Arugula.

Coming back from a week of great meals in NYC is tough. I have no enthusiasm for cooking or going out to eat since I've been back. [The only exception: one night I went out for Mexican--no burritos the entire trip and from what I hear, good Mexican food is hard to find in NY especially by SoCal standards.] This has probably helped in the process of dropping my "vacation weight" but what to do when everything here in SoCal looks unappetizing?

I walked through the DTLA Farmers Market yesterday and everything looked fresh and great. I thought I would make myself a nice salad for dinner in the style I've become accustomed to in Manhattan; meaning it would mostly be arugula. So I purchased a few things and brought them home. I looked at the arugula for a long time. I washed it and was about to begin preparing it when I realized: this is not arugula. True, I have little idea what arugula looks like in its unprepared state, but I'm sure what I purchased is not it. I put the washed greens into the crisper and ate some of the baguette with cheese and fruit slices.

What did I buy? According to intensive internet research and some guesswork--DANDELION GREENS. Which resembles arugula but is a bit spicier or bitter or something. So instead of a nice salad, I'm going to cook the hell out of it in the style that I became accustomed to while traveling through Tennessee. And I'll probably want to make a batch of cornbread. Which means I'll probably have to pick up some butter. And bacon lardons.

So much for dropping the road weight.