Just a quick post tonight to share an article I just read: The Best Decision I Ever Made. This posting was written by a professional chef who has spent years in the restaurant industry serving up meat, but finally turned vegan. For someone who has made their livelihood in the food industry, the decision to go vegetarian or vegan threatens to upend a way of life and affect income. His story was especially poignant for me, given my upbringing in a family restaurant. I have been searching for stories such as this to connect to for years.
It reminded me of those first few years as a vegetarian myself, still helping out at the family's restaurant. Supporting the family business was non-negotiable, and of course I wanted to see the restaurant, and in turn, the family be successful. But suddenly, it seemed an ethical dilemma, as now 95% of the menu included items I wouldn't eat myself. Tricky situations arose when customers asked for menu recommendations and I would stand by quietly as these same customers would exclaim to me how great their gigantic serving of beef tasted.
As the fourth generation of restauranteurs, I often dreamed of running the place myself one day. But I know I wouldn't be able to serve meat to my customers. And I doubt an all-vegetarian restaurant would be well-received in such a small town!
I commend Doug for putting his livelihood on the line for his own health - and for animals. A chef has the power to influence the palates of others and make an even bigger difference!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Veggie Day XI
I know it has been several months since you've heard from the black sheep; busy holidays and an even busier work schedule has kept me away from the blog. But this is the perfect week to dive back in! Those of you closest to me may already be aware that Veggie Day is upon us. For anyone new, Veggie Day is a figment of my imagination, a 'holiday' designed for celebrating my vegetarian lifestyle choice. Traditional festivities of the day include imbibing in a gluttonous amount of vegetarian fare, wearing t-shirts bearing animal rights slogans, and shamelessly guilting carniverous family members into eating vegetarian for the day.
But why add another day to the multitude of veg-centric holidays already on the calendar? With an increasing number of vegetarians and vegetarian groups, everyone wants to show that this lifestyle is fun and worth celebrating. And what better way than fabricating holidays? There are vegetarian awareness days, World Vegan Day, days that support awareness of farm animals, animal testing, fur manufacturing, circuses, even an entire month devoted to vegans (November). And of course who could forget Vegan Pizza Day, and my personal favorite, Hug a Vegetarian Day!
It would seem there are already plenty of days that honor the herbivore. But today holds a personal significance in my life. During the winter of senior year of high school, I decided to finally take the plunge and fully embrace a vegetarian life. About a year later, I marveled at the fact that I'd made it a whole year, and decided to celebrate. Wearing my "Green Goddess Cafe" t-shirt, I invited the whole family over for grilled cheese and tomato soup. This was one of few dishes that was 'naturally' vegetarian without being 'weird' to the traditional northern Minnesotan carnivorous palate. I remember being mocked a little, as usual. But this was a day that I just didn't care. It was so fun, I decided to make it a yearly event. Ever since, I have invited various friends and family to dine with me, exploring new cuisines and listening to friends exclaim, "This is great! I could be a vegetarian too!" And that really is the whole point of this day - sharing a way of life with people I care about.
Veggie day for me has always been a unique mixture of pride in the fact that I've upheld such strict guidelines for yet another year, improving my health and saving animal lives in the process - and a mock seriousness that allows for the element of enjoyment and silliness. Because life needs more reasons for celebration. So, feel free to celebrate with me today by enjoying an animal-free meal. Or make up your own reason to celebrate. Whether it's Christmakkah, Festivus, or making a commitment to healthier eating, go ahead and throw a party!
Gifts for Veggie Day are certainly not necessary, but for anyone who insists, I am registered at Pizza Luce and Mississippi Market.
But why add another day to the multitude of veg-centric holidays already on the calendar? With an increasing number of vegetarians and vegetarian groups, everyone wants to show that this lifestyle is fun and worth celebrating. And what better way than fabricating holidays? There are vegetarian awareness days, World Vegan Day, days that support awareness of farm animals, animal testing, fur manufacturing, circuses, even an entire month devoted to vegans (November). And of course who could forget Vegan Pizza Day, and my personal favorite, Hug a Vegetarian Day!
It would seem there are already plenty of days that honor the herbivore. But today holds a personal significance in my life. During the winter of senior year of high school, I decided to finally take the plunge and fully embrace a vegetarian life. About a year later, I marveled at the fact that I'd made it a whole year, and decided to celebrate. Wearing my "Green Goddess Cafe" t-shirt, I invited the whole family over for grilled cheese and tomato soup. This was one of few dishes that was 'naturally' vegetarian without being 'weird' to the traditional northern Minnesotan carnivorous palate. I remember being mocked a little, as usual. But this was a day that I just didn't care. It was so fun, I decided to make it a yearly event. Ever since, I have invited various friends and family to dine with me, exploring new cuisines and listening to friends exclaim, "This is great! I could be a vegetarian too!" And that really is the whole point of this day - sharing a way of life with people I care about.
Veggie day for me has always been a unique mixture of pride in the fact that I've upheld such strict guidelines for yet another year, improving my health and saving animal lives in the process - and a mock seriousness that allows for the element of enjoyment and silliness. Because life needs more reasons for celebration. So, feel free to celebrate with me today by enjoying an animal-free meal. Or make up your own reason to celebrate. Whether it's Christmakkah, Festivus, or making a commitment to healthier eating, go ahead and throw a party!
Gifts for Veggie Day are certainly not necessary, but for anyone who insists, I am registered at Pizza Luce and Mississippi Market.
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