I Love To Eat

You know the real problem with most restaurants in the US? It's not just that they give huge portions (thought that is a problem), but that it's the same taste throughout the whole meal. You may get enough food to feed sub-Saharan Africa, but the taste never changes. What makes a great meal great is not just well prepared food, but a variety of tastes and flavors that compliment one another. Even the best steak is going to start to lose its edge when it's 20 ounces (though this is a theory I still want to test).

A good meal is like a story with an ongoing dialogue and a theme to it, with no chapter (portion) should be too long. By changing complimenting flavors and textures, each piece gets better and better. Going to most upscale restaurants with a good Chef will give you this experience. But you don't have to break the bank.

Two of my favorites styles of eating are Dim Sum (Chinese) and Tapas (Spanish). Both of these styles are a meal made up of appetizer portions of food. No one portion is particular large, but you get an opportunity to sample a lot of different flavors. This verity of flavors really enhances the meal, not to mention that if you are with a large group, you will get to trade a multitude of dishes. Since you are not a Master Chef, you won't be matching your flavors perfectly, but it still leads to a wonderful meal and is a great social experience.

Approximately one year ago I wrote a blog about a business trip to India (http://joeinindia.blogspot.com/) and found the experience (both the trip and writing about it) a real joy. Unfortunately, since returning I've not had a lot to write about on the topic. I've been thinking what to write about. Then it became obvious, food.

Food has been a love of mine since I can remember. My parents were pretty careful with money, but the two areas they were always willing to spend it on was travel and eating out. They wanted me and my two brothers to have an appreciation for different cultures foods, and boy did they succeed. My brothers and I are all big fans of trying out new foods and discussing it. The title of this blog actually came from my eldest brother's three year old while we were babysitting him. While waiting for some Mac & Cheese I was heating up he started chanting 'I Love To Eat' and we knew right then he was a member of the Drasin clan.

Food really is the great equalizer. In the book 'The War with Mr. Wizzle' one of the students talks about how food brings people together. When you have a birthday, you eat. A marriage is celebrated with a banquet. Business dealings are discussed over dinner. It is the most basic need of humans.

So here we are, ready to explore food. This is not so much going to be about specific restaurants, though I always love sharing recommendations, but about food and dishes in general and how we experiance it.