I'm hungry

For some reason today I'm thinking about food. Specific food, like the pork loin I'm about to put in the crock pot for later tonight, and food that's not even here in front of me. Valentines Day has me thinking of chocolate, and the New Orleans Menu daily keeps other food items on my plate, so to speak. I've been tracking the reopening of restaurants in New Orleans since Katrina, and according to New Orleans Menu they're up to 746 restaurants open for business.

I'm trying to drop some weight to make running a marathon this year a little easier. So far I'm down about 5 pounds and it's going pretty well. If it weren't so damnably cold I'd be running 3 times a week and the weight would pretty much take care of itself. My cutoff for outdoor running is around 20 or 25 if it's not too windy, so for now all I can do is try and lay off the deep-fried hillbilly goodness, at least until it warms up outside.

I've put more effort into eating well, instead of thinking of it as restricting myself. I love food, and I'd rather have less of something I love, than more of some tasteless low-fat alternative. Give me one big slice of Vivace (roasted red pepper and artichoke heart) pizza from Marino's instead of three slices of some processed diet crap.

Anyway, for whatever reason, this morning I'm thinking about food.

Did you know that today is National Bagel and Lox Day? YEAH! Reminds me of a story:

So, a Martian is having some mechanical problems with his flying saucer, and has to make an emergency landing to check it out. When he lands, one of the wheels on his flying saucer breaks. The Martian fixes the engine, then looks around for a replacement wheel.

Fortunately, the Martian happens to have landed near a bagel shop. The bagels in the window are the same size as the wheels on his flying saucer. He goes inside and says to the proprietor "I would like to have one of those wheels."

The proprietor looks down at the Martian, and then over to the bagels, and says "wheels? Those aren't wheels, those are bagels." The Martian asks what they are for, and the proprietor explains that bagels are for eating. He gives one to the Martian and tells him to try it.

The Martian takes a bite. Then he chews for a while, looking thoughtful. Then he speaks:

"Hey, you know something? These would go great with lox!"

Here's the sad thing, though. Other than people who live in New York, or near a couple bakeries in Chicago, or close to a few other bagel bakeries scattered around the nation, most Americans have no idea what a real bagel is. That doughy product they sell at places like Panera, or Dunkin Donuts, or Great American Bagel, bears no resemblance to real bagels.

Speaking of chocolate, here's a story from Germany. I'd thought about saving it for another round of Germany or Florida, but then decided to use it now:

Candy with a surprise inside: Hey, that's not a crunchy nut center--that's a human finger!


I think I'll have a bagel instead.