Ah, the salad. The dish for waifs and finicky eaters. The grunt work of a dinner out, ordered and picked over as penance for the main course. On menus it arrives in one of these forms: a “tossed” meal laden with dairy and other “fixings” on a 12” dinner plate, 12 dead leaves of lettuce unceremoniously carried to the table, or a few beautiful twigs dressed with a tablespoon of oil and a slice of cheese that sets you back $12. Thanks for the upsell, but I will definitely PASS.

The "nightshades" are out in abundance. Members of the Solanaceae family, among them peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and mushrooms are being harvested and brought to markets all over the east. Many nightshades are rich in alkaloids, chemical compounds that act as the plant’s defenses and can be toxic to us. The effects of their toxins can range from irritant (chilies) to stimulant (cocaine) to death (mushrooms such as the death cap). So lets just say the nightshade family has given us some of the best and worst of edibles.

On my recent trip to the market I couldn’t resist the brightly colored bell peppers (Capsicum Annuum), the only capsicum with a recessive gene for capsaicin, the heat-producing alkaloid that irritates the pain and heat receptors in the mouth and nose, and basically causes us to sweat and reach for the milk when we eat good salsa.

Those who can find the perfect bite each time they bring a forkful to their mouth have a rare talent. Most of us shovel in our food, eat without looking, or prefer to eat the best part first or save it for last. Then there are those that eat clockwise, or only one thing at a time. What is that about? Any cook wants you to have the perfect balance of flavors in a good-sized mouthful every time.

I love to look at my food when I eat, and sometimes I focus so hard I miss conversations around me, forget to read subtitles during my dinner movie, or neglect to hear the waitress trying to get my attention for the second time. But the perfect bite usually only happens once a meal.