Pizzeria Flavored

Two interesting articles in today's NYT -- one about the evils of ground beef and the other about the importance of eating dinner with your kids. As for beef, I imagine for some readers there will be no separation between the value of beef in general and the value extracted from beef when run through the deregulated for-profit industrial food supply chain. Makes me want to buy a piece of grass-fed chuck from a small farm selling at the farmers market and grinding it myself at home, and feeding that proudly to my family. McNorberts!

The other article made me remember some miserable times at home with my parents -- my mom insisted on the four of us sitting at a kitchen table and eating dinner together pretty much 5 to 6 nights a week -- the seventh would be out at a restaurant, or eating leftovers in front of the TV, or my brother out with friends. She wouldn't let my brother read at the table, even if we weren't talkin'. Looking back, it was a symptom of how fiercely and strongly my mom loved us, but at the time it was such a drag -- her cooking was such crap and it never occurred to her to encourage me or my brother to cook with her. Edie is gonna cook with me. And we're going to eat together. I imagine if she's dating some horrible boy, or comes out as a lesbian, or announces that she's decided to become vegan (noooo! he he), it'll happen around the diner table.

BREAKFAST: 8:15am, peanut m&m's,.5 bowl, hunger 4/5
When I wander blearily into the kitchen when I wake up and there are sweets on the table in front if me, whether it's cider donuts or cupcakes or m&m's, THEY WILL BE EATEN POST HASTE. Without discrimination. Nary a thought. Not a good way to start a day, but it was fun to eat.

AM BIKE SNACK: 11:30am, slice of streetza, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
A random place in a beautiful street in Woodhaven, Queens.

PM BIKE SNACK: 1:30pm, Manhattan Special, pack of combos, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
In a park in Middle Village, couldn't resist the call of the caffeine of a Special, and looking for something to snack on, couldn't resist a product whose flavor is "Pizzeria" -- not "Pizza" mind you, but "Pizzeria"....it tasted of oregano and fake cheddar cheese, with overtones of tomato paste. All wrapped up in a pretzel. Nasty.

LUNCH: 3pm, small portion of mac n' cheese, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5
Good, but not great. I spiked the sauce with Worcestershire sauce, I think next time gonna go heavier to get a fuller taste.

DINNER: 6:15pm, rotelle with homemade tomato sauce and spinach, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
Equal parts tomato sauce and cooked spinach/mushroom mixture makes for a good pasta coating, neither saucy or dry.

PM SNACK: 7:30pm, a few little cookies

EVENING SNACK: 8:45pm, ice cream sandwich, .75 bowl, hunger 4/5