My best friend said that, while he dumped the entire tray in the trash. He spent about a year living with me, just before I got married. The dude always had a knack for cooking (when we'd all go camping, he was generally handling meals, and it was always pretty awesome. Except when he'd read some guy on the Internet said you could make Pillsbury Grands over a campfire, wrapped around a stick. We figured out quickly that dude lied to us.)
Where Jon shined was baking. Listen, dad owned a bakery, so I know pies. But my buddy, who had (at least at the time) a living Grandma of the old school generation, and she let him make the Thanksgiving pies. I digress.
Jon made good cookies. Except for that night, for some reason. His reason for dumping them kind if messed with me.
For most of my life, I was about quantity. We'd go out with my grandparents, and I'd eat my meal, and finished grandma's. I lived for buffets. After a while it almost felt like a reputation to uphold - Gary eats!
Eventually, I cared a little more about flavor, but quantity, filling up the gaping mah in my belly, that mattered. And dumping out food? That clashed with my upbringing; food couldn't be wasted.
Now, I try to listen to my body, like we teach my daughter, and not overeat, no matter how good it is. But on the other side, I try not to just eat things that aren't good, because it's just a waste. I'm not skinny, or slim, or... listen, I'm trying to shed 30lbs. That's not the point of this blog, but now there's context.
Last night we went out to dinner. I was asked to come to the restaurant and write a Yelp review, so we went. We tried a few things. Some were met, some were alright, some were downright bad. We ordered chicken lo mein and... I don't know how you screw that up so badly. I'm hoping to try a recipe to make mine in the next week or two, so we'll see.
The noodles were cooked. Not perfectly, but enough. Normally, the sauce should be salty, have a tang, maybe even a dose of heat. This just didn't. Nothing off-putting or lingering, just thin and bland. The vegetables were just there, soggy but not flavorful. Chicken was overlooked, at best.
I love Chicken Lo Mein. Effing love it. Honestly it's one of my favorite dishes, not just in that cuisine, but in general. Between my wife and I, we shared a pair of entrees, and we left more than half of the Lo Mein. It had the right mouth feel, so I could have easily pounded it. It took a little willpower.
Then I heard the words, and paraphrased. There's no reason to waste calories on bad Lo Mein. Even putting aside the money that I wasted, it just wasn't worth the effort. And, no, not everyone can make that choice, and I realized I've got a bit of privilege to say it. So next time I'll do it myself.
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