Lundi Gras

Why does eating with chopsticks make food tastier?

I suspect that eating with chopsticks forces one to slow down during eating, bringing mere consumption of mass quantities closer to dining and therefore closer to savoring. As the man says, the best spice is hunger; Cervantes called hunger the best sauce in the world- La mejor salsa del mundo. Some real live scientific research even proves it.

That doesn't matter to me. Leftover General Tso's Chicken, full of spice and garlic and sweet and hidden deadly nuclear peppers over steamed white rice, eaten with gusto and the good lacquered wooden chopsticks made my meal tonight. If it was good enough for the General, it's good enough for me.

Today is Lundi Gras, Fat Monday, the day before Mardi Gras, the traditional culmination of Carnival, the celebration of excess before the Catholic season of Lent. Back home, I'm accustomed to seeing almost every restaurant advertise their Lenten specials- no small feat in a city known for its seafood. Even though I just went to a Mardi Gras party not two days ago, it's not the same. King Cake, muffelettas, jambalaya, red beans and rice and watching strangers drink did help contribute to the proper atmosphere. I don't drink and I'm not really the party-hardy type. I simply resonate with people relaxing, letting loose, and celebrating life.

As far as I can remember, this will mark my second Mardi Gras not spent in Louisiana, ever. It's a (often paid) state holiday for us, you see. Many many years back, we took a family vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida over Mardi Gras, since we had off and the rest of the nation didn't. Somewhere (maybe), we still have a book of E tickets.

But tomorrow is going to be just a regular Tuesday for Austinites. I plan to at least wear purple, green, and gold. What will you do?