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So yeah, yeah, yeah, you get it: I'm not a risk-taker or -appreciator, even. Instead, my food-related choices are driven by two simple questions: How am I feeling, and what kinds of flavors and textures would either enhance (if I'm feeling good) or reverse (if I'm feeling crummy) my mood? I guess this is some form of emotion-based utilitarianism.
So last Saturday, at around 1 PM when I woke up, I asked myself how I was feeling. My answer: groggy, somewhat disoriented; in a haze. Then, what could I eat to reverse the grog, the disorientation, and the haze? Definitely not a cold bowl of shredded wheat squares. No, the implications of choosing to eat a bowlful of something so mild-mannered could be near fatal, could potentially intensify the haze. I needed something that marked a change from the usual Saturday morning breakfast. Some degree of kick was necessary.
What I ended up eating was very simple and very effective. I had toast topped with a slice of creamy Havarti and a generous amount of a fiery guac. A clove of raw garlic and several slivers of habanero provided the kind of kick I needed. How did I feel after this meal? Inspired, charged, and with complete clarity of mind.
I never eat just for the sake of eating. For me, eating is always purposeful, and meals are always designed to be precise in their effects. I am not a foodie, but that doesn't mean I don't have a food philosophy.
Fiery Guac, Perfect Atop Toast
-ingredients-
1 ripe avocado
1 small handful of finely chopped onion
1 habanero pepper, sliced up into slivers*
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 or 2 wedges of lime
*Note: Be sure to either wear gloves or wrap your fingertips with plastic wrap when handling the habanero. Fiery guac is a good thing; fiery fingertips are not.
-preparation-
1. In a small bowl, mash together the avocado, onion, habanero slivers, and garlic.
2. Squeeze in the juice of 1 or 2 wedges of lime; season with salt and pepper.