Remember grade school math? Remember “Prime Factorization?” For those who’ve forgotten, prime factorization is the process of taking a number – such as 12 – and breaking it down into its lowest prime factors. For example, the number 12 is achieved by multiplying 2 x 6. 2 is a prime number already, but the number 6 is achieved by multiplying 2 x 3 (both of which are prime numbers). Therefore, the prime factorization of 12 is 2 x 2 x 3.
But this ain’t about math, y’all. It’s about food. In particular, it’s about my palate and how I only just now noticed its longing for a prime factorization of food. I was eating a sourdough english muffin for breakfast yesterday. I smeared one half with Earth Balance spread, as I typically do when eating toast. (Earth Balance is a vegan butter substitute. It’s low in cholesterol and, in general, not bad for me.) But I only had enough Earth Balance for half my toasted muffin. As I didn’t want to eat the other half dry, I grabbed some good, old-fashioned butter. It didn’t smear as easily as the fake stuff, but the toasted muffin’s heat soon melted it into a lovely stream.
I ate the Earth Balance-laden muffin-half first. It didn’t surprise. It was exactly what I’m used to. And I enjoyed it.
Then I ate the buttered half. Oh my. It was pure. It was chaste. It was a near-holy revelation and I relished each and every morsel.
As I enjoyed that buttered toast, I thought about why my taste buds were hallelujah-ing in praise. And it occurred to me that perhaps my enjoyment of food is subject to some sort of prime factorization. Could it be that the foods I enjoy most can be broken down into simple primes? Steamed broccoli with butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper? Love it. Fresh tomato slices, stacked with gooey burrata cheese and chopped basil, drizzled with good olive oil and balsamico? Yes! Roasted wild salmon, with nothing but olive oil, salt and pepper? In a heartbeat.
What I’m getting at here is this: my favorite foods can be explained with very few words, all of which are understandable. I don’t deny enjoying the occasional dip made with a cheese-like product, but more often than not, I respond most favorably to foods whose ingredients are basic.
Prime factorization of food. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it. Now that I’ve seen the flavorful light, I won’t be forgetting it. I may choose to eat less (for my health and fitness), but I won’t be deprived. Because ya’ll, I’ll be eating better.
The future tastes so bright, I gotta wear shades.