The Zen of Vegetable Dissection

There's something so soothing about, after a long day of work, settling down at the cutting board with a good sharp chef's knife in hand and a big pile of vegetables to cut into. These peppers were so beautiful whole with their firm, unmarked skins and their elegantly curved stems; it's almost a shame to destroy that. Still, without breaking them down, you don't get to sample any to

enjoy the sweetness of the red pepper, and the tartness of the green and yellow ones. You can forgive a clean, juicy onion that falls into such tidy rings for bringing tears to your eyes. I don't slice and dice at the speed of light like a pro, but, while they're just focused on getting the vegetables prepped, I can enjoy the process: peeling the onion's skin, feeling the peppers' moist flesh, finding the seeds inside, and sharing the goodness with the most loyal kitchen companion I know.