A Drink to Celebrate Unprincipled Veggies

After a tough year, I began 2007 with a few challenges for myself.   

One of them was to open my mind beyond the preconceived notions of what I thought I needed to be fulfilled and satisfied.  As I had a new social life that I needed to build again, I promised that I wouldn’t be looking for carbon copies of myself to spend time with, which unfortunately had been the standard upon which I measured compatibility. The 2007 version of myself was all about having an open mind, open plans, open to sharing anything.

On the dating front, that turned out to pose interesting dilemmas.  Take, for instance, the fact that I’ve been on dates with three vegetarians.   That’s something I wouldn’t do before this year. I mean….do you read this site?

But being open minded means giving people a chance, even if that means challenging yourself to look beyond what on paper could be a bad match.  Of course, all of them turned out lame.   The last and most recent social experiment was the most ironic of all.   I had to dig deep and attempt to be open minded on a variety of major issues, many of which were way deeper than being a veggie.   It turned out to be an unappreciated attempt, which was slightly comical to me.   I thought people could see when they were asking more of someone and would value the effort.   Weren’t veggies usually the incredibly thoughtful, principled, types?

Despite popular opinion, I’m not against being a veggie.  I love vegetables more than anyone, so I could imagine celebrating them above all else.   But I love bacon, and that’s just in my DNA.  What I can also respect about being a veggie are life decisions based on principles or health related goals.   If someone wants to live a lifestyle free of animal fats and what not, I kind of get that.   Kind of.    Humanitarian issues?  Certainly a point for debate, but one I respect and admire.

But every veggie I’ve met had nothing of substance supporting their lifestyle choices.   The most frequent explanation I’ve heard was “texture” – they didn’t like how certain proteins felt in their mouths.   In fact, this last person wasn’t even committed to being a vegetarian.  She could be talked out of it seemingly at a whim, which I would say ended up being metaphor for issues of greater substance.   Commitments can be tricky, especially when they seem to be rooted in whimsy.

So after the latest and most recent veggie debacle, I’m at the crossroads of whether I’d bother going on a date with another veggie.   Gut instinct says bad match.   But the open-minded me says that would be a shallow move.  When it comes down to it,  it’s not about eating veggies, bacon, or foie gras.  It’s about the substance that lies behind the choices we make.   Veggies with principle and conviction, you still make the cut.   Lucky you (?).

To celebrate the failing of my new open-minded romanticism, I offer you a drink that I’m making at home to ponder my recent veggie follies. Velvet Falernum is an amazingly aromatic simple syrup/alcohol concoction.   You need to track it down – it’s shockingly delicious and completely challenges what you’d expect from a spirit.  It’s almost like a little taste of Fall - bursting with spices, nutmeg, cinnamon and all things that remind you of pumpkin pie, falling leaves and unprincipled vegetarians. 

A recipe for my favorite drink with Velvet Falernum is below.

Foodie NYC:   "The Unprincipled Vegetarian"

1⁄2 oz Rum
1⁄2 oz. Velvet Falernum
ginger ale or ginger beer to fill tall glass
optional:  mint leaves
ice

Comments

[K'nera]

Hi, is'a damn shame you only date vegetarian airheads when there are millions out there who, for instance, refuse to support this perversion of meat industry. Better luck next time!

[Laren]

Looking forward to tasting one sometime. With a side of bacon, naturally.

[Ari (Baking and Books)]

As a meat-lover who married a vegetarian I understand where you're coming from. My husband and I lived with that "why won't you taste my delicious steak?" tension for years, until I read "The Omnivores Dilemma" and became a vegetarian myself. I still love meat... I just don't eat it anymore.

[Taryn]

It is unfortunate that you met such wimpy vegetarians. I haven't eaten meat in 3 years and I can clearly tell you why I made that choice.....but I usually keep those things to myself because I am also not one of theose preachy..better than thou veggies..
Good luck in your search for love....or just an interesting date!

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thank you so much for an alternative to pork! lol! I really enjoyed this recipe and my wife is asking me to cook it again tomorrow! lol! I order alot of veggies from Celebrity Foods so this gives me a great complement to my awesome veggies i cook! Thank you so much for the recipe! welcom to my page http://www.okayoutlet.com

[Round and Brown]

thank you so much for an alternative to pork! lol! I really enjoyed this recipe and my wife is asking me to cook it again tomorrow! lol! I order alot of veggies from Celebrity Foods so this gives me a great complement to my awesome

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[Singing Machine Karaoke]

I'll have to try that? Have you ever had Absolut Vodka?