An urban vegetarian in the land of meat
August 10, 2008
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Mauve and merveilleuse, the house terrine
“In the city she’s a vegetarian, but here in the country, she puts entire pigs in her body!”
And sheep. And geese. And this is how my dear friends describe me, as an urban vegetarian.
Each day on my way down to the kitchen garden, I ride past a gaggle of geese that live in a large enclosure with views to the surrounding mountains, the river and a wall dotted with 12th century water wheels. On walks up in the mountains we encounter herds of sheep foraging for chestnuts and in another nearby microclimate, we find them nibbling and kicking up loads of dust perfumed with wild thyme. Considering the quality of life led by the animals here (and the lives of those that tend to them), it seems downright unethical not to tuck in.
Here in Occitania the quality of every single link in the supply chain, from the living animal to the prepared meat dish that I’m about to taste, is fuelled with a love of quality, a quality that gives honour to the environment of both the humans and the animals, a very high quality of the food craft, something stronger than love for the materiality of the ingredients and their ambling route to the end product, and a praiseworthy understanding of how to optimally use every single part of an animal once you’ve taken its life. It seems to be common practice here, and common knowledge. Meat without one secret. Thank you, Beautiful Beasts! For what it’s worth, you have become memorable!
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Charmed garden during twilight dining
debra at 11:26 | | post to del.icio.us
