Chop it like it's hot

This week I made my lunch for work, which was great, because I probably saved about $50 or the allowance I need for the dog walker. I had a Honey Maple Turkey and Picante Provolone sandwich, an apple, pretzels and a few Pepperidge farm cookies. Today, however, I ran out of fixins and bought my lunch at “Chop it.” I’m a big fan of the make-your-own salad craze. Since it began, I get more or less the same thing: a spinach salad with feta, cranberries, artichokes, carrots and an egg. While away from the US I finally learned to like cucumbers, so now they get tossed in too. I usually get the light Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I had never been to “Chop it” before and stood in the queue quickly trying to calculate how much my usual items would cost and if I should swap some of them out for less costly items. For example, artichoke hearts can cost $1.50 and these make- your-own salads can add up. Indeed, I did opt for the last minute switch and chose soy beans (or edamame as they are known in Japan and in urban lunch establishments.)

I got to the top of the considerable queue with incredible speed. And then I saw why. The servers behind the counter were moving at light speed. I’m serious. They tossed in my ingredients before I was even sure I wanted them. The little additional flare of “Chop It” that distinguishes it from the other places is that they then indeed chop up the salad with furious fervor and punctilious panache. It was like watching Edward Scissorhands. And just like Edward, everyone was friendly and polite.

It is particularly unnerving when an impatient, hurried person such as myself gets outpaced. Like a slug I tried to regain my composure as my tossed salad was tossed to me. Upon receiving ever-so tender instructions to move to the register, I lurched forward. My feet felt like concrete compared to the tizzy of roughage around me. I handed over my ticket with trembling hands. I feared I would not get to my wallet with enough speed and I would be THE ONE who halted the precision of the salad assembly line. Henry Ford is certainly beaming down from heaven on “Chop it.”

The salad was pretty good. I missed those artichokes, but whenever I eat edamame I feel like I’m adding years onto my life. So, I think it was worth $8.69. Once a week anyway.