There's a wide spectrum of girls' appetites and attitudes about how they want their eating capability to be perceived by others. I'm referring mainly to the quantity of food. Some girls just have smaller appetites. Some girls force themselves to eat less in order to sculpt themselves into their idea of their own "perfect body". Some just eat to their heart's content as long as it's reasonably healthy, or they're able to compensate for the caloric intake through other means (e.g. exercise). But the one type of girl that has stood out to me lately is the one that, weirdly enough, wants people to think they eat a lot--often more than they actually do. It's kind of weird actually...I don't know why but for some reason it reminds me of reverse discrimination. Anyway, worst analogy but let me attempt to explain where I think this "big eater" mentality comes from.
Many girls who "watch what they eat" are doing so to avoid "getting fat". As you know such situations may progress to the point of a girl becoming anorexic (diagnosis: anorexia nervosa). Even when it doesn't, the comment always comes out in one form or another (jokingly or not): "Omg, that girl is so anorexic" or "How come you don't eat a lot? Are you anorexic?" Sometimes I worry this awareness (great!) of the disease has actually created more of a stigma (not so great...) around it; thus some girls don't want people to think they have smaller appetites (because God forbid that would make you an "anorexic") and make a show of how much they eat. This is one rationale I believe to be behind this. Another one may be that this "big eater" mentality is a passive aggressive form of bragging. A lot of the girls that engage in this behaviour are quite skinny, so I believe they adopt this behaviour to make it obvious that they eat a lot but still manage to maintain their image. Think about it--how many plus size girls with big appetites aggressively publicize how much they eat?
I guess I made this post to rant about one of the appetite types that have been bugging me lately. I can't even blame these girls entirely because their behaviour is, I believe, a result of societal circumstance. I personally can vouch for the societal behaviours shaping the "big eater" attitude because I have felt the need to adopt it from time to time.
One time a guy was trying to point out (in a mocking tone) how little I was eating at a sushi buffet saying that I don't eat anything and that he eats sooo much more than me. There are several things I'd like to point out about this story:
A. I'm not a huge fan of sushi, so obviously I'm not going to go all out eating. Of course when people like a certain food, they'll often magically have more room to eat it--EXHIBIT A: DESSERT.
B. Many times people mistakenly assume I eat less than them because they continue eating longer than me. That is flawed thinking because I'm a relatively quick eater, so comparing the end times of our meals says nothing about who ate more.
C. I pointed out a past situation where we both ordered medium pizzas from the same restaurant at the same time where I finished my whole pizza in one sitting and he ate maybe 5 out of the 8 slices. When I brought up this incident, his response was that he could have eaten it all if he wanted to. Even in the unlikely scenario where that may have been true, the fact that I was hungry enough to eat my whole pizza but he wasn't indicates that I have a larger appetite.
D. Calm yourself, it's not a contest. Even if it was, males tend to be physically larger than females on the average, so your picking a fight with me over this is really quite pathetic.
Anyway, I'm surprised myself that a guy is involved in such a scenario. I would think that girls are usually worse at making other girls feel bad about their eating habits; that's just how girls are. I think it relates to the motivations for why girls judge other girls and the comments they make. Females like to see how they compare to other females and because of our sensitive side we may harbour feelings of envy that come out as potentially passive-aggressive comments in order to feel better about ourselves.
Basically, what I can glean from my reflection of this attitude and the forces that have shaped it is that we need to stop commenting on how much people, particularly girls, eat. Especially at our weight-gaining age, it can be a bit of a sensitive topic, and people have their personal reasons for their own eating habits. It's juvenile to make it a contest or pass judgement.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, November 10, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Cooking at Varied Speeds
For those who know me pretty well, you know that I'm not much of a cook. While I love living away from home for school, one thing I really hate about it is having to fend for my own "consumables". Like any student, I go into each year with nauseatingly optimistic expectations/plans about my diet for the school year. And every time I have attempted to improve my cooking skills, save money, eat healthier, etc., I have failed...until now! :)
This year I am living with one of my classmates, and it's working out pretty well! We are quite compatible in our living and study habits. Having a roommate that I can really connect and interact well with has motivated me to care more about the cleanliness of the apartment and take more initiative with my cooking. It helps that she is a good cook who is often willing to offer me tips. She also shares her meals with me from time to time, and this compels me to make some food of my own and share it with her in return (at her own risk of course). So far some of the dishes that I have been successful with include:
1. My classic foolproof dish...Pasta
2. Mapo tofu - the chinese flavour packets are amazing for this.
3. Korean curry - I figured this out last year when I was living on my own, and I manage to get it right from time to time.
4. Asian style noodle stir fry - inspired by one of my classmates who recommended a Chinese hot chili bean sauce. The Chinese are honestly lifesavers with their delicious sauces. Just make sure you check the label for MSG-free products.
5. Korean pork belly with side dishes (aka Samgyup sal) - also a relatively recent discovery from last year. Easy to do and makes me feel healthy when I wrap it in lettuce with a korean hot pepper paste. Unfortunately this go-to recipe will probably go into hibernation for a while because I'm getting sick of it.
6. Kimchi fried rice - another one of my classic go-to's. It's pretty hard to go wrong with this dish, but I can't make this recipe too often because I rarely go back home during the school year, which is where I usually get my kimchi.
7. Sausage stir fry - spur of the moment dish where I added tomato sauce and peppers. I consider this dish to be an especially significant accomplishment because it's the first time I've successfully made (or even attempted) a sausage dish since I food poisoned myself with uncooked sausages. I guess I was a bit traumatized...
8. And my latest experiment is also inspired by one of my classmates. One time I was at her place when I smelled something amazing cooking in the kitchen. That was my first encounter with the wonderful invention called the slow cooker. If I wasn't sold at the smell, I was definitely convinced I had to have one when she proceeded to explain that slow cookers were ridiculously simple to use: just throw things into it.
So...lengthy prelude out of the way, here I am waiting to see how my slow cooker recipe turns out. This weekend I prepped a random slow cooker recipe that I found on the internet. It's super basic (and I mean that word in the least trendy way possible). Just-literally-THREW IN carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, and pork ribs with some wine, rosemary, and italian dressing to the slow cooker. I had to prep this in advance for tomorrow's meal because this is a super busy school week for me (a complaint for another time). I'm excited to try it tomorrow because it already smelled delicious while it was cooking.
Anyway, after my few (yet notable!) cooking successes this year, I feel I've already improved a lot from where I was before. Hopefully I can keep it up and continue to expand my boundaries. Before I know it I'll be able to actually look forward to making and eating my own food--a vital life skill that I've always wanted to acquire but without prior success.
--Then again, it's still quite early in the year; it's not too late for my old patterns to resurface. What's a Christie post without a little realism?
This year I am living with one of my classmates, and it's working out pretty well! We are quite compatible in our living and study habits. Having a roommate that I can really connect and interact well with has motivated me to care more about the cleanliness of the apartment and take more initiative with my cooking. It helps that she is a good cook who is often willing to offer me tips. She also shares her meals with me from time to time, and this compels me to make some food of my own and share it with her in return (at her own risk of course). So far some of the dishes that I have been successful with include:
1. My classic foolproof dish...Pasta
2. Mapo tofu - the chinese flavour packets are amazing for this.
3. Korean curry - I figured this out last year when I was living on my own, and I manage to get it right from time to time.
4. Asian style noodle stir fry - inspired by one of my classmates who recommended a Chinese hot chili bean sauce. The Chinese are honestly lifesavers with their delicious sauces. Just make sure you check the label for MSG-free products.
5. Korean pork belly with side dishes (aka Samgyup sal) - also a relatively recent discovery from last year. Easy to do and makes me feel healthy when I wrap it in lettuce with a korean hot pepper paste. Unfortunately this go-to recipe will probably go into hibernation for a while because I'm getting sick of it.
6. Kimchi fried rice - another one of my classic go-to's. It's pretty hard to go wrong with this dish, but I can't make this recipe too often because I rarely go back home during the school year, which is where I usually get my kimchi.
7. Sausage stir fry - spur of the moment dish where I added tomato sauce and peppers. I consider this dish to be an especially significant accomplishment because it's the first time I've successfully made (or even attempted) a sausage dish since I food poisoned myself with uncooked sausages. I guess I was a bit traumatized...
8. And my latest experiment is also inspired by one of my classmates. One time I was at her place when I smelled something amazing cooking in the kitchen. That was my first encounter with the wonderful invention called the slow cooker. If I wasn't sold at the smell, I was definitely convinced I had to have one when she proceeded to explain that slow cookers were ridiculously simple to use: just throw things into it.
So...lengthy prelude out of the way, here I am waiting to see how my slow cooker recipe turns out. This weekend I prepped a random slow cooker recipe that I found on the internet. It's super basic (and I mean that word in the least trendy way possible). Just-literally-THREW IN carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, and pork ribs with some wine, rosemary, and italian dressing to the slow cooker. I had to prep this in advance for tomorrow's meal because this is a super busy school week for me (a complaint for another time). I'm excited to try it tomorrow because it already smelled delicious while it was cooking.
Anyway, after my few (yet notable!) cooking successes this year, I feel I've already improved a lot from where I was before. Hopefully I can keep it up and continue to expand my boundaries. Before I know it I'll be able to actually look forward to making and eating my own food--a vital life skill that I've always wanted to acquire but without prior success.
--Then again, it's still quite early in the year; it's not too late for my old patterns to resurface. What's a Christie post without a little realism?
Monday, June 13, 2011
My Herbaceous Sprouts
Not sure if I mentioned it in my past food flings post, but I love herbs. In pasta, in salads, or simply by themselves--they're yummy. :)
Let me back up for a second...
Last Friday, I went to see X-men: First Class--if you've seen it and you have EYES (at the least), you probably already know that it's an awesome movie. For those who haven't WISELY taken the time to see the movie yet, there's a scene in it where the young X-men recruits are discussing their code names. This is when I realized their names are unique and pretty cool. Anyway, seeing the new movie inspired me to rewatch all the movies in chronological order, so I started with the first X-men movie on Saturday night--and I realized that Rogue and Storm are pretty cool names too (Jean not so much--does she even have a code name...?).
And we're back where we started...
One day when I was bored (sitting on the toilet, if you're one for details), a strange thought came to me: herbs have elegant, unique names. I think I'd seriously consider naming my child an herb. Probably one of my favourites: Oregano or Basil (if it's a guy) and Parsley or Mint (if it's a girl). Although it's my nemesis in the world of herbs, I have to admit that Coriander is a pretty sexy name for a girl too. Anyway, I think you get the point: my child will have a crazy superhero name or that of a herb. I understand if you feel sorry for my offspring--stuck between a superhero complex and a leafy green place.
But seriously, people have named their children worse things, right?
Let me back up for a second...
Last Friday, I went to see X-men: First Class--if you've seen it and you have EYES (at the least), you probably already know that it's an awesome movie. For those who haven't WISELY taken the time to see the movie yet, there's a scene in it where the young X-men recruits are discussing their code names. This is when I realized their names are unique and pretty cool. Anyway, seeing the new movie inspired me to rewatch all the movies in chronological order, so I started with the first X-men movie on Saturday night--and I realized that Rogue and Storm are pretty cool names too (Jean not so much--does she even have a code name...?).
And we're back where we started...
One day when I was bored (sitting on the toilet, if you're one for details), a strange thought came to me: herbs have elegant, unique names. I think I'd seriously consider naming my child an herb. Probably one of my favourites: Oregano or Basil (if it's a guy) and Parsley or Mint (if it's a girl). Although it's my nemesis in the world of herbs, I have to admit that Coriander is a pretty sexy name for a girl too. Anyway, I think you get the point: my child will have a crazy superhero name or that of a herb. I understand if you feel sorry for my offspring--stuck between a superhero complex and a leafy green place.
But seriously, people have named their children worse things, right?
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Don't Dump on my Dumplings!
Ever since I shared my dumpling lunch with the Korean international students in my elementary school, I've earned myself the nickname of "Mandu", meaning dumpling in Korean. I can't remember if I first tried Korean or Chinese dumplings, but I love dumplings of all varieties--including their distant Polish cousin, the perogy!
They have also taken good care of me throughout both secondary and post secondary school. Whenever I go out for dim sum or family new year gatherings, my darlings never fail to make an appearance. In university, whenever I can't think of a new way to food poison myself, I fry up a batch of my dearest babies! Luckily, I've been cooking them long enough that I'm an expert at frying dumplings, so I haven't managed to poison myself with them just yet.
As many of you can probably guess, I'm pretty excited about the Chinese New Year Mandarin dumpling festival. I'm not sure if they have it every year, but I certainly have the time and means to go for it this year. When I googled: DUMPLING FESTIVAL MANDARIN, I got some guy's ranty post about how a dumpling buffet is a ripoff due to the filling carbs. As a self-proclaimed dumpling connoisseur, I don't see the logic in this argument at all.
First of all, I believe that eating is a highly psychological experience--the right/wrong mood, atmosphere, or presentation can alter one's perceived "appetite". This means that the theoretically "filling" composition of a dumpling will not apply to MY stomach. Secondly, there are WAY WORSE things that are standard to a buffet's menu. By WAY WORSE, I mean oily, and carb-filled. Dumplings can be relatively healthy and non-filling, if you know how to properly choose and enjoy them. Thirdly, I have a few comments about his comment on dumplings not being worth the money you pay for a buffet experience. Again, there are worse things that people can fill up on at a buffet--namely salad, soup, bread, rice, fries, deep fried items (e.g. onion rings), mashed potatoes, ice cream, etc.--and I see people eating these at buffets all the time. I'm sure that these foods are typically cheaper than dumplings when you're talking about grocery store prices ($/unit of food or $/calorie of energy or my favourite: $/units of utility).
Lastly, whenever you're eating at any buffet, I think it's still important to ENJOY what you're eating and avoid getting too hung up on "getting your money's worth". I don't typically see people going to buffets and filling their plates with all the expensive meats. Why? Well, obviously because that would just taste disgusting! Bear in mind, I'm obviously not suggesting you go the totally opposite extreme and eat only 10 bowls of ice cream or a salad. I believe that part of the walk around buffet experience is getting to put together plates of yummy goodness from a wide variety of choices. Just seeing the food, being around the food, and getting ideas from other people and your mealtime companions of what tastes good or not is a crucial part of the experience that you are paying for.
When eating at a normal dine-in restaurant, doesn't it suck when the dish you order doesn't turn out to be anything like the description (in a bad way), but your buddy beside you seems to have ordered the goddess of all foods? Well, too bad! You're stuck with that, and only THAT, disgusting pile of mush for the whole meal!! At best, if your buddy isn't too engrossed in his delectable heaven and is self-sacrificing enough, he'll share maybe a bite or two with you. Well... unlike typical restaurants, at buffets, if someone has something that looks/tastes good, you get multiple opportunities to try to create an enjoyable eating experience for yourself.
Sooooo...on top of all the goodness of buffets, Mandarin is going to have a dumpling buffet! Thank you, God, for the Chinese just this once.
They have also taken good care of me throughout both secondary and post secondary school. Whenever I go out for dim sum or family new year gatherings, my darlings never fail to make an appearance. In university, whenever I can't think of a new way to food poison myself, I fry up a batch of my dearest babies! Luckily, I've been cooking them long enough that I'm an expert at frying dumplings, so I haven't managed to poison myself with them just yet.
As many of you can probably guess, I'm pretty excited about the Chinese New Year Mandarin dumpling festival. I'm not sure if they have it every year, but I certainly have the time and means to go for it this year. When I googled: DUMPLING FESTIVAL MANDARIN, I got some guy's ranty post about how a dumpling buffet is a ripoff due to the filling carbs. As a self-proclaimed dumpling connoisseur, I don't see the logic in this argument at all.
First of all, I believe that eating is a highly psychological experience--the right/wrong mood, atmosphere, or presentation can alter one's perceived "appetite". This means that the theoretically "filling" composition of a dumpling will not apply to MY stomach. Secondly, there are WAY WORSE things that are standard to a buffet's menu. By WAY WORSE, I mean oily, and carb-filled. Dumplings can be relatively healthy and non-filling, if you know how to properly choose and enjoy them. Thirdly, I have a few comments about his comment on dumplings not being worth the money you pay for a buffet experience. Again, there are worse things that people can fill up on at a buffet--namely salad, soup, bread, rice, fries, deep fried items (e.g. onion rings), mashed potatoes, ice cream, etc.--and I see people eating these at buffets all the time. I'm sure that these foods are typically cheaper than dumplings when you're talking about grocery store prices ($/unit of food or $/calorie of energy or my favourite: $/units of utility).
Lastly, whenever you're eating at any buffet, I think it's still important to ENJOY what you're eating and avoid getting too hung up on "getting your money's worth". I don't typically see people going to buffets and filling their plates with all the expensive meats. Why? Well, obviously because that would just taste disgusting! Bear in mind, I'm obviously not suggesting you go the totally opposite extreme and eat only 10 bowls of ice cream or a salad. I believe that part of the walk around buffet experience is getting to put together plates of yummy goodness from a wide variety of choices. Just seeing the food, being around the food, and getting ideas from other people and your mealtime companions of what tastes good or not is a crucial part of the experience that you are paying for.
When eating at a normal dine-in restaurant, doesn't it suck when the dish you order doesn't turn out to be anything like the description (in a bad way), but your buddy beside you seems to have ordered the goddess of all foods? Well, too bad! You're stuck with that, and only THAT, disgusting pile of mush for the whole meal!! At best, if your buddy isn't too engrossed in his delectable heaven and is self-sacrificing enough, he'll share maybe a bite or two with you. Well... unlike typical restaurants, at buffets, if someone has something that looks/tastes good, you get multiple opportunities to try to create an enjoyable eating experience for yourself.
Sooooo...on top of all the goodness of buffets, Mandarin is going to have a dumpling buffet! Thank you, God, for the Chinese just this once.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
This Little Piggy Works in Harrow
As you may know, I am currently in Harrow on a co-op work term doing agricultural research. So far, my job has been pretty fun and full of new experiences--both enjoyable and/or otherwise.
As always, my posts have two main goals:
1. Share something interesting (often offensive/controversial)--or at least new to you :)
2. Keeping this brief so your youthful mind can be spared for more important tasks
Anyway, if you didn't know already from a chance encounter with me on MSN/facebook/or (God forbid) real life, I work for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The most important thing you should take from that lovely hyphenated, professionally abbreviated, lengthy title...is that I work for the government.
AND TOMORROW IS REMEMBRANCE DAY!
Well, I guess that would be today now...(I really gotta kick these nocturnal habits). For many of you, I'm sure that wouldn't mean much, but at a government workplace, it means a lovely day off! So to celebrate my day off in the best way that a "farmville" like Harrow should permit, I decided to do something fun by myself, and I really can't think of many things more entertaining and satisfying than eating. :)
To celebrate my mini 24-hour holiday (!), I decided to pull up the local pizzeria's menu, since I noticed they offered free delivery!! YAY!! And they had this special for 24 slices of a 4-topping pizza at the price of about $25. It seemed interesting and the number 24 didn't seem too daunting with only two figures--at least not daunting enough to extinguish my crazy brainstorming. I was actually considering ordering the whole 24 slices and eating pizza to death for a whole day. Finally my actual brain decided to turn on, and I only ended up ordering a medium pizza (12 slices)--still big enough to have a party by myself but not too big that I would have to host a real party to get rid of it.
I decided to get cheese, Italian sausage, green peppers, and mushrooms on my pizza, and it came up to $20. For dinner, I ended up eating a measly 8 slices, complemented by one bag of heavenly, mouthwatering 1% milk. Don't laugh! I swear, about 5 years ago, I so would have owned those 24 slices! Anyway, I've had a great night, eating to my heart's content! I even topped off this delicious dinner with a dessert of a juicy watermelon wedge for which my housemate renounced his eating rights. Currently, my tongue has experienced such a wide variety of flavours and sensations that I'm almost ready to turn in my stomach for the night. Now if only my brain would let those chocolate popsicles in my freezer live another day...
As always, my posts have two main goals:
1. Share something interesting (often offensive/controversial)--or at least new to you :)
2. Keeping this brief so your youthful mind can be spared for more important tasks
Anyway, if you didn't know already from a chance encounter with me on MSN/facebook/or (God forbid) real life, I work for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The most important thing you should take from that lovely hyphenated, professionally abbreviated, lengthy title...is that I work for the government.
AND TOMORROW IS REMEMBRANCE DAY!
Well, I guess that would be today now...(I really gotta kick these nocturnal habits). For many of you, I'm sure that wouldn't mean much, but at a government workplace, it means a lovely day off! So to celebrate my day off in the best way that a "farmville" like Harrow should permit, I decided to do something fun by myself, and I really can't think of many things more entertaining and satisfying than eating. :)
To celebrate my mini 24-hour holiday (!), I decided to pull up the local pizzeria's menu, since I noticed they offered free delivery!! YAY!! And they had this special for 24 slices of a 4-topping pizza at the price of about $25. It seemed interesting and the number 24 didn't seem too daunting with only two figures--at least not daunting enough to extinguish my crazy brainstorming. I was actually considering ordering the whole 24 slices and eating pizza to death for a whole day. Finally my actual brain decided to turn on, and I only ended up ordering a medium pizza (12 slices)--still big enough to have a party by myself but not too big that I would have to host a real party to get rid of it.
I decided to get cheese, Italian sausage, green peppers, and mushrooms on my pizza, and it came up to $20. For dinner, I ended up eating a measly 8 slices, complemented by one bag of heavenly, mouthwatering 1% milk. Don't laugh! I swear, about 5 years ago, I so would have owned those 24 slices! Anyway, I've had a great night, eating to my heart's content! I even topped off this delicious dinner with a dessert of a juicy watermelon wedge for which my housemate renounced his eating rights. Currently, my tongue has experienced such a wide variety of flavours and sensations that I'm almost ready to turn in my stomach for the night. Now if only my brain would let those chocolate popsicles in my freezer live another day...
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Latest...in FOOD
So, this post is uncharacteristically short. Mainly because I'm trying to compensate for my previous "double post", and I'm feeling a bit guilty about neglecting my work yet again. Omg, and I even decided to spare unfortunate readers a bit of pain by adding...*GASP visuals.
Wellll, I suppose it's a bit redundant to state it, but I will anyway: CHRISTIE + FOOD = LOVE
I don't just mean a widespread player-like love, but I have certainly enjoyed my share of short and long term relationships (i.e. food fads).
The oldest fad I can remember is good 'ol Cesar salad. Of course, this is the notorious pedophilic vegetable that has managed to be the only vegetable in the hearts of young children. It may be the crisp croutons, the juicy bacon bits, or perhaps the classic Cesar dressing itself. Whatever it is, children cannot avoid being drawn in by its irresistible promises and charm, myself included. Some days, we would go at it--4 or even 5 consecutive servings. I know, I was such a hoe from such a young age (i.e. 10-12).
Years after my puppy l
ove with cesar salad, I met couscous. SOOO GOOD! It's basically a pasta type that is in the form of tiny rice-like granules. It's of Mediterranean origin, I believe--one of my favourite food cultures! YUM. I ate so much couscous for about a month until I got sick of it. I still love it, but I don't think we will ever feel the same about each other again.
I shortly rebounded to sundried tomatoes. YUMYUMYUM!!!!!! Our eyes first met through delicious Italian cuisine, namely my favourite Italian restaurant in Toronto: Terroni's ^-^ We did it everywhere--on crackers, with bread, top(ping)less--you name it, we did it. ;)
You may be interested to hear this scandalous bit of information. I actually started my next relationship midway through the previous one...oops? Can you blame me? Things just sorta...happened while the sun-dried tomatoes sort of lost my interest. The flirting began and what do you know, sparks were flying everywhere. Enter: THE JALAPENO PEPPERS. I'm not even lying, this is an exact picture of the jar I was involved with. I devoured it with pasta, bread, and topless once again.
After a few months of this infatuation, we had a terrible breakup. I don't think I can really touch or even look at him again. From time to time, I'll help myself to a little nibble or enjoy his flavour in a subtler form, but we both know things can never return to the way they once were.
This next little bugger has proven to be a real tease with serious commitment issues. I was first drawn to its pleasing black appearance (right), but when I tasted its distinctive, flavourful inside, I knew I was in love. Little did I know, he didn't really reciprocate those feelings. I was instead passed onto his more envious cousin (below). We had a thing for a few months, and from time to time I would revert between the two. I guess you could say I was a bit of a player--and now? Well, lets just say we're a messed up triangle of friends who offer each other favours/benefits under the table from time to time...I don't think I can really complain, for that would just be plain ungrateful.
After a long history of ups and downs, I have certainly experienced a wide variety of tastes. Even after such a journey, I am still in search of that ONE flavour for me that will love me in sickness, in health, and even beyond death. Until then, let me introduce you to my latest sweetheart. I like to call him "Eggy". Isn't he just the cutest?
Wellll, I suppose it's a bit redundant to state it, but I will anyway: CHRISTIE + FOOD = LOVE
I don't just mean a widespread player-like love, but I have certainly enjoyed my share of short and long term relationships (i.e. food fads).
The oldest fad I can remember is good 'ol Cesar salad. Of course, this is the notorious pedophilic vegetable that has managed to be the only vegetable in the hearts of young children. It may be the crisp croutons, the juicy bacon bits, or perhaps the classic Cesar dressing itself. Whatever it is, children cannot avoid being drawn in by its irresistible promises and charm, myself included. Some days, we would go at it--4 or even 5 consecutive servings. I know, I was such a hoe from such a young age (i.e. 10-12).
Years after my puppy l
ove with cesar salad, I met couscous. SOOO GOOD! It's basically a pasta type that is in the form of tiny rice-like granules. It's of Mediterranean origin, I believe--one of my favourite food cultures! YUM. I ate so much couscous for about a month until I got sick of it. I still love it, but I don't think we will ever feel the same about each other again.
I shortly rebounded to sundried tomatoes. YUMYUMYUM!!!!!! Our eyes first met through delicious Italian cuisine, namely my favourite Italian restaurant in Toronto: Terroni's ^-^ We did it everywhere--on crackers, with bread, top(ping)less--you name it, we did it. ;)
You may be interested to hear this scandalous bit of information. I actually started my next relationship midway through the previous one...oops? Can you blame me? Things just sorta...happened while the sun-dried tomatoes sort of lost my interest. The flirting began and what do you know, sparks were flying everywhere. Enter: THE JALAPENO PEPPERS. I'm not even lying, this is an exact picture of the jar I was involved with. I devoured it with pasta, bread, and topless once again.
After a few months of this infatuation, we had a terrible breakup. I don't think I can really touch or even look at him again. From time to time, I'll help myself to a little nibble or enjoy his flavour in a subtler form, but we both know things can never return to the way they once were.
This next little bugger has proven to be a real tease with serious commitment issues. I was first drawn to its pleasing black appearance (right), but when I tasted its distinctive, flavourful inside, I knew I was in love. Little did I know, he didn't really reciprocate those feelings. I was instead passed onto his more envious cousin (below). We had a thing for a few months, and from time to time I would revert between the two. I guess you could say I was a bit of a player--and now? Well, lets just say we're a messed up triangle of friends who offer each other favours/benefits under the table from time to time...I don't think I can really complain, for that would just be plain ungrateful.
After a long history of ups and downs, I have certainly experienced a wide variety of tastes. Even after such a journey, I am still in search of that ONE flavour for me that will love me in sickness, in health, and even beyond death. Until then, let me introduce you to my latest sweetheart. I like to call him "Eggy". Isn't he just the cutest?
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Food Food Food Makes My World Go 'Round
Food is a daily necessity, essential to human survival. For me, I'd say it's more of a hobby. I love food.
My favourite ethnic food cultures are Korean, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Thai, Indian, and Canadian (eh?). My mom usually cooks Korean or Canadian food and brings home all kinds of tasty meats from the Chinese grocery stores Yuan Ming and T&T. My family also eats out at a lot of Chinese and Korean restaurants. I also love eating out.
I pretty much covered all of the major Asian foods except for Japanese. Well, personally, I find that Japanese food is skimpy and more for the presentation than the taste. They also come in those tiny little bento boxes, which rarely fill me up. Then again, after eating Japanese food, I kind of lose my appetite anyway.
Whenever I have to order fast food at one of those food courts, I will likely order from a Greek place. If you haven't tried it, you MUST try the gyros (pronounced year-ohs). It's my favourite Greek item. In fact, the shawarma is similar to that-not sure what culture that is from. I suppose my love for Greek food has also tricked me into loving olives and tzatziki sauce. At Greek restaurants, I also like to order the spanakopita just because they yell opa when they light it on fire. I suppose this perk is inspired by one of my favourite movies "My Big Fat Greek Wedding".
Also, my family used to eat at a lot of Italian restaurants. We kind of stopped now because my dad has a sensitive stomach to all the garlic they add to their dishes. This is probably responsible for sparking my love of pasta. I used to always order pastas whenever I went to Italian/Caucasian restaurants. I prefer the pastas with a bit of meat, a nice wine sauce, and some flavourful garnishes such as olives or capers. :) However, I have more recently tried to expand my horizons and order the sandwiches or meat dishes.
In terms of Thai and Indian food, my family doesn't really eat at these kinds of places too often. This is mainly because my dad has a really sensitive stomach, something which I have unfortunately inherited. These cultures tend to use a lot of spices and different flavourings in their food that my family is not used to, so it upsets our digestion. Still, I eat Indian food with my friends or other occasions with extended family whenever I can because it just tastes so good. A little stomachache or diarrhea?...I'll tough it out as long as the food is good.
OH, and I am most definitely a MEAT LOVER. I cannot even explain how important meat is in my life. Let me put it this way, I am the vegetarian's nemesis, and I don't understand how they survive. Basically, I assume they are one of those picky eaters who doesn't eat much. Plus, it's so difficult to eat with vegetarians whenever you go to a restaurant, since there are so many different degrees of vegetarianism: vegan, "I can eat seafood", "I don't eat seafood", etc.
Religious reasons, I can understand, but just random vegetarianism, I find it plain ridiculous. People can choose to eat the vegetables in whatever meat dish the non-veggies order--in fact, that's what my mom does. She's not a big meat fan, and she loves vegetables, basically a health nut. Besides, I know you vegetarians are secretly eyeing and want to have the meats we're having!! Why not just make the more practical lifestyle choice of reducing the amount of meat you have in your diet instead of cutting it out altogether? That way you can eat what you want, and you will probably have a healthier and more balanced diet than us tragically flawed meat lovers. Anyway, I pretty much need a good portion of meat in everything I eat, otherwise those better be some darn good veggies!
I understand that the healthiest lifestyle consists of a solid breakfast, a heavy lunch, and a light supper. Me, I choose my own lifestyle. In terms of mealtimes, my favourite meal is dinner. I see lunchtime as more of a midday snack. The typical lunch meal consists of soup and sandwiches, maybe complemented by some veggie sticks and dip. Speaking of this menu, YOU MUST VISIT PANERA AND ORDER THE SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. Awesome food, comforting atmosphere, highly recommended. :)
Anyway, I usually skip breakfast. This habit stems from my inability to wake up at a decent hour in the morning--again, a topic for another post. Besides, the rare times I do wake up early in the morning, the breakfast menu rarely interests me. In elementary school, my mom used to leave the house really early, so my dad would cook us breakfast. He made us "egg and rice" pretty much every single day for about...8 years? It was basically egg, rice, soya sauce, and sesame oil mixed together. It tasted really good, but after the same thing for 8 years in a row, I'm sure you can understand why I'm not that much of an egg fan anymore. Furthermore, I'm not a big fan of fruits or the grain foods like cereal, toast, bagels, or any of those weird muffin things. I don't care if it's a fruit explosion muffin! I DON'T WANT IT! Since my family doesn't have cable, we tend to watch a lot of movies, late at night. I usually get a nice pop and chips mini-meal in around this time. :)
In terms of my taste buds, I like spicy and savoury foods (meaning salt). Somehow I thought that all Asians were expected to eat spicy, but apparently Koreans have a spicier reputation than most. I at least know that non-Asians find Kimchi pretty spicy, whereas, I could just eat it by itself like chips (if I was hungry enough to have a meal that boring). Also, a lot of our chigaes (stews) are pretty red looking, although it may not be as spicy at it looks. Still, if you find kimchi spicy, you will definitely have a hard time with those.
My least favourite taste is sweet. I find those sweet n' sour dishes kind of weird, but sometimes tolerable because it at least has meat in it. One exception to this rule is that I really don't mind the sweet and sour soup at all. Oh and for those who didn't know, I don't really like chocolate that much. I'll admit I have a few sugary favourites: twix, turkish delight, and white chocolate, but those don't count cuz they're too good! Other than that, I don't really like chocolate, and I'd choose chips even over those chocolates any day.
Another characteristic of my food preferences is that I'm pretty cheap to feed. I'm not that much of a steak and sausage fan, but I love dumplings! You can get 5 packs at the Yuan Ming Supermarket for $10. At the Korean grocery, you can get one of those big packages of chicken dumplings for hmm...around 3 bucks I think. In fact, my Korean elementary school friends used to nickname me mandu (Korean for dumpling) because I brought it to school everyday and shared with them. Good times :) Also, I don't like seafood or other strange delicacies like chicken feet, which my boyfriend has attempted to forcefeed me on multiple occasions (luckily his mom was there to save me). I assume that seafood and steak are probably the most expensive things to buy, at least in Canada. If you ever want to keep me as a pet, I will be happy with cheap dumplings, Korean appetizers, or Greek gyros pitas!
Anyways, that's all I will write about my love of food for now. I hope you have increased your appreciation for all the variety of food that is available to us here in Canada just by reading this post. Here, we have so many options: homecooked meals, restaurants, fast food, different cultures of food, etc. I could never imagine living in a developing country where there are only two options: take it or leave it.
My favourite ethnic food cultures are Korean, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Thai, Indian, and Canadian (eh?). My mom usually cooks Korean or Canadian food and brings home all kinds of tasty meats from the Chinese grocery stores Yuan Ming and T&T. My family also eats out at a lot of Chinese and Korean restaurants. I also love eating out.
I pretty much covered all of the major Asian foods except for Japanese. Well, personally, I find that Japanese food is skimpy and more for the presentation than the taste. They also come in those tiny little bento boxes, which rarely fill me up. Then again, after eating Japanese food, I kind of lose my appetite anyway.
Whenever I have to order fast food at one of those food courts, I will likely order from a Greek place. If you haven't tried it, you MUST try the gyros (pronounced year-ohs). It's my favourite Greek item. In fact, the shawarma is similar to that-not sure what culture that is from. I suppose my love for Greek food has also tricked me into loving olives and tzatziki sauce. At Greek restaurants, I also like to order the spanakopita just because they yell opa when they light it on fire. I suppose this perk is inspired by one of my favourite movies "My Big Fat Greek Wedding".
Also, my family used to eat at a lot of Italian restaurants. We kind of stopped now because my dad has a sensitive stomach to all the garlic they add to their dishes. This is probably responsible for sparking my love of pasta. I used to always order pastas whenever I went to Italian/Caucasian restaurants. I prefer the pastas with a bit of meat, a nice wine sauce, and some flavourful garnishes such as olives or capers. :) However, I have more recently tried to expand my horizons and order the sandwiches or meat dishes.
In terms of Thai and Indian food, my family doesn't really eat at these kinds of places too often. This is mainly because my dad has a really sensitive stomach, something which I have unfortunately inherited. These cultures tend to use a lot of spices and different flavourings in their food that my family is not used to, so it upsets our digestion. Still, I eat Indian food with my friends or other occasions with extended family whenever I can because it just tastes so good. A little stomachache or diarrhea?...I'll tough it out as long as the food is good.
OH, and I am most definitely a MEAT LOVER. I cannot even explain how important meat is in my life. Let me put it this way, I am the vegetarian's nemesis, and I don't understand how they survive. Basically, I assume they are one of those picky eaters who doesn't eat much. Plus, it's so difficult to eat with vegetarians whenever you go to a restaurant, since there are so many different degrees of vegetarianism: vegan, "I can eat seafood", "I don't eat seafood", etc.
Religious reasons, I can understand, but just random vegetarianism, I find it plain ridiculous. People can choose to eat the vegetables in whatever meat dish the non-veggies order--in fact, that's what my mom does. She's not a big meat fan, and she loves vegetables, basically a health nut. Besides, I know you vegetarians are secretly eyeing and want to have the meats we're having!! Why not just make the more practical lifestyle choice of reducing the amount of meat you have in your diet instead of cutting it out altogether? That way you can eat what you want, and you will probably have a healthier and more balanced diet than us tragically flawed meat lovers. Anyway, I pretty much need a good portion of meat in everything I eat, otherwise those better be some darn good veggies!
I understand that the healthiest lifestyle consists of a solid breakfast, a heavy lunch, and a light supper. Me, I choose my own lifestyle. In terms of mealtimes, my favourite meal is dinner. I see lunchtime as more of a midday snack. The typical lunch meal consists of soup and sandwiches, maybe complemented by some veggie sticks and dip. Speaking of this menu, YOU MUST VISIT PANERA AND ORDER THE SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. Awesome food, comforting atmosphere, highly recommended. :)
Anyway, I usually skip breakfast. This habit stems from my inability to wake up at a decent hour in the morning--again, a topic for another post. Besides, the rare times I do wake up early in the morning, the breakfast menu rarely interests me. In elementary school, my mom used to leave the house really early, so my dad would cook us breakfast. He made us "egg and rice" pretty much every single day for about...8 years? It was basically egg, rice, soya sauce, and sesame oil mixed together. It tasted really good, but after the same thing for 8 years in a row, I'm sure you can understand why I'm not that much of an egg fan anymore. Furthermore, I'm not a big fan of fruits or the grain foods like cereal, toast, bagels, or any of those weird muffin things. I don't care if it's a fruit explosion muffin! I DON'T WANT IT! Since my family doesn't have cable, we tend to watch a lot of movies, late at night. I usually get a nice pop and chips mini-meal in around this time. :)
In terms of my taste buds, I like spicy and savoury foods (meaning salt). Somehow I thought that all Asians were expected to eat spicy, but apparently Koreans have a spicier reputation than most. I at least know that non-Asians find Kimchi pretty spicy, whereas, I could just eat it by itself like chips (if I was hungry enough to have a meal that boring). Also, a lot of our chigaes (stews) are pretty red looking, although it may not be as spicy at it looks. Still, if you find kimchi spicy, you will definitely have a hard time with those.
My least favourite taste is sweet. I find those sweet n' sour dishes kind of weird, but sometimes tolerable because it at least has meat in it. One exception to this rule is that I really don't mind the sweet and sour soup at all. Oh and for those who didn't know, I don't really like chocolate that much. I'll admit I have a few sugary favourites: twix, turkish delight, and white chocolate, but those don't count cuz they're too good! Other than that, I don't really like chocolate, and I'd choose chips even over those chocolates any day.
Another characteristic of my food preferences is that I'm pretty cheap to feed. I'm not that much of a steak and sausage fan, but I love dumplings! You can get 5 packs at the Yuan Ming Supermarket for $10. At the Korean grocery, you can get one of those big packages of chicken dumplings for hmm...around 3 bucks I think. In fact, my Korean elementary school friends used to nickname me mandu (Korean for dumpling) because I brought it to school everyday and shared with them. Good times :) Also, I don't like seafood or other strange delicacies like chicken feet, which my boyfriend has attempted to forcefeed me on multiple occasions (luckily his mom was there to save me). I assume that seafood and steak are probably the most expensive things to buy, at least in Canada. If you ever want to keep me as a pet, I will be happy with cheap dumplings, Korean appetizers, or Greek gyros pitas!
Anyways, that's all I will write about my love of food for now. I hope you have increased your appreciation for all the variety of food that is available to us here in Canada just by reading this post. Here, we have so many options: homecooked meals, restaurants, fast food, different cultures of food, etc. I could never imagine living in a developing country where there are only two options: take it or leave it.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
I gotta' feeling tonight's gonna be a great night...
Wahoo, I'm finally done my exam! It turned out okay. About two other people were doing the same exam as me. A bunch of older people were there for psychology, english, french, social work, and calculus 1. I also got to check out the Sheridan College campus, kind of depressing like Waterloo. But anyways, I'm not a landscape person at all, so I'm just being unnecessarily judgemental.
This morning I woke up at 9 miraculously, and I tried to study, but I just started feeling sick from my overwhelming nervousness. Even after a 2 hour nap, I still had a major headache and almost barfed. My usual symptoms were expectantly cured as soon as I started writing my exam. There's something about studying hard for a test and spilling out all of your brains on a piece of paper. It just feels so good!
Well, tonight, my parents and I are going to eat at a Chinese restaurant for dinner, and my mom is going to watch House with me, in a few minutes. :) The best part about all this is that my brother is at his friends' house for the entire weekend. Anyways, just wanted to share some of my joy, since most of my posts are depressing and negative.
Don't worry, be happy!
This morning I woke up at 9 miraculously, and I tried to study, but I just started feeling sick from my overwhelming nervousness. Even after a 2 hour nap, I still had a major headache and almost barfed. My usual symptoms were expectantly cured as soon as I started writing my exam. There's something about studying hard for a test and spilling out all of your brains on a piece of paper. It just feels so good!
Well, tonight, my parents and I are going to eat at a Chinese restaurant for dinner, and my mom is going to watch House with me, in a few minutes. :) The best part about all this is that my brother is at his friends' house for the entire weekend. Anyways, just wanted to share some of my joy, since most of my posts are depressing and negative.
Don't worry, be happy!
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