I Think I'm Going Out of My Head Over You

Do you know food envy?  It's when a friend describes or shares a picture of their meal and then the only thing you can concentrate on that day is getting something that tastes similar to that mental picture in your mouth as soon as possible.  It can also happen at restaurants when someone in your party orders and you fall instantly in love with their dish when it arrives or even before just based on the menu profile.  This is something that I've suffered from for years.

My sister M called me and described these burgers that she was making for my brother D. Three varieties and being a chef, she listed the ingredients in each of them. One of hers was sundried tomatoes, feta, and green onions . One was mushrooms, poblano chilis and cheese.  Yeah. mmhmm.  I make lots of burger mixes.  They're full of veggies.  But hers got me to thinking mine, although good, weren't as pulled together and thought out as hers.  I love themes in food!  I had sudden food envy, along with feelings of inadequacy as my sisters are so much better at cooking then I am.

I was at work when I got the message and played it over and over on my break.  On my bike ride home I deliberated on my own creation which must use the ingredients in my fridge already.  It was going to be 7pm by the time I reached home and that meant I had no time to dilly and less time to dally.

I went with baked garlicky herbed yuca fries made crispy with a little corn starch.

Peeled, cut, par-boiled, patted dry, seasoned then baked at 450.

Stuffed pizza burgers with garlic, turkey pepperoni, and cheese.  The ground meat mixed with chopped zucchini and onion.  I thought to do a pizza sauce on top which would have been for a day I had more time.

There were missteps like forgetting to oil the baking pan for the fries.  Rushed, I wasn't as conscious of turning the burgers at the precise moment.  But it was all yes when it got to my mouth.  And for that moment I wouldn't of wanted anyone else's meal but my own.