In my late teens, I read a book (I can't remember which one) about factory farming. I was already mostly vegetarian by then, and this converted me to veganism. Thirty years ago, however, being vegan wasn't easy. I had to go to specialty stores, read all the labels and save up my student pennies for expensive, exotic ingredients. I didn't enjoy this obsession with food and when I moved back to France for a year, where meat smelled so delicious, I went back to my carnivorous ways. Throughout the next decades, I waffled between diets, finally settling back into a mostly vegetarian one for reasons of health, convenience and taste.
I enjoyed reading Eating Animals because it looks at meat-eating through the lenses of culture, society, health and ethics. Although the author is clear on his position, he strives to give a voice to all stakeholders: from militant vegans to factory farmers. But most of all, it made me reflect on the cultural norms in which I grew up and the environment I live in now.
On my maternal side, both sets of great-grand-parents relied on meat for their living: butchery and charcuterie. In those days, a butcher was a specialist in one animal: beef, pork, horse. Added to these choices were lamb and mutton, rabbit, fowl, fish and much more besides. Still today, in much of the world, there's a knowledge and a willingness to use the entire animal in a way that does not exist in North America. I grew up on snails, rabbit, duck, tripe, blood sausage, and seafood in all shapes and sizes, along with traditional cuts of meat and fish. With my sister-in-law, who's of Chinese descent, we joke about all the unconventional meats and fish we've been exposed to, and genuinely enjoy. This usually elicits groans and horrified gasps from friends and acquaintances who've been fed with nothing more than bland chicken and thick slabs of steak (my turn to groan). These traditions were borne out of necessity and a willingness to maximize investments: my great uncles could not afford to lose animals to illness or waste any parts of it. While there was no romanticism, nor was there unnecessary torture in the way that exists in factory farming.
As I sit here today, it's a pretty easy choice for me to eschew grocery store meats. I don't enjoy handling them and the taste does not evoke anything special. I have already started searching around Ottawa for better options. Mariposa Farms is a favourite (and I get to meet my meat!); I've signed up for a harvest box from Aliments Farmhouse Foods and I've found several websites highlighting local producers like Ulocal and Savour Ottawa. This doesn't strictly guarantee ethical meat, but it helps to get to know local growers and farmers, understand their methods and even visit their farms. If anything, I get to know my area better and discover new tastes!
The real test for me will be restaurants... I am a foodie after all, and I've started reading a book about a woman's culinary adventures in Japan. I'm salivating already. I know I'll never be a true vegetarian but I will make an effort to be choosier and more ethically minded.
My book review is on LibraryThing under the handle Cecilturtle.
