In the Spring of 2009, I moved into a new apartment with my boyfriend who is of Bulgarian nationality. Cooking was a very abstract engagement that I rarely found myself involved with because of my intensive schedule. Although I may not have had many opportunities to cook, due to the fact that I was deeply involved with competitive Irish dancing, I would occasionally become curious of my nutritional health. What foods would help me perform better? Which entrees would help my muscles recover after a long workout? I never acted on my curiosity at the time, but as I got older, I would begin to discover all of the knowledge I've been missing out on.
When I first explained to my boyfriend that I didn't really know how to cook, he looked at me like I was crazy. On his side of the world, cooking was a frequent activity. From enjoying fresh cows milk in the morning, to eating what grandmother prepared from the garden for dinner, they are more in touch with their diet than any American could ever imagine being. The fact is: in Bulgaria, women know how to cook. This spoiled attitude of a home cook meal was hard for him to over come when I presented him with my dilemma: I don't know how to cook.
Over the first few months of living together, he taught me how to make a traditional Mediterranean salad: sliced fresh cucumber, diced red onion, and one cut up portion of a juicy organic heirloom tomato. This was all tossed into a bowl and topped with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt. I never knew that such a delicious salad could exists! Not only is it simple to make, but it is packed full of nutrients and tastes amazing! Cucumbers contain antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, and silica, a nutrient that is particularly good for healthy skin. Red onions are packed full of quercetin, an antioxidant that helps make for a healthier heart. Tomato's are good for your eyes and are a great source of lycopene, a helpful antioxidant that aids in preventing certain types of cancer.
After discovering this new piece of heaven, I wanted it with every meal we cooked. We decided that engaging in the act of cooking is a great way to spend time together as well as providing the opportunity to eat a delicious meal. Since we have been living together, our most frequently cooked meal is in the evening and it is usually accompanied with this Mediterranean salad. I can assuredly say that my living situation has not only inspired me to cook, but has also benefitted my nutritional health.
What a great discussion about a simple meal, and about American culinary traditions (or lack of them). By sharing your boyfriend's views, you help us see how someone from another culture sees us, and by sharing your salad recipe, you show how truly simple eating well can be. It is a shame that something like an heirloom tomato, expensive and perhaps novel to us, is simply a tomato, possibly even homegrown, to someone from another country. Your post also makes me think of traditional gender roles, and how these might play a role in our evolving food culture.
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