even whitman asks, do I contradict myself?

I've been told, real men don't eat quiche.

But real men also don't turn down

a.) food their wife has been slaving over when so many men covet a cooking wife

or

b.) a classic Julia Child dish. Especially

if southern Gulf White Shrimp

have been added

to a recipe already infused with chunks of butter and foot-long stretches of bacon.

In that case, the question is: Would a real man turn down this Quiche?

And Husband is a real man. So together we ate the whole quiche in one sitting.

I swore I'd never fall prey in my Julia Child endeavors to my tendency to creatively alter every recipe that comes through my kitchen. I swore I would never ever alter a Julia Child dish until I had made the pure, authentic version first.

Because quite frankly, I'm just learning to cook. I'm still in my first decade of informal culinary exploration. I need to follow recipes not arrogantly abandon their origins to my own creative bliss. I need to respect the structure and the science of a thing before abstracting it...

you know, follow the rules.

Yet just three recipes into (arguably) the cookbook of the century, I've done it. I added shrimp to the Quiche Lorraine. (Am I being a bit hard on myself?)

Absolutely not. Because it was a raging success.

And because I followed Julia's guidelines for Quiche Aux Fruits De Mer, or Shrimp, Crab or Lobster Quiche to add the little crustaceans.

Now, you might ask, Why didn't you just make Quiche Aux Fruits De Mer? Well, the Quiche Lorraine sounded so tempting with its heavy cream, bacon, and nutmeg that I already had my heart set on it. Plus, I decided the shrimp would compliment since so many shrimp dishes call for bacon, and the nutmeg/cream combo reminded me of the most wonderful Seafood Newburg I had in Maine on our honeymoon.

And what is good food for but to bring back wonderful memories and warm, cozy feelings through its artistry and flavors?

Just watch Anton Ego in his life-altering nostalgic experience in Ratatouille.

Do I contradict myself?

Very well then I contradict myself.

(I am large. I contain multitudes.)

-Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass