Culinary epiphanies don't happen often, but when they do, they are food for thought. I had one recently dining on prime Japanese beef and it was an experience that, on reflection, recalled a childhood event. Not that I grew up eating wagyū — far from it; rather, the portion of seared beef reminded me about the sadness of finishing something that is so gorgeous, so delicious, that you never want it to be over. Yet, every bite is a game of give and take, pleasure versus trepidation as the end draws nearer.