Reggae, rollerblades, cheap French wine, warm goat cheese, salad

I started to blog this little rant on a Monday with intention of expressing some bottled up tension and embracing in some of life’s small pleasures.  Amongst some pain I was able to find some bliss.  And then I found myself asleep with all of my lights on, music going and a book on my face, so needless to say I never posted.  Yet, I feel the rant is still worthy.  I’ve been pushing through a funk.  Weaving my way through some internal difficulties, while trying to stay in touch with the external.  Gradually I’m coming to.  But prior to this particular night I was in the place where the internal was overwhelming the external and I was having trouble just feeling my feet on the ground.   I was trying to do more than just go through, the motions, but the air felt really thick because my heart and my head were more twisted than tortellini.  I was far from ovenhappy and lacking an appetite because my system was in heavy processing mode.

Despite the sensation of the air feeling like mud, I usually try to keep moving through it.  Last week after a good session of “fruitbooting,” to some reggae and sunshine I was able to tap into some bliss with some good food and drink.  I share this not because I feel my turmoil is particularly special, but rather because I truly believe that food can elevate an emotional state and bring peace and joy to our lives. Beyond just the biological transaction of calories entering our bodies and fueling us for activity, food nourishes us.  Just like music or art or literature, food slows us down and allows us to savor beauty and complexity.  While this may seem a simple phenomenon, I think it is an important one and I revere it.

So, I was able to find nourishment on this Monday night with some reggae, rollerblades, cheap French wine, warm goat cheese, salad and reading.  Yes, rollerblading.  I’ve been really into it recently.  It’s like I’m having quarter-life crisis and trying to relive the nineties.  While, fifty somethings’ are trying to relive the freedom of being twenty-something with bars and tube tops and stuff.  I’m trying to relive the freedom of being eight or something.  Next thing you know I’ll be playing tetherball.  So after about an hour of Black Uhuru and bootin’ I finally got my appetite back.

I didn’t get much sleep the night prior, so I didn’t have much energy for cooking, but I wanted something simple and satisfying.  I didn’t have much in my fridge either.  But, I did have some really fresh mixed greens, a Roma tomato, some goat cheese and some inexpensive French Cabernet that I heard was decent.  These items were perfect for my mood.

I poured a glass of the $4.99 Cabernet, and let it breath.  I tossed the mixed greens in some excellent olive oil, balsamic and salt and pepper.  The goat cheese went in the oven to warm up.  I quartered the tomato and sautéed it in a little olive oil and salt and pepper.  I dumped the mixed greens onto my favorite plate, topped them with the warm goat cheese and sautéed tomatoes and grabbed a fork and my glass of wine.  It was still light out and the temperature was perfect so I went to sit outside.

As I sat with this food in front of me, I felt so fortunate- like royalty for having access to such simple but special ingredients and a home to prepare them in.  The air was cool, but the sun was still leaking softly on me.  I took a bite.  Warm creamy, slightly tangy goat cheese against crisp greens, round fruity olive oil, sweet and acidic sautéed tomatoes, freshly ground pepper and subtle crunches of coarse sea salt were gracefully colliding together. I sighed with satisfaction and gratitude for this simple little symphony. I sniffed and sipped the wine that was indeed, decent. Finally, I was out of my head and completely in the present.  Acknowledging this, I sat back, smiled and reveled in the fact that food was a medium for bringing me back to the present.