Nov
Fast Food, Maggie-Style
Boston’s a mecca if you’re into food. There are gourmet food stores galore and a selection of unusual foods in your average supermarket. The demand is there. I’m blessed indeed.
I went for a long walk yesterday afternoon and ended up at a gourmet food store about an hour’s walk from my home. Alex was raking leaves at his parents’ house and I just needed to get out and about. It’s chilly this time of year, but walking always warms me up.
I picked up a few items to complement a larger supermarket shop. I came home with potato and ravioli gnocci, berry granola, frozen chicken tacos, a bag of baby arugula and lettuce salad mix and a very nice looking frozen vegetarian pizza. The toppings included black olives, mushrooms, green and red peppers, artichoke hearts and more. I’m not a fan of meat on pizza (What! No pepperoni?! No!) and rather like the veggie toppings. I wasn’t in the mood to start a big cooking project when I got home, so I thought a specialty-food pizza and fancy salad would do the trick nicely.
I was feeling rather contented with myself until Della happened to call. She always asks me what I’m making for dinner. It’s usually something with chicken since I’m not a big fan of beef and don’t tolerate pork particularly well. Lamb? Yum, but pricey. So, we stick with chicken.
Well, I swear you could have heard Della’s screech from where you live when I told her what I’d just bought at that store. “What kind of pizza?!” she roared. “With vegetables!? Oh lordy, me!” Della loves pizza, but not with anything even close to a vegetable on it. Tomato sauce, pepperoni, cheese - fine. Anything else? Forget it.
I was in for even worse when I told her about the salad. “Mooooooo!!!!!” she howled into the mouthpiece of the telephone. “I’m gonna put you out behind the house to graze the next time you’re over. It’ll save me a visit from the landscaper. My God, woman, what the hell do you eat?”
Well, Della and I have had this conversation before, although I’m usually the one asking her that question. Della’s idea of a three course dinner is a bag of cheese curls, followed by cheddar goldfish and then Cherry Garcia ice cream. And she says I I eat weird? I swear to God there isn’t a pot or pan in her kitchen anymore. She threw them all out at one point and stocked up on frozen dinners. Frozen dinners! I ask you, who eats nothing but frozen dinners? Oh, sorry - Della does.
Well, I have made some progress. I made her get out and wash her crockpot, so she can at least cook up meats and stews. Oh the battle we had over that. I won out, though, at least for the times I come over and she has to feed me.
Food is such a funny thing. Everyone is different and who’s to say which person is right and which person is wrong? Della grew up eating junk food, which no doubt explains her current preferences. I think I read somewhere that a sense of taste is created that way. We didn’t eat junk food when I was a kid. Sure, we had white bread and canned stuff, but I never crossed paths with a McDonald’s or Burger King in those formative years. That food sits in my stomach like a rock. It’s all grease, fat and salt. I don’t get into that much.
Oh well, better check on dinner. Pork chops with sauerkraut and applesauce tonight. I told Della that and I think she wants to come over for dinner. Figures.
