Organically Speaking…


I love food and food loves me. It’s the core of my being, my foundation of nourishment. There isn’t a food I’m not willing to try, which makes me think I would’ve been a great traveling companion for Anthony Bourdain.  

My cookbook fetish and cooking show obsession have me constantly exploring new recipes from all different ethnicities. I like to think I have a worldly palette with incredible taste buds.

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend of mine about eating. She was organically speaking, and I was suppressing exasperation.  

Me:      I’ve been exploring all these new recipes from my new Italian cookbook. You must come over for dinner soon.

Her:     You eat way too heavy foods that aren’t good for you.

Me:      Really? What did you eat today?

Her:     I had an organic kale salad with organic kale, organic broccoli, organic tomatoes, organic red onions, organic beans, gluten-free croutons, with organic and gluten-free salad dressing made with organic herbs and organic lemons. And for dessert, I had a gluten-free cookie I made this afternoon.

Me:      Why do you always have to say organic and gluten-free? Can’t you just say you ate a kale salad and for dessert had a homemade cookie?  

Her:     I’m only eating organic and gluten-free. You should too.

Me:      Why?

Her:     You need to eat better.

Me:      I bet you don’t even know what gluten is.  

Her:     (a little too defensively, snapping) I do!

Me:      Then what is it?

Her:     (hesitating) It’s… well… (hesitating more) ... It’s something you shouldn’t eat.

Me:      (suppressing exasperation) You don’t know what it is.

Her:     I know my body and my body tells me I shouldn’t eat gluten.  


Me:      I eat whatever makes me happy.  Today, I made a delicious ricotta pie. You should come on over. I’ll make coffee.

Her:     Is it gluten-free pie?

Me:      Ugh! I don’t like the taste of cardboard.

Her:     if you ate organic and gluten-free like me, you’d be healthier.

Me:      Really? I’m quite healthy, thank you. But please explain to me why, ever since the first day I met you, you’ve been constantly constipated and constantly complaining about your constant constipation. You haven’t had a good bowel movement in years. Mine are always good.

Click! She hung on me.

I immediately sat down and ate a slice of non-organic non-gluten-free ricotta pie and drank a huge mug of non-organic coffee while perusing my cookbooks for my next cooking experience.

I never heard from her again.

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