Processed

Someone at EA asked me if I ate a lot of processed food and I said yes. Later I realized we meant two different things. At the time I was always exhausted from the commute and the job. I got a lot of food from Whole Foods deli and carried it to work. It was food made by someone other than myself. Processed is more often used to describe food made in factories and frozen or canned or shipped to a chain location where it is served. I don't really eat that kind of food. I remember at the time saying something about the deli but she had already confirmed her opinion that I was fat because of the bad food I ate. I remember her seeing a container of mixed fresh fruit on my desk and looking confused. Ah well. 

I thought about it the other day since I'm only beginning to come out of my post Mom soup-a-pal-ooza. I've been eating lots of delivery and sandwiches and yogurt and popcorn. 

The Bay Area has so many local purveyors of great prepared food. The other day I noticed that Aidells has started making meatballs. I grabbed a package without looking too closely and got the Teriyaki, which I ate with rice. I had also purchased some Pasta Shop tomato sauce thinking they were a more traditional Italian and I had some dried pasta from a Christmas food basket Kristina had sent. So I got the Italian version and tossed all of that together and added a bunch of arugula and had enough for a few days. Technically all processed food but also local and of a pretty great quality. 

In my perfect world I'd make jars of tomato sauce every year with tomatoes, onions and herbs that I'd grown in my garden. I'd make my own hand rolled pasta. I have done and it's not that hard. And of course my own meatballs. But I don't live in that world. 

There's a local company that makes fantastic tamales. Also good when I don't want to cook. And I use their chips to eat hummus. Processed food. 

When I was younger and had the strength and stamina to cook all day at a restaurant I often resorted to eating other people's pre-cooked food. I've never really lived the completely home made life of my dreams. It's not always a bad thing. 

I am snapping out of my can-not-cook doldrums. Debbie says there's great asparagus at the market and she may bring me some. I'm already thinking curry.