Turnips!

“Yeah, but if we get the turnips, it looks different, and they’re used to something else, and it might slow them down.”

“OK.”

I let it drop for about five minutes.

“Really, Cliff. It’s worth it. Let’s just get the freaking turnips.”

“OK, let’s do the turnips. Y’know, we could also make like that Middle Eastern pickled turnips, where they add a little bit of beets to the mix to make it that pretty purple colour. But it’s so salty.”

“Well, our version doesn’t have to be quite so salty. We can make it more mild.”

“It’s wonderful with hummus too. How come nobody ever orders our pickles with hummus?”

“Probably because we don’t bill it that way. You plunk down at a Middle Eastern place, and they set some pickles in front of you. Turnips are inexpensive enough that they can afford it.”

“Hm. Good point.”

We kept rambling about other things to do with turnips, Middle Eastern food, falafels, hummus, olives, olive oil, and things in between. It wasn’t about my being right or wrong or him needing to be convinced. It was more that both of us are playing for the same team, and tend to thrive on the open and free discussion of ideas and methods. Underneath it all, we both help each other to get through that initial fear and nervousness, and try something new.

Sometimes, you just need someone to push you to try something, “just because”. It’s mainly to do with breaking out of the rut you’re in, and trying something that may just work out in the end. It’s fortunate for me that I’ve got that in so many people: my boss, my husband, my mother (on more occasions than bear counting). It’s why I’m able to push too. If I didn’t have that team of people behind me, I wouldn’t be quite so self-assured in trying something different.

I will report details of the outcome of the turnip saga later on, when I know how it turns out.

EDIT: The expected vegetables arrived, and we didn't need to end up using the turnips anyway.