THE LOST POSTS: The Pursuit of Happyness

Do you remember that first bite of your mother's PBJ? The creamy (or in my case, crunchy) nuttiness of the peanut butter seemed to blend seamlessly with the fruity, sugary jelly. Toss in a glass of milk and everything seemed just...perfect. And each time you had it, again and again, there was just something undeniably perfect about the coupling. Every part of the sandwich just got each other – no conflicts, no discussion – just pure, unashamed perfection. It wasn't hard to figure out what's next; you just ate it and smiled.

Or maybe you didn't. Maybe for you, a PBJ was the closest thing to torture available to the parent of a 6 year old. Maybe when you ate it, the peanut butter morbidly stuck to the roof of your mouth, forcing you to wash it out with the most dreadful ice cold beverage to ever touch your lips. For you, the end could not have come quickly enough, and when it did, you ran swiftly away.

Or maybe it was just ok. Not awesome, not terrible, just...ok. Something to quiet that rumble before heading off to Phys Ed. You weren't excited to see it in your lunch box, but you weren't sneaking off to throw it away or offering to trade it with your BFF for half a Lunchable.

What about the human nature is so attracted to that which seems in most harmony with our desires? If it makes sense to us, we scramble to surround ourselves with it. We clamor after every last bit remnant; from licking the crumbs off a plate to sopping grandma's gravy with a biscuit. We become insatiable for just one more taste of that perfect something...

When it’s terrible, the decision is equally simple. Run. When a dish isn't in synch with our basic selves, humans instinctually pick up our forks and sprint to the hills. No transportation is too expensive or too slow to (shuffle) us from the worst we've had to anything else...

But what do we do when it’s just...ok?

Do you reflect and ask yourself if you're tastes are just snobbish and the Big Mac is plenty ok if billions and billions think so? Do you sit there and take it, convincing yourself that the next trip to Ambrosia is just 2 more days away so hold on! Or do you just keep eating and remember it’s just a meal, one of thousands you will have in your life...

What should you do? Does anybody ever know?

The UE

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THE LOST POSTS: Like Mama Used to Make

Do you remember that first bite of your mother's PBJ? The creamy (or in my case, crunchy) nuttiness of the peanut butter seemed to blend seamlessly with the fruity, sugary jelly. Toss in a glass of milk and everything seemed just...perfect. And each time you had it, again and again, there was just something undeniably perfect about the coupling. Every part of the sandwich just got each other – no conflicts, no discussion – just pure, unashamed perfection. It wasn't hard to figure out what's next; you just ate it and smiled.

Or maybe you didn't. Maybe for you, a PBJ was the closest thing to torture available to the parent of a 6 year old. Maybe when you ate it, the peanut butter morbidly stuck to the roof of your mouth, forcing you to wash it out with the most dreadful ice cold beverage to ever touch your lips. For you, the end could not have come quickly enough, and when it did, you ran swiftly away.

Or maybe it was just ok. Not awesome, not terrible, just...ok. Something to quiet that rumble before heading off to Phys Ed. You weren't excited to see it in your lunch box, but you weren't sneaking off to throw it away or offering to trade it with your BFF for half a Lunchable.

What about the human nature is so attracted to that which seems in most harmony with our desires? If it makes sense to us, we scramble to surround ourselves with it. We clamor after every last bit remnant; from licking the crumbs off a plate to sopping grandma's gravy with a biscuit. We become insatiable for just one more taste of that perfect something...

When it’s terrible, the decision is equally simple. Run. When a dish isn't in synch with our basic selves, humans instinctually pick up our forks and sprint to the hills. No transportation is too expensive or too slow to (shuffle) us from the worst we've had to anything else...

But what do we do when it’s just...ok?

Do you reflect and ask yourself if you're tastes are just snobbish and the Big Mac is plenty ok if billions and billions think so? Do you sit there and take it, convincing yourself that the next trip to Ambrosia is just 2 more days away so hold on! Or do you just keep eating and remember it’s just a meal, one of thousands you will have in your life...

What should you do? Does anybody ever know?

The UE

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THE LOST POSTS: Untitled

For those of you who know me, you might have suspicions I am somewhat of a chauvinist. That I believe a woman's place is in the kitchen, and at home performing the duties of Chief Domestic Officer. However, while I am a traditionalist at heart, I am open to a more modern approach to home life. I never ask someone to perform a task I myself would not do. I cook like a champ, I keep a spotless house (most of the time), and I bring extra plates to the picnic.

Lately I have been considering why the concept of having someone else cook dinner is so enticing to me. What about food made by another just makes it taste so good? And I think I just had an epiphany...

I am a control freak. I like to know what's going on and when at all times. I want to influence nations and help keep people accountable to their goals. I have even claimed to rule my world with an "iron fist".

Surprisingly though, some of the best meals I have had were at the hands of others. Chefs who put together dishes at will, waiters with free range to select my tasting menu, and even friends who just want to make a good meal for someone have all put food in my stomach above and beyond any meals I have made. And I now believe I know the extra seasoning, that secret ingredient baked into each meal: reprieve.

My meals taste so much better when I let go of all the control. Having a meal prepared by someone else with no control on the preparation or input on the flavors and ingredients can be a frightening thought. Will I like it? Will it be cooked right? Will it be edible? All these concerns fly out of my head once the plate hits the table and the first bite touches my palate.

Letting someone else cook a meal shows trust. Being able to actually eat the meal earns that trust. And a full stomach at the hands of someone else makes everyone happy.

The UE

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Farewell Food Tour & Picnic: Map

Friends, Fans and Foodophiles,

Here is the plan for the farewell food tour. As a reminder, the food tour is SATURDAY, JULY 23RD starting at 2pm.

We will MEET AT COFFEE SHOP AT UNION SQUARE (throwback to 2005!) for a drink, then head to Brooklyn to start the food tour. Please bring a PICNIC BLANKET or some suitable substitute, as we will be ending in the park, hopefully with several bottles of libation.

Hope you all can make it!

Brian

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THE LOST POSTS: Food and Culture Survey

In the Spring of 2009, I asked several of my friends to answer surveys about their relationship with food. I don't remember the purpose - was probably going to write some deep post about how food and food traditions supersede cultural walls and end up very similar, but now I will just settle for the intellectual and comedic satisfaction.

Enjoy the below survey responses, all unedited!

- THE UE

Click each picture to read the surveys















This is the rest of the post

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Escaped from Under My Rock. Back Again for the LAST Time...

I know it's been a long time since I've written anything on here. It's a plum shame. Between triathlons, recovering from triathlons, and traveling here there and everywhere in between, I lost my focus on this blog. And now, as fate may have it, I am facing my final days in the city that inspired me to even begin this journey.

But fear not my friends! As we approach the last days of my NYC existence, and consequently the last days of new posts for this blog, I will engage your minds for one last time. I have found a few "Lost Posts", which were written almost 2 years ago. I guess I just forgot about them...or thought they were too personal at the time.

But stay tuned, here they come!

- The UE

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Farewell Food Tour - SAVE THE DATE 7/23/11

Friends, Fans and Foodophiles,

As some of you may know, my time in the Big Apple is winding down, and I will be soon moving out of the city. Given so many of you have been instrumental to my time in NYC, I was hoping to host one last food tour to say a proper goodbye to the city that has raised me for 5 years.

Please mark your calendars for JULY 23, 2011 - details will come soon, but the usual walking + after tour drinks should be expected. I do hope you can make it out, tell your friends to come too!

Best,
Brian

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