When I was younger, I suffered from legume-a-phobia.
I grew up in a family fortunate enough to eat homemade dinners 7 days a week (thanks, Mom). Occasionally chili would be on the menu. Being afraid of legumes as a kid, the simple task of eating chili that all chili eaters take for granted was always a tedious, laborious effort on my part. I would pick out the little pieces of hamburger from the sea of beans and savor every bite I could strain out of the bowl - to every 1 bowl of chili everyone else would consume, I would probably have 3 and end dinner with a bowl full of beans. Every so often there would be a larger chunk of ground beef in the bowl that was the perfect topping for a cracker with a little bit of chili juice... "Score!" I'd think to myself.
Since I've moved out and gotten a little older, I have overcome my fear of beans. Love 'em. Last week my sister brought me a container of that delicious chili which she made from the same recipe our Mom uses. I think that may have been the first time I can ever remember that I ate that chili as a whole, beans and all. And you know what? It was delicious. I lived through it. After finishing that first bowl of chili, I wanted to kick myself for having access to such a good thing when I was growing up and not being able to fully take advantage of it.
Delicious chili, my dear sister... you done reeeeeeeal good.
Man, kids are stupid.
