The Lap of Luxury

I have been cutting loose a bit of late.

It started with the strawberries I got at the farmers' market last Saturday. Not just strawberries, but a whole tomato. They were gone in three days' time but the taste lingered. They tasted of luxury. I wanted more.

Yesterday, Kep and I took the bus to the Asian grocery on Route 9, next to the adult bookstore. It was marvelous! Exotic produce and candy and spices were everywhere you looked. I got a bag of steamed red bean buns, a can of coconut milk, and a moon cake (not to be confused with a moon pie), which I shared with Kep. I've only had moon cakes twice before because for one thing, they're rather hard to get, and for another, they're traditionally eaten on the Moon Festival in the fall. So that was a very special treat.

For dinner that evening Kep and I steamed some of our red bean buns and made some instant Thai noodles and some vegetables in coconut milk. The bean buns were very soft and puffy and sweet; the noodles were chewy and hot; the vegetables were smooth and rich. It was the finest meal I've had since Jim's house.

Today I went to Stop and Shop and purchased yeast, fresh mozzerella cheese, and 8 Kalamata olives. I am going to make a pizza.

I am being positively decadent. What has come over me?