Unorthodox flavors

On Friday, I got a call from my friend Ezra. Ezra has a very special place among my group of friends, which is also occupied by my friends Eve and Lindsay -- namely, he knew me during my awkward stage of adolescence. He invited me over for Shabbat dinner at his place at the last second. Naturally, I accepted. Ari was too tired, so he stayed home.

When I walked inside Ezra's house, I found his counters covered with different vegetables and a cookbook opened to a recipe of broccoli rabe. It turns out that he was making recipes from a vegetarian cookbook produced by monks from a hidden temple, where the food is supposed to be delicious. This meal was a vegan one, consisting of a slaw, the rabe and raspberry-glazed beets.

Ezra's girlfriend, Eden, Rae and I helped him cook, producing some of the most unique smells I could have imagined. We sat down to a late dinner, and we set the table -- which, to my surprise, only had bowls and forks. I was confused -- weren't we going to eat our food on plates? This was confusing.

We made kiddush and sat down. Ezra then explained that we were supposed to eat one item of food at a time, in order to appreciate the flavors of each of the dishes that we were about to eat. That was the reason why we each had a bowl.

We started the slaw first, passing it around the table and enjoying the conversation. I tasted it, and enjoyed the simplicity of the flavors. I could taste it all -- the crunch of the cabbage, the sweetness of the carrots, and the nuttiness of the sesame seeds. There was nothing to distract me. We then passed around the rabe -- the ginger and honey flavors shot out at me. Not everyone liked the beets, but I did enjoy the unique flavor of it. Even sipping our apple cider, flavored with a sprig of rosemary, added something very special to our meal.

Each flavor was unique and unusual, but in its own way worked. I would have never thought that rosemary would have gone into apple cider, but it provided a great refreshing flavor -- one that I will revisit when the weather turns warmer. But because we took our time, I was able to appreciate it all.

I realized how American eating can sometimes make us forget to really savor our food, and really appreciate it and enjoy it. I felt so different after I ate this way. My body felt rejuvenated, like it experienced something new. Perhaps it's the fact that I ate a meal consisting exclusively of vegetables. But I think it also had something to do with the fact that I was really able to love what I was eating. I took every flavor in, simple as they were, and absorbed it into my body. It was something I thoroughly enjoyed.

In honor of Ezra's amazing food, I'm putting in my own salad. It's a simple garbanzo bean salad that my mother-in-law makes. The flavors may not be as unusual, but it has those same simple flavors as Ezra's dishes.

GARBANZO SALAD
1 can garbanzo beans
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper

Drain garbanzo beans in sieve and rinse. Place in bowl. Add red onion, parsley, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Mix. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes to pickle onion slightly. Serve.