Eating meditation

Mindful eating, a concept unfamiliar to most Americans, and not often enough practiced by yours truly. Before we went to the musical yesterday, a few of my colleagues and I went to the California Pizza Kitchen. I have not been there often. In fact, I do not remember what I had there last time I went.

I will this time, though.

I ordered the Cedar Plank Salmon, which was served with a white corn and spinach succotash, topped with feta cheese. Oh my...!

I had already decided that I wanted to try eating meditation, but I had not planned to do it Friday evening. It was not an optimal situation, but I decided to try it anyhow.

I was particularly hungry since I had not eaten since breakfast, and I had just gotten done at the gym.  I knew that, with company around, I could not simply ignore them while I concentrated on my meal.  It was easier than I had thought it would be.

Perhaps I am wrong, but Americans (and probably people elsewhere) often shovel their food into their mouths, again, myself included. At times, I have barely finished chewing one mouthful before preparing the next forkful for launch. So, this time, I wanted to be very deliberate with my tastes.

Each piece of that delectable entree melted on my tongue. I did not really want to chew it, so I broke it apart with my tongue, letting it roll around on my taste buds, fifteen to twenty seconds per bite - and small bites they were.  Not only was the taste supreme, but the food was sufficiently hot, on the edge of burning but not.  The seasoning was vaguely salty, but not to the point of being too much.  I sensed a tinge of garlic, which I love, but I honestly do believe that the bulk of the deliciousness was the result of being prepared on the thin slab of cedar plank.

The succotash was also scrumptious. The corn was crisp and flavorful, with no hint of chewiness, and the spinach was a perfect complement, being neither too tangy nor too bland. The feta was the final touch, providing an ideal balance for the vegetables and seasoning.

As I immersed myself in my meal, I occasionally sipped just enough water just to temporarily cleanse my palate so that I might once again lavish it with more of that scintillating salmon. I found myself very calmly and quietly enjoying the conversations going on around me, and I frequently chimed in, but I tried to be subtle about my tasting experiment. I eventually told them what I was doing.

I can honestly say that my conscious mindfulness during dinner made the evening much more memorable. After a while, this paying attention to the world around me can become a very good and interesting habit.