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It’s been 26 days since I watched Earthlings and decided to go vegetarian. Progress thus far? Fine. I’ll ‘fess up. A week into the vegetarian life, I caved in to a prawn curry. Every single prawn was consumed with more than its weight in guilt. Why did I do it? I was going crazy for the texture of meat. The chewy feel of it.
3 weeks into it, last weekend, I succumbed to a piece of beef from the stew that was beside all the vegetarian fare. Despite the images of cows being branded on their faces, or the depleted dairy cows being converted to hamburger meat… I consumed that piece of beef. My mouth rejoiced, but the rest of me was disapproving.
I’ve figured out (in another stunning re-invention of the wheel) that it’s about food texture (a good friend reliably informs me that infants and toddlers know this already). My jaw is going crazy for something ‘chewy’ to masticate, and it craves meat on some days, until it’s fed mushroom steaks. Mushrooms can be nice and chewy, depending on how you cook ‘em.
I’m slowly getting there. I looked cooked chicken, wing-to-eyeball, this afternoon and felt nothing. Aluta continua!
Reading about depleted dairy cows being converted to hamburger meat reminded me of this article. Interesting development that!
I don’t know if I’d do full veg. I love my meat too much. I have, however, reduced my intake, much to my mother’s joy who thinks I partake of too much meat! For me, food texture will never ever convince me that I can have a non meat diet, no matter how well prepared the vegeterian dish. I will have to have my meat every now and then!
Hi egm, thanks for the article. Aiiii here come the mad cows? Great that you’ve cut down, what convinced me about really needing to look at food differently was watching this 2004 abc special on how the food industry in america operates. Scary.
Ah, I figure that for as long as I have not come down with a malady resulting from my meat consumption, I shall continue eating it, scary tv specials or not. What I do know, however, is that I’d much rather eat meat here than in the US. This was confirmed by my visit there early this month where I realised just how bad it tastes! 11 years of living there had dulled my taste buds, but after being home 2 years, them buds have revived kabisa.
Enjoy some meat for me egm
And when/if you’re ready, “there’ll always be Veggie-ville”. Yeah, that processed meat story. At least at home you can more easily track down ‘real’ meat. Pole the link didn’t show up on the scary video, it’s scary in terms of how wily the food industry is (unlike earthlings which is scary in terms of how badly treated animals are). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXAZ_7JO7EA&feature=related
I dont remember what crossed my mind back in 2001, i decided to do away with adding sugar (i.e. i do eat chocolates but i dont drink tea or coffee with sugar), adding salt (table salt) and eating meat. the first two i have managed to succeed this month is my eighth anniversary. When it came to eating meat ’twas very easy not to eat it at home, however when it came to places i visited i had to answer soo many questions just explaining i dont eat meat because i dont want to eat meat. Ha ha ha .. partly because of the cultural context associated with that dish, a mgeni visiting would be treated with either chicken or beef or goat meat, now after that unfortunate chicken has met his unfortunate end, the visitor calms says I dont eat meat, you could see the hostess jumping out of her skin and eye rolling in confusion, .. cutting long story short i gave up I remember to have lasted 6 months then I had to succumb to social pressure, to date my cooking is mainly veggie but i dont fight when a meat is served.
Hi agnal, good to see you here again. Congrats on you 8th anniversary, and good luck steering clear of social pressure to eat meat.
A veggies diet is not something I can try with my lifestyle in SA. Meat is cheaper and more readily available and convenient. I could try going vegeterian and see how it goes, but it has to wait till I get back to Jamhuri.
Bomseh, I find the meat in Jozi quite expensive. I feel you on the expensive vegetables, lakini the dried beans and lentils are affordable, once you know where to get them, and there’s plenty of sukuma wiki available in Hillbrough and at the market in Yeoville. My beans come from Fordsburg and Oriental Plaza, and I still do my bulk fresh produce shopping at the Fresh Produce market in City Deep. Many people say the cost of petrol makes it as expensive as buying at the local grocery store, but I say (the old chinese saying) “woman who say it cannot be done should not interrupt woman doing it.”