Vegetarian: in retrospect

04 March 2009

Bacon was my downfall.

Of all the foods I have loved and ever will love, there is something irresistible in the crisp and juicy sweet of hot bacon that makes my stomach whisper, "Junior Bacon Cheeseburger! Junior Bacon Cheeseburger!"

Of course, I managed just fine for an entire 10½ months without killing half the barnyard. In reality, I was a genuine vegetarian for nearly a year, with the exception of a few unavoidable and delicious forays into the world of Omnivorous Man. Whatever my reasons may have been for living mainly on rice and tofu (and it is debatable whether I even had any reasons at all), I must say preaching peace, love and respect for the animal kingdom did me good.

For one, I honed my cooking skills, focusing on the more animal-friendly cuisines of the the Mediterranean, Middle East and India. Also Thailand. Coconut milk and green chili paste were my two main staples for a few good months. Rice and curry were my next staples. Curry and my garam masala are still the two spices I reach for first if ever I find a limp and blanched vegetable in need of assistance. (Or rosemary, but that is neither here nor there.) Then I went on a falafel kick and ate flat bread and fried chickpeas every day. Of course, I appreciate the importance of iron in my diet, and the need to replenish my amino acids etc., so I ate a lot of spinach, at least in the beginning. And seaweed, which is also green and makes me feel healthy. I became, in my own right, a bit of a sushi conoseiur-- blanched carrots and avocado with a nice sweet rice vinegar! mmmh!

For another thing, I never wanted for lively conversation. Those who enjoyed arguing found no end of scriptural (or otherwise authoritative) support for a more meaty diet. Those who did not enjoy arguing still found it necessary to express there own thoughts on the subject of nutritional therapy. "Vegetarian? Like what, you eat grass all the time?" My rhetorical skills soon grew as sharp as their wit.

Mostly, being a vegetarian reminded me how much I love meat.

Last night, as I did crunches in front of the tube, a commercial for Arby's New Roastburger came on. I looked at my roommate. She looked at me.
"I'll grab the car keys"
"I'll grab a coat."

mmmmh. Bacon, roast beef and blue cheese on a toasted bun.

It even has vegetables.