Last week was very interesting. I ventured from St. Helena, California over to Las Vegas, then to Los Angeles, and back up to St. Helena. Lots of driving, but the meals were most intriguing. It is amazing how within the period of one week, I can be eating at a McDonald's, or a quick service stand at Disneyland, and then the next meal I might be eating at Napa Rose (the top restaurant in Disneyland), or Morimoto's in Napa, or La Condesa in St. Helena or La Cave in Las Vegas. How does such disparity between meals NOT bother me? How can I go from eating something so proletarian one moment, to something so bourgeois the next?
Maybe it was the way I grew up. My parents taught me to eat what was on the plate in front of me, or don't eat at all. Now, my family has given me the opportunity to travel all over the world and eat at some of the best restaurants. My palate is well developed. I truly enjoy fine dining. But I know how to appreciate a greasy cheeseburger, salty french fries, and a fountain soft drink just as much as I might appreciate a delicious tasting menu with paired wine. It is all in mindset, and learning to appreciate what you have been given at that moment in time.
A McDonald's cheeseburger would serve as an incredible disappointment in a white table cloth, fine dining establishment. Just as a small plate tasting might be a surprise at a drive through window (what do you mean I am paying $10 for an item and just receiving a bite to eat?!). There is a time and a place for all types of foods, and all can be equally appreciated, if given at the right time or place.
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