Dining out in pairs or groups often brings up the subject of etiquette. I don't mean just manners, per se-- it's pretty widely accepted that you put your napkin in your lap and keep your elbows off the table--but rather some of the other intricacies that surface throughout a meal. It's a quick way to learn the difference between what you and your dining companion(s) accept as the norm.
When I was 18, for example, I went out to dinner at a Pizzeria Uno (a deep dish pizza chain) with a boy I liked. All was going well, conversation was flowing nicely. We were seated and before I even picked up the menu to decide what I wanted to eat, he said to our server, "We'll have two personal pepperoni pizzas and two cokes." After I recovered from choking on my water, I looked at him with wide eyes and said, "Are you kidding me? You actually thought it would be OK to decide for me what I would be eating?" His response was simply, "Hey, don't worry about it. I'm gonna pay for it!" We never went out again.
Now, I recognize that in some circles, it's considered a chivalrous thing for a man to order for a woman, but my understanding is that these days you have to ask her what she wants first.
Another issue that arises often at the table is tipping. My old roommate and best friend Ryan has been a longtime server in many different kinds of restaurants. Because of this, he is the single-most generous tipper I've ever known. He usually tips everyone upwards of 30%--servers, bartenders, cabbies, hairstylists, etc. While I totally appreciate where he's coming from, I'm more of a 20-25% kind of girl, which still contrasts greatly with my strictly-15% friends. And my father tells a story of a particularly rude waitress who waited on him and some friends in his early twenties. She was so offensive that they decided to leave her nothing but a Tic-Tac.
The differences that arise are not necessarily strictly between the diners either. It can be pretty funny what some servers consider standard. Last weekend, for example, at a half-empty Castro restaurant in San Francisco, my friend and I were asked twice by both the server and the busser if we were done eating within the first 5 minutes of having our breakfasts in front of us. We were then presented the check before we'd finished even half. Nobody was specifically rude, but they seemed to be pretty anxious to get us out of there.
The biggest source of dining awkwardness that I encounter seems to be when a big group goes out for a meal and some of the diners ordered wine, appetizers, entrees and desserts and a handful ordered side salads and ice water. Because going through the check item by item and telling everyone what they owe is, to me, the fastest, most effective way to kill the warm feelings of joviality and togetherness that dining as a group yields, I see two main options: a)the whole check should be divided evenly, regardless of who ordered what or, even better, b)those who ordered more should be mindful of that fact and so contribute enough to cover their portion of the bill without making a big deal about it.
Dining out with friends is probably one of my all-time favorite activities. Good food, great conversation, what's not to like?
Just don't think you can pick out my order for me.
Love,
Gabi
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Spicy, Salty, Sweet, and Sour
My friend Rachel loves ranch dressing. Seriously, it doesn't matter where we are, she asks for a side of ranch with whatever she ordered, which is particularly amusing when we go to fancy restaurants. I would say her #2 condiment is teriyaki sauce, which she likes to pour over everything when we go out for Japanese. I usually never miss an opportunity to poke fun at her for this habit, but on a recent visit to our favorite sushi restaurant (www.sushihanasf.com--tasty, well-priced, and close to the movie theater we frequent), while I gently teased her as she swirled a piece of tekka maki in teriyaki sauce, she said, "Hey, it makes everything taste so good!" And really, she has a good point. While I personally might not choose to use Teriyaki sauce in that way, I can appreciate that she is personalizing her food--making it taste better to her--and that, after all, is the idea.
Check out the top condiments I like to have on hand to personalize my food:
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt: If you don't have these on hand, stop what you're doing, do NOT read on, and go purchase a good pepper grinder and some sea salt. Oh, and if you have a little shaker of already ground flaked black pepper, throw it away. If I was only allowed two condiments, these would be the ones, no question.
Sriracha: A spicy Vietnamese pureed chili-garlic sauce. Tangy, hot, a little bit sour and a little bit sweet. Delicious on meats, fish, vegetables, rice, noodle dishes, even pizza and quesadillas. I especially love to blend a little bit of sriracha with good mayonnaise and make a sriracha aioli. Absolutely delicious with sweet potato oven fries. Also, be sure to buy the brand with the rooster on it--it's the only truly tasty one.
Tapatio Brand Hot Sauce: Speaking of spicy sauces, this one is the absolute best for heating up any Mexican food. Equally delicious on purchased burritos from your favorite taqueria (see post #1 for ideas on that...) as on homemade chiles rellenos. I also love to make Tapatio-spiced pecans for salads or as a snack with cocktails. Simply pan-toast 1 cup of pecans until they release their oils and become slightly crisp. Set aside. Then melt 1/2 cup sugar until it becomes liquid, stirring frequently. Shake a few drops of Tapatio into the melted sugar and stir until it becomes caramel. Then stir in the nuts until they are all completely coated. Spread the caramel-nut mixture onto wax or parchment paper and allow to cool. Once cool and hard, break apart the nuts and serve either in a salad or in a small bowl as an appetizer.
Mayonnaise: I don't actually like the taste of plain mayonnaise, but having a small jar of ideally organic, very high-quality mayonnaise in the fridge is still important if you want to make things like egg salad, potato salad, or a quick aioli, like the one listed above.
Meyer Lemon Olive Oil: It might sound a little frivolous, but it is absolutely delicious. A good one can be pricey, but it's totally worth it and it lasts forever. I like the Katz brand (www.katzandco.com). Drizzle it over new red potatoes with fresh Italian parsley, sea salt and cracked pepper for a simple side dish, or whisk it together with an aged balsamic for an easy yet complex-tasting vinaigrette.
Peanut Butter: I know I don't have to work too hard to convince most people to buy peanut butter. Obviously it's delicious, great with Jelly, high in protein and very satisfying, but my favorite thing to do with peanut butter is actually to make a quick peanut sauce, which is a very easy way to turn plain protein and vegetables into a dinner that you're actually excited about eating. Whisk together 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (natural means not over-processed--the oil separates and rises to the top--be sure to stir it well before using), 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sriracha (see above), 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1/8 teaspoon chopped or powdered ginger, a splash of rice vinegar, a squeeze of lime, and a drizzle of honey. Tinker with the ingredients until it tastes good to you. I sometimes add a few tablespoons of coconut milk if I'm feeling decadent. Use as a dip for spring rolls, a sauce for rice noodles, chicken, fish, meat, whatever.
Balsamic Vinegar: You probably already use balsamic vinegar in dressings, but did you know that a balsamic reduction is the fastest and easiest way to turn a ho-hum dish into something fancy? Simply cook in a small pot on medium-low heat until it thickens, stirring frequently. The result is a thick, sweet, sophisticated garnish or glaze. I love to brush balsamic reduction over baked chicken drumettes and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a fancy take on a favorite appetizer. It's also great drizzled over goat cheese and served with toast points, and can be used as a replacement for aged balsamic vinegar.
Soy Sauce: The absolute easiest way to add salty depth to any food without resorting to dumping plain salt over it. Try stirring a few drops into your homemade barbeque sauce or tartar sauce.
As Rachel pointed out, condiments exist to make our food taste better. Part of being an adventurous eater is experimenting with different flavors, and the host of condiments available today is a great way to get started doing that. To me, playing with condiments is really just an extension of cooking and I like cooking so much that I sometimes like to extend it all the way to the table.
To your health (and your tastebuds)!
Love,
Gabi
Check out the top condiments I like to have on hand to personalize my food:
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper and Sea Salt: If you don't have these on hand, stop what you're doing, do NOT read on, and go purchase a good pepper grinder and some sea salt. Oh, and if you have a little shaker of already ground flaked black pepper, throw it away. If I was only allowed two condiments, these would be the ones, no question.
Sriracha: A spicy Vietnamese pureed chili-garlic sauce. Tangy, hot, a little bit sour and a little bit sweet. Delicious on meats, fish, vegetables, rice, noodle dishes, even pizza and quesadillas. I especially love to blend a little bit of sriracha with good mayonnaise and make a sriracha aioli. Absolutely delicious with sweet potato oven fries. Also, be sure to buy the brand with the rooster on it--it's the only truly tasty one.
Tapatio Brand Hot Sauce: Speaking of spicy sauces, this one is the absolute best for heating up any Mexican food. Equally delicious on purchased burritos from your favorite taqueria (see post #1 for ideas on that...) as on homemade chiles rellenos. I also love to make Tapatio-spiced pecans for salads or as a snack with cocktails. Simply pan-toast 1 cup of pecans until they release their oils and become slightly crisp. Set aside. Then melt 1/2 cup sugar until it becomes liquid, stirring frequently. Shake a few drops of Tapatio into the melted sugar and stir until it becomes caramel. Then stir in the nuts until they are all completely coated. Spread the caramel-nut mixture onto wax or parchment paper and allow to cool. Once cool and hard, break apart the nuts and serve either in a salad or in a small bowl as an appetizer.
Mayonnaise: I don't actually like the taste of plain mayonnaise, but having a small jar of ideally organic, very high-quality mayonnaise in the fridge is still important if you want to make things like egg salad, potato salad, or a quick aioli, like the one listed above.
Meyer Lemon Olive Oil: It might sound a little frivolous, but it is absolutely delicious. A good one can be pricey, but it's totally worth it and it lasts forever. I like the Katz brand (www.katzandco.com). Drizzle it over new red potatoes with fresh Italian parsley, sea salt and cracked pepper for a simple side dish, or whisk it together with an aged balsamic for an easy yet complex-tasting vinaigrette.
Peanut Butter: I know I don't have to work too hard to convince most people to buy peanut butter. Obviously it's delicious, great with Jelly, high in protein and very satisfying, but my favorite thing to do with peanut butter is actually to make a quick peanut sauce, which is a very easy way to turn plain protein and vegetables into a dinner that you're actually excited about eating. Whisk together 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (natural means not over-processed--the oil separates and rises to the top--be sure to stir it well before using), 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sriracha (see above), 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, 1/8 teaspoon chopped or powdered ginger, a splash of rice vinegar, a squeeze of lime, and a drizzle of honey. Tinker with the ingredients until it tastes good to you. I sometimes add a few tablespoons of coconut milk if I'm feeling decadent. Use as a dip for spring rolls, a sauce for rice noodles, chicken, fish, meat, whatever.
Balsamic Vinegar: You probably already use balsamic vinegar in dressings, but did you know that a balsamic reduction is the fastest and easiest way to turn a ho-hum dish into something fancy? Simply cook in a small pot on medium-low heat until it thickens, stirring frequently. The result is a thick, sweet, sophisticated garnish or glaze. I love to brush balsamic reduction over baked chicken drumettes and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a fancy take on a favorite appetizer. It's also great drizzled over goat cheese and served with toast points, and can be used as a replacement for aged balsamic vinegar.
Soy Sauce: The absolute easiest way to add salty depth to any food without resorting to dumping plain salt over it. Try stirring a few drops into your homemade barbeque sauce or tartar sauce.
As Rachel pointed out, condiments exist to make our food taste better. Part of being an adventurous eater is experimenting with different flavors, and the host of condiments available today is a great way to get started doing that. To me, playing with condiments is really just an extension of cooking and I like cooking so much that I sometimes like to extend it all the way to the table.
To your health (and your tastebuds)!
Love,
Gabi
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Matzah Brei
Honestly, I wouldn't say that my father is the biggest culinary role model in my life...
That's NOT to say he never did anything for me. He taught me how to ride a bike, how to catch a baseball, how to drive, how to appear unimpressed by car salesmen, how to do my taxes and how to win at Yahtzee, to name a few, but my food education came mostly from my mother, the gourmet. It's no big family secret--my dad makes no false claims about his cooking skills, readily admitting that he is a great golfer, lawyer, pianist and joke-teller, but not a great chef.
There is, however, one recipe my father cooked for me when I was a child that was the first successful dish I ever cooked by myself, and that I continue to make today: matzah brei. If you've never had matzah brei, imagine an omelet made with matzah and onions (I know some people like sweet Matzah Brei, made with sugar and eaten like French Toast, but the Moskowitz family thinks that's weird--we keep it strictly savory). It's a very simple recipe, but it goes a long way to prove that simple things can be very special. Just the smell of onions cooking is enough to make me want to drive the hour it takes to get to my parents' house for some Matzah Brei with my dad. Here it is. I haven't changed anything:
Larry Moskowitz's Matzah Brei
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups 2% milk
2 eggs
5 sheets egg-and-onion flavor matzah
Onion salt and pepper to garnish
Pour the milk into a large bowl. Carefully crack the eggs into the milk and and use a whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Break the matzah into pieces and place in the egg-milk mixture, pushing down the matzah to ensure that it is fully covered by the liquid. Set aside and allow to soak for 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large frying pan, but don't let it brown. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about5 minutes, making sure to move them around with a spatula as needed. When the matzah has soaked for long enough, add the whole bowl's contents to the frying pan and allow to cook, scraping the pan occasionally with a spatula, until the almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. It takes a few tries to determine just how long to cook it so it's not too dry and not too wet. Basically, you want it to be about as wet as freshly scrambled eggs.
Once your matzah brei is finished, divide it onto plates and garnish with onion salt and freshly cracked pepper.
For a truly authentic Larry Moskowitz experience, eat while watching televised golf.
Love,
Gabi
That's NOT to say he never did anything for me. He taught me how to ride a bike, how to catch a baseball, how to drive, how to appear unimpressed by car salesmen, how to do my taxes and how to win at Yahtzee, to name a few, but my food education came mostly from my mother, the gourmet. It's no big family secret--my dad makes no false claims about his cooking skills, readily admitting that he is a great golfer, lawyer, pianist and joke-teller, but not a great chef.
There is, however, one recipe my father cooked for me when I was a child that was the first successful dish I ever cooked by myself, and that I continue to make today: matzah brei. If you've never had matzah brei, imagine an omelet made with matzah and onions (I know some people like sweet Matzah Brei, made with sugar and eaten like French Toast, but the Moskowitz family thinks that's weird--we keep it strictly savory). It's a very simple recipe, but it goes a long way to prove that simple things can be very special. Just the smell of onions cooking is enough to make me want to drive the hour it takes to get to my parents' house for some Matzah Brei with my dad. Here it is. I haven't changed anything:
Larry Moskowitz's Matzah Brei
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups 2% milk
2 eggs
5 sheets egg-and-onion flavor matzah
Onion salt and pepper to garnish
Pour the milk into a large bowl. Carefully crack the eggs into the milk and and use a whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Break the matzah into pieces and place in the egg-milk mixture, pushing down the matzah to ensure that it is fully covered by the liquid. Set aside and allow to soak for 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large frying pan, but don't let it brown. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about5 minutes, making sure to move them around with a spatula as needed. When the matzah has soaked for long enough, add the whole bowl's contents to the frying pan and allow to cook, scraping the pan occasionally with a spatula, until the almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. It takes a few tries to determine just how long to cook it so it's not too dry and not too wet. Basically, you want it to be about as wet as freshly scrambled eggs.
Once your matzah brei is finished, divide it onto plates and garnish with onion salt and freshly cracked pepper.
For a truly authentic Larry Moskowitz experience, eat while watching televised golf.
Love,
Gabi
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Pizza Dough For All!
Everyone should have a ball of fresh pizza dough in their refrigerator at all times. It's ridiculously easy and you can make SO many things out of it. Here's my recipe:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Combine water, yeast and sugar and set aside in a warm place until it begins to foam (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile in a bowl, mixer w/paddle or a food processor, combine salt and flour. Slowly stream in the yeast mixture and add the olive oil. If using a mixer or food processor, turn on and allow ingredients to combine until they form a ball of dough. If you're using a mixer, now is the time to switch to the dough hook. Knead (either by turning on your machine or by hand) for 2-3 minutes. Set aside in an oiled bowl, covered with a damp dish towel in a warm place (like an oven that has been turned on and then turned off and allowed to cool a bit but is still warm) for 30 minutes. After dough has doubled in size, punch down and allow to rise for another 30 minutes (20 if you're impatient) then you can do almost ANYTHING! See below my favorite uses for pizza dough.
1. Pizza, obviously. Sauce (I like pesto), cheeses (or not!), veggies, meats, whatever. Bake at 475 on a floured pizza pan or stone for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and browned in spots.
2. Calzones! Simply roll dough out into an 6-inch circle, fill with your favorite ingredients, fold over, pinch the edges together until sealed, brush the top with olive oil and bake at 475F on a floured baking tray for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.
3. Cinnamon rolls! They can even be prepared the night before and left in the refrigerator and then baked in the morning. Roll dough out into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up tightly to form an 8-inch cylinder. Cut into 1-inch slices and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes. To make a quick glaze, combine 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and drizzle over hot cinnamon rolls.
4. Flatbread! I love to roll out a small ball of dough, sprinkle it lightly with sea salt (or garlic and fresh parsley if I'm feeling festive!), and fry it in 1 teaspoon of olive oil on both sides until it is bubbly and browned in spots. Can be served like naan with Indian food or as a delicious accompaniment to soups. Also delicious sliced in wedges and served with hummus or topped with lightly dressed baby spinach and goat cheese and folded over. Yum! Instant dinner.
5. Homemade tortillas! While not a strictly traditional tortilla recipe, thinly rolled and lightly fried bits of pizza dough double very tastily as flour tortillas. I especially love to fill them with cotija cheese, black beans, avocado, onions and cilantro.
6. Parmesan bread sticks! These are a great way to make a simple salad seem like a special dinner. Simply roll pieces of pizza dough into thin-ish 6-inch cylinders and twist. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and sea salt and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are browned and the cheese is melted and brown in spots.
Nearly every yeasted bread dough can be substituted by pizza dough. I am telling you, keep this stuff in your fridge--it'll last in a plastic airtight bag for about a week--and you will never go hungry or order takeout unnecessarily again!
Love,
Gabi
P.S. My perfect pizza: Fresh pesto, goat cheese, spinach and roasted red peppers. Served with arugula salad with lemon dressing. Mmm...maybe a glass of La Crema Chardonnay too.
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Combine water, yeast and sugar and set aside in a warm place until it begins to foam (4-5 minutes). Meanwhile in a bowl, mixer w/paddle or a food processor, combine salt and flour. Slowly stream in the yeast mixture and add the olive oil. If using a mixer or food processor, turn on and allow ingredients to combine until they form a ball of dough. If you're using a mixer, now is the time to switch to the dough hook. Knead (either by turning on your machine or by hand) for 2-3 minutes. Set aside in an oiled bowl, covered with a damp dish towel in a warm place (like an oven that has been turned on and then turned off and allowed to cool a bit but is still warm) for 30 minutes. After dough has doubled in size, punch down and allow to rise for another 30 minutes (20 if you're impatient) then you can do almost ANYTHING! See below my favorite uses for pizza dough.
1. Pizza, obviously. Sauce (I like pesto), cheeses (or not!), veggies, meats, whatever. Bake at 475 on a floured pizza pan or stone for 15-20 minutes until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and browned in spots.
2. Calzones! Simply roll dough out into an 6-inch circle, fill with your favorite ingredients, fold over, pinch the edges together until sealed, brush the top with olive oil and bake at 475F on a floured baking tray for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.
3. Cinnamon rolls! They can even be prepared the night before and left in the refrigerator and then baked in the morning. Roll dough out into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up tightly to form an 8-inch cylinder. Cut into 1-inch slices and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes. To make a quick glaze, combine 1/4 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and drizzle over hot cinnamon rolls.
4. Flatbread! I love to roll out a small ball of dough, sprinkle it lightly with sea salt (or garlic and fresh parsley if I'm feeling festive!), and fry it in 1 teaspoon of olive oil on both sides until it is bubbly and browned in spots. Can be served like naan with Indian food or as a delicious accompaniment to soups. Also delicious sliced in wedges and served with hummus or topped with lightly dressed baby spinach and goat cheese and folded over. Yum! Instant dinner.
5. Homemade tortillas! While not a strictly traditional tortilla recipe, thinly rolled and lightly fried bits of pizza dough double very tastily as flour tortillas. I especially love to fill them with cotija cheese, black beans, avocado, onions and cilantro.
6. Parmesan bread sticks! These are a great way to make a simple salad seem like a special dinner. Simply roll pieces of pizza dough into thin-ish 6-inch cylinders and twist. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and sea salt and bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes until the bottoms are browned and the cheese is melted and brown in spots.
Nearly every yeasted bread dough can be substituted by pizza dough. I am telling you, keep this stuff in your fridge--it'll last in a plastic airtight bag for about a week--and you will never go hungry or order takeout unnecessarily again!
Love,
Gabi
P.S. My perfect pizza: Fresh pesto, goat cheese, spinach and roasted red peppers. Served with arugula salad with lemon dressing. Mmm...maybe a glass of La Crema Chardonnay too.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
burrito love
To me, there is no greater expression of intimacy, at least in San Francisco, than knowing someone's favorite burrito order by heart. If you don't understand what I mean by that, you obviously don't live in a city like mine, where taquerias are almost as (and sometimes more) prevalent than Starbucks. Because taquerias are so ubiquitous here in the Bay Area, I always know my feelings are getting serious when I find I have memorized a significant other's burrito order.
And here, because I know you're just dying to read about it, is the Reader's Digest version of my romantic history: the men I loved and the burritos they ate.
The first boy I ever seriously dated ("serious" of course being a relative term in high school) always ordered a chicken burrito with nothing but rice and pinto beans. He also made fun of the taqueria I liked, preferring instead to go to the gringo chain that had the nerve to include burrito-eating instructions on their paper bags. I was perhaps, not the coolest girlfriend when I was seventeen (I cried a lot and was a terrible driver) , but even then I think I knew on some level that I could never coexist with his boring, generic burritos. It turned out that he was unable to coexist with my bad driving and hormonal crying fits, so the end was inevitable.
A few years later, I spent a summer living in Boston, where I was attending to college. Several times a week I would pick up burritos from Anna's Taqueria, pretty much the only decent taqueria in all of Massachusetts, and a six-pack of Sam Adams Summer Brew on my way home from work and meet up with Mr. Summer 2003. We would climb up to the tar-covered roof of my Allston apartment, eat burritos, drink beer, and watch the sunset in the smoldering humid night air. It's still one of my absolute favorite memories. His burrito was usually a Super Grilled Chicken. Being super, it incorporates many more of the flavors that a taqueria has to offer--beans, rice, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and of course, grilled chicken. It was obvious to me from the beginning that he was a better fit than Mr. High School, but the burrito definitely confirmed it. Unfortunately, he moved to Paris to explore Gauloises, Victor Hugo, and the art of drunk-dialing one's American ex-girlfriend.
Mr. Post-College ordered a different kind of burrito every time we went to a taqueria, which, of course, I don't condemn, but it was indicative of his fickle, mind-changing personality. He couldn't make a decision about anything, including whether or not he liked me, so that, of course, didn't work out.
Mr. Early Adulthood shared my love of burritos, and perhaps even transcended it. He ate (and I believe still eats) at least 3 or 4 burritos per week. He always ordered the same thing: Super-veggie burrito with black beans, lettuce, hot sauce, cilantro, and onions, hold the sour cream. I happen to totally disagree with the whole lettuce thing, as I think it's a filler and you should save room for the good stuff, but it made him happy. While he wasn't so great with chivalry or anything traditional, he knew the value of showing up at my apartment unexpectedly with my exact burrito order. In the months since we've broken up, there are still certain taquerias around the Bay Area that give me pangs of sadness when I remember our visits there.
Love, like a burrito, is a layered thing. Our layers are made up of our life experiences and also our upbringings (my father, for example, loves ground beef burritos from Taco Bell--where the hell is that supposed to leave me?). Finding our perfect match is a difficult process, and, while I'm not advocating practicing solely burrito-based dating, do pay attention to the burritos--both your own and your partner's--because you may find that they hold more information than you expected.
Love,
Gabi
P.S. By the way, just in case you were wondering what MY burrito order is, here you go. I highly recommend it:
Black beans, rice, cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, avocado, onions, and cilantro in a flour tortilla. I always order avocado, onions and cilantro in place of guacamole because the guacamole in some restaurants is pretty watered-down and with this method, the avocado, onions and cilantro mush together in the burrito to form in impromptu fresh guac.
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