continued.

yesterday's post ended with a topic i think deserves a rant of its own *grin* for a brief moment a couple years ago, it really seemed as if we'd shaken off the last of our puritan roots and really embraced food as something to be enjoyed. there was fusion, there were gastropubs, the american public was becoming interested, and even more importantly educated, in wine and tea and cheese and so forth.

but now, it feels as though everything must be scientifically rationed out, so that we make sure we get the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3s, and polyphenols and the rest of the antioxidants. never mind pleasure in food, now it's all about dividing up everything, weighing it, making decisions on what chemicals will make us live longer. leafy, green vegetables and whole grains and wine and are we allowed to buy bread that has less than three grams of fiber per slice and no flaxseeds? are the carbs slow enough, do they have the right glycemic index? soy protein or chicken? did you get enough lycopene today?

sheesh. whatever happened to balancing carbs and protein and vegetables and then just enjoying the food? or wine or beer for that matter. americans are so weird about alcohol; either we drink to get totally smashed, or we have to work it into this baroque calculation like, well, red wine is good for your heart except red wine has more carbs than white, so if we have a glass of white wine and have less carbs and alcohol, can we make up the tannins if we have a cup of green tea later on? it's amazing people eat at all, the way food is obsessed over. and then there's the slow food movement, and the portion of the population that won't eat anything unless it's convenient, and apparently fresh herbs are scary.

i mean, really. what the fuck? eat to enjoy, don't eat to excess, and don't expect a handful of flaxseeds or a bowl of oatmeal will help you if you're eating taco bell for the rest of the day. if people really sat down and thought about food from a pleasure aspect instead of from a convenience or chemical profile point of view, i think a lot more people would not only start eating healthier and being happier, but they'd realize that food is not, in fact, scary. there's a simple pride in learning to cook a simple meal. forget the french. forget the meat thermometers and the pastry brushes and the lemon zester. grill a steak and bake a potato. steam some broccoli. open a bottle of red wine. a perfect, simple, balanced dinner. wow. who would ever have thought?