Trying something different.

I'm in the process of planning for a certain person's lunch thing, and I'm in the process of trying to find a place to go. The good part is that there are multiple websites that tell you multiple things. Whether you use Google, Yelp, Supervegan, Happycow, or word-of-mouth, you're going to find a variety of different suggestions. Some of the sites even have "featured" restaurants, which will move up to the top of the list, regardless of whether it suits your needs or not. Yes, I realise that in Manhattan, it's relatively easy to get around. However, when I put my zip code as an address in Washington Heights, and the results are all showing places way the hell downtown, I'm going to get annoyed and go somewhere else for my search.

No I'm not. I'm going to actually just get frustrated, and default to those same places that I've managed to find on my own over the years. I understand that companies need to make money. I get that. However, I like the model that Google has used all this time. Yes, they have sponsored links, but there are a maximum of like three at the top of the search results. If it does indeed apply to me, I'll click it. If it doesn't, I'm not bothered, because it's not that much to scroll past. I've seen certain sites that have like five or more featured links up above my search results I'm looking for. This doesn't make me want to visit that site again. Instead, it makes me want to give up my search, and default to what I know will be a good choice, even if the other choices being presented are unique and exciting.

That's my barrier to trying something new: if I get annoyed enough in a short period, I'll throw up my hands in frustration at the whole thing, and go back to what I know. There's a reason that I've more or less given up on most cookbooks and the like. Trying to search through all these pages for something that I'm not 100% sure will even work is an exercise in annoying myself. Instead, I heat up some oil, throw in some mustard, cumin, and coriander seeds, add some aromatics (garlic, onion, or ginger; sometimes all three), some turmeric, some dried red chiles, and add whatever vegetable I'm making for dinner that night. Everythings cooks until it's my desired tenderness, and then gets a hit of salt.

Depending on my mood, I'll vary things up, by switching the spices, or aromatics, or the heat (whether it be black pepper, fresh chiles, dried chiles, ground chiles, etc). Sometimes I'll finish with an acid (cider vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, kimichi water, etc). Other times I'll leave it be. Whenever I end up cooking though, it's the same 100 or so (per bean, grain, or vegetable) recipes in some vague rotation. Yes, I could very well go out and hunt through books for more varied techniques, but like most people, I end up getting annoyed, and just go back to what I know.

Until, that is, I get brought to something new and interesting. That's a completely different scenario. In those cases, I'll try that thing, and end up loving it. The only times that happens is when someone physically drags me to a place that I haven't been to.