Labels

I've been thinking a lot about food lately......Oh who am I kidding? I think about food all day everyday. But particularly I've been thinking about food segregation. When I hear or see discussion of vegan this or vegan that I want to vomit. In my opinion there is nothing more hollow or soul crushing as veganism. Vegans seem mirthless & sallow to me.

Yet last week I cooked a lentil stew that was vegan if not for the parmiggiano that I grated over the top. Not once did I stop & think "hey, I'm going to eat vegan this week." or "hey what a great vegan stew."

Tomorrow we are going to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen for their vegetarian No Menu Monday. All I'm excited about is getting some outstandingly delicious food. The fact that it's vegetarian is an afterthought to me. I love dining there & know without a doubt I'm going to enjoy my meal greatly tomorrow.

I realized that it's the labels I have a problem with. That & the pigeon holing that people subject themselves to. No one should ever define themselves by how they eat. Now of course that is entirely different than making positive choices to eat food that is better for you & better for the environment. What I mean to say is that defining your personality as "vegan" or "vegetarian" or "porkaholic" is the same as simply defining yourself as gay or straight. Each & every one of us is so much more than that. Sure, sharing your ideas on food, what you cook, what you eat is exciting & fun & sort of political but it shouldn't define who you are.