A Week of Kuidaore

I don’t usually overindulge. Not even during Christmas. As a confirmed foodie & pleaser, the holidays are usually more of a distraction from eating in order to overindulge family & friends with food. Oh I can pack it away,

don’t get me wrong, but not usually to excess. Except February. My birthday week (consciously or otherwise) always seems to be a beautiful, mind-boggling exercise in kuidaore (kwee-dah-oh-ray), meaning: to ruin oneself by extravagance in food; to lavish ones money on culinary delights; to bankrupt oneself with food to the extent of passing out.

The week began with wild mushroom & chevre pizza paired with Chianti Classico Reserva, then Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs accompanied both oysters & sushi, directly followed by grilled ribeye & truffled mushrooms with Chateau Patache d’Aux Bordeaux - and that was just the first two days. The luxuriance continued mid-week with pasta & grilled vegetables in coq au vin sauce (a precious cup of jus just begging to be released from the confinements of the freezer, how could I resist?) slurped up with another lovely little Bordeaux. It should have ended there, but no - the remaining Bordeaux was polished off later that night with Parmesan popcorn and a healthy portion of Fran’s salted caramel chocolates (my valentine shamelessly absconded from next week, shhhh). Then, oh yes, sinful, hand-rolled lasagna Bolognese alla Janet Hedstrom, coconut cake and toasted almonds in a warm puddle of dark chocolate sauce (the birthday cake every year, pictured above), more popcorn with Chateau Ste. Michelle’s 2004 Artist Series Meritage (ooooh, gorgeous right now), and last but not least, my husband’s box of Fran’s chocolate truffles (unbeknownst to him, his now unrequited valentine). I haven’t passed out, but the week ain’t over yet.

How about you? Tell me about your kuidaore? (If you need to use a pseudonym, I completely understand - I'm not exactly proud to admit to the previous paragraph.)

Comments

[T]

When don't I Kuidaore? Unfortunately my whole life is just one big fat Kuidaore affair after another. But if I had your talent and flare for cooking, I wouldn't feel so badly about it. I mean, look at the bright side, at least you're not indulging on food that is deep fried in a tub of butter. (Not that I'd know anything about that!) Thanks for the post, it's nice to have a name for my indulgence. Kuidaore. Mmmmm sounds like some good food. "Please pass the kuidaore."

[Howard]

While I'm not familiar with that Japanese term, I am familiar with the concept. My excuse and motto has always been, "if you eat large, you might as well eat ... well."

Besides, if one eats "good" then one becomes satisfied easily. It is easy to eat a bag of M&Ms, because you expect it to be good, and when it tastes like candle wax, you keep eating waiting for the expectation to "measure up."

But Kuidaore doesn't sound like gluttony. It sounds more like living fully.

If life, being without meaning and without hope of having a meaning, is absurd, then the only answer is to rebel against the silent void and live a life overflowing. So, if each bite is a meditative explosion of passion and focused living, then I say, "Pass the potatoes!"

[Jill]

I am very excited to finally have a name to describe my frequent indulgences. Instead of answering the "what did you do this weekend?" question with my standard response of: "Well, on Friday, I bankrupted myself with Chinese, two shots of vodka, a half bag of cookies, two more shots of vodka, a block of cheese (I know what you are thinking, but I eat GOOD cheese, NOT Kraft singles), a shot of vodka, a bag of fun-size Twix, three swigs of vodka, and the other half bag of cookies...then, I passed out watching that hot guy on Dirty Jobs. On Saturday I..." I can now just streamline it with "Kiudaore!"

Hmmmm...Maybe I am using this new term a bit loosely. I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason, when I read about your kiudaore my mouth waters and my tongue skips a beat, but when I read about mine I just want to go back to bed with some vodka and Pepto.

Anyway, thanks for the post. It sounds like a week of sheer wonderment and beauty. I should be so lucky!

Pass the kiudaore and the potatoes!