rosaria - Authentic is the key word here. I have never lived in Hollywood, except during brief vacations visiting my dad. I have many close friends and a brother in L.A., hopefully this summer I will fly down there with my son for a little while.
    Blogging is fun. It's like therapy with the added boon of meeting some pretty extraordinary people. Evviva!

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  4. Lola! L.A.?, i am only an hour away, well, an hour and a half, I would love to meet you if you come! And if you come up the coast to Santa Barbara I will be your tour guide.
    Food and I started a new relationship after I turned 40, sadly, my metabolism changed at the same time :( oh, but I do love calamari,and bufala, lobster and risotto is my real downfall...

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  5. Hi Lola! Thanks for visiting my blog today, and of course...please do come back.

    I love yours, too. Oh...eating, food, I love them. I love your title even...isn't it garlic, oil, and peppers? I couldn't live without garlic with my Parmigiano Reggiano! I used them both in the super fast potato soup I made myself and my daughter tonight.

    Ciao!

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  6. Lori ann - Great! My dad lives in Pebble Beach, so Santa Barbara is right there in between. We can stroll on the beach, cook and make merry.

    sallymandy - yes, they (and a few other things) are the bare necessities of life. I'll soon be posting the AO&P recipe, so stay tuned! Ciao

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  7. I loved this piece when it showed up on my Reader late last week (and I wondered where it went). Now I can link to it!

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  8. anno - yes, I'm still learning the techie facts about blogging (and scheduling posts), hence the disappearing act. Glad you could make it over, come back soon! Ciao

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  9. I am totally with you on this, and whatever is in that photo looks SOOOO good!

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  10. Louise - Thank you, it's so great to find affinity with fellow bloggers. The picture portrays jumbo shrimp grilled with chives, garlic and melted butter. Astoundingly high yum-factor.

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