Without tastebuds...

I'm sick... Just a cold but sick enough to be whiny and needy. Sick enough for my tastebuds to be off duty and definitely sick enough to keep Kleenex in business.

Since surgery, my tastebuds have been very hard working. Telling my brain to reject foods I used to like, telling my brain that foods I used to hate (i.e. chammomile tea) are good and of course giving me only one days notice between deciding whether or not to like something. What was ok yesterday may not be today...

So right now I can't taste much. If I am lucky (or unlucky) I can get the slightest hint of taste if I breathe in a certain way when I eat.. Today, I am lucky because since I am sick, I didn't feel up to the 30 min trip to the GOOD lunch place.. so I went to the place that is in business soley because they cater to those without taste buds. Yes, for those of you that know, I am talking about Marcellos.

If I am lazy, I will eat at Marcellos for lunch and I tell ya, I am disappointed every time. Their early morning fresh fruit salad is incredible and I highly recommend the fresh stuff, but their hot food is either prepared by a robot which was designed to bend metal, or they continually get customers without the ability to taste.

I went for a soup.. seafood chowder... they used to let me taste the soup before I ordered but lately they haven't and I can't taste right now anyway.. but I can definitely catch a huge whiff of fishy smell from the chowder that wouldn't even be appropriate from wet catfood.

I also got a salad luckily because even with limited smell, I can't bring myself to eat one more bite of soup.

Now that I am post-op my eyes are opened to the concept of eating only the BEST. Seriously, why subject yourself to eating something that isn't satisfying?

Why eat simply to eat?

Ok so there is something to the idea of eating for nourishment before eating for pleasure.

-After reading this back I realized that even now I still eat random things I can't stand because I have to eat, or because I have to get in the protein.. and with that in mind, I am realizing that I need to focus more on having the foods I love, not just those that I tolerate...

With the expanding rate of obesity in the world, people shouldn't be eating purely for pleasure.. but why can't we do both? Eat only the very best tasting and freshest food while still eating well? Ok ok so this isn't a new revelation but now that I eat so little, it is a concept I am much more comfortable embracing... I struggle with the amount of food my picky tastebuds are willing to waste though.

Here are my top foods I realized that I love but have taken for granted...

Tomatoes.. fresh, canned, stewed, sauced, grilled, roasted, sun dried, juiced...
Beef.. fresh, canned, stewed, sauced, grilled, roasted, sun dried, juiced... (:P)
Avocados
Raw salmon & other sushi
Fruit & Fruit Juice (specifically strawberries, cranberries, pineapple, grapefruit and apple)
Ham
Turkey
Good quality chocolate (sorry snickers, you're out! High quality dark and milk, you're in!)

I really don't much care for bread anymore and only eat it when it needs to be a vessel to carry something else into my mouth. If I had alternates to bread in a sandwich or for pizza crust I would be so thrilled. I can do without bread as a vessel for balsamic and olive oil.. I will save that for a salad.

I am still on the fence with chicken, pork, eggs, seafood, dairy, soup and spicy stuff. I like them one day and not the next.. I am not too worried about them though because I can keep trying. I definitely don't miss pasta though!

The reality of all of this is that Marcellos has reaquainted me with my taste buddies! No longer do I have to worry about ordering something I think my tastebuds will like and suffer the awkwardness after realizing I didn't know them that well afterall.. at least now we have an understanding that some things are a-ok and others are on probation. My tastebuds and I have an understanding! We're cool!

Now as soon as I am able to, I will reunite my tastebuds with my digestive system and all will be good! :P