Foreward (Part II): The Restaurant Challenge

-The Weening Process-

I don't trust much of the food I order I restaurants, even though I eat out pretty damn often. I mean, hey, who doesn't nowadays? Especially in a college town where almost everyday you either hear or say, "Wanna grab lunch?" So, I've created this challenge to make myself be not only more health-conscious, but also more diverse in my food options.

I used to be an extremely picky eater.

And my mom hated it. In fact, before I went to Panama, I never would have dreamt of eating tomatoes or beans. Now, I'm a huge fan of both. It's all about trying new things with a open mind. People say you should always strive to try new things, but without the right attitude you won't get the accurate effect. Food is a perfect example. When I was younger, I would normally order chicken fingers and fries at almost any restaurant. Ever. My parents used to tell me I was going to turn into chicken. Despite my current lack of feathers, I still feel like I eat too much chicken when I am eating out. My goal for the summer is to begin to branch out with my choices. I have been doing well so far.

I've always been a huge fan of a local restaurant in Athens called The Grit. This popular place on Prince Ave is delicious, nutritious, and even has its own cookbook now that they've become such a hot spot! Not everyone is a fan, though. My parents, avid carnivores, would be especially opposed. Yea, it's a vegetarian restaurant. I have been going to The Grit since I first came to Athens two years ago, and its still one of my favorite places for lunch, usually with my best bud Michelle (who is a real, living vegetarian). However, I never order typical vegetables. My usual dish is called something like the vegetable entree or sampler, which allows you to choose several side dishes to comprise your entree! I usually order the sweet potato fries, the tofu cup, and the falafel. In closing, I went to The Grit the other day with Michelle, and ordered the vegetable stir fry. I loved all of it except for the water chestnuts. They are incredibly weird and I am completely opposed to ever having them again.

-Feeling Post-Panama Nostalgia-

As I create this cookbook blog, I will be featuring plants I didn't eat before now, as well as plants I had never heard of before my trip. Yea, it's funny to look back now and think about my attitude toward going to Panama. Everyone said things like, "Oh, Evan! It's going to change your life!", and, "You're going to come back a whole different person!" While the latter is not true at all, the former is fairly accurate considering the impact it had on my eating habits. I did not eat very well while I was there, so this wasn't a realization that

I had while in Panama. It was more of a post-trip nostalgia for the food I had every now and then. The best dish I experienced there was patacones, or refried plantains. I just made those last night, so I'll be discussing the preparation and a little more information about them in a later blog post! Look out!

In the meantime, eat at The Grit. Not that they even need my encouragement and plugging, but seriously... shit's tasty. They make perfect tofu every time. Yes, I'm a tofu-loving omnivore! WHAT?!

This photo is courtesy of VisitSouth.com!