Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Exciting for Some
Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of schadenfreude, and also of making fun of vegetarians. Not vegetarians generally, no, but the stereotypical American Vegetarian, who insists on (a) making a scene whenever someone consumes a food product deemed Unethical by said AV, (b) demanding that hosts of dinner parties, etc., make huge accommodations (usually without warning prior to AV's arrival) in the menu, and - perhaps most damning of all - (c) insists on making every vegetable-based foodstuff into some overwrought approximation of a meat product and centering meals invariably around tofu and/or polenta.
During the summer, I cook almost exclusively vegetarian at home (except for adding fish sauce or stock), but aside from the occasional veggie burger (they are convenient!), no 'meat alternative' darkens my palette. I take my vegetarian living clues from nature as well as from Indian and other vegetarian cultures: fruits and veggies are the focus and highlight of meals, not disguised as tofurkey or soy cheeze. Not that I don't like tofu, but it has to be cooked properly - like tofu, not a hot dog - and also only in moderation!
Where does schadenfreude come in? Well, it appears that eating lots of tofu may increase your risk of dementia! Which is really very funny, since the AV is also famous for lecturing endlessly on the health benefits of the tofu-thrice-a-day diet.
Alas, my karmic retribution for this joy came swiftly: right after seeing news of this study, I also discover - fresh off paying too much money for a pretty new Prius - that VW, Mercedez, and Toyota itself are going even further with fuel reductions. Oy. Really cool, but ... Oy.
During the summer, I cook almost exclusively vegetarian at home (except for adding fish sauce or stock), but aside from the occasional veggie burger (they are convenient!), no 'meat alternative' darkens my palette. I take my vegetarian living clues from nature as well as from Indian and other vegetarian cultures: fruits and veggies are the focus and highlight of meals, not disguised as tofurkey or soy cheeze. Not that I don't like tofu, but it has to be cooked properly - like tofu, not a hot dog - and also only in moderation!
Where does schadenfreude come in? Well, it appears that eating lots of tofu may increase your risk of dementia! Which is really very funny, since the AV is also famous for lecturing endlessly on the health benefits of the tofu-thrice-a-day diet.
Alas, my karmic retribution for this joy came swiftly: right after seeing news of this study, I also discover - fresh off paying too much money for a pretty new Prius - that VW, Mercedez, and Toyota itself are going even further with fuel reductions. Oy. Really cool, but ... Oy.
Labels: car, dementia, diet, efficiency, fuel, gasoline, schadenfreude, technology, tofu, vegetarians
