The Picky Eater. Art by Nisse Lovendahl, from The Herbal and Spiced Culinary Tarot. This card is in

The Picky Eater. Art by Nisse Lovendahl, from The Herbal and Spiced Culinary Tarot.

This card is in many ways the mascot of the deck!  It is the first card that Nisse Lovendahl and I collaborated on when I was deciding what I was trying to do with the culinary tarot.  This card challenges you to push your comfort zones and let the chips fall as they may.  

Are you addicted to control and stability? The Picky Eater comes around when you are resistant to the change and adventure that is at their fingertips, trying to stick to the familiar and reliable instead of moving with the flow. The universe wants you to upend your entrenched patterns. Something unexpected and delicious is on the other side of letting go—put down the bowl of buttered noodles and get ready for broader horizons.

The Picky Eater also symbolizes changing fortunes and situations. Although these transformations are often for the better, there is no shame in taking comfort in the little things (or foods) that are habitual. You can love your basic peanut butter sandwich and still know that there is an exotic feast on your menu in the future. Trust the process and expect the unexpected.

Food: Try something exciting that you have always been intimidated by. If you are an omnivore, maybe order that offal dish or add uni if available. If you are vegetarian, find a new way to prepare durian. Take the opportunity to expand beyond your comfort zone.

Herb: An herb that boosts your courage can be a useful addition to your repertoire at this time. Angelica is an herb whose flowers have been used to flavor fish or poultry. Its stems can also easily be thrown into marmalade or stewed rhubarb for extra flavor. Use this herb as a stepping-stone into something more adventurous.