It is interesting how often our stomach influences our decisions. Think about it. Sometimes, we change our route to pick up food from a certain location. Sometimes we choose not to wear a certain outfit because it will be uncomfortable after eating. Sometimes we spend time exercising after excessively eating. Sometimes we eat to make us feel emotionally better. We even use food to celebrate special events. Although it may not be often that the stomach leads to major decisions, some of us listen to out stomach a little more than others.
Nopales have always been a part of my life. To me eating nopales was as common as eating green beans. Even when the nopales were out of season, we always had a healthy stock of preserved nopales at home. Once I left for college, nopales were less frequent in my diet; not because I did not like them, but because they weren’t as easy to come by. Even when I happened to find them on a menu at a restaurant, they did not taste the same; not as fresh. The only times I would get fresh nopales was when my parents harvested them from their backyard.
It was spring when my mom mentioned we should harvest the nopales in the backyard. Harvest means to cut off all the new pads and take off all the thorns, something I am not very good at doing. That day my parents, husband and I sat under a tree harvesting nopales. As I stared at the little nopal in my hand I realized this is what I wanted to plant. It is a food I absolutely love, easy to plant and maintain. I didn’t think it twice, my stomach led the way.
One reply on “Stomach Leads the Way”
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