Kung Pao Chicken and Me
Ah, Kung Pao Chicken. My favorite Chinese food. You can learn a lot about me by understanding how much my life resembles a good serving.
It's not an overly sophisticated dish. I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect it's a pretty Americanized type of Sichuan Chinese fare. Kind of like me - a dash of sophistication and a keen interest in the broader world; but, at the end of the day, American born and raised.
Kung Pao Chicken has to be modified for me from the outset, or else it will make me very sick. It can easily be made gluten free by substituting Tamari for regular soy sauce. If a restaurant can't or won't do that, I won't come back. I didn't develop gluten intolerance until middle age. Now that I'm older, I also need some modifications for physical limitations -- but if they are available, I'm good to go - just like with Kung Pao Chicken.
I like to eat it with chop sticks, but I'd rate my proficiency as B-. I end up eating more slowly than some dinner companions. Actually, that's ok by me, because I can prolong the enjoyment of the meal. My technique isn't good enough to get those last bits on the plate, so I always have to resort to a fork at the end. Alas. In life, I like to prolong the good parts. Why rush through a good meal ... or through a rich chapter of life? Give me a piece of flourless chocolate cake with a little raspberry sauce, and I'll make it last 30 minutes, when accompanied by coffee and good conversation. That's how I want to take my music, my relationships, my food, my life.
Kung Pao Chicken has a kick, as it is stir-fried with moderately hot red chilis. On a scale of 1 - 10 hot peppers, I probably like mine around a 5 -- hot enough to give some kick, but not so hot that it burns my mouth and spoils the experience. The big pepper pieces are readily visible, so I am happy for them to spice up the sauce, after which I can move them over to the side of the plate. When I accidentally chew on a big one, it's not pleasant. Same with life - I like some kick, but in moderation. KP Chicken with no chilis is quite boring; I won't order it again at a restaurant that serves it that way. I'd rather have an occasional too-hot kick than none at all. Just like life. Give me some kick, but in manageable doses. If I want to move those chilis over to the side of the plate and opt out, that's my choice.
Peanuts -- the more peanuts the better in KP chicken. Along with the chewy cubes of chicken and the kicky chilis, the peanuts give the crunch. I like the crunch in life -- things I can sink my teeth into and feel that I've really done something. The nice contrast between the crunch of the peanuts, the chewiness of the chicken, the buffering blandness of the rice, and the kick of the chilis in the sauce keeps things varied and interesting -- and makes me want to come back for more. Just like with life.
And that fortune cookie at the end.
It's always a bittersweet experience. I can't (and won't) eat it -- not gluten free. But wait! I just googled "gluten free fortune cookies," and they do exist. Fancy Fortune Cookies, based in Indianapolis, makes them -- maybe I need to get my own stash and take them with me to the restaurant! Whether I can eat the cookie or not, I always enjoy the fortune. Usually a pleasant way to end the meal and have a friendly conversation upon farewell.
Both Kung Pao Chicken and my life are sources of great happiness. They both have a bit of zest and crunch as well as some blandness, and both require some modifications. Both can be very satisfying ... in moderation. All things in moderation, including moderation (attributed to Oscar Wilde).
What food item would you compare your life to? I’d really like to hear.
Having browsed the FindmeGlutenFree site more than a few times in search of places to eat, I'd only add that the idea of microbiome and gut health has become ever more prominent in how I conceive of well-being. The right food prepared in the right way is a delightful topic - thanks for sharing about this, Hal!
What a fun topic, Hal!
I'd say, rather than a particular dish, I would compare my life to a way of eating: a smorgasbord ("a wide range of something; variety" according to google).
Just like any really good smorgasbord - and another colloquialism, "variety is the spice of life!" - having a wide range and variety of options available is ideal!
Walking into a smorgasbord can be both delightful ("Oh my goodness, look at all the goodies!") and simultaneously overwhelming ("What on earth is THAT? And why would anyone eat it?").
Still, life - like the smorgasbord - offers up the full range of experience, and my own life has been quite flavor-filled! Some "sweet" and some "bitter" along the journey!
And...true to most humans, I tend to gravitate to the "sweet" section...sometimes forgetting my much needed vegetables to ground me and keep me nourished🤣