Newly single Zoe is bored with it all. Bored with her job, her now ex-girlfriend, and most of all— the food in her fridge. In pursuit of something exciting for her growling tummy, a sudden Hot Beef Fondue revelation from Goodfood turns her entire world upside down. Will she give up her Goodfood dreams to head to the grocery store? Or will she give into: The Temptation of Fast Groceries?
Zoe stared out her bedroom window, it was an evening full of snow. As she turned away from the outside cold, she felt that all-too-familiar feeling of boredom creep up. Since telling Sonya to pack up her things and leave– and while it was the right thing to do, she was feeling more bored than usual lately.
Her tummy rumbled suddenly. She realized it was as empty as she felt on the inside. She definitely didn’t want to drive all the way to the grocery store now, especially with how off she was feeling. It would be just one more boring drive to the boring grocery store to be surrounded by boring food.
Suddenly the thought came to her, “Hot Beef Fondue.” That was fun and something different, you can’t get that in a grocery store and like Sonya, she never wanted to see one of those again. But where would she find that at this hour?
Her stomach began to growl louder with intensity— her hunger was greater than usual tonight. “I guess I can’t ignore it any longer,” she thought. Sonya was even less needy than this!
“Why am I so discontent? Why isn’t this house… this room… what’s in my fridge ever enough? What is it that I truly crave?”
Her stomach answered back gleefully, she craved something that would finally please her, something that would take her far away here. Something that could cure her boredom and make her feel satisfied like no one has ever made her feel. And she wanted it all now… Or within 30 minutes. That would be divine.
However, the pain of having to dust off her car and journey in the snow to the grocery store was all too much. She should have got Sonya to do a grocery run before she kicked her to the curb, that would’ve shown her. Having to deal with the oh so judging people at that boring market really was revolting her. People there only see her for the food in her cart, the meals she most deeply desired, not the woman she knows she is in her heart. How dare they judge her like that?
She knew she had to get rid of this boredom and hunger, fast. It would be like relieving an itch you can’t quite reach. One that has been there for days, no weeks, no MONTHS. She had to satisfy her hunger. One way or another.
She closed her eyes and dreamed of the food that would save her from this. Food that would not only solve her hunger but release her from her boredom. Mexican Beef Chili with red kidney beans, lentils, and garlic. That would hit so good right now, and warm her up in just the right ways. Maybe some Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken? A hint of heat, a dash of sweet. The prospects sent her mind ablaze with flavour possibilities. Some cheese would be delish right now as well, she thought. Some halloumi, or actually maybe some cheddar cheese with caramelized onions? Oh, dairy please! That would hit the spot.
And then it came to her, like a flash of genius. She remembered exactly where she had seen that Hot Beef Fondue before! She tossed her keys to the side in triumph, undressed from her coat and made cozy on her bed. She grabbed her laptop and let out a laugh of excitement. The answer was in front of her all along!
It’s Goodfood, of course. Makegoodfood.ca that is.
She can get all the groceries she dreamt about in under 30 minutes, what a treat! The hair on the back of her neck stood up and goosebumps appeared all over her body. This was the first excitement she felt since throwing Sonya’s tv on the curb. Her stomach was ready, her hunger was ready, she was ready. “Let’s order, let’s do this,” she whispered to herself.
“Take me Goodfood, take me on a journey of pure food bliss, show me the version of myself where my hunger is truly satisfied, show me the woman I want to be.”
Ordering delicious groceries in bed on makegoodfood.ca was even better than she imagined. No way could the grocery store keep up with her taste buds quite like this. This took her cravings to another level. One she only dreamt of before. It also made her realize that she now knew exactly what she liked and the way she liked it.
Cheddar with Caramelized Onions, sweet juicy Ataúlfo Mangoes, a fresh Artisanal Montreal style Baguette. Each new food item in her online basket made her whimper, gasp, and sink her fingers into the sheets. She could go on and on. And oh, on and on she went indeed. She continued to keep adding groceries to her cart. Canadian Atlantic Salmon Fillet, delicious, sliced Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeño, Colossal Raw Black Tiger shrimp, even a ready to bake Thin Crust Margherita Pizza. The list went on and on. Yes, my friends, this cart was packed and full of pleasure.
But most of all, there was one item in her cart that screamed at her. One that stood out amongst the rest as the true jewel of her tummy. She sat up and smiled down at the list of food items she’d chosen, but her eyes squarely on that Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie. She thought of cutting herself a scrumptious slice, before dinner, because why shouldn’t she? She deserves it. Those chocolatey, nutty flavours could create a symphony in her mouth. She had to have it now! And with only 30-minute delivery, she could have her pie and eat it quick too.
It was time, but before she sent the order, she thought for a second, was it all worth it? Shouldn’t she just get in her car and make her way to the grocery store? She’d be back in an hour after all and then have to settle for a quick bite. It would mean that instead of truly giving herself what her body craved, she would give up her deep wish for delicious, interesting food.
Should she give in? Should she really do it? No, not today.
She stood up and screamed defiantly, “NO, I will eat what I want, when I want, and as fast as I want!” Her pulse was quickening, the prospect of the food she wanted was too much to bear, she had to have it now. She’ll never go back to those old ways, the temptation of fast groceries that were actually delicious and interesting was far too great.
The world has come too far to turn back to the old ways, she deserved Goodfood.
With the thrust of her finger, she clicked order now and ran downstairs to begin her watch for her groceries. She had to be patient, but not too patient because really 30 minutes isn’t much time at all. No, it really isn’t; it’s nothing but a quick episode of her favourite show, or a light nap before her amazing feast. Even still, she waited by the door looking for the delivery truck.
The Goodfood delivery time seemed almost too good. It can’t be true, can it? Will it only take a half hour? “We’ll see,” she said to herself.
We’ll see indeed, Zoe.
Minutes passed by and her scrumptious Goodfood grocery delivery order grew closer and closer. She thought of what she would eat first, what would help satisfy this legendary craving the most? Would it be the enormous shrimp? Maybe one of the cheeses? She couldn’t decide!
She held her tummy and moaned at the prospect of eating those good Goodfood groceries. Every few seconds, she’d look out her window, see no delivery truck, grab her tummy and moan. Again, look out the window, grab her tummy, then moan. Again, and again. And again. Yes, even again. If you were a fly on the wall watching her, it would be hard to understand her bizarre movements and behaviour. We’re even a little confused by it truthfully, but that doesn’t matter, because when your hunger takes over, there’s no explaining how you might react.
She had given in to her primal cravings, and now she was relishing it, accepting whatever it made her body do. You could clearly see it felt so good knowing that she would soon get delicious food brought straight to her door. She looked at the clock on her phone, and it was almost time; the minutes had really sped by. She thought it would feel like much, much more time than this, but really it had been like a flash in the pan.
And suddenly, lights appeared in her driveway. The Goodfood truck had finally arrived, it carried everything she wanted, everything she needed. Nothing was more important to her than this moment. Every decision she made in her life brought her to this point and she couldn’t be happier. It had only been 30 minutes, but she couldn’t wait any longer. Hunger waits for no one.
As she swung open her front door, a gust of cold air blew through her beautiful blonde hair and highlighted her piercing blue eyes that were full of determination. She ran outside, not even wearing a coat, and met the delivery driver as they held her amazing grocery order.
She grabbed it out of his hands and let out a primal, triumphant scream to the sky. She thrust the bag of groceries up and down in the air. This was her bounty, this was her prize, and it got here so quick. She didn’t even have to deal with long, long grocery lines, or some weird dude staring at her while she was in the produce section. No, none of that affected her. She had finally got it. It was in her hands now.
She looked at the Goodfood driver who was clearly taken back, even a little scared. He ran into his delivery car and was looking at her from his window. He knew what he was seeing though. This was a woman who truly is about to get exactly what she wanted. He had dealt with people like her before; he dealt with people like her daily. Because Goodfood delivers interesting, satisfying foods that can completely change your perspective on what is possible. These are people who know they want something really tasty, something really satisfying, something really interesting. Before he left her driveway he thought “I love my job.”
He waved her goodbye and gave her an understanding nod as he pulled out of the driveway. She didn’t wave back however, no she had no time to wave, no no no, she had no time for him at all. While she was indeed thankful for the bountiful grocery order he had brought to her home, she could no longer hold in her desire. It oozed from her pores and every part of her being. Her body shook with desire for this food in this grocery bag. It was like nothing else existed but her, and the grocery bag in her hands. She then realized she had been standing outside in the cold for 5 or so minutes now. She was too encapsulated by the beauty of fresh Goodfood groceries. She ran inside.
The feast was about to begin.
Once inside she began the ritual of hunger satisfaction. She lit a few candles. Changed into her hunger cloak and laid out all the food she had ordered in a perfect circle of deliciousness. She sat in the middle of the food, there were even more things than she remembered ordering. French Onion Soup au Gratin, Mango Ice Cream Mochi, Belgian Sugar Waffles, pillowy Cinnamon Raisin New York style Bagels, Piri Piri Sauce that would give all her food a spicy zing, and of course Poutine Bites, yes, Poutine Bites— they exist and they’re so so good.
She held her hands up to the sky and began to chant her Goodfood loving battle cry.
“Nom nom nom nom nom nom.”
“Nom nom nom nom nom nom nom nom.”
Her stomach began to growl louder and louder, her chant grew stronger and stronger. “NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM.”
And now it was to be the time. This was it, the moment she and all of us have been waiting for.
Like a lion, stalking its prey in the heat of the Savannah night, she leapt from the circle and began the quenching of her hunger. First it was the pantry food, things she didn’t have to cook. She didn’t have the time yet, she needed to feast now. It began with cheeses like the Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese with Pickled Jalapeño peppers, or the sweet Basil Goat Cheese that she spread oh so carefully along her Artisanal Montreal-Style Baguette. As she bit into the food it was an explosion of flavour for all her senses.
She felt connected to her body like she had never felt before. It transported her to the farms this immaculate food came from. As she walked along the fields, in her stomach’s eye she could tell it was made with care, with love. It gave her an inner sense of hope, her food was loved, and she felt loved. Like a warm hug of deliciousness. Every flavour sung a different note, every bite was a complex symphony. There’s beauty in food she realized, a single tear left her eye and she wept with gratitude and pleasure. This was what it was all about! How happy she was that food like this could be brought to her in only 30 minutes. How was this possible?
“Goodfood,” she whispered. “It was Goodfood all along.”
She ate the entire baguette and all the cheeses. She followed it up with a Boreal Berry Smoothie to quench her powerful thirst. It was blended exactly right with a luscious mix of blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and yes, banana.
And you see that was just the appetizer, yes, her hunger still knew no bounds, her stomach still growled. The temptation for fast groceries burned on in her very being. She must cook now and cook she will.
She marched into the kitchen and took command of her stove. “This will be my greatest work yet,” she screamed with passion, with fire, with stove fire actually and boiling water in a pot. This will be her Mona Lisa she thought, the feast spoken about for a thousand years. They’ll write legends about it, actually no, romantic novels about it, that are really just a promotional idea for Mother’s Day.
Anyway, she shook her head, no time for silly thoughts, there was food to be cooked. She began preparing her Seared Pork Chops & Garlic-Roasted Broccoli with Warm German-Style Potato Salad. To accompany it, she was also cooking a Fresh Penne Primavera with Golden Beets, Peas & Goat cheese. Along with that she wanted a ginormous Shrimp Caesar Salad with Buttered & Toasted Ciabatta Croutons. As she worked furiously on this amazing meal, sweat dripped from her brow. She almost wanted to pinch herself. All this marvelous food, and she didn’t even have to step foot in a grocery store. That was amazing.
As the aromas wafted in her home, she thought of her neighbours. Did they know the amazing food journey that was happening here? She had thin walls, could they hear her cries of pleasure? Could they smell the complex spices and tasty odours that now possess her halls, her furniture, and her very soul? Should she invite them over for a bite? Or two? They were nice after all, and this was a feast for the ages. One that almost begged for others to be a part of.
But the thought of sharing this delicious work of art was all too hard. She did like the idea of having people watch her consume this mouthwatering meal, but when she looked at herself in the reflection of her toaster, she saw her true desire. She wanted to do this alone. This was for her, no one else. This was an out-of-body experience that no one but her could fully appreciate. Maybe she’d slip them a Goodfood flyer, or a paper with the makegoodfood.ca website on it so they too could now know what true pleasure was and discover interesting food themselves, brought to them in 30 minutes.
But tonight was for her, and only her. And if they can hear her through the walls and smell her life changing meal, so be it. They can be the audience of her transcendence to satisfied hunger greatness.
The food was done. The meal had been cooked. It was time to dig in and start the main course that she had been dreaming of.
She delicately laid out her nicest tablecloth and finest china on her dining room set. She lit a few candles and put the meal on dishes. She placed it all so delicately, slowly, and methodically. A sense of inner peace washed over her in this moment, it was like being in the eye of a storm, a food storm. She sat down on her throne like chair at the head of the table and gazed upon the feast she created. She felt proud. Maybe she should take a pic for her friends to like and share, so she would never forget. 5 years from now she’d get a notification saying, “remember this?” She delighted in the thought, but no. This was for her eyes and stomach only. She put on her bib that had a lobster with the saying ‘time to get cracking.’ Time to get cracking indeed, she thought.
Time to get cracking indeed.
The meal commenced. She shoved those succulent foods in her mouth with both no sense of control and an outer-worldly determination. The foods were unlike anything she had ever tasted before. The shrimp Caesar salad with tasty croutons. The garlic roasted broccoli with the pan seared pork chops. The cold pressed orange juice that she gulped to wash it all down. She had reached a new level of being.
She wasn’t just Zoe anymore, she was super Zoe. Super full Zoe, that is.
She had done it. The dishes were cleaned, the crumbs were swept up. Her belly was full. She couldn’t possibly eat another bite. But then it happened, she saw it. How could she have forgotten? It stared at her from the counter. That dark chocolate pecan pie. The whole reason she went on this marvelous food journey.
She laughed to herself. Could she do this? Could she actually eat this entire pie after the feast she just experienced? The answer was of course, yes. No food would be wasted this day. She ran to the pie and stuck her fingers in and brought the tastiness to her mouth. She screamed with pleasure as it took over her taste buds like a possession from the other side. She was lost in its flavourful, bountiful, chocolatey, nutty goodness. This was bliss. This was what she wanted all along. She still couldn’t believe it all came in 30 minutes. She looked up at the roof of her home with chocolate all over her face and yelled out from the bellows of her now very full stomach, “I’m finished!”
Read More:
THE FOOD SHE DESIRED