Monday, December 21, 2009

"But what do you eat?"


Here are cheese enchiladas, with a black bean taco, vegetarian refried beans, and Mexican rice. Usually I like a nice tostada (corn tortilla, with beans, avocado, lettuce, tomato, with the optional sour cream and cheese on top)


In California, I can ever get pub food that isn't french fries or chips, here is soft, yet crunchy thick bread, with manchego cheese, drizzled with honey, and served with a local craft beer, brewed in Pasadena. Heavenly.


A potato knish is meant to be eaten with gravy, and gravy is only rarely vegetarian, luckily a knish just doesn't need gravy to be very tasty.


I can't begin to express how great the Din Tai Fung eatery is-vegetarian dumplings, flash fried, garlic riddled green beans, a spicy noodle dish that I could have eaten all by myself if my bonds of marriage and friendship hadn't tethered me to politeness.


I spent most of my life on the west coast of America, and because of this geographical location, I thought myself to be quite normal in my eating habits.
As I started to spend time beyond the haven of California, Oregon, and Washington I found that most people found my eating habits baffling.

"You don't eat meat?"
"Any meat?"
"Fish though, right? you must eat fish?"

I've been in Australia close to five years now, and people always forget that I don't eat meat, or fish.
People constantly ask me "What do you eat"?
The idea of living this way is incomprehensible to most people. Sweden is more accepting, but not much more accommodating. For the most part, I am not bothered, but I definitely get excited to go out for meals while on the west coast of America. While we were there recently, I wanted to eat so many things that I confused myself. As we can get most types of Asian foods here in Australia, I confined myself mostly to Jewish, Mexican, and types of Asian that aren't commonly served with a vegetarian options, such as the dumplings you see. I also love good ol'Californian food: large salads with fruit as well as vegetables, vegetarian bar options, huge avocado and cheese sandwiches on fresh baked bread.

Even Zok who is completely accepting of my abnormality will scan menus nervously convinced I'll be unable to eat, which is silly as I can basically eat anywhere, even if this means eating the 'sides' most people get with their steaks.
In California though as the Australians say- I am spoiled for choice.
In California there are grocery stores larger than our largest here in Tasmania that have nothing but vegetarian, and vegan, foods. Vegan junk food even.

I have posted some eating highlights.
Monte & Roberto were very sweet about my food whims and even at least humored my threat to get an egg-nog flavored shake from a drive-thru fast food joint.

1 comment:

Monte Means said...

I'm just sorry we did not fulfill your whim for a Jack-in-the-Box eggnog shake!