Where’s the fire?

I had my heart set on a sesame beef stir-fry tonight. It’s supposed to be strips of tenderloin tossed in sesame seeds flash-fried in sesame oil with broccoli, yellow pepper, and red chile, then simmered in a sauce of beef stock, soy sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. It was very tasty, but of course, I bought beef chuck tender steak instead of “tenderloin.” I saw “tender,” and that was enough for me! “Tough,” I’m afraid was more like it. Why do I rush? Am I embarrassed to stand at the meat counter too long? A little. Am I nervous about the price per pound of tenderloin and settle in my mind for something less? Yes. Do I think Chuck and I are not worth the price of a good piece of meat? No; we certainly didn’t skimp on the lamb the other weekend, or the brisket last winter. It pays to take time to get what you need. I’ll contemplate that during my six weeks’ recovery after my hip is replaced. There’s no rushing that.