Pass the steak...Im hungry

This Blog will be a little different.

Not a review at all. Its more personal to me, a big dietary change I made in my life

After 23 years of not eating red meat I had my first steak. OK, honestly i didn't have a whole steak I just tasted steak, for fear of my body shouting "reject" and making life suck for that night. Baby steps dear readers..baby steps

Now after two decades I'm a fully fledged carnivore. Can you believe I have lived in Texas for over 10 years now without touching steak?

WHY NOW?

Well, here is my honest but politically correct answer..

* In college I was very much a hippy chick. I bought body shop products and stopped eating meat for my love of the little furry creatures on this planet. Basically its just what you did back then when you wanted to make a stand. Times have certainly changed since those balmy teenage days and choosing "ethically raised/Grass fed" meat is an option that I have been considering for some time.

I feel that buying sustainable meat purchased from small farmers is a form of activism in this new era—a modern way of striking a blow against the factory farming of livestock and I do feel strongly today about preserving small-scale farming

That is not to say I will only eat certain meats or I will ask in restaurants to prove documentation to support this; but I have and will buy my own foods this way in the future.

Dallas is moving forward and farmers markets, whilst small, are gaining popularity

However there are other (and much more selfish) reasons for my life changes

* Despite having a huge food restriction I have never been viewed as a picky eater.I love food and love trying new foods. Over the years I slowly introduced chicken and fish to my diet but red meat was still a no no. I basically wanted the freedom to eat whatever I wanted. To have the label "will try anything once". These days it goes better with my adventurous, travel side more than the hippy chick I was at 19.

* In Japan this year I felt rude and embarrassed to have to turn down food offerings from new friends. I hid food they gave me and passed it silently along to my happy carnivorous hubby. I wanted to fit in to their culture and be grateful of what they were presenting me with. But in reality I felt like a naughty five year old at her parents table hiding meats in my napkin

*Anthony Bordain. I have been addicted to his travel/food show "No reservations" and I decided i just didn't want reservations either. I wanted to be free to explore the culinary world of new countries. To stop worrying what might be in certain dishes and to be able immerse myself more fully into new cultures. Its really quite a new world that has opened up to me, and I'm excited by it! So Tony...your talk of pig ears and pig cheeks and crispy pig skin has a lot to answer for!

I never preached vegetarian ways or tried to encourage anyone else from not eating meat. My hubby was a fully fledged carnivore from the day i met him as are the majority of my friends so whilst my change may seem shocking to some who have never seen me eat meat, most I'm sure won't notice a difference



A little dutch courage



My first bite of steak in 23 years!



Except my Mum... who after 23 years can finally be happy that my vegetarian ways really were "just a phase"
.....and in answer to the question on everyones lips "Yes it tasted GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD"