Hunger, Part VIII

August 29, 2017

When the word hunger comes up, most of us think about a need for food, perhaps a dire need.  That's understandable.  It is, after all, the definition in the dictionary.  I read somewhere once that if you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, you're not hungry.  That's a great soundbite, but one shouldn't get so hungry that an apple, if not otherwise a favorite choice, is considered the only choice.  This isn't, in my opinion, a good measurement of hunger.

Today's blog isn't about the kind of hunger that gnaws at your insides.  It's about hunger for quality food, for food well-prepared with good ingredients.  While I cook a lot at home and am learning more about using spices and herbs, I still find my best meals in restaurants.  Recently I've tried two I'd never gone to.  One serves dishes native to India, the other Thailand.  Both were delicious. and I have or will return.  I also have a place that serves the best black-bean burger in town and another that has the best salad bar.  I don't tend to order salads when out.  I make a lot of those at home, and I've noticed that often the calorie and fat count in a restaurant salad rivals that of heartier food that will fill me up more.  With the salad bar I mentioned, though, I have a variety I cannot possibly carry in my home and can make good choices.

Restaurants get a lot of bad word regarding large portion size.  There are ways around this.  I can sometimes share a meal (though this is rare since I stopped eating most meat) or take leftovers home for lunch the next day.  This makes a restaurant less wasteful and cost prohibitive. 

But again, this kind of hunger is about eating something so good, my mouth is saying mmmmm before I've even put the fork inside my mouth (the nose already recognizes the quality).  To not feel deprived, to mix things up, I go to restaurants two to three times a week on average.  Having well-prepared, well-flavored foods served to me is a treat and a great pleasure. 

And along the way, I'm learning to cook more flavorable foods also.  Eating healthy shouldn't be deprived eating.