Light Reading for Heavy Eating

Paul Morrone |
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By Paul Morrone, CFP®, CPA/PFS, MSA

While any self-respecting Italian has a soft spot for a hearty dish of pasta, it may come as a shock to hear that, even through my late teens, I was an incredibly picky eater. My friends are quick to remind me that I was likely the only high school senior who regularly ate peanut butter crackers for lunch. Needless to say, my lack of creativity earned me a reputation that I’m still trying to shake. What a fool I was! Today I live in a different world, one full of culinary bliss influenced by all corners of the globe. I rarely, if ever, say no to trying something new, and often criticize myself for being so closed minded when I was younger as I missed out on what *should* have been years of tasty adventures.  

I’m not quite sure when the switch flipped, but I vividly remember the first time I had sushi and said to myself ‘I can’t believe I’ve been avoiding this for so long!’ Needless to say, the flood gates have been open for a long time now and I haven’t looked back. I’ve had the pleasure of eating around the world, and always embrace the local cuisine. Jill shares this passion and we’ve had the ability to plan many of our vacations around what and where we’ve wanted to eat. In fact, we visited the Italian province of Emilia Romagna solely to test the theory that they had the best food in all of Italy (and by my definition that means in all the world!). I’m not quite sure I can unilaterally proclaim that to be a true statement, but what I will say is that I have yet to have better pasta or cured meats in my life. For a foodie like me, it was a religious experience.

Even as my taste buds have evolved over the years, I still have some rather strange habits that leave Jill scratching her head every once and a while. Not the least of which is my incredible disdain for mayonnaise, ranch, bleu cheese or anything that looks, smells or is derived from any of those ingredients. This includes a host of veggie dips, salad dressings, chicken salad, egg salad or anything remotely related to those. Creamed anything – nope! Even certain aiolis or ‘special sauces’ turn me off. Relish and yellow mustard are also on my no-fly list. Oh, and olives and pickles too, can’t stand ‘em.

No matter what your preferences are, even if you have some weird ones like me, when it comes to food, the most important part of any meal is who you share it with. So, while you’re sitting at the Thanksgiving table (hopefully with some family or close friends – even if it’s over Zoom), remember to be thankful that you’re able to enjoy a delicious meal with someone you care about, especially this year.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving!

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