That is the question of the day. And as I write this while tucking into some farmhouse pate, not a question that comes easily to me. I advocate and enjoy a rich and varied diet and honestly believe that your bog standard human being is made for meat consumption. Just check out your teeth, you don’t need those canines to chow down on a banana. But veganism is increasing in popularity and not just as a form of practising extreme animal rights. Even I have to begrudgingly admit that one can survive in the modern age without any animal products if needs be. But why would you want to?!?!?! Again, Horatio, this is the question I mean to answer if at all possible.
The animal rights issue isn’t one I’m going to dig into that much- I already go free range where possible and am firmly against barbaric farming methods and cosmetic testing on animals. If you’re one of the lucky readers who know me personally ask me one day what I think about fois gras and you’ll know I don’t feel that all animal products are manufactured equally. I don’t agree with abusing animals, but I do eat them and I’m not squeamish about it. At heart I’m a science nerd (cooking is little more than well practised chemistry after all) so my questions are about the method and achieve-ability of this dietary choice. Will I feel better, and by better I mean physically and not just in a self righteous ‘no animals were harmed in the making of this menu’ way? Many self and publicly proclaimed health gurus advocate a vegan diet as the way to go to increase fitness, manage allergies and avoid all number of nasty ailments including heart disease and The Big C.
There are also a lot of admirable, attractive and generally against stereotype vegans out there- Bill Clinton, Robin Gibb (God rest you sir), super hot Alicia Silverstone and a long list of ironically beefy athletes who don’t seem to be suffering from a lack of steak and eggs. Pre 2012 Spiderman, was a vegan. I could go on for a really long time on the pros and cons, but I’m not going to. What I am going to do, is go vegan. For one week. I have no illusions of this becoming permanent but I’m going to try it. I also have no illusions that I’m going to find it easy or even enjoy it, but I’m going to try it. And I can’t start today because I can’t afford to throw out a load of food, but come Friday morning, I’m going to try it!!!!! If nothing else, I hope it might make me a better cook because there’s no way I’m eating beaked beans and tofu for seven days in a row, what a great challenge to creativity as well as will power! I might even manage to make quinoa taste like something other than yuk you never know.
So Friday becomes V Day, I’m off to do some more research and get started on all the cheese in the fridge. Want to join in? I’d love some fellow experimentals if you’re up for the challenge just sign up by comment below. More to come.
Food. Boom. 