Bagel and Lox with Cream Cheese: Simple

Bagel and Lox with Cream Cheese

11/18/2025

Sometimes simple is best. Many who know me may be surprised to hear me say that, because "simple" is not a word that is associated with me very often. But then none of us are just "one thing" at all times, are we?

This breakfast, which I made for Keshav this week, did not have a recipe because it was just a classic bagel with cream cheese and lox. I make this as a way to get him some good protein in the morning when I am tired of making him egg dishes. Like all of us, he loves this dish. He prefers "plain" bagels, by the way, but I snuck in some "everything bagel" seasoning, because, well, yummy. He liked it.

And it was simple.

This past October, I had some friends over for a chili bar buffet. I made two different chilis (one was vegan), and set out a bunch of toppings, homemade cornbread, a lovely Fall salad, and a beverage bar. I found this cool Autumn trees backdrop and hung it in our front window so that it looked like we have woods outside our apartment (we don't). 

Keshav commented on the setup to my friends, telling them that "He can't do anything simple!", but he did not say it in a critical way--it was more of a boast. He commented on how my gatherings keep getting more and more extravagant, but that is not actually true. Yes, they are more than they used to be, but I do think I know when I have done enough. I told my friends, "I haven't gotten bigger, I have gotten better." They dutifully agreed.

I have become a better cook with experience, and my decor still stays within tasteful boundaries. I decorate to enhance, not overwhelm. But I can see Keshav's perspective, because he is witness to all the time I put into these things. 

His parents are coming here for Thanksgiving dinner in less than two weeks, and I started planning the menu the first week of November. I started the shopping for non-perishables a week ago, and I have already started setting up the apartment. I am glad I did, because yesterday I made some changes after "living with" the first setup for a week. I needed to adjust the design, and I am happy with the adjustments I made. 

Keshav told me that his parents are okay with a "simple dinner", but I am not okay with a simple dinner. It feels like a big deal for me, and I know that their agreement to come out is something he has sought for a couple of years. I want to show my appreciation for their willingness to fly out from Massachusetts. I also want to show them what I can do, because the last couple of times I cooked for them, there was room for improvement. 

I suppose I could do a simple dinner, one that does not require a week of prep and a day-of schedule refined to the minute like a military exercise, but I don't want to. I want to prepare a beautiful, interesting, and delicious meal that they will talk about all the way home. I want to show them why I put in the effort, what I can create, and in the process help them understand why I do it. Could I accomplish these tasks with a simpler menu? I don't know--ask me again next year.

Here is a question: What is the value of observing a holiday but not making it special? It's like wearing shorts and flip-flops to a Broadway show--why?????? Granted, "special" can also be simple, but many people tend to automatically associate effort with complexity. For my dinner menu, I did discard a couple of recipes specifically because they were too complex to make, opting for dishes that could be prepped or fully prepared ahead of time, making the day-of operation--wait for it--simpler! 

Is there a difference between simpler and simple? Perhaps my simple is not yours. It doesn't have to be. I just think that the concept of simplicity has been oversold to us, causing society to prioritize convenience over effort. I think we have lost something in that transition. There is love and value in doing something ourselves. I don't care how delicious that bakery pie is, in my home it will never take the place of a homemade one. 

It's as simple as that.