A Craving

I watched Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate... Hidden Treasures and The Best Thing I Ever Ate... Classics yesterday afternoon.

I actually watched both episodes twice.

Once while C was at work, and then I watched them again with him from the DVR. I didn't even mind. On the second watching, something happened. I got a funny tickle. I started to salivate. I was not satisfied with the idea of chicken for dinner. I must have beef. And this is something of a landmark.

I've been slowly, in increments, working my way back to meat after a ten year stint as a vegetarian. For the first seven-ish years, I was somewhat strict with my choices. Then in Honduras, I started eating fish--I was on the coast! I was tired of beans and tortillas! Then a few years later when we got married, I started eating chicken for some dinner variety. I did it to save our marriage! Then a few years ago I reunited with bacon, and I've had a bite here or there of beef when we've been at a really nice place and Carter ordered something and verified that it was really well-prepared, so much so that I should sample the chef's work.

But I decided on the couch yesterday that we needed to go Fred's for dinner. Fred's is no joke. There is an impressive amount of beef and grease and cheese there. However harboring some nervousness, I begged Carter to get the burger I wanted for myself, and then I ordered some mushroom quesadillas as a back up plan in case things didn't go down well with the burger.

Long story short, I ate half his burger. And I loved it. And I'd do it again.

After some minor calculations, I determined that our dinner last night was the most meat I'd eaten in 15 years. I experienced some profound growth yesterday. And not just around my waistband.