I am sure many of us face that ultimate and eternal question, what's for dinner? It's not just the family incessantly nagging but our own minds trying desperately to find an answer before hunger, frustration and the need to stop the whining drives us over the edge! On the face of it the question seems pretty simple, the answer just as simple-Food. That is exactly the point.
Let me say at the outset that I am not, never have been and will never ever be a utility eater. I do not just eat to live; food is not simply fuel for my body that I can indiscriminately consume like some biological engine providing for my energy needs. Food provides more than energy; it provides a wonderful warm sense of well-being. A full stomach says all is well with the world and more importantly all is well with me. So if food's only purpose was energy then what's for dinner becomes easier to answer. A slice of bread with a spread or a tin of some unidentifiable gloop heated or eaten as is out of the can would do. I'd not have to worry about variety, the same old same old would be just dandy!
When we were kids I remember asking my grandmother what's for dinner and getting the rather helpful "bread and pullet" or "bread and duck" answer. Have you ever tried serving bread for dinner to your family? I have, it did not go down well! In my defense, it was after a late and heavy Sunday lunch and the bread was from an artisan baker. Nothing specifically was said but I read the accusation in their eyes! For most of us food is more than a gap-filler, it has meaning. It does not matter if it is everyday fare or a favorite dish to mark that special occasion. Food is all about the Feel Good Factor!
Now there's the rub! What makes me feel good now is not necessarily going to make me feel good tomorrow or the day after. The Feel Good Factor is variable and wholly subjective and negatively impacted by time and effort. Eureka! I think we have a formula of sorts:
Feel Good Factor = Satisfaction (expectation meeting reality)
Time + Effort
I admit it is not an absolute truth as far as formula's go, but it's mine and I like it. For me the Feel Good Factor of any meal is all about a combination of flavor, aroma, visual appeal, mouth feel, variety, after- taste and how it sits in the stomach. Nothing beats indigestion or heart burn for a Feel Good wipe-out! I also just hate it when a meal repeats on me. Time is also a major factor for me. I usually get in from work late, to find the family repeatedly opening the fridge and cupboards in the vain hope that dinner will miraculously materialize in-between now and the last time they checked two minutes ago! So with the vultures circling I need a recipe that will be quick and easy to prepare. Forty minutes from start to finish with the shortest possible ingredients list and simplest cooking processes suits the bill perfectly!
This brings me back to my initial question. What am I going to cook tonight? What can I whip up in no time at all, that will tick all the boxes, hit all the right notes and confirm that all is well with the world, but more importantly, all is well with me.
Let me say at the outset that I am not, never have been and will never ever be a utility eater. I do not just eat to live; food is not simply fuel for my body that I can indiscriminately consume like some biological engine providing for my energy needs. Food provides more than energy; it provides a wonderful warm sense of well-being. A full stomach says all is well with the world and more importantly all is well with me. So if food's only purpose was energy then what's for dinner becomes easier to answer. A slice of bread with a spread or a tin of some unidentifiable gloop heated or eaten as is out of the can would do. I'd not have to worry about variety, the same old same old would be just dandy!
When we were kids I remember asking my grandmother what's for dinner and getting the rather helpful "bread and pullet" or "bread and duck" answer. Have you ever tried serving bread for dinner to your family? I have, it did not go down well! In my defense, it was after a late and heavy Sunday lunch and the bread was from an artisan baker. Nothing specifically was said but I read the accusation in their eyes! For most of us food is more than a gap-filler, it has meaning. It does not matter if it is everyday fare or a favorite dish to mark that special occasion. Food is all about the Feel Good Factor!
Now there's the rub! What makes me feel good now is not necessarily going to make me feel good tomorrow or the day after. The Feel Good Factor is variable and wholly subjective and negatively impacted by time and effort. Eureka! I think we have a formula of sorts:
Feel Good Factor = Satisfaction (expectation meeting reality)
Time + Effort
I admit it is not an absolute truth as far as formula's go, but it's mine and I like it. For me the Feel Good Factor of any meal is all about a combination of flavor, aroma, visual appeal, mouth feel, variety, after- taste and how it sits in the stomach. Nothing beats indigestion or heart burn for a Feel Good wipe-out! I also just hate it when a meal repeats on me. Time is also a major factor for me. I usually get in from work late, to find the family repeatedly opening the fridge and cupboards in the vain hope that dinner will miraculously materialize in-between now and the last time they checked two minutes ago! So with the vultures circling I need a recipe that will be quick and easy to prepare. Forty minutes from start to finish with the shortest possible ingredients list and simplest cooking processes suits the bill perfectly!
This brings me back to my initial question. What am I going to cook tonight? What can I whip up in no time at all, that will tick all the boxes, hit all the right notes and confirm that all is well with the world, but more importantly, all is well with me.
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