Food is a “big deal” in our family. Being an Indian American, our family gatherings consisted of food (a lot of food)—spicy pungent curries, sweet fragrant desserts, and rice colored with saffron and turmeric. And believe me, when I say my mom was the “best cook,” she was. Some of you are probably thinking the same thing about your mom. With all this wonderful home-cooked food, why would our family ever eat out? Well, you know, sometimes we craved something a little different. Since my family was vegetarian living in small towns, when we enjoyed a meal out we opted for pizza, enchiladas, or more Indian food (northern or southern style like tikka masala and dosas different from our home cooked Gujarati dishes).

I am no longer vegetarian yet am still very health conscious, so I only allow myself to indulge in pizza every once in a great while. My favorite pizza, much like my sister, is generously sauced, crispy Neapolitan-style Margherita pizza with extra cheese, baked in a wood fired oven. I have this amazing spot in Austin that is truly the best, just ask me and I can share it with you. The last time I went for pickup at my favorite pizza place, I thought, “Hmmm…this pizza is going to get cold by the time I reach home. I might as well save myself the time reheating it. Carpe diem!” I sat in my parked car in the parking lot and ate the whole pizza with stretchy cheese and extra sauce, a crunch with every bite, and a huge smile on my face. A pure moment of indulgence, and I guess you could call that “car dining” at its finest. I imagine you have had your own car dining experience when you were so hungry you could not wait until you got home.

You and your family much like my family may be cooking a lot of meals at home with the pandemic. And you may be getting tired of the same old recipes and feeling like everything you cook tastes the same. Some of you may be ordering take-out for variety or maybe even venturing out to dine in a restaurant. Whatever your comfort level, you deserve a moment of pure indulgence whether you pick up your favorite tacos and have a picnic lunch outdoors at your favorite park, enjoy wine and pizza curled up by the fire at home watching a great comedy, or venture out for a Sunday patio brunch with delicious table side guacamole.

For this month’s Item of Value, I would like to offer you my appreciation through food. Visit www.SociusAustin.com and enter to win a gift card to a restaurant of your choice by sharing your favorite place to eat out (or to pick-up/have delivered to enjoy at home). Carpe diem! And enjoy a crunch in every bite!