Dispensing Happiness

A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.-Elsa Schiapirelli

That's me, the magical good cook.

Borrowing from my friend Dexygus, I've created my own food blog.

Read of my exploits in the kitchen! Salivate over the descriptions of fabulous desserts and savory meals I've concocted!

No, seriously...go ahead. It'll make my day.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Goat-herd's Pie

.




Many of you already know of the interesting culinary relationship Matt & I share: he's a carnivore of the 'quick; get the defibrillator, and it'll be able to get up & walk away' variety, and I'm an ova-lacto vegetarian.

Yeah. Good times.

Now, my reasons for going veg are mainly ethical, although I won't deny the health benefits. But I have never pushed my beliefs on anyone (well, with the exception of Alex, who...let's face it...started off veg; why not continue?), and don't intend to start. My experiences with religion have taught me the way you live your life has a much greater impact on others than forcibly shoving your doctrines down someone's gullet.

As it is, I have no issues making meat-based dishes for Matt, and do so regularly. In fact, with few exceptions, any meat dish you see on this blog was prepared by me.

Just because I haven't eaten it in over a decade doesn't mean I don't know how to cook it!

And Matt's also quite content eating meatless dishes. It's common for us to go weeks with little more than a chicken dish for him; the rest of our menu made of all sorts of interesting recipes made of vegetables and tofu, and eggs and cheese. This works for us.

There are a few things I am not comfortable cooking for him, however.

First, I will not allow veal in the house. Actually, if he wants to continue receiving kisses from me, Matt knows veal shall never pass his lips again. I just can't deal with it.

I'm not crazy about lamb, although I have cooked it on occasion.

But when we went to the farmer's market & found one of the stalls was selling meat, and Matt decided that goat stew meat would be perfect for the shepherd's pie recipe we had lined up, I had to invoke Nancy Reagan and Just Say No.

I have a hard enough time getting images of frolicking baby lambs out of my head; I didn't want to deal with sweet little goat bleats haunting me for weeks!

So, Matt made a variation of this recipe from Michael Chiarello. I have no idea of the specifics, beyond following my suggestion for swapping the mashed potato topping (which he does not like) for thin slices of potatoes, as I kept myself occupied in another room, and far away from the kitchen.

I will say this: it smelled divine. And he really seemed to like it.

I'm just happy I had didn't have to be the one to make it.




Blog Party#26 is coming, and this month, we're focusing on What's Inside! All your favorite appetizers with something to hide, and drinks, too...if you can manage!
Entries are due 20 September; hope to see you there!




Tagged with: + + + + + +

4 Thoughts for food:

At 11:33 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've usually been on the other side or the stove: a non- or semi-vegetarian cooking happily for full vegetarians, not the other way around. I have to wonder, though... if a vegetarian cooks many meat dishes, how does he or she know that the food was spiced correctly? Is it just knowledge from experience? Or do you keep the carnivore close at hand for tasting?
Good on you for keeping to your principles. I'm not a veg, but do try to eat consciously.

 
At 4:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

yammy! I like everything that could ever be related with chocolate! :-))) I feel that this will be my destination 3/5 times :-) I'll link your blog to mine! although my blog's entries are (most of them) in portuguese :-(

 
At 1:01 AM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Hi Cookworm!

Well, in my case, it really is a mix of knowledge and experience. And if Matt happens to be home? I absolutely have him taste whatever it is I'm making.
Of course, he's been cursed with a rather poor sense of smell and taste, so in his case, a little wiggle room is allowed!

 
At 1:02 AM, Blogger Stephanie said...

Hi Roberta!

Yikes...Portugese, huh? Thank goodness for babelfish.

And, yeah: chocolate can save the day!

 

Post a Comment

<< Home



[ Previous 5 Sites | Skip Previous | Previous | Next ]

This RingSurf Food~n~More Ring Net Ring
owned by Stephanie.

[ Skip Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites ]

eXTReMe Tracker