meet the meatless.

I'm experimenting with a new concept in 2009: it's based on finally doing some things you've been talking about doing so that you don't go on regretting not ever doing them. I don't think it's quite the same as what the NYT is talking about here. That is, these aren't resolutions, they're experiences. You know, seeing what it's like to not do something for a while. Hey, just like that whole fasting experiment from last year, remember? And that almost turned out just fine.

So one of the many things I've been thinking about doing for a while is playing around a bit more seriously with vegetarianism. So January (with the exception of one or two previously-planned meals outside the home) will be strictly vegetarian. No fish either.

Instead, there will probably be gougères. Or maybe just one big one. And that's in no way connected to the fact that another thing I should do this year is go to Paris.

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Non-vegetarian events in December that had nothing to do with this decision included the 21-pound prime rib we had on Christmas Day (pictured above and below...the best way to get a perspective on its actual size is by looking at my dad's leg next to it in the above photo. The bottom photo is what it looked like after Christmas dinner), and the cookbook my dad gave me for Xmas, The River Cottage Meat Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The book seems great so far, with a large introductory section on shopping ethically and the current state of organic farming...it'll just be a little while before I get to the recipes.
















Another cookbook I acquired over the holidays was Culinaria's Italy (for 9.00 USD at Borders, apparently quite a steal). And then two Bittman books, only one of which made it home with me, oops. And I still didn't buy Cooking of Southwest France because I bought a new Mexican gangster chrome-plated Hawaiian steel guitar instead, and while I probably, no definitely could've rationalized the purchase of both to myself, well...as I said, I'm experimenting with what it's like to not do some things this year.

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