The Color of My Hunger

The Color of My Hunger:

The color palette of my hunger has changed through the years. Black and white on the plate stimulated my eyes enough to satisfy my hunger when I was younger. As my education and income levels changed, so did the presentation on my plate. It turned more into a kaleidoscope buffet with more than one course.

I find it interesting, the times when I crave some white rice and black beans. A fried egg, sunny-side up gives it that pop of color. One plate, three staple items – this is what some call poor man’s food. I call it comfort food. It warms my heart as it brings memories of days gone by, and of course, it satisfies my hunger.

The black and white palette also keeps me in check. There was a time in my life, when I was just a little girl, where I had to share one hard-boiled egg for breakfast, with two brothers and a sister, while my mother headed to her minimum wage factory job with just a cup of black coffee.
Last weekend I cooked pan-seared scallops, roasted asparagus with pancetta topped with parmesan cheese, and a spinach salad with goat cheese, dried cranberries, and cherry tomatoes. The meal would not be complete without a glass of merlot. A big change from the comfort food I grew up on.

If ever my means to an end job can’t quite make ends meet, I will have no problem with enjoying a plate of white rice, black beans, and a fried egg – sunny-side up, of course.

Florencia Ruano
www.awomanslifestages.blogspot.com