I don’t eat beans-on-toast anymore, but I thought I would try this California version: low-sodium black beans on a whole grain bagel flat. Still around 500 calories, but more filling, no sugar, and a bunch more fiber. It’s a cheat, but a small and satisfying one.
Pay no attention to the party wings on the left…
Sunny’s eyes just about came out of her head when the waitress at Kick Back Jack’s set these monster blueberry pancakes down in front of her.
My dear wife had her revenge, though: she made it through about 80% of this massive stack, then jumped back into the car and drove another four hours.
Never underestimate the ability of a thin person to make food just seem to disappear.
My favorite kind of eatery is one where I get both protein and spiritual fulfillment.
Jeff’s Gourmet Sausage in LA is a longtime favorite, and with Aaron settled on the West Side, I’m looking forward to more regular visits.
Everything is Glatt Kosher and amazing, but my personal favorites are the Italian beef sausage, the Polish, and the Spicy Chicken Apple.
Good Shabbos!
Slight cheat here as well. I had the extra fats left over, and I wanted to give the meatless option a try. These are Beyond Meat bratwursts wrapped in Carb Balance high-protein, low-carb tortillas. 470 calories, 36g carbs, 27g fat, 38g protein.
Three years later, I am still thinking about this elk burger (with avocado instead of cheese) I enjoyed at the taproom of Deschutes Brewery in Portland.
I just checked. The restaurant made it through COVID, is still open, and the elk burger is still on the menu.
I’m thinking “road trip.”
Look what showed up at my door right before I watched Biscuit Week from 2018 of the Great British Bake-Off.
There are no coincidences in the multiverse.
I am still learning about life at my relatively advanced age, and I have learned more about food in the last three years than I had in most of my life prior.
My lesson today was this: there are meals with memorable food; there are meals with memorable company; and there are those rare and precious occasions when both come together. Today was one of the latter. Those occasions are rare, and are exactly the times when one should go off-plan.
Three veterans of China technology public relations sitting around a table in California and reflecting with gratitude and humility on the amazing era of change that we lived through was every bit as fulfilling as the remarkable dishes we enjoyed. Thank you, Yuling, for giving Sunny and I an excuse to come into town!
A Bucket and a Pen 